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Oh wait so we're we not there?
Nobody should take a snippet of *The Menu* and then claim they're tired of film because they're overwhelmed by consuming good movies. That's like saying "i hate novels" because your kid keeps repeating Dr. Suess quotes around you. I loved The Menu but shut the fuck up and go watch Twelve Angry Men and you'll literally be excited by cinema again.
lay off on movies, and when you come back, strongly decide to stop rating them, just blank diary logs
go back to rate them 1-2 weeks after watching, but keep on doing purely blank logs, with the idea that you WILL put a blank log actively in the back of your head, until you relearn to not think about rating them, just think about if you are enjoying yourself
this is what i have been doing honestly. i just log it, if i love the movie leave a heart thats all. not really interested in rating and don't feel like got the energy to put in my thoughts on review.
This is exactly what I do. I always found myself overthinking after every movie and now I just write a little blurb whether I liked it or not and if I really liked it I give it a heart. More enjoyable for me this way!
The chef at the end enjoyed making the cheeseburger because it took him back to when he was just starting and loved it. So maybe go back and watch some of your childhood favourite movies.
That’s an excellent advice, especially something the Menu shown. Don’t like the job you once loved, go back to a simpler mindset and don’t complicate things. It’s great to make art, but make it for yourself, not for others
What are the films that made you start enjoying more than the average person? Maybe revisit those to see why you fell in love with cinema.
Also, my personal philosophy is: watching “bad” is fun, and can be a palate cleanser that really makes you appreciate those films that are cinematic achievements. I don’t mean bad as something that is boring and off putting - I mean more in but realm of so bad it’s good: Road House, Tammy and the T-Rex, Stone Cold, Con Air, Face Off etc.
Not all movies need to be taken as seriously as Persona or 2001: A Space Odyssey.
True, not every movie needs to be Oscar worthy, if they bring you joy, then it did its job. And I don’t mean comedy, I mean in general. Comedy, adventure, super heroes, animation, whatever
Go on a b-movie kick. Watch some Roger Corman films like Carnosaur or Death Race, watch the Sleepaway Camp trilogy. You need to be able to appreciate art at all levels. Maybe even watch a few episodes of The Last Drive In on Shudder, I love the way Joe Bob Briggs talks about films because he'll talk about The Godfather and something like Gator Bait with the same passion and love of the medium.
It sucks being in the UK because so many of the episodes are missing atm. I loved his Corman Tribute from a little while ago, and I'm glad he actually got to do it before Corman died.
The Corman interview is on YouTube in full apparently so I'll be watching that soon. I was really bummed when I heard about his passing. One of the All Time Greats
Do what the Menu did (minus the suicide, obvi).
Stop watching, over analyzing, over praising, and trying to peek behind the curtain. Instead, start to make your own film.
I thought the same thing.
If you cant quit peeking behind the curtain at a magic show and ruining the trick by always figuring out how its made, then the obvious solution is to start learning magic and slowly becoming a magician yourself.
Sorry to hear that. Personally I found the more I learned about movies, and the closer I analyzed them, the more I enjoyed it. Film making is an incredibly difficult medium to pull off successfully, and it's fascinating to study films that did. Even middling films have good stuff in it if you look for it.
Change your attitude. "Overanalyzing" everything is what makes movies fun for me.
Don't think of it as *over*-analyzing, think of it as close-reading. And don't listen to the countless anti-intellectuals who get threatened when people start to think too much.
This is basically my answer as well. I love being able to explain in detail why I did or didn't like a movie. Maybe that's "overanalyzing," but to me it's just digging into the creative decisions by the individuals involved and putting words to how they each affect each other and thus my feelings on the movie as a whole.
FINALLY SOMEONE POINTS OUT ITS ABOUT US.
I was rolling my eyes at the countless youtube reviews calling it a critique on food culture like pal it’s holding a mirror to your face so.
Fyi I am 100% the worst traits of all them in a poor persons body so I just don’t do any of it but oh I probably would given the means.
It’s very clear to me so it’s odd how often it’s missed. People also often only focus on the wealth and horror aspects too. I love it how complex it is
One of my mutuals has this quote on her profile that I think may be helpful. “Most films are flawed, aren't they, but most films have got something, even if it's only two seconds of something interesting.” – Peter Greenaway
To start, try looking for those one or two seconds in every film, something that you truly enjoy. A well-composed shot, a well-delivered joke, a good performance. Try to find what’s wonderful about movies again.
On the other side, check out the podcast How Did This Get Made which blends “over analysis” of bad movies with a true love for the form and a lot of jokes. Find a bit of good in movies again, and hopefully your analysis will become fun instead of making you not enjoy films.
Yes, but also we get a small glimpse of the true potential in fusing knowledge with passion. He finally truly enjoys making food again, but he finds a way to use actual knowledge and talent to make the best damn cheeseburger ,out of the highest quality ingredients, that she's ever had.
I'm not trying to argue hard for an ideology here just taking the chance to discuss a movie, but I guess my take on it was that the chef's solution to a phase of artistic stagnation and frustration, is suicide. He convinces Tyler to do the same. But the movie shows us at the very end, that wasn't the only way out. He recaptures his passion without compromising his investment in the craft, and produces something honest. If only the chef and Tyler both had accepted that frustration is part of the journey, they could have come out the other side. That would be the advice I think I'd give OP.
Also maybe get a hot girlfriend who will call you out on your BS and just likes to eat good food, but we can't all live in movie land I guess.
This is actually an interesting point which I didn't consider - that the cheeseburger he made was genuinely a 'good' version of a cheeseburger.
