Last week, I tried to watch Laura.
I really enjoy older films as I have consistently been a strong believer that, stylistically, I was born in the wrong decade. But, I couldn't wait for the rising action, the plot to unfold, when I was watching Laura. I had to turn it the movie off and watch an episode of Bones. I couldn't squash that need to be intensely hooked right at the beginning (even before the beginning credits). So sad--as my behavior follows that "marketing programming" where shows get you as you are surfing channels, tempting you to spend the next hour of your life dedicated to watching their show, their advertisers.
Have I given up any intellectual responsibility on being entertained? Am I morphing into a consumer of entertainment that seems to not want to use the brain or be motivated by the development? Am I so antsy to be shocked, puzzled, made to laugh that I have given up any patience?
One of the last movies that propelled me to learn more, take some action in my own life, was Motorcycle Diaries. It tells a true story of an Argentinean student and his friend who motorcycled across South America learning more about how others live their lives and that feeling of dissonance that leads you to stand up for those who you believe cannot stand for themselves.
I still have Laura at home. I plan to watch the movie, still. Maybe I'll have to explicitly slow down my pace expectation, force myself to enjoy each cinematic moment, maybe take notes on the furniture, but also just savor the dialogue, critic the camera angle, or discern exactly what the take-away might be. Or maybe I can just snooze through the slow parts.
