Movies

After a long day of classes and activities, unwinding from the day with a movie is the perfect treat. Whether it’s action, horror or romance, there is a genre for everyone.

What brings people together more than food? Movies. From the first appearance of “Jaws” to the newest release in the “Harry Potter” series. When speaking about movies, most people will know what you are talking about.

I’m sure we have all heard the line, “On Wednesdays, we wear pink,”  or, “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” Movies can be a universal language between people.

They also have many applications. Going to the theater on weekends, rainy days or holidays. Films bring families and friends together. Not to mention those awkward first dates that tend to start with watching a movie.

Movies allow you time to become fully engaged in what you are watching. No waiting around for a week to see what will happen next to connect it all. For those as impatient as I am, it makes all the difference. Busy schedules make it difficult to remember last week’s episode.

There is a unique aspect to movies because some begin as books, eventually to be rewritten for the big screen. It’s exciting to see those movies after you have read the book. The whole story becomes real as you watch it unfold in the theater.

Many films have a timeless quality. It’s easy to have a conversation with parents about classic movies such as “Footloose” or “The Breakfast Club.” Discussing older television shows is a different story. Sometimes you have to see every episode in a television show to understand what is going on. Not everyone can watch episode after episode, unless it is on Netflix or a DVR.

People do not always have the time every week to watch their favorite TV show at a certain time. It takes most people a couple of episodes to grow interest for a show. Watching a movie is easier to jump into, even if it is a third of the way through.

Not many shows are talked about more than movies. Movies have a way of bringing people together. After a movie is done, you feel complete.

“Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.”

TV

If you’ve never had the feeling of excitement and absolute joy when you get lost in a TV show, I’m sorry you’ve been missing out for so long.

The only memories I have of watching movies with friends include an uncomfortable three-second pause and a slight mumble of “that was so good” to break the silence. Absolutely no hype.

I don’t even need to see “Breaking Bad” to know how spectacular of a show it was.  For the five seasons it ran, it was a near constant hum in the background of my day-to-day life. Taking a moment out of my pop culture class last semester to talk about “Walking Dead” episodes from the night before wasn’t all that out of the ordinary.

I don’t hear about TV shows because I seek them out, either, it’s because people love the plot and characters enough to bring it up so often. It’s a great example of what TV does best: brings people together. People aren’t able to talk about movies the same way they do TV shows.

Spare me the discomfort of sitting through a three hour story next to my friends. Not only is my time precious but I’m generally not in the mood to just sit and watch. It’s too passive. Half hour and hour-long time blocks are perfect enough to squeeze in to my schedule, and just short enough to keep up with weekly. How can I expect my friends to watch long and drawn out movies when I can’t even scrounge up enough time to watch them myself?

Another common argument is the story — TV naysayers insist movies give quality stories. But only recently have movies begun to again push the three hour mark. But is this enough time to develop well-thought out and not in the slightest hurried storyline?

These three hours pale in comparison to the amount of screen time TV stars have to bring these characters to life. Over the course of any series, not only is story development able to expand, but you genuinely get a feel for the people in the story.

I can’t recall many people talking about the in-depth character development in “Guardians of the Galaxy”, but I can easily recall how dynamic of a character Chloe Barnes was throughout the entire first season of “House of Cards”.

Her and Frank Underwood genuinely had me on the edge of my seat, struggling with big picture questions and begging for more.

Might I add, 2014 was TV’s most diversified programming as of yet. With shows like “Black-ish”, “Modern Family” and “Fresh Off the Boat,” TV is working to accurately show real Americans and many types of issues we face with humor and entertainment value. It’s refreshing to see underrepresented groups on TV — to me, this shows reality. People are able to connect with shows they feel represented in. Movies hardly depict reality, but instead a far off fantasy world, or a place where every person can land even the worst of jokes and somehow manage to keep their squad of cool buds.

TV is the unsung hero in this argument. Movies are stale, overrated and provide nothing TV shows can do better in smaller increments. TV shows can bring audiences into the stories just as well, if not better, than most films. And where movies miss the mark are issues that represent reality. So move over silver screen, your time is up.