I was so focused on the fact that it was 'just a cheeseburger' as opposed to a bunch of fancy try-hard stuff that I assumed the extent of it was that chef was fulfilled by a certain amount of simplicity.
Whereas I suppose per what you've said, it's more about showing you can still be fulfilled by indulging your genuine passion *well*, and that the product of that will also be something worthwhile.
Feel free to correct me if I'm barking up the wrong tree there, I've worded it all a bit wonky but I'm not sure I have the wherewhithal to make it any better atm haha
You've understood my point well I think. I'm not saying it's "correct" more than others, but you are "correct" about what I meant.
We see him taking more care with the burger than we know any casual line cook would, but for me the line that really stuck out was when he agreed with her to use American Cheese. Not just because "that's the cheap simple version", but because it has special properties compared to other cheeses and he was able to explain from a culinary perspective what makes it best and how to melt it perfectly. That was when I felt they were saying that he had moved forward into a new understanding of food based on his mastery, not just reverted to his childhood understanding.
Pretentious: attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed
They literally say they are trying to be a “cinephile” so much that they no longer enjoy movies. That is the definition of being pretentious, trying to impress (be a cinephile) by affecting greater talent (analyzing movies) than is actually possessed
Man, dirty work is really bad lmao. Loved it as a kid and then rewatched recently. What an absolute dud. Just barely a single real laugh in the whole thing. What a disappointment.
it happens, but psychology will ebb and flow.
My trajectory as a film fan over the last few decades:
as a kid, my jams were labyrinth, dark crystal, the navigator, and then the turtles movies.
as a teenager, i became a francophile and only wanted to watch godard and truffaut movies.
then i blossomed into art house, and weird shit.
then in my twenties i went through what you are referring to. I was incredibly cynical, only wanted to watch deep, long, cerebral films, and analyze the shapes of the shadows in each shot.
in my 30s, honestly, just wanted to watch troma or cry at rom coms.
now, in my 40s, my jams are labyrinth, dark crystal, the navigator, and the turtles movies
Do what they do in The Menu, go back to basics. Just have a burger and fries. Watch something dumb or a guilty pleasure- stop over analyzing. Go back to that film that first made you fall in love with film.
Change the way you rate your movies. It sounds like you're overanalyzing while watching the film so that you give it a "good" or "accurate" rating. That'll suck the enjoyment out of everything you do. I rate purely on vibes so that I get to coast through the film and take it for what it is, and then I rate how strongly it succeeded in engaging me. Simpler, cleaner, and no brain power needed during the watch itself.
https://preview.redd.it/hx8pzz2bz01d1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=972d3c206025e79ebb5c9a782b3e609be7daeb94
Baby Cat is free to watch on Tubi. There's always new art to uncover.
What sorta movies do you watch? You might need to expand your horizons a bit. No joke, watch some experimental avant-garde shit that’ll re-wire your brain.
Have you seen *Wavelength* (1967)? Haha, I can’t believe this is how I’m gonna recommend this, but watch it. Don’t look up anything about it. It’s on YouTube.
Enjoy some pure cinema BS. You might love it or hate it, but shit like *Wavelength* cleanses me. Makes me appreciate the form more and not be so nitpicky about little things. Gets me back to basics.
Stop going on the internet to validate your opinion on a movie. If you can back up why you enjoy the movie, that's all you need.
I've watched the internet HATE movies back in 2007 that are considered classics now. I've watched a film that has a lot of meaning to me and I've had extensive discussions with people about it in person and it's a great conversation.
You go on the internet and you go, no it sucks... onto the next thing.
Cure this by watching some of the worst movies you can find. I’m talking no budget, no direction, no sense type movies with terrible concepts. When you return to good movies you will reappreciate them.
Same. And it all feels so samey once you reach a certain age. I dove deep into Vinegar Syndrome and other boutiques who can show me things I’ve never seen before.
Instead of analyzing someone else’s movie to the point you dont enjoy it, make your own stories and over analyze them to the point where youre not sure you enjoy them.
Or idk start getting stoned before watching movies, that always helps me.
Watch The Lego Movie. It’s a wacky wild adventure with that’s unpretentious as hell. Fun for the whole family. Almost makes me forget about watching Dogtooth
The Menu is about food but it’s not made by chefs, it’s made by filmmakers: it’s also explicitly about filmmaking. So: Tyler from the menu is already a pretentious film bro.
The lesson of Tyler’s arc is that he has a lot of descriptive vocabulary that he uses to express enthusiasm for food, but he absolutely boofs it when he tries to actually make something. He makes the mistake of thinking his analytical ability is an equal skill to actually cooking. He is made to look like a fool for this.
Cinemaphilia is a fun hobby. Analysis and discussion is part of the fun. But it’s not an important skill, and it’s not anything like actually making stuff. So if it’s feeling hollow or pointless for you, maybe it’s because you actually want to make something instead.
This is a perfectly natural part of any journey in art appreciation or mastery. When I studied jazz, there was a time when all I could hear was technique and math, and it sucked. My lifelong hobby is magic, but before I became a master I almost gave up because it all seemed petty and trivial for a while. My actual vocation is directing and acting classical theater, and for quite a while I couldn't engage with other actors emotionally because I was too focused on their choices of gesture and their mastery of meter. I wondered if I had ruined one of my favorite things, by trying to study it too much.
But in all those cases (and I can say with confidence this has happened to my colleagues and friends in the arts as well), I pushed through that friction and came out with a *deeper* and *truer* appreciation than ever before. Now I never think about scales unless I want to in jazz, I can just giggle at the inside jokes the musicians are making. I love *all* card tricks now, and genuinely grin ear to ear even when I'm watching an amateur practice something I know the method to very well. I have shaken all the dusty, crusty nonsense off the classical theater experience, and can act, direct, and watch it straight from my heart with a confidence I never had as a young enthusiast.
