Philosophy Now Forum

I am going to make an assignment in school. I am thinking about writing how you can get affected so much by watching movies or reading books. I saw this movie the other day, Moonrise Kingdom, and it really got me. I thought about my life and how to live it and so. It is to me a great thing that movies, plays and books can affect me so much and inspire me.

So I wondered if some of you guys could give me some links or hints to where I can find explanation about this topic. Both biologically and so. Thanks.

-Esben Due Yding

I can't tell you about biology, but I would think that people get affected by movies depending on how they open their emotions and let their mind associate things freely. For instance, people rarely open their emotions to commercials because they know it's not worth it, however, from romantic to scary to epic movies to comedies we'd much easier let our emotions give free reins because the reason we watch those movies is to be affected, to be moved, we go to movies the same way as people would gather to listen to preachers and exciting events and personalities, everything from charismatic politicians to traditional speeches (like here in Norway every new year the King hold's his New Year speech). We expect people to show us exciting sentences, slogans, pictures, scenes in movies, artwork, and so forth, and we let them grab us because that's what we came for, we identify how we are supposed to be like, in a kind of way, or sometimes when I watch movies less emotional but "interesting" I may identify importance in things and emphasize it myself, for whatever purpose I may have with it. An example of the later is "Zeitgeist: Moving Forward", a movie I identify importance in, and therefore I make myself emphasize it for myself, and for others I meet. To the former we all know about comedies we laugh about because we think it's worth laughing on, or epic scenes we think it's worth getting excited about.

I saw this movie the other day, Moonrise Kingdom, and it really got me.

I saw the preview of this recently, and thought I would like it. Then you reminded me again of it.
I am curious in how if "affected" you. There must have been something in it that you related to personally.

I will get back to you after I see it.

Melancholia. Saw that recently. About depression. The music was beautiful, photography amazing and Kirsten Dunst must have been one of her best performances. Highly recommend. I suffered no "side effects" from watching it. LOL, although there have been movies, not many, but a couple that have affected me deeply.

Its about stories, old and new.

http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s3293930.htm

depending on the story.