I have always loved the movies. Well maybe I shouldn't say that. The first movie I was ever taken to was Bambi when I was three and I got very upset when Bambi's mother was killed. But I really love the movies.
That being said, there are some movie genres that I love more than others. I am done with superhero movies. Not being a graphic novel or comic book fan, I really don't care to see Superman battle Wonder Woman or whatever. I am not a fan of war movies. I don't care for the modern slasher horror films. But I love mad cap comedies like Auntie Mame. I love comedies or dramas that get me to think a bit without slamming me over the head with a sledge hammer. I like musicals. And I like the old Hammer Studio films and the B movies of the 1950's- they try to be so serious with such ridiculous plots. And of course if a movie stars Cary Grant or Meryl Streep there is a good chance I will like the movie.
All movies allow us to escape our present reality for a while. They allow us to escape reality or at least our present reality. Even an award winning documentary allows us to escape from our television set and delve into something deeper. But the best movies, like good novels, allow us to discover something more about ourselves. In the story line, in the portrayals of the actors, hopefully we catch a glimpse of further understanding about who we are or what we could become.
And I realize that this glimpse of reality that we get in the movies, mirrors life in general. Psychologists say that we make judgments about people that we meet within the first three seconds that we meet them. In those first few seconds, at first glance, we make snap decisions about whether this person seems friendly, stupid, dangerous, kind, etc. We decide whether we should smile when we greet them or whether we should be scared. Oh we do change our minds from time to time. The oh so scary person turns out to be a gentle giant. The friendly person may be untrustworthy. But like the movies, our first glance affects our approach to others.
St. Paul in 1 Corinthians talks about catching a glimpse of God like a reflection in a mirror. Moses was given just a peek at God's back side as God passed by him on a mountain. Like a movie, we are just offered these glimmers of the holy in life. But I hope like the movies or a good novel, this quick look at the holy will teach us more about who we are, will open us to new understandings about our dealings with people, and will teach us about life. Blessings.