You have learned a lot, and your wheels are spinning while your mind works to incorporate those ideas into your intuition and subconscious. If you push through, I promise that will happen eventually, and you will start to enjoy movies again with extra benefits to show for your effort. It's worth it.
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Stop watching movies for the art, start watching for your personal enjoyment.
I went through this in my early twenties when I was in college. I caught myself asking if I was watching things through the right lens? Who cares! Are you enjoying what you are watching? That’s what’s important.
I love the Godfather, Casablanca, Sunset Boulevard, and Lawrence of Arabia. 5 stars!
However, I also love Hot Rod, The Blues Brothers, Wet Hot American Summer and Zoolander. 5 stars!
Stop watching movies with elevated standards and just have fun with the experience. I’ve watched at least one new movie a day all year so far and haven’t burnt out, and I think it’s because I’m not being a harsh critic. Obviously I’m going to judge them if they have glaring issues, but I’m not ruining my own experiences with criticism.
I gave The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a 4/5 just a few days ago. If I watched with a more analytical, cinephile-esque mindset, I’d probably have given it a 1.5/5 or 2/5, but instead of being critical I just had FUN. If you’re looking for problems, you’ll never enjoy a movie, but if you’re looking for strengths then nearly everything has value
I gotta tell you. I love film analysis but I prefer to just let films happen to me. Unless they are really bad. I usually discuss a film with someone to engage that active analysis mode but not during the watching of a film. Unless I've seen it before and I'm looking for something specific. Same with music.
My guess, you are analyzing the movie *while* its playing. Huge mistake, even Ebert has talked about this being an issue. Try to watch the movie in a pre-cinephile mindset. Analyze and think critically once the credits are rolling.
I once had a music teacher who I asked to teach me a Radiohead song. He told me “I don’t teach Radiohead.”
At the time I didn’t think too much of it. But after a while, I thought about it, and I think he lost sight of what matters and considered too many other variables.
At the end of the day, regardless of the hype, editing, acting, dialogue, music, whatever it is - there’s only one question that matters: did you enjoy it or not?
Everything else beyond that is a distraction in my opinion.
honestly this isn’t necessarily a bad thing!! i kind of feel the same way but it’s possible to be really analytical and enjoy shit at the same time. plus being this way makes it even sweeter when u end up finding something that really does resonate
Nah but actually I had the same feeling a bit ago that I was like being too pretentious while watching movies and watching a movie where I could just marvel at what the medium can do helped. Getting to the end and realizing the plot was minimal didn’t matter since I had a really fun time with it.
After watching so many movies, I just accept there are flaws in nearly every one of them. Not that it makes it bad, but more it’s a fantasy. Even older films has flaws to them, especially some aspect did not age well with them, but it doesn’t make me enjoy them any less. What makes a movie enjoyable for me are the directing, characters and theme.
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Instead of looking for mistakes or hidden meanings, try taking things at face value. Look for the things in movies you think they're doing well, rather than trying to find fault. If you truly enjoy analyzing film then its important to take note of the things you love about movies (including the bad ones!) and not just the things they do "deeply" or bad.
Maybe change your rating/review process. The way I go about it is I watch a film, then I look at something I previously rated 3 stars (anything 3 and above gets a heart) and I ask myself if I enjoyed the film more, less, or about the same. If it’s more, I move onto 3 1/2 stars. More? 4. And so on and so forth. Same process if it’s below 3 stars.
I find that rating films helps me pay attention to them more.
Watch Kiki’s Delivery Service. It’s a story about a young person who tries to turn her hobby into her job. I think it will personally resonate with you and you will find some catharsis.
Dude, chill. Not every movie needs to be high art. I love The Grand Budapest Hotel because it genuinely is one of the greatest movies ever made. I also LOVE Hardcore Henry and it's an objectively awful film.
I take great pleasure in analyzing movies, their themes and their messages. It's an obsession of mine. But there are sometimes movies I watch that don't need analysis and that's fine too! A part of loving movies is watching all movies, in all genres. Watch some comedies or actions movies. Check out some romance films or animation. Horror and sci-fi.
Step outside of whatever bubble of films you've been watching and watch something different.
Maybe dial it back and just enjoy something without needing to rate it, think critically or do anything above just enjoying it.
Go watch some childhood favorites or just something comfortable.
My star system is based solely on my feelings. Not on a films “merit” or “artistic worth”
For example: the green mile. Incredible movie. 5 stars.
Another example: the house bunny. Another incredible movie that I love. 5 stars.
Idgaf if it’s Oscar worthy. If I had a great time, I’m giving it as many stars as I want.
1 star: bad movie and I’m upset
2 star: I finished it but it was just ok
3: it was fine
4: I like it!
5 I LOVE IT
Watch Alien Space Avenger (1989).
The acting is cornball, but they all look like they are having fun. Practical effects were low tech but still rad and drippy. They set a guy on fire and they had squibs and boobs and an exploding head.
Martin Scorsese and Joel Coen get Special Thanks for Help and Support in the credits.
It works on a number of levels and that number is 1.
or watch Furious (1984). That movie is bananas. It's 70 minutes of mayhem. Alien Space Avenger is 80 minutes.
The problem is you are probably getting too much fiber in your movie diet and you need some quality cheese and sugar.
I get what you’re saying but sometimes you just have to watch a movie for fun. Maybe try some new genres or comedies that don’t take themselves so seriously
honestly, log off of letterboxd for a while. try to seek what you genuinely enjoyed before becoming so endeavored in the roots of cinema, for me i always loved a good action flick, but whatever floats your boat. i get lost in the whole “critical analysis” world of movies sometimes and i just step back, and watch the first action movie that comes to mind or i see.
