Plan9

Hello, my name is Crompsin. Despite being a big fan of movies... I have movie commitment issues. Let me see if I can explain my problem. It's a little embarrassing.

See, I'll start watching a DVD and halfway through... right before the denouement... feel an overwhelming desire to pause it and ignore it in favor of push-ups or PBJs... or eject it and put it back on the shelf.

It isn't because I've seen the movie before, because I often do it to movies I've never seen.

I feel really weird about doing it. Conscience issues. Like something is wrong with me.

Does anybody else do this with movies?

Why the hell do I do this?

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Martian

I typically leave the movie playing, but lose interest around the 90 minute mark on average. I figure it's a good way for me to get more value out of the movie, since I can watch it several times and see something new each time.

Movies and television are passive entertainment. Theyre not for everyone. I don't find them to be particularly engaging, as a rule.

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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

snowy

When we watch movies around here, I'm usually also browsing the Internets/pwning some n00bs in WoW on my laptop. My roommate subjects me to his Netflix whims. As the comfiest chair is in the living room, I kind of have to put up with it.

It's very rare that a movie holds my attention for the duration. I just can't do it. I know it's not an attention span problem; I can read books for hours on end. Movies just aren't as mentally stimulating, I suppose.

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special_k_77

I am the just the oppisite(sp) I can sit and watch a crap movie all the way though and not have wanted to see it at all.

Much less sonething I wanted to see, if it is something I wanted to see I wont even get up to go to the bathroom I will just hold it. I can join a movie halfway and end up stoping and watching the rest

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blahblah454

I am in the same boat as special_k_77. Once I start a movie I am stuck for the entire thing. My roommate and her boyfriend both smoke so they are always pausing movies partway through to go smoke. It drives me bonkers!

Lasereth

It depends on the movie for me. If it's an average movie then I get restless and feel like I'm wasting my time. If it's a truly great movie then I'm glued to the TV the whole time. Sounds like you may be Watching Some Shitty Movies®.

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"A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

Leto

I have become notorious in my circle of friends/colleagues/acquaintences for watching movies in segments. I rarely have more than 10 - 30 minutes at a stretch to dedicate to movie watching. Various reasons for this: busy home life, lot's of hobbies on the go, oh yes, work as well.

So, I have about 20 mins in the morning, which I typically dedicate to my movie of the week. Last week, I finished watching Pirates of the Carribean (End of the world) in this manner. Currently I am about 40 mins into Gran Torino (I like this one) but also have worked my way through about an hour of Snatch on the upstairs VCR.

The next movie that I have queued up is Slumdog Millionaire.

I love movies, but there are too many competing activities.

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ratbastid

Enh. Who's watching this movie, you or the movie? You're in charge here. If you're not compelled to finish the thing, I say that's the movie's fault.

Cynosure

I do this with books (novels) as well as with DVD's (movies). A novel has about 3-4 chapters to hold my attention; if it doesn't, I cast it aside and reach for the next book atop my many stacks of books "to read".

There are far, far too many novels and movies vying for my attention, and life is too short to waste on novels and movies that, partway through, aren't appearing to be worthwhile for me.

guyy

Hmm... i think this is a problem with TV-based entertainment. It takes no commitment. You decide to go to a rare screening of Empire State, you sit there all eight hours. Or not -- you might very well walk out, but if you do that, you affirm your independence vis-a-vis overhyped, overblown faux critics of the ArtWorld & movie biz who were really just gaming the system. And even if it is because you were hungry or because you had to take a shit, well, you can always throw that up as the ultimate critique of the film. "I might have stayed, but i had to take a shit." Anyway, when i go the theatre, i will leave early if the movie is truly awful, but usually not, even if it isn't very good. There are too many distractions at home, and if i watch late when the distractions are asleep, i might fall asleep myself.

777

Wow, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum here.

I'll watch the movie on dvd, and if I like it, I'll watch the special features. Making of, Deleted Scenes, hunt for Easter Eggs, etc. After that (if there's time), I'll rewatch the film with the director commentary on, to see why he did what, and to hear about random trivia in the film. A few of my friends are like this too. For example, in scenes where the characters are eating ice cream, they'll actually use mashed potatoes since that won't melt the way ice cream will.

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Roger Zelazny

SabrinaFair

I have a really short attention span, so if a movie isn't doing much for me, I have trouble committing to it. I'll either pause and walk away, or pull out my laptop and lose focus. I agree with ratbastid, you're the fellow watching, so don't worry about it.

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Jinn

If I start a movie, it's painful to leave in the middle. Even if it's terrible. I just can't get that "story incomplete" feeling out of my brain. What is this, or this, or this, or this happens? What about that guy, and the girl and that other guy?

I gotta see it to completion. The only time I get pissed is when a movie ends abruptly .. it's just like stopping the movie half way through. WAIT!! WHAT HAPPENS?!?! Same thing happens with TV shows. Even though I've seen every season of America's Next Top Model 3-5 times (my girlfriend loves it) and I know who gets kicked off at the end, even can quote some of the shit they say.. if she starts an episode, I have to watch it until the end. I like the end of a movie/TV show more than the beginning or middle, for sure.

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