Why Must We Watch Movies?

A discussion by Kate O’Brien

Lately I’ve been thinking about how much I love to watch movies. I truly could spend an entire weekend watching movie after movie. Last weekend we sat down to watch Rocky II, which I loved, but afterwards I was thinking about how in a short amount of time I had laughed, cried, and cheered when (spoiler alert) Rocky won the match. 

Now I will admit that I love to let myself get swept away by movies, I allow myself to become completely invested, so perhaps not everyone will watch movies as enthusiastically as I do, but I also know I’m not alone. I’ve had some incredible conversations with people about movies, and there are certain times when being in the cinema with a crowd feels amazing. It is not exactly the same feeling as being in a live theatre, but there is something lovely about being part of a crowd of people who are all excited to watch the same movie. 

Last summer, alongside the rest of the world, I went to see Barbie. The cinema was full. Everyone was wearing pink. There was a line to stand in the Barbie box outside the screen. An entire room of people laughed and cried together. Last Christmas season, I went to see Die Hard in the cinema because it is one of my favourite movies. Again, that night in the cinema was a communal experience. Everyone was quoting the famous lines, we were laughing together, and cheering those iconic John McClane moments. The point I’m making is movies mean something to people, and I love experiencing the ways that movies can bring people together. 

Movies can serve many purposes. Movies can entertain. Movies can be a form of escapism, a way for people to step into another world and witness the life of another person. Being entertained by a movie can make us feel better if we are having a hard time. Movies can make us laugh and they also make us cry, and sometimes they can even make us feel truly understood. 

Movies can also be more than a form of escapism. Movies can function as a mirror to society. Movies can reflect the good, the bad, and the ugly in life. Movies can tell a story about a particular time or event, and they can give voices to many people. Movies can move and inspire us, because in all of this, whether you’re watching a comedy or an action movie, or a rom com, or something terribly sad, there will be a moment, a scene, a character that resonates with you. 

While I am an avid reader, I do love the medium of film, and I enjoy visual storytelling. 

I am always encouraging people to read. I will always be an advocate when it comes to helping young people fall in love with books because I believe that being a reader can open so many doors, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, and I think I would argue that it is just as important to foster a love of film in people. I believe that we must watch movies. 

So what’s my argument? Why must we watch movies? 

I believe we should watch movies because watching movies allows us to experience storytelling in various ways. Movies are made up of so many components, characters, setting, costume, the score, and all of those components come together to create a visual piece. While using our imagination when we read is fantastic, I do believe that there are some moments that are meant to be portrayed onscreen. There are also some movies that would be completely different if the score was different. Can you imagine Jaws without that famous two note motif? It wouldn’t be the same. When we appreciate how integral that musical theme is to that movie, we are appreciating music. When we stop to appreciate how a costume can make or break a character, we are appreciating design and fashion. When we take the time to recognise all of these components and the roles they play, we are actually beginning to appreciate the arts in a much broader way. When we appreciate the arts, we are appreciating ideas and doing so allows people to be more creative, more innovative, and more collaborative. 

Watching movies also helps us with our levels of social intelligence. As people, we learn so much by watching. Watching a movie can let us see the inner workings of a character. We see what they go through, we see how they feel and why they feel that way, we see how they interact with others, and we see what they do in the movie, and we have opinions on all of these things. 

When we can see why a character is upset, we empathise with them. When we can see why a character behaved a certain way, we can understand their actions but realise that maybe they should have acted differently. Movies can also be extremely educational. Watching a movie about a certain event or particular situation allows audiences to experience and learn about that event in a safe way. You can watch a character make mistakes and even though the movie is fictional, we as an audience can still learn from those fictional mistakes and apply the lessons to our real lives. The same can be said about movies that deal with heavier themes such as grief. The character in the movie is experiencing grief, and even though the movie is fiction (unless it is based on a true story), that story and that character arc can help a person who is grieving in real life. Perhaps they see themselves in the character, perhaps they feel less alone by seeing a story like theirs, and maybe the character getting through grief can provide comfort and hope in real life. I’ve certainly felt that way, and I know many others who have too. 

I think movies can bring people closer together. As I mentioned above, some of the best conversations I’ve had have been over a bottle of wine after watching a movie. I’ve spoken about what I thought of the movie, why I liked it, why I didn’t, scenes that stood out etc. I’ve discussed themes with people and how those themes made me feel, and more often than not, chats about movies have become about more than movies. Suddenly those chats become personal, and I’ve connected with people on a deeper level, but the movie is the thing that broke the ice, the movie is the thing that allowed us to connect. I do believe that so many people just wish to be understood, and as a movie lover, and as someone who studies literature and film, I believe that movies can help us feel more understood. 

An idea that I’ve mentioned a lot recently is the idea of a “must watch”movie. This is not a new concept. Just like how there are books that are considered to be books that everyone must read, there are movies that are classed as “must see” movies. A “must see” movie is usually a movie that covers a topic of cultural, or historical significance, or tells a story that is socially significant in some way. 

I think that I am going to create my own version of a “must see” movie list. I think it would be fun to think about movies that have impacted me and why, and hopefully my list may give people some movie night inspiration so stay tuned. 

Follow me on Instagram if you don’t already @katelovesliterature for all updates about what is #ComingUpNext. 

I am also very excited because episode #02 of Your Book or Mine? will be coming soon on Spotify. You can #JoinTheBookClub by following us on Instagram @yourbookorminepod