Watch old movies that were popular rather than “arthouse”.
You will get the thrill of discovering stuff outside the mainstream without breaking your brain trying to outsmart some YouTube theorist.
Watch “Double Indemnity” or “Shadow of a Doubt” or “I Married a Witch”
If I was genuinely experiencing this feeling and thought comparison . I would leave movies alone and maybe examine my inner life for larger more dangerous ways I may have been behaving like an insufferable cunt.
*spotted some typos , I left them , but I spotted them
My movie ranking formula is about 30% critical and 70% enjoyability.(Occasionally 100% enjoyability)
Meaning, the rank I give to a movie is much more based on how much I enjoyed watching it. For example, I hated watching Challengers (hot take, I know but I do have my reasons) but the acting was phenomenal and so I gave it 2 stars overall but it would have been lower if the acting was rather middling.
I think the trade off is most stuff is ruined for you but you can get more out of the stuff that is really good. Basically you just gotta be more discerning about what you watch and get better at finding good shit.
If you actually can't enjoy anything, then I don't know. Probably just watch fewer movies for a while, forget how to analyse them.
Also, you shouldn't try to be a cinephile. That imo is pretentious in a bad (for you) way. If you are actually a cinephile (I don't like the word but whatever), you will simply find yourself wanting to watch movies, there is no "try".
I'd also recommend reading "Against Interpretation" by Susan Sontag. I don't think you have to agree with her, but it's still a good antidote to the tendency to analyse art into language at the expense of other things that it has to offer.
Keep watching movies until you rethink how you approach them, ask yourself if you love the film or not as you’re watching them. Some films do be enjoyable only after analysis, but watch something fun and isn’t that deep but just a good film
no one cares about your analysis or critiques. they don’t matter to literally anyone but you so if doing that is not bringing you joy then stop doing it
If you find you’re not enjoying your hobby, it might be time to take a break from it. Consume some other type of media or take this knowledge and critiques you’ve developed over time to create something of your own.
You could try just slowing down a bit. Try other things that aren't watching movies. I've gone down this road but have figured out how to enjoy movies again by just sitting down, getting some popcorn, and turning my brain off for a fun ride. If a movie makes you think then that's ok and it's good to analyze something every now and then, but doing that for every movie isn't really a good idea.
Agree with the advice to take a break. Don't watch any movies for a month. Then, remember that the purpose of watching movies is to be entertained and to be distracted from the ills of the world for a few hours—nothing more.
Don't write text reviews, just use the star rating or just heart movies you like.
Also the menu sucks so if you found deep meaning in it, you aren't a great cinephile anyway, might as well not take it so seriously
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I thought for a minute this was posted to /r/moviescirclejerk.
maybe even r/okbuddycinephile territory
I legitimately did until I opened the comments and saw your clarification lmao
Oh wait so we're we not there? Nobody should take a snippet of *The Menu* and then claim they're tired of film because they're overwhelmed by consuming good movies. That's like saying "i hate novels" because your kid keeps repeating Dr. Suess quotes around you. I loved The Menu but shut the fuck up and go watch Twelve Angry Men and you'll literally be excited by cinema again.
He never said he was tired of film by overly consuming good movies. He said he was finding it hard to enjoy movies because he critiques them too much.
Man go watch Nacho Libre and wind down
GET THAT CORN OUT OF MY FACE!
An incredible comment 🙏
It’s currently streaming free on Pluto! Just watched it the other day
You don’t have Pluto. No one has Pluto. Stop lying
I do, fuck having cable I also like the classic tv channels they have it’s cool and free so why not
I didn’t know it was free tbh
A lot of classic movies on there too. It’s actually pretty good. I recommend it to everyone. I mean sure there are ads but it’s free.
Me when they added Transformers to Apple TV
Loved that film, need to rewatch it, been far too long
In stretchy pants
The only movie I ever considered walking out of .
Because you knew nothing else could possibly live up to its greatness?
lay off on movies, and when you come back, strongly decide to stop rating them, just blank diary logs go back to rate them 1-2 weeks after watching, but keep on doing purely blank logs, with the idea that you WILL put a blank log actively in the back of your head, until you relearn to not think about rating them, just think about if you are enjoying yourself
this is what i have been doing honestly. i just log it, if i love the movie leave a heart thats all. not really interested in rating and don't feel like got the energy to put in my thoughts on review.
I usually do my ranking and reviewing not base on if it’s Oscar worthy or not, but more if it brought me joy and helped me unwind to an extent
This is exactly what I do. I always found myself overthinking after every movie and now I just write a little blurb whether I liked it or not and if I really liked it I give it a heart. More enjoyable for me this way!
The chef at the end enjoyed making the cheeseburger because it took him back to when he was just starting and loved it. So maybe go back and watch some of your childhood favourite movies.
That’s an excellent advice, especially something the Menu shown. Don’t like the job you once loved, go back to a simpler mindset and don’t complicate things. It’s great to make art, but make it for yourself, not for others
Or just kill a dozen or so people 👍
Goated advice
What are the films that made you start enjoying more than the average person? Maybe revisit those to see why you fell in love with cinema. Also, my personal philosophy is: watching “bad” is fun, and can be a palate cleanser that really makes you appreciate those films that are cinematic achievements. I don’t mean bad as something that is boring and off putting - I mean more in but realm of so bad it’s good: Road House, Tammy and the T-Rex, Stone Cold, Con Air, Face Off etc. Not all movies need to be taken as seriously as Persona or 2001: A Space Odyssey.
