You can learn a hell of a lot about someone by knowing simply two things: what kind of music they like and why kind of movies turn them on. I've found that talking about music with strangers is pretty difficult for me. I'm a snob. Mention to me, for example, that you're a die-hard Billy Joel fan and we're probably going to have trouble moving forward. I can't say the same for movies, though. I'm a fan of the sophisticated and the stupid. I can find myself absorbed equally as much by "Requiem For A Dream" as I can by Billy Madison." I'm sick that way.
Because of my weird, all-over-the-map taste, my snobbishness isn't nearly as pronounced when it comes to talking flicks. Tell me that your thing is sports movies, and I'll tell you Susan Sarandon's Annie Savoy from "Bull Durham" could possibly be my dream girl. Tell me you're a devotee of buddy flicks, and I'll suggest we put on dark sunglasses and suits and act out scenes from "The Blues Brothers" ("For fried chickens and a Coke.") Tell me you prefer horror, and I'll suggest we put on our spelunking gear and dive into the "The Descent" or don our devil horns and sink into "Rosemary's Baby." Want to compare originals to remakes. I'm down with the that. Want to talk book adaptations. I'm all in. Want to make lists of the best supporting actors ever. I couldn't be happier. Want to compare documentary notes, I've seen my share. I love movies, and I love knowing what others think of them and how they fit movies into their lives.
Today, my daughter and I were talking movies, and it donned on me how powerful a force movies are. They cross so many boundaries. The bridge so many gaps. You can pretty much sit any two people from any part of the world from any economic background in the same room and tell them, "Name your favorite children's movie," and a conversation will occur. I particularly like people who will experiment with their viewing. I like people who take risks. Who let a director speak to them. I like storytelling, and I like people who like storytelling, too. Most of all, I like talking with people about how they interpreted the story. That's why I love talking with my kids about flicks. You learn a lot about how they view the world. Who and what they find evil and sinful. What they think is funny. What they fear. Who they find brave and determined. You learn what makes them feel warm. What makes them feel motivated and inspired. You learn how they like to pass their time. Tonight, I'll be watching a movie with my four-year-old. I'm leaning toward "The Jungle Book." I wonder what she's in the mood for.
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