I’ll admit it. For the first time in my life, I’m suffering film fatigue. When asked if I’d like to go to the movies, I reply with “No, I’d rather just watch television”. And not just any television – half hour sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother which – while perfectly diverting and full of Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders goodness – hardly classify as meaty. The idea of sitting in a cinema for more than two hours makes my butt twitch.
I put it down to my brief-yet-harrowing recent stint as a professional film reviewer. In June I moonlighted for the Sydney Morning Herald as part of their amateur writing team blogging the Sydney Film Festival. It was a fantastic experience, especially in the art of delivering film reviews to deadline under time constraints, and letting go of the “what if people hate me?” issues. But after two weeks of juggling film festival, plus full-time job, plus writing, I was plus-pooped.
Now I think of the new Brideshead Revisited with fear instead of my usual “I’d watch Emma Thompson read the phonebook” attitude. The thought of my usual December and January round of catching up on Oscar-worthy pics is daunting. Then there’s the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Film Festival just 2 months away! I’m not sure my nerves are coping.
How can I rise out of this funk and start reviewing again? Anyone got any suggestions out there for a film-loving freak with the movie blues?
November 8, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I know how you feel. I want to go see a few films, but the thought of actually going to a cinema, paying above the odds (London does equal too expensive, especially when you can see it rather quickly, commercial free, on either DVD or TV very quickly on nice, surround-sound TVs) for the experiences of sitting in a vile theatre with rude people. I don’t mind that for some films, but not all.
I may make the effort to go see Quantum of Solace this weekend, though.
I’m sure you’ll shake your lurgy, though. Give it a bit of time.