Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
One of my biggest guilty pleasures, apart from jamming out to ABBA in the privacy of my bedroom, is movies. I say this simply because when I scroll through Netflix, deciding what to watch with the family on a Thursday evening, my father is absolutely astounded with the number of movies I claim to have seen.
Movies are a means of escape for many. We can imagine ourselves in situations that are unlikely to ever happen, whether of horror, thriller, action or even romance. Much like a book, it is the entrance to another reality, far from our own.
I used to think of movies as somewhat inferior to books. I thought movies were for people who didn’t have any imagination and needed help to visualise an author’s (in this case screenwriter’s) thoughts. Although my appreciation for cinema has much improved, I still stand by my opinion. However, I think it also takes great ability and intelligence to be able to thoroughly appreciate someone else’s vision when watching a movie.
One of my favourite series of all time, which many would agree with, is Harry Potter. I have read all seven books. I refuse to include the Cursed Child as part of the series and have watched all eight movies. For some reason, movie adaptations always manage to fall flat and underwhelm book fans who were expecting a vision to come to life much like their own. In the case of Harry Potter, I feel like the movies did justice to the fantastical world that we Potterheads were accustomed to.
Movies have the power to change opinions, shift view points, and influence creativity and imagination. Movies help us dream. Now if only my dreams of attending Hogwarts would come true. Sigh.
By Athena
