Why are films so important to me? Well to explain it, I need to take you back to the early 2000s or maybe the 90s.
I was just starting school, but I was constantly sick and I stayed home a lot. Back then we didn’t have Netflix or Showmax or Disney Plus to help you watch whatever you like. You either watch infomercials or M-Net’s aerobics, but… there was the VHS player.
We called it the “Video Machine” and it was magnificent. We had a bunch of movies recorded on the cassettes and we also had a few we bought. I remember spending hours just re-watching my favorite movies. And sometimes M-Net had these behind-the-scenes shows and a Top-10 countdown, which got me really excited.
What I’m trying to say is, I have a deep emotional connection to film. It wasn’t just something that entertained me, but something that I turned to when I wasn’t my best self. And that’s the beauty of movies, it has something for everyone.
Over the last few years I’ve become more comfortable talking about my past and that’s because movies reminded me that even the bad stories need to be told. I never talked about bullying or anxiety or my biggest flops until I started exploring different kinds of films.
Now I’m no film snob or a professional movie critic, I’m just a guy who loves cinema and the work it takes to bring the stories to life. I see myself more as a casual moviegoer, who just happens to talk about films for a living. I don’t look down on anyone, and I don’t pretend to know more than I actually do.
In my years as a film content creator and blogger, I’ve realised that there are mainly two categories of moviegoers. These can be divided into different sub-categories or it can be an amalgamation of the two. I’m definitely a combination of the two.
There’s the casual fan. The ones who just wants to be entertained. The ones who just want to escape for a while and who just want to have fun. They don’t need a move to preach to them or speak to their inner-selves (unless it Pixar). Sure they might learn a lesson on two, but that’s not what they’re there for.
Then there’s the artsy fan. The one who who wants the movie to speak to them. The one who wants to be hit over the head with a message multiple times. They love independent films and are mostly open-minded to something new and experimental. And every now and then they also love to be entertained for a while.
I’m both and because I’ve opened myself up to watching different movies, I’ve started to appreciate what all genres of film have to offer. Sure I might be extra excited for Deadpool and Wolverine, but I can be calm and collected while watching Didi or an A24 movie. All movies speak to me and most of the time most movies entertain me.
I watch everything from Hallmark movies, to short films on YouTube to the biggest movies of the year. So why movies? Well, it’s my happy place. It’s where I go to escape and discover myself. It’s where I go to be entertained after a long day. It’s where I go to have a deeper understanding of life and faith.
And it’s something that gave me purpose when I had nothing going for me. It was a way of life for 9-year-old Barry and now it sustains my life as an adult. And I hope you continue to follow me on this journey as I share my love film and filmmaking. Hopefully one day this can be a movement that will change the lives of others or just entertain them.