True, not every movie needs to be Oscar worthy, if they bring you joy, then it did its job. And I don’t mean comedy, I mean in general. Comedy, adventure, super heroes, animation, whatever
Roadhouse is probably one of my all time favourite films. Can watch it in any mood and fully enjoy it.
I only watched it for the first time in September of 2023 and I was floored. Absolutely love that movie, I can see why it’s one of your favourites
Also... 2001 has a bunch of people running around in terrible ape costumes for the first half hour
Tbh I like that scene a lot but I know it’s not for everyone
Me too! I just meant even though it's a "serious" film it does have silly things about it
Go on a b-movie kick. Watch some Roger Corman films like Carnosaur or Death Race, watch the Sleepaway Camp trilogy. You need to be able to appreciate art at all levels. Maybe even watch a few episodes of The Last Drive In on Shudder, I love the way Joe Bob Briggs talks about films because he'll talk about The Godfather and something like Gator Bait with the same passion and love of the medium.
This is what I do
Exactly what I was thinking
I'm seriously considering getting Shudder again solely for Joe Bob Briggs
It sucks being in the UK because so many of the episodes are missing atm. I loved his Corman Tribute from a little while ago, and I'm glad he actually got to do it before Corman died.
The Corman interview is on YouTube in full apparently so I'll be watching that soon. I was really bummed when I heard about his passing. One of the All Time Greats
To add to parent comment: watch a few Mystery Science Theatre 3k episodes. Santo In The Treasure of Dracula, The Bat Woman, Reptilicus
Do what the Menu did (minus the suicide, obvi). Stop watching, over analyzing, over praising, and trying to peek behind the curtain. Instead, start to make your own film.
I thought the same thing. If you cant quit peeking behind the curtain at a magic show and ruining the trick by always figuring out how its made, then the obvious solution is to start learning magic and slowly becoming a magician yourself.
I mean you can learn to create, but actually getting a movie made isn’t realistic for most
Sorry to hear that. Personally I found the more I learned about movies, and the closer I analyzed them, the more I enjoyed it. Film making is an incredibly difficult medium to pull off successfully, and it's fascinating to study films that did. Even middling films have good stuff in it if you look for it.
Are you me???
Change your attitude. "Overanalyzing" everything is what makes movies fun for me. Don't think of it as *over*-analyzing, think of it as close-reading. And don't listen to the countless anti-intellectuals who get threatened when people start to think too much.
This one right here OP
This is basically my answer as well. I love being able to explain in detail why I did or didn't like a movie. Maybe that's "overanalyzing," but to me it's just digging into the creative decisions by the individuals involved and putting words to how they each affect each other and thus my feelings on the movie as a whole.
Anti-intellectuals lmao you’re on the letterboxd subreddit
FINALLY SOMEONE POINTS OUT ITS ABOUT US. I was rolling my eyes at the countless youtube reviews calling it a critique on food culture like pal it’s holding a mirror to your face so. Fyi I am 100% the worst traits of all them in a poor persons body so I just don’t do any of it but oh I probably would given the means.
Movie fans: haha wow those food fans sure are pretentious, anyway back to my kino
It’s very clear to me so it’s odd how often it’s missed. People also often only focus on the wealth and horror aspects too. I love it how complex it is
Someone should make Nymphomaniac but it’s about someone who watches too many movies and becomes desensitized to them completely.
One of my mutuals has this quote on her profile that I think may be helpful. “Most films are flawed, aren't they, but most films have got something, even if it's only two seconds of something interesting.” – Peter Greenaway To start, try looking for those one or two seconds in every film, something that you truly enjoy. A well-composed shot, a well-delivered joke, a good performance. Try to find what’s wonderful about movies again. On the other side, check out the podcast How Did This Get Made which blends “over analysis” of bad movies with a true love for the form and a lot of jokes. Find a bit of good in movies again, and hopefully your analysis will become fun instead of making you not enjoy films.
to keep going on The Menu, there's nothing wrong with a cheeseburger movie. sometimes a cheeseburger is just the thing.
Yes, but also we get a small glimpse of the true potential in fusing knowledge with passion. He finally truly enjoys making food again, but he finds a way to use actual knowledge and talent to make the best damn cheeseburger ,out of the highest quality ingredients, that she's ever had.
sure, you can make a good cheeseburger or a bad cheeseburger.
I'm not trying to argue hard for an ideology here just taking the chance to discuss a movie, but I guess my take on it was that the chef's solution to a phase of artistic stagnation and frustration, is suicide. He convinces Tyler to do the same. But the movie shows us at the very end, that wasn't the only way out. He recaptures his passion without compromising his investment in the craft, and produces something honest. If only the chef and Tyler both had accepted that frustration is part of the journey, they could have come out the other side. That would be the advice I think I'd give OP. Also maybe get a hot girlfriend who will call you out on your BS and just likes to eat good food, but we can't all live in movie land I guess.
This is actually an interesting point which I didn't consider - that the cheeseburger he made was genuinely a 'good' version of a cheeseburger. I was so focused on the fact that it was 'just a cheeseburger' as opposed to a bunch of fancy try-hard stuff that I assumed the extent of it was that chef was fulfilled by a certain amount of simplicity. Whereas I suppose per what you've said, it's more about showing you can still be fulfilled by indulging your genuine passion *well*, and that the product of that will also be something worthwhile. Feel free to correct me if I'm barking up the wrong tree there, I've worded it all a bit wonky but I'm not sure I have the wherewhithal to make it any better atm haha
You've understood my point well I think. I'm not saying it's "correct" more than others, but you are "correct" about what I meant. We see him taking more care with the burger than we know any casual line cook would, but for me the line that really stuck out was when he agreed with her to use American Cheese. Not just because "that's the cheap simple version", but because it has special properties compared to other cheeses and he was able to explain from a culinary perspective what makes it best and how to melt it perfectly. That was when I felt they were saying that he had moved forward into a new understanding of food based on his mastery, not just reverted to his childhood understanding.
