My favorite movie=what mood am I in

I think sometimes we relate our favorite movies to the mood we are in when we see them. A person who truly watches movies for the entertainment value can have their senses intensly enhanced depending on the mood they are in and what the see. If you go into a movie after a long day at work and watch a movie about somebody in a deadend, "I hate this job" senario, then one of two things are gonna happen: Your gonna sympathize and feel a connection, or your gonna get angry because it reminds you of your day, or maybe a bit of both. Have alot of energy, been cooped up for a long time studying and need a good action movie? Well if you go see a movie with a plot that makes you think too much and is slow to climax, you may even hate the movie more than you should. What you need to do is go see a good popcorn eating, non stop, action movie. Feeling romantic, well Hamburer Hill propbably wouldnt be a good choice. What I am getting at here is two things:
1. We tend to be more critcal of a movie if we werent in the mood to see it in the first place, so therefore think twice before seeing a movie that you may not be in the mood to see. I think sometimes we may dislike a movie just because it did not coincide with our emotions when we watched it. Go see a movie that meshes with your mood and you will probably enjoy it more.
2. Movies are a form of entertainment, treat each fairly, try not to compare too much, let a movie stand on its own two feet or crash and burn in a flaming ball of napalm. I of course mean all this in relation to the entertainment value of a movie, there is nothing wrong with debate and comparision, and trashing or praising a movie. But sometimes it is simply fun just to watch a movie and not think of how good or bad it is gonna be before we even watch it , of course I am just in a mood right now, tommorow I may change my mind.

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

i totally agree with you, especially on your second point...a friend of mine recently saw League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and emailed me afterwards and said "what a cr@p movie..the script was so ****e that it even made Sean Connery sound stupid"...who would seriously go to see a movie with that title and expect it to be anything OTHER than entertainment...it had great effects, a few clever lines, Tom Sawyer - just leave it at that, i say

a workmate said today she wanted to see Kill Bill but is worried that it will be too violent...TOO VIOLENT??? with an R rating and the word KILL in the title...no, you don't say!!!!

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"So you take me for what I am...a psychopathic, schizophrenic, serial-killing, femme fatale?"

I am really hungry right now because of my tech not showing up today I could not leave for lunch and there is nothing here but chips. I am so hungry I could eat the Geico Gecko for talking about Pies 'n chips. Anyway I was wondering if I watched a movie like Supersize This right now if I would feel different about it than I normally would. I actually think I would.

I gonna have to say Quentin Terantino's Pulp Fiction is the ideal movie for just about any situation and it always makes me laugh so....ya'know.

...but there are some movies which just fit a certain mood.

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Success is the only earthly judge of right and wrong...

I absolutely agree. I don't understand how people can post their top 100s as if it's some definitive ranking, I probably have about 10 movies that I couldn't separate for the top spot, simply because what my favourite film is depends wholly on my mood at the time.

I do see movies as more entertainment than art, which some are bound to disagree with, but my measure of how 'good' a film is is whether I would be inclined to watch it again, some films that are regarded as classics bored the hell out of me (Citizen Kane and The Maltese Falcon come to mind - I was expecting the latter to be somewhat Indiana Jonesesque, or art least have something exciting happen in it) whilst others that wouldn't be allowed anywhere near any tasteful man's film collection I thought were great fun. Some people like to see a film that provides a study of life, but I tend to think that an exploration of fantasy is far more entertaining, I mean if I really wanted to be studying life I wouldn't be sat at home watching a DVD.

I think if I had to select the minimum number of films to get me through any mood they would be:

Apocalypse Now, Beauty and the Beast, The Big Lebowski, Dr Strangelove, Lethal Weapon, Se7en.

I think people have their stock few favorites no matter what and they can love vs. like movies depending on what they are in the mood to watch.

I think you have a point...sometimes you are in the mood for a certain film, or kind of film (and sometimes you're not). But really great films have qualities which we can recognise regardless of mood, and maybe even lift us out of our moods if they are really effective.

I'm not sure about being more critical of a movie if we weren't in the mood to see it in the first place - often a film I think will be crap but is 'alright', I will rate more highly than a film I have been looking forward to which is 'alright' , because it will have exceeded my expectations rather than disappointing them.

I like it when the movie, it doesn't matter which movie but when the movie molds my current mood and takes me inside the emotion of the film. Is that what the writer, director intended me to feel after viewing it? Playing with my emotions like that. It doesn't matter, just as long as the flick takes me on that feeling trip. I'll even applaud if the movie sparks a bit of anger in me or if there is no reason for me to relate to the flick... but in some strange way I do. Though maybe that's just me.

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This was my thought, reading this thread, as well. It's for this that I collect movies that make me feel like life is good: The Breakfast Club, The Apartment, When Harry Met Sally, Something About Mary... in a strange way, even Fight Club. It's also why I LOVE Wong Kar-Wei.

