Why do you even watch movies, bro?
I like using Letterboxd to track what films I watch because A) I’m fascinated by the end of year stats that the site offers listing the top actors, directors, genres, filming locations, etc I watched in a given year and B) I have a lousy memory and, without Letterboxd, I might forget what films I watched in January by the time I make it to December.
Looking through my Letterboxd stats from the previous years compared to the movies logged in this past year I have noticed a clear pattern - I’m watching far fewer movies in a given year than I used to. And it’s true … and premeditated! With the exception of film festivals - where I still like to splurge - or the occasional double feature at the theater, I try and limit myself to a maximum of a single movie a day. Now, I realize that 365 movies watched in a year is still way more than your average person’s viewing habits but - when compared to the Robert Saucedo of the past - this is a pretty shocking cinematic agenda.
The fact of the matter is this: I realized that I will never watch every movie I want to watch. I don’t plan on dying anytime soon but I know that - in the grand scheme of things - my time on Earth is pretty limited and, despite my best efforts, I won’t watch every bit of quality entertainment put on this planet. So why try? Why should I force myself to wade through movie after movie - many of which I know I won’t like? Why cloister myself in front of my television on a beautiful afternoon when I could be hiking, reading a book, or writing my own stories? I only have so many hours on this planet and I realized that I only want to spend a specific percentage of those hours watching other people’s stories on screens of various sizes. Does this mean that sometimes I miss out on great movies? Sure. But I’ll miss out on a ton of great movies after I die too and there’s no reason to cry about that so why should I bemoan the fact that I still haven’t gotten around to watching THE POWER OF THE DOG?
I love movies. I love the emotions they conjure and the comfort they bring and - most of all - I love the experience of watching movies with an audience. I love the energy that pulsates through a room during a good comedy or horror film. Despite my reluctance to give my life over to the act of cinematic voyeurism, I can’t imagine living a life without movies in them. I will continue to seek out great new films, gems from the past I haven’t watched yet, big superhero blockbusters, small intimate dramas, and everything in between. I will watch movies big and small and try my best to enjoy every movie I watch - I just refuse to give up more than a few hours of any given day on being a passive audience member.
I’ve written in the past about my addictive personality. Movies used to be a big addiction. I would lose entire days watching films, special features, television episodes, etc. I don’t regret any amount of time I’ve spent watching a movie, but I also realized that moderation is key. I’ve realized that by limiting the number of movies I watch in a given year, the movies I do watch have a larger impact. The good movies hit harder.
The truth of the matter is this: Movies mean more to me now that I watch fewer of them.