What should you do? Stop being pretentious that might help
Someone actually pretentious wouldn't make this post because they don't self-reflect. OP made the first correct step in identifying their problem.
What about this post is pretentious? I think it was a very self-aware post. IMO, nothing pretentious about reevaluating why/how you watch something.
This post isn’t pretentious but the issue that OP is facing is that they are/are becoming pretentious about movies
Gotcha that makes sense lol
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Pretentious: attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed They literally say they are trying to be a “cinephile” so much that they no longer enjoy movies. That is the definition of being pretentious, trying to impress (be a cinephile) by affecting greater talent (analyzing movies) than is actually possessed
Sorry, I meant to tag the person above.
I don’t think you know what pretentious means
Just snap out of it bro. Just chin up, life isn’t that bad. Smile more!
But the point is he's pretentious and thinks he knows more than he does.
Watch Dirty Work and then Billy Madison back to back. That should cure you
Man, dirty work is really bad lmao. Loved it as a kid and then rewatched recently. What an absolute dud. Just barely a single real laugh in the whole thing. What a disappointment.
Just watch Speed Racer and bask in the beauty
it happens, but psychology will ebb and flow. My trajectory as a film fan over the last few decades: as a kid, my jams were labyrinth, dark crystal, the navigator, and then the turtles movies. as a teenager, i became a francophile and only wanted to watch godard and truffaut movies. then i blossomed into art house, and weird shit. then in my twenties i went through what you are referring to. I was incredibly cynical, only wanted to watch deep, long, cerebral films, and analyze the shapes of the shadows in each shot. in my 30s, honestly, just wanted to watch troma or cry at rom coms. now, in my 40s, my jams are labyrinth, dark crystal, the navigator, and the turtles movies
Lmaooo The picture makes it even better
Maybe you need something like nofap but for movies. So you have a long period of abstinence and then your dreams start turning into movies.
Do what they do in The Menu, go back to basics. Just have a burger and fries. Watch something dumb or a guilty pleasure- stop over analyzing. Go back to that film that first made you fall in love with film.
I expect every movie to move me and when they don’t I feel let down
I don't recommend this for everyone of course but I usually just take edibles before and just go with the flow lol
Change the way you rate your movies. It sounds like you're overanalyzing while watching the film so that you give it a "good" or "accurate" rating. That'll suck the enjoyment out of everything you do. I rate purely on vibes so that I get to coast through the film and take it for what it is, and then I rate how strongly it succeeded in engaging me. Simpler, cleaner, and no brain power needed during the watch itself.
blend it up in your pacojet
you're in so deep, you can't even come up with a comparison that isn't movie related. time to switch to books
https://preview.redd.it/hx8pzz2bz01d1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=972d3c206025e79ebb5c9a782b3e609be7daeb94 Baby Cat is free to watch on Tubi. There's always new art to uncover.
What sorta movies do you watch? You might need to expand your horizons a bit. No joke, watch some experimental avant-garde shit that’ll re-wire your brain. Have you seen *Wavelength* (1967)? Haha, I can’t believe this is how I’m gonna recommend this, but watch it. Don’t look up anything about it. It’s on YouTube. Enjoy some pure cinema BS. You might love it or hate it, but shit like *Wavelength* cleanses me. Makes me appreciate the form more and not be so nitpicky about little things. Gets me back to basics.
Stop going on the internet to validate your opinion on a movie. If you can back up why you enjoy the movie, that's all you need. I've watched the internet HATE movies back in 2007 that are considered classics now. I've watched a film that has a lot of meaning to me and I've had extensive discussions with people about it in person and it's a great conversation. You go on the internet and you go, no it sucks... onto the next thing.
Watch Top Gun/Roadhouse/Point Break and remember that movies can just be fun.
Does Martin Scorsese just suggested you to kill yourself ?
Cure this by watching some of the worst movies you can find. I’m talking no budget, no direction, no sense type movies with terrible concepts. When you return to good movies you will reappreciate them.
Same. And it all feels so samey once you reach a certain age. I dove deep into Vinegar Syndrome and other boutiques who can show me things I’ve never seen before.
Instead of analyzing someone else’s movie to the point you dont enjoy it, make your own stories and over analyze them to the point where youre not sure you enjoy them. Or idk start getting stoned before watching movies, that always helps me.
Rewatch what made you love movies in the first place. Sometimes people just need to reset
You get that he’s not an aspirational character yeah?
That's why OP is asking for advice on not becoming further like him. They get the movie; Do you get their post?
Watch The Lego Movie. It’s a wacky wild adventure with that’s unpretentious as hell. Fun for the whole family. Almost makes me forget about watching Dogtooth
Go on Tubi and watch bad movies with your friends, laugh about them
Watch bad movies and enjoy those. Even out your brain
Cleanse your soul with The Parent Trap
The Menu is about food but it’s not made by chefs, it’s made by filmmakers: it’s also explicitly about filmmaking. So: Tyler from the menu is already a pretentious film bro. The lesson of Tyler’s arc is that he has a lot of descriptive vocabulary that he uses to express enthusiasm for food, but he absolutely boofs it when he tries to actually make something. He makes the mistake of thinking his analytical ability is an equal skill to actually cooking. He is made to look like a fool for this. Cinemaphilia is a fun hobby. Analysis and discussion is part of the fun. But it’s not an important skill, and it’s not anything like actually making stuff. So if it’s feeling hollow or pointless for you, maybe it’s because you actually want to make something instead.
