Obsession
Chuck Walton: I Salute You
I have a set of priorities in my life, and almost astonishingly cinema attendance is actually only fourth on my list (behind wife, work and singing, and just ahead of trying to lose weight and supporting my three favourite sports teams). Despite that, I am still managing to average two movies a week this year and to write this blog, so I can’t be doing bad. But no matter what you do in life, you always get the feeling there’s someone better, or madder (or both) out there. Step forward Chuck Walton.
Chuck has decided, for reasons probably best known to himself, to do what I did two years ago, to watch 100 movies. However, I did mine in a year, and had the comfort of four very decent multiplexes or art house cinemas in my local area. What Chuck is doing is watching those 100 movies in 100 days, at 100 different screens. He’s also subsisting on what he can find at those theaters (for he is American) and by day 55 had put on 15 pounds, apparently.
There’s a number of other things he’s driven to that I don’t have to do: firstly, he’s watching something, no matter what the quality, so he’s seen Killers and Marmaduke. Secondly, he’s also catching old movies, whereas I prefer the thrill of the new. Thirdly, he’s eating cinema food, something I’ve tried to really cut down on in my constant visits, because sooner or later, it’ll do to you what it’s doing to Chuck. And fourthly, he’s putting in the miles – I understand his girlfriend has gone to her mother’s until he completes this. My wife is very understanding of my hobby (thankfully, otherwise the cinema wouldn’t be the only time I’m on my own), but this has the feeling of the extreme marathon runner. I’ve widened my horizons this year, and have been to eight cinemas for my 52, but Chuck, as with everything else, has to push it that little bit further.
But this is movie obsession taken to extreme levels, and extensively blogged on the whole time. He’s on day 63 at time of writing, and looks like he’s going to go all the way. And for that, Chuck Walton, I salute you.
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Movie-Con III, Chapter I: The Ballad Of Broken Dreams
I like to practice what I preach, so my movie philosophy is not only to encourage others into the cinema, but for me to spend as much time there as possible. Two years ago, I set a target of seeing 100 films in a year, which I hit in mid-December that year, but since then I’ve tried to be more sensible. As with any addict, that can only last so long before temptation sets in, so this year I’ve been swallowing up films again like they’re going out of fashion – as of yesterday, I’ve seen as many this year as I saw all of last year.
But what I’ve been looking to do this year is to enhance that movie-going experience. I’ve already had one trip to the IMAX (for Journey to Mecca), and have a double bill of Inception and Toy Story 3 coming up later this month. Every time I think about that, I can already hear Gary Barlow striking up Greatest Day in my head. So how to top it? Well, I’ve booked a week off work so I can do my local thing, the Cambridge Film Festival, but there still felt like more opportunities.
My iPhone obsession, part 3: My experience of watching movies on my iPhone (and my tiny Nokia before that)
So now, an adventure into the land of hypocrisy, from where I am likely to emerge bruised and battered. For here I am, writing a blog whose primary function is to advocate that people go to cinemas to see movies, as that’s the best possible way to see them, talking about watching movies on a device with a screen that measures just 3.5 inches on the diagonal. Note to self, this better be good.
And it seems that the debate is raging as hard as it ever has over whether using a mobile is right for watching movies. Roger Ebert tweeted on the subject this very week, and then there’s some good blogs here and here arguing for both sides. So let me explain – I’m in the “it’s OK” camp, but that comes with a few heavy caveats.
My iPhone obsession, part 2: Why I fear the iPhone 4 may adversely affect my movie-going, but I’m getting it anyway
I have to confess that, when the first iPhone was released, I didn’t think it was as great as other people felt. I was in love with my Nokia N80, and all but one of the mobile phones I’d ever owned was a Nokia. As it was battered and bruised, when the N96 was due to come out, I was convinced that was going to be my next phone. Frankly, the iPhone was over-rated as a device – I wanted something in my pocket that actually worked. And then I went into the Apple store one day and fell in love.
It was the iPhone 3G, that had just been released. I was in the store two hours, forgot what I had originally gone into town for, and within a week was the proud owner of my own iPhone. And if they ever come to make the story of my life (tip: don’t subscribe to that movie channel), then that moment will form a key part of the plot, with dramatic but slushy music composed by a James Horner wannabe and a dolly zoom onto my face at the moment I pick it up.