Regarding going INTO a movie that is counter to my mood - I've found that really doesn't work with some films. Kubrick can really get on my wick if I'm not ready to sit still and be fed with his tiny little spoon, for instance.

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Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

I agree and disagree at the same time. for instance latley i just rewatched the entire nightmare on elm street series which put me in a sort of campy 1980 slasher flicks mood but that doesn't change the fact that Taxi Driver is still my favorite movie. While if I did watch it right now i might not enjoy it as much as a normally do its still my favorite film.

If your talking about watching a movie for the first time you are right thats why if I like a movie or think I should like it more for some reason that I tend to rewatch it a week or two later when im in a different mood. recently my friend has been nagging me to see L4yer cake and when I watched I felt like I was just watching it to get him off my back and I did like it, it just didn't live up to the hype he and everyone else was giving it. So im going to rewatch it when I'm more in the mood for those type of hiest/gangster movies to see if I fall in love with it like most people I know did.

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"A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theater admission and the babysitter were worth it."
- Alfred Hitchcock

Well I guess favortie is not really a good word to use in this instance. I do know that some movies tend to not go along with ones mood however. New World for me is an example, I felt like I was going to fall asleep during the film when I saw it in theaters. But my mood that day was more on the hyper side and I felt like I was in fast forward and the film was trying to catch up with me. Yes I know that the film was meant to be this slow paced and yes I was the one who needed to slow down and not the movie speed up. I did rewatch New World last night on DVD and I find it a wonderful movie to experience, but if you had asked me the day I saw it at the theaters I propbably would have given it a 2.5 or 3 outta 4 stars where as right now I would say it is a four star movie because I gave myself the time to enjoy it. Oh well I am sure this does not apply to everyone, but my mood does affect how I immediately feel about a movie anyway and I might change my mind later if the movie and I are not seeing eye to eye in the emotional department.

I definitely need to be in a 'patient' frame of mind if i know the film is going to be low-key, or dealing in challenging territory. I was brought up on instant-gratification films after all, and they still please

There are definitely films out there that can take you to a place you want to be tho, like Non and Samuela said. And others that warp and change depending on how you're feeling when you're in front of them.

It's always good when a film invigorates you by surprising you tho - refreshes you by providing a different ride on the film-beast. The last one to do that for me was Greenaway's Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1. Before that, Hotel by Figgis. They were both fun. Altho, who knows, if i'd watched them on another day...

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I agree that our mood will affect how we "watch" a movie and critique. Generally, I like movies that are fanciful and not likly to happen to the everyday person. It's entertainment to me, and while I appreciate the deeper, realistic pictures, I will gravitate towards something that makes me rethink the way I go about my day - makes me happy. Big Fish is a prime example of the type of movie I like. It's a movie I'm always "in the mood for" and is always in my Top 10, along with You Can't Take It With You.
However, I have to be in the proper state of mind to watch a heavier movie, such as The Godfather or Pulp Fiction. If in one certain mood, those movies will even appear funny and I don't take a single thing seriously! It's quite amazing how easily a movie can influence your mood or your mood influence how a movie is watch, and that is partly why I love them!

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-After The Thin Man

I think a good movie should alter your mood to match the movie.

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TOP 100 | "Don't let the bastards grind you down!"

A couple of examples: I saw The King is Alive early in the morning, no one here and the house was quiet. I gave it my full attention and thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe if it had been evening with other people and noises in the house, I might have thought it was boring crap and even changed the channel. Some movies require your attention to every small detail and nuance.

I saw The New World at a theater and the "gentleman" behind me decided it was a good time to take off his shoes and put his feet on the seatback...two seats away from my head. And feeling constant movement in the seats. I moved to another seat but the thought of "you inconsiderate *******" never completely left my head. I'd like to see The New World again in a quiet environment, devoid of shoeless pricks.

So yes, mood and environment can definitely impact the experience.

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My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.

I agree. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for a certain movie, but once I start watching it, if it's good enough, it'll suck me in.

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"Like all dreamers, Steven mistook disenchantment for truth."

Mm-hmm...agreed. But only with movies I have not seen yet and was thinking something totally the opposite than what I ended up seeing. The last one was "The Lady Killers" remake. Extrememly funny movie and nothing like I had expected at all.

Im in a kind of "love my mother" mood...

better flip Psycho in the DVD player when I get home

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Real good movies don`t care (much) about your mood.

I might be in a mood for a certain kind of movie, but I really enjoy when I see a film I don't know anything about, and end up getting sucked in. I love those moments flipping through the wasteland of cable late at night and discovering some old magnificent film. I think that last time that happened to me was stumbling upon The Friends of Eddie Coyle with Robert Mitchum. Stayed up til 4am watching, but didn't care.

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