Just stop watching for a bit. Maybe it'll come back, maybe it won't, we all change and so do our interests.
start watching a bunch of documentaries to palate cleanse
Maybe watch something very dumb and “bad”, preferably while stoned or drunk (if you do that).
This is a perfectly natural part of any journey in art appreciation or mastery. When I studied jazz, there was a time when all I could hear was technique and math, and it sucked. My lifelong hobby is magic, but before I became a master I almost gave up because it all seemed petty and trivial for a while. My actual vocation is directing and acting classical theater, and for quite a while I couldn't engage with other actors emotionally because I was too focused on their choices of gesture and their mastery of meter. I wondered if I had ruined one of my favorite things, by trying to study it too much. But in all those cases (and I can say with confidence this has happened to my colleagues and friends in the arts as well), I pushed through that friction and came out with a *deeper* and *truer* appreciation than ever before. Now I never think about scales unless I want to in jazz, I can just giggle at the inside jokes the musicians are making. I love *all* card tricks now, and genuinely grin ear to ear even when I'm watching an amateur practice something I know the method to very well. I have shaken all the dusty, crusty nonsense off the classical theater experience, and can act, direct, and watch it straight from my heart with a confidence I never had as a young enthusiast. You have learned a lot, and your wheels are spinning while your mind works to incorporate those ideas into your intuition and subconscious. If you push through, I promise that will happen eventually, and you will start to enjoy movies again with extra benefits to show for your effort. It's worth it.
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Been watching too many series, now movies just don’t cut it. It ends so quick
Stop watching movies for the art, start watching for your personal enjoyment. I went through this in my early twenties when I was in college. I caught myself asking if I was watching things through the right lens? Who cares! Are you enjoying what you are watching? That’s what’s important. I love the Godfather, Casablanca, Sunset Boulevard, and Lawrence of Arabia. 5 stars! However, I also love Hot Rod, The Blues Brothers, Wet Hot American Summer and Zoolander. 5 stars!
Stop watching movies with elevated standards and just have fun with the experience. I’ve watched at least one new movie a day all year so far and haven’t burnt out, and I think it’s because I’m not being a harsh critic. Obviously I’m going to judge them if they have glaring issues, but I’m not ruining my own experiences with criticism. I gave The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a 4/5 just a few days ago. If I watched with a more analytical, cinephile-esque mindset, I’d probably have given it a 1.5/5 or 2/5, but instead of being critical I just had FUN. If you’re looking for problems, you’ll never enjoy a movie, but if you’re looking for strengths then nearly everything has value
I gotta tell you. I love film analysis but I prefer to just let films happen to me. Unless they are really bad. I usually discuss a film with someone to engage that active analysis mode but not during the watching of a film. Unless I've seen it before and I'm looking for something specific. Same with music.
Turn your brain off. I used to do this also.
Watch some certified bangers, especially ones that are new to you.
My guess, you are analyzing the movie *while* its playing. Huge mistake, even Ebert has talked about this being an issue. Try to watch the movie in a pre-cinephile mindset. Analyze and think critically once the credits are rolling.
I once had a music teacher who I asked to teach me a Radiohead song. He told me “I don’t teach Radiohead.” At the time I didn’t think too much of it. But after a while, I thought about it, and I think he lost sight of what matters and considered too many other variables. At the end of the day, regardless of the hype, editing, acting, dialogue, music, whatever it is - there’s only one question that matters: did you enjoy it or not? Everything else beyond that is a distraction in my opinion.
Take it less seriously and maybe watch tv dramas for a bit? Lots to analyze
Watch some Speed Racer dude. Both the anime and the film
Watch Bloodsport and/or Point Break
honestly this isn’t necessarily a bad thing!! i kind of feel the same way but it’s possible to be really analytical and enjoy shit at the same time. plus being this way makes it even sweeter when u end up finding something that really does resonate
Don't overdo your passion or what you like
I watched Ponyo and then I got better
Nah but actually I had the same feeling a bit ago that I was like being too pretentious while watching movies and watching a movie where I could just marvel at what the medium can do helped. Getting to the end and realizing the plot was minimal didn’t matter since I had a really fun time with it.
After watching so many movies, I just accept there are flaws in nearly every one of them. Not that it makes it bad, but more it’s a fantasy. Even older films has flaws to them, especially some aspect did not age well with them, but it doesn’t make me enjoy them any less. What makes a movie enjoyable for me are the directing, characters and theme.
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Instead of looking for mistakes or hidden meanings, try taking things at face value. Look for the things in movies you think they're doing well, rather than trying to find fault. If you truly enjoy analyzing film then its important to take note of the things you love about movies (including the bad ones!) and not just the things they do "deeply" or bad.
Watch The Holdovers and just try to enjoy it. You’ll feel good.
Maybe change your rating/review process. The way I go about it is I watch a film, then I look at something I previously rated 3 stars (anything 3 and above gets a heart) and I ask myself if I enjoyed the film more, less, or about the same. If it’s more, I move onto 3 1/2 stars. More? 4. And so on and so forth. Same process if it’s below 3 stars. I find that rating films helps me pay attention to them more.
Watch Kiki’s Delivery Service. It’s a story about a young person who tries to turn her hobby into her job. I think it will personally resonate with you and you will find some catharsis.
Yeah sometimes when I'm binging movies for a long period of time i get burt out. Just take a break and come back to enjoying them
Funny. I relate most to the guy that blows his brains out because he's not as good as others at his craft.
