Inspired by Films (and everything else)

After watching a great film I am inspired. It just happened again with 35 Shots of Rum.

After experiencing a great film I reflect upon my life, my past present and future.

It reminds me of what’s important in life, placing everything into perspective. I immediately begin to remove anything invaluable nearby (close browser tabs, clean my desk, clear my schedule) so that I can focus on what’s most important. It keeps me on track.

Sometimes it pulls me away from my lucky American life, and makes me think about how wastefully I’ve spent my time and money. It holds me close to the ideal simple life. [Man Push Cart, Turtles Can Fly].

Sometimes it reminds me that I am not the only one and that I am normal. [The Apu Trilogy, Tree of Life, Fish Tank, Still Walking].

Other times I just ponder. It’s sadly one of the few times in my life I am not busy, away from the distractions of the modern world. An ample portion of my thoughts text file was written after watching a film. I owe films for providing me these crucial moments. I’ve made many life altering decisions during them.

Of course it’s not limited to films. It could be a a Youtube video, a comic book, a crucial life event, anything. But it’s so convenient to watch a film in two hours on my laptop knowing that there’s a great chance of it affecting me. It’s a tough decision to risk my time on anything else when I know I can be satisfied with a film.