Movies and Music with Clara

     A couple weeks ago, I rewatched a movie from 1984 called The Outsiders. The Outsiders was the first movie I watched that made me appreciate movies not in an entertaining way, but an artistic way. Seeing it again after years of broadening my movie taste has made me realize how different my taste has changed in both movies and music and how different I have changed in what to expect out of art.

     When I first started watching films for expansion instead of fun, I mostly watched 80’s movies. Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Adventures in Babysitting; all the raunchy comedies with all the dazzling Brat Pack stars you can think of. In those days, I loved The Breakfast Club as much as the next teen wanting to be born in another generation. Now, I can’t stand that movie. I watched so many teens movies because I could relate to the characters. “Oh, that character is going through the same generic problems as me, what talented writing!” I probably thought. Those movies are still fun when you’ve seen it a dozen times and need background noise, don’t get me wrong. I think if you’re stuck in the idealistic mindset of wanting to live in one of those films, there is much better content out there for you to watch. Around this time, I listened to a lot of classic rock and thought I was the coolest person ever for listening to all the bands you see on t-shirts. I wasn’t even close to aware of what laid beyond the John Hughes utopia of 80’s teen films and the Adult Hits station. I’ll be including some films I enjoyed during the times in my life.

Red Dawn

Stand By Me

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

     The first foreign movie I can remember watching was My Neighbor Totoro, but it was dubbed in English. I was as young as five when I saw it. It’s a fantastic film that I think everyone should see at least once in their life. The animation and storyline is superb, and the awe feeling it leaves you with is indescribable. When I started branching out to foreign movies, I was definitely skeptical. I hated reading subtitles on the bottom of the screen while trying to pay attention to what is happening. Now, I just do a glance to the words to read them. Watching movies and reading at the same time is possible. Shocking, I know. It might take some time for you to read and watch at a steady pace, but it’s worth it because some foreign movies are brilliant.

     I prefer subtitles over dubbed since there is something enchanting about the original language with the art that’s on the screen. Start out with a list of must-watch foreign movies (i can insert my design from an issue) and go from there. Foreign movies are original since they don’t conform to what is “good” in Hollywood. Around this time, I started noticing the cinematography and music in movies too. Some scenes can be transferred to a frame and it would look like a painting. The music I listened to during this time was music from other countries. Korean music is a part of my daily music habits. Music is universal, and you are not required to listen to music only in your language. I can guarantee you can find a foriegn music artist that makes similar music to your favorite one. I went to a K-Pop concert last February and it opened my eyes to how so many different people can come together for a group that doesn’t even speak their language! I think branching to heights you wouldn’t normally reach is important for everyone since growing, learning and experiencing are three  very important things in being human, and movies can give the tools to start.

The Chorus

Mean Creek

Submarine

     Sometime early last year is when my love for movies took off full speed ahead. I followed countless film blogs on tumblr, retweeted articles pertaining to the newest blockbuster hit, and fully immersed myself to the art that is cinema. I wanted to watch as many classic movies as I could. The IMDB Top 250 movies was a constant open tab on my laptop, and I would watch as many as three movies a day on the weekends. I told myself I would study film in college and was convinced I could become another Catherine Hardwicke or Sofia Coppola. I was living in a continuous movie in my head. I finally got all the inside jokes on the internet about popular movies and could talk about films for hours. The “best” movies are the best for a reason. They have shaped the industry for decades, and their influence will not be slowing down anytime soon. Starting with the top movies from the top directors is a  good way to immerse yourself into becoming an involved fan. My music taste started shifting in a good way too. I was listening to more groups and solo artists, especially hip-hop and alternative rock bands. Watching the classics and listening to more unusual music was the perfect balance. This YouTube video gives me chills everytime I watch it, and I think it’s a good introduction to film. 

12 Angry Men

A Clockwork Orange

Empire of the Sun

     During the summer, I went through a period of where I couldn’t enjoy the simple things I used to. It would take me hours to get myself ready mentally to watch a two-hour movie. I would spend a lot of time by myself, and movies couldn’t be there anymore for me. My favorite thing in the world now meant nothing to me. If I would hang out with my friends to watch a movie, I had to shut off my brain and try to focus on just the movie, not if they were enjoying it or watching the movie. I became really cynical when it came to movies. It was hard to talk about movies because nothing entertained me anymore. I started listening to more abstract and incoherent music, and some of those bands have become my favorite. When I could muster up the energy to watch a movie, it would be a weird and independant one because those were the ones I felt like I could relate to the most. There are some masterpieces by lesser-known directors that I enjoy more than some classics. Getting into deeper movies, I connected with the characters and really thought about how things recorded on a camera could mean so much to me. I changed how I thought about life and what I expect out of it. I’m open to more things and will never pass up an opportunity to try something new. Diving head first into the weird part of cinema can be a treacherous thing, so be cautious, and remember, not everything out there was made for a good reason.

Elephant

Kids

Mysterious Skin

     These days, I like to think I have gotten past that point rather well. I can watch movies without having to hype myself up to it, but it still takes some time for me to ready myself. I’m past going into film in college, since I know how silly of an idea that is. A girl from Iowa cannot expect the glamour she once thought. Meeting someone with similar movie taste as me is always a surprise and a delight, since I still love talking about movies with other people. My music taste has turned into a huge assortment of different genres that I am unable to list my favorites. Expanding out to new things, especially movies and music, is so important for everyone. They can give new ideas or reinvent someone completely. How I look at art has changed too. I used to only think paintings and sculptures could be considered art, now anything that can be sensed is art in my eyes. I know that is setting the bar really low, but that’s an advantage because I’ve been introduced to a lot of the little things that I now appreciate more. I have changed for the good, and the influence movies and music has given me was a huge part of that. If you’re in a bad part of your life right now, look towards unlikely sources to help you reach happiness; you will find them soon.