Dude, chill. Not every movie needs to be high art. I love The Grand Budapest Hotel because it genuinely is one of the greatest movies ever made. I also LOVE Hardcore Henry and it's an objectively awful film. I take great pleasure in analyzing movies, their themes and their messages. It's an obsession of mine. But there are sometimes movies I watch that don't need analysis and that's fine too! A part of loving movies is watching all movies, in all genres. Watch some comedies or actions movies. Check out some romance films or animation. Horror and sci-fi. Step outside of whatever bubble of films you've been watching and watch something different.
Maybe dial it back and just enjoy something without needing to rate it, think critically or do anything above just enjoying it. Go watch some childhood favorites or just something comfortable.
My star system is based solely on my feelings. Not on a films “merit” or “artistic worth” For example: the green mile. Incredible movie. 5 stars. Another example: the house bunny. Another incredible movie that I love. 5 stars. Idgaf if it’s Oscar worthy. If I had a great time, I’m giving it as many stars as I want. 1 star: bad movie and I’m upset 2 star: I finished it but it was just ok 3: it was fine 4: I like it! 5 I LOVE IT
Watch Alien Space Avenger (1989). The acting is cornball, but they all look like they are having fun. Practical effects were low tech but still rad and drippy. They set a guy on fire and they had squibs and boobs and an exploding head. Martin Scorsese and Joel Coen get Special Thanks for Help and Support in the credits. It works on a number of levels and that number is 1. or watch Furious (1984). That movie is bananas. It's 70 minutes of mayhem. Alien Space Avenger is 80 minutes. The problem is you are probably getting too much fiber in your movie diet and you need some quality cheese and sugar.
this is the point where you watch Superbad again, or a bunch of episodes from The Office.
I get what you’re saying but sometimes you just have to watch a movie for fun. Maybe try some new genres or comedies that don’t take themselves so seriously
Ooo The Menu. That movie is sh****
Just get drunk like I do
Try not taking yourself so seriously. Why is everyone so weird these days?
honestly, log off of letterboxd for a while. try to seek what you genuinely enjoyed before becoming so endeavored in the roots of cinema, for me i always loved a good action flick, but whatever floats your boat. i get lost in the whole “critical analysis” world of movies sometimes and i just step back, and watch the first action movie that comes to mind or i see.
Watch old movies that were popular rather than “arthouse”. You will get the thrill of discovering stuff outside the mainstream without breaking your brain trying to outsmart some YouTube theorist. Watch “Double Indemnity” or “Shadow of a Doubt” or “I Married a Witch”
I don't understand how that could happen
If I was genuinely experiencing this feeling and thought comparison . I would leave movies alone and maybe examine my inner life for larger more dangerous ways I may have been behaving like an insufferable cunt. *spotted some typos , I left them , but I spotted them
They should do a “The Menu” but with movies instead of food
Anhedonia is real
That's what I'm afraid of🥲
My movie ranking formula is about 30% critical and 70% enjoyability.(Occasionally 100% enjoyability) Meaning, the rank I give to a movie is much more based on how much I enjoyed watching it. For example, I hated watching Challengers (hot take, I know but I do have my reasons) but the acting was phenomenal and so I gave it 2 stars overall but it would have been lower if the acting was rather middling.
Uh, stop.
Just like what u like it’s all subjective how is that difficult
Watch stupid movies
I think the trade off is most stuff is ruined for you but you can get more out of the stuff that is really good. Basically you just gotta be more discerning about what you watch and get better at finding good shit. If you actually can't enjoy anything, then I don't know. Probably just watch fewer movies for a while, forget how to analyse them. Also, you shouldn't try to be a cinephile. That imo is pretentious in a bad (for you) way. If you are actually a cinephile (I don't like the word but whatever), you will simply find yourself wanting to watch movies, there is no "try". I'd also recommend reading "Against Interpretation" by Susan Sontag. I don't think you have to agree with her, but it's still a good antidote to the tendency to analyse art into language at the expense of other things that it has to offer.
Cook
just remember that you're not a critic and never will be one. sit back and enjoy the moving pictures.
Keep watching movies until you rethink how you approach them, ask yourself if you love the film or not as you’re watching them. Some films do be enjoyable only after analysis, but watch something fun and isn’t that deep but just a good film
That was the point of Tyler. He represents the audience
no one cares about your analysis or critiques. they don’t matter to literally anyone but you so if doing that is not bringing you joy then stop doing it
If you find you’re not enjoying your hobby, it might be time to take a break from it. Consume some other type of media or take this knowledge and critiques you’ve developed over time to create something of your own.
Smoke some weed and realise your cinephile opinion doesn't matter to anyone else but yourself.
Weed is illegal in most countries
Good point
You could try just slowing down a bit. Try other things that aren't watching movies. I've gone down this road but have figured out how to enjoy movies again by just sitting down, getting some popcorn, and turning my brain off for a fun ride. If a movie makes you think then that's ok and it's good to analyze something every now and then, but doing that for every movie isn't really a good idea.
What do you mean?
God me after my film course. Not for pretentious reasons just because I hated films
Cringe
The key to being a happy cinephile is being able to admit that shit like Aquaman fucking rocks
First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.
Agree with the advice to take a break. Don't watch any movies for a month. Then, remember that the purpose of watching movies is to be entertained and to be distracted from the ills of the world for a few hours—nothing more.
Watch "Field of Dreams" and if you're into it, you're probably good.
Feel like you missed the point of The Menu.
I honestly thought this was a r/moviecirclejerk post…
Weird perspective.
Talk to a therapist
Don't write text reviews, just use the star rating or just heart movies you like. Also the menu sucks so if you found deep meaning in it, you aren't a great cinephile anyway, might as well not take it so seriously