Jetée

No, I only watch films I can get my hands on; that's what I meant. I don't have a general filtering process or state of mind to my film experience, it's just I have a sporadic way of going about it.

If you recommend a film to me, I'll probably watch it within the week. That's my first cue. If I just happen an obscure list of films pertaining to "such-and-such subject matter", I'll probably pick one out at random. It's a jumble.

I don't pay attention to actors, directors, plot, the history of the script... (was it adapted from a bestselling novel or videogame or what have you) I just look at the title of the film, if there is a quick synposis attached to it, and if it appeals to me, I give it a shot. If I come away satisfied, all the better.

There is something about being just free enough to enjoy an escape without having to, before and after, prepare, study and dissect every little piece of the production like I'm cramming for an exam, one that invloves rating actors and directors achievements over a lifetime when most of what goes into a film is put together by the efforts of hundreds, if not thousands, and to give just one person credit doesn't begin to cover the phrase "yeah, he made another classic". (I do, however, understand that the director is the "architect" to film's flow, progression, timing, and overall, longstanding effect on the audience; I just don't think any one director can be considered a "maestro" because he was able to create an acceptable environment for a successful and memorable film.)


and to tackle the point, yeah, I have seen a Ridley Scott-directed film before, perhaps several more than those you've mentioned, but I had (have) no idea what they were offhand, so I didn't really attribute the success of the film to the director (meaning: I couldn't name a single Ridley Scott film 10 minutes ago if you gave me a week to think about it, without any aid from google). Maybe I don't give this career of direction enough credit.


and a little fun:
here is a list of the last 20 films I've seen (for the first time) in descending order, with a star next to the ones I had no clue what the film pertained to, save for the actual title:
A Night at the Opera *
(Pixar's) Up
Blood Diamonds *
Constantine
Vincent Price's The Fly
Mean Creek *
The Great Outdoors *
The Joy Luck Club *
Almost Famous
The Seventh Coin *
Dog Day Afternoon
Hoodwinked *
Enchanted *
Apollo 13
The Manchurian Candidate (with Denzel)
The Amityville Horror (original)
Highlander
Dr. Strangelove *
The Last of the Mohicans *
Saving Private Ryan

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As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi