When you ask me what my favorite movie is, I shrug. In a long history of film throughout the world and all the film that will come in the hereafter, no one above the age of fifteen can accurately tell you what their favorite film is because it would be impossible to have just one. If you ask me what movies fall onto my list of favorites, I would say that any movie I can watch from start to finish in a single sitting are my "favorites", whereas a movie I can pop into the VCR/DVD Player once or twice a year and stop halfway through if the slightest hint of a better offer breathes in my direction qualifies as a "Meh".
Kingdom of Heaven is one of those movies that falls into my favorites category. A papal mass outside of my own house will not pull me from the screen when Orlando Bloom is fighting to keep Jerusalem safe from the advancing Saracen army. On the other hand, Orlando Bloom firing arrows at Brad Pitt's heel? I could change the channel if I knew a good episode of Doctor Who was playing at that moment. Because while I like Orlando Bloom and I think he's brilliant in just about every movie he's in, he is not the reason I will watch a movie. For me, a movie has to have a great story with a complex cast of characters and a balance between development and action, preferably in a fantasy/science fiction setting or a period setting that is removed enough from the late 20th century as to feel like I am in another time and place. For that reason, Brokeback Mountain is a great movie but it is not one of my favorites. With me so far?
On Saturdays, John hits the tag sales because in his retirement, the majority of his money comes from finding, buying and selling unique items. Recently, he hit a treasure drove of movies at fifty cents a piece and my heart soared when I saw Kingdom of Heaven among the titles. And the movie was in such good condition that it was a bonus.
We watched it the other night and while he didn't hate the movie, it just wasn't his cup of tea. John likes movies like The English Patient and Best In Show. That's fine, but The Best In Show is about a dog show. The English Patient is long and grating and they're just not my cup of tea. However, John was still in a selling state of mind and after Kingdom of Heaven was over he said, "Well let's take this one downstairs because we don't want to see that one again?"
I paused and turned to him.
"Uh, I want to see it again."
John was surprised, but not as surprised as I that he assumed that because he didn't want to see something twice that I must not want to see it as well. In a relationship, it's important to remember that it is not just about you.
He didn't argue, because he has learned by now that if I feel strongly about something that his best bet is to not to push his point of view on me. But obviously at his age, it's hard for him to do the self editing that would make all of my relationships, both working and personal, so much easier. He also grew up as an only child whereas I have grown up the oldest of five and therefore I was not always the final word in a decision. So John is still learning not to assume that his point of view is not the only one that matters.
Unless you are royalty, be certain that you consult your partner about any decision before presuming to utter the word, "we".
Kingdom of Heaven is one of those movies that falls into my favorites category. A papal mass outside of my own house will not pull me from the screen when Orlando Bloom is fighting to keep Jerusalem safe from the advancing Saracen army. On the other hand, Orlando Bloom firing arrows at Brad Pitt's heel? I could change the channel if I knew a good episode of Doctor Who was playing at that moment. Because while I like Orlando Bloom and I think he's brilliant in just about every movie he's in, he is not the reason I will watch a movie. For me, a movie has to have a great story with a complex cast of characters and a balance between development and action, preferably in a fantasy/science fiction setting or a period setting that is removed enough from the late 20th century as to feel like I am in another time and place. For that reason, Brokeback Mountain is a great movie but it is not one of my favorites. With me so far?
On Saturdays, John hits the tag sales because in his retirement, the majority of his money comes from finding, buying and selling unique items. Recently, he hit a treasure drove of movies at fifty cents a piece and my heart soared when I saw Kingdom of Heaven among the titles. And the movie was in such good condition that it was a bonus.
We watched it the other night and while he didn't hate the movie, it just wasn't his cup of tea. John likes movies like The English Patient and Best In Show. That's fine, but The Best In Show is about a dog show. The English Patient is long and grating and they're just not my cup of tea. However, John was still in a selling state of mind and after Kingdom of Heaven was over he said, "Well let's take this one downstairs because we don't want to see that one again?"
I paused and turned to him.
"Uh, I want to see it again."
John was surprised, but not as surprised as I that he assumed that because he didn't want to see something twice that I must not want to see it as well. In a relationship, it's important to remember that it is not just about you.
He didn't argue, because he has learned by now that if I feel strongly about something that his best bet is to not to push his point of view on me. But obviously at his age, it's hard for him to do the self editing that would make all of my relationships, both working and personal, so much easier. He also grew up as an only child whereas I have grown up the oldest of five and therefore I was not always the final word in a decision. So John is still learning not to assume that his point of view is not the only one that matters.
Unless you are royalty, be certain that you consult your partner about any decision before presuming to utter the word, "we".
