Lose yourself

It's Oscar day and I was thrilled to see all the highlights as I scanned the news sites today. Once upon a time, I studied film at university and even had dreams for a few years about becoming a filmmaker. I loved watching movies, any kind of movies, new movies, old movies, subtitled movies, box office movies, whatever. I read about movies, I watched movies about movies. It was my hobby, my passion, my interest.

The other day, I was lying in bed on a lazy Saturday with Lil-lil and while everyone else was out and her brother was asleep, we watched old movies clips on YouTube. High Society, Meet Me in St Louis, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain and her delight was wonderful. She was mesmerised by the singing, the dancing, the costumes, the magic of cinema. She reminded me of me. It was about her age that I started watching old movies and loved them. My mum would rent them out for me at the video shop and I would be lost for hours in them.

It recently hit me that I don't watch movies anymore. Somewhere along the way I stopped. I read, I watch TV, I surf the net, but I don't watch movies. I'll sometimes watch a movie and then I end up falling asleep. So I watch half-movies now. Or I watch movies that I've seen a million times that don't take up too much brain power.

That makes me sad and I miss them. I miss being lost in the story and surprised by the characters. It's not like anyone is stopping me from watching movies. Sure it's harder to go to the cinema these days and it's easier to watch an episode of a TV show than committing to a whole movie, but really it's a shame that I've so easily given something up that gave me so much joy. And let's face it, it's not that hard to watch a movie is it?

So, a week or two ago, I checked the TV and there was a movie I'd wanted to see, Salmon Fishing in Yemen, so I watched it. The whole thing. Then last night I put the computer to the side, I checked the movie channels and lo and behold there was a movie that piqued my interest - Hitchcock with Antony Hopkins and Helen Mirren. And I enjoyed it.

So here's to reclaiming a little part of me.

Have you ever misplaced a little part of yourself?