My iPhone obsession, part 1: How my iPhone helps my movie obsession
I’m 6′ 2″, 227 lbs, reddish hair and I have a small black shiny thing growing out of my right arm. Yes, I love my iPhone, more than any other piece of technology I’ve ever owned, to the extent where our relationship has become almost symbiotic (and to where I’ve used it so much that the battery lasts about 20 minutes without me recharging).
But the reason my iPhone has become so close to me, and why my hand will over the course of my lifetime evolve into some sort of dock shape for easier carrying, is that it’s not only ergonomically close to perfect, but it has helped me make my life easier in my work and also in everything I do in my spare time (and I don’t just spend my life in the cinema, surprisingly).
How far would you go to see a movie?
Well, even I wouldn’t trek to the South Pole (unless they put a massive IMAX there), but any serious movie obsessive like myself will, from time to time, take things to extremes. For most normal people, a trip to the cinema is simply a question of what’s playing at the nearest cinema. Be that one screen or 24, the decision making process for anyone else I know simply consists of looking at the local listings to see if the movie you want to see is playing.
Fair enough, but I don’t see the amount of movies I see just by just popping to the local. I’ve seen 41 movies so far this year, at six different cinemas. Five of those are within a half hour drive for me as I live in the countryside between a city and a large town, but already this year I found myself with nothing to watch one Saturday evening when my wife was out, so I embarked on a 100 mile round trip to catch two I hadn’t seen at a multiplex further afield.
The Extra Mile: My movie obsession and random stupidity
I’m now up to 40 films seen this year, and at the rate I’m going, that would put me on pace for just over 100 again this year. It’s not a goal I’m aiming for (been there, done that, didn’t get a T-shirt – maybe I should), just to see good or interesting movies whenever they come up. But it’s also about maximising the spare time I have to see as many as possible, and that’s where I wonder if I do sometimes take things too far. Take for example this Sunday just gone.
The following takes place between 11:30 and 8:30 p.m. Events occur in real time. Ish.
11:30 Get in the car to drive into Cambridge. My wife is at work for the day, and her shift runs from 12:30 to 8:30. I have three choices for the day: church barbecue (but it’s the hottest day of the year, and being part ginger I can’t be out in the sun and it’s not as much fun without my wife), carry on with trying to get some work done (been doing for two days, including some on Saturday, and that’s driving me mad – need a break), or heading in to see something at the cinema. Four movies I want to see at the moment, and having done some pre-planning I think, with a fair wind and a bit of luck, I can get three of them in today.
Movie Obsession 101: How To See An Obscene Amount Of Movies Without Really Trying
So, the reason for me setting up this blog is twofold. Firstly, to document my own love of cinema and all that’s great about it, and secondly, to try to inspire others to the same level of love – and there are reasons for doing that, but more on that another time.
I see a lot of movies – so far this year since January, I have seen 33 movies at the cinema (and one, Kick-Ass, twice), and by the end of next week it could well be 35, depending on what’s on next weekend. If I continue at the same rate for the rest of the year at my current pace, that will put me on track to finish the year on 93. Or in other words, over 180 hours with my butt firmly wedged into a cinema seat.
I’m not sure if that is a lot (in a way, I’m hoping it is), but I don’t have much in the way of context for that. However, in a daily poll on IMDb, only one in three people had been more than ten times last year. I had a slack year myself, only seeing 52 movies at the cinema in the whole year – that’s only one a week!
For me, there is still something magical about the whole cinema experience – how many other activities in life do you perform where people encourage you to eat food while doing it? If you find the right cinema, chances are there’ll be seats there more comfortable than any you’ve got at home. And the screen is bigger, and the surround sound system better, than any home cinema on the market.
When I talk to friends, there’s often a perception that the cinema experience isn’t as enjoyable as the home experience, for many reasons – most of which revolve around having to sit in the same room as a couple of hundred other people who are being largely anti-social; talking, kids throwing popcorn, mobiles going off, and lots of other distractions. If I’m being honest, I very rarely see that side of things at cinemas these days, maybe because I’ve gotten better at choosing which screenings I go to, but I also think there’s an element that the home cinema and, to a certain extent piracy, is changing the crowd that is going to the cinema regularly. And at the moment, that’s no bad thing for someone like me.
So how do I see so many movies in the space of a year? There are three reasons I end up going to see a film.
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The Movie Evangelist 