Psst, A Serious Man.

Regardless, that was too funny.

Psst, A Serious Man.

(Oh how funny, I always get that mixed up! And I even thought, while I was typing "what does that smug guy say? "I'm a simple man"? Yeah...that's right.)

I have to add that I am notoriously choosy about who I go see movies with, and under what circumstances. I hate watching movies at someone's house (outside of an SO), mostly because if I am headed over to someone's house, I want to visit. And I don't visit while watching movies.

I am really uptight about talking, chewing, texting etc when it comes to watching movies in a theatre, and will go get an usher is someone is repeatedly checking a cell phone (so that all I see is a neon light every 5 seconds) in front of me.

But what Jess said, I am mostly picky about it because the movies to me are an art form, and I respect them and want to take them in with someone who feels the same way. It's totally part of the experience to evaluate it afterwards! Steve has gotten used to this...he was more of the "I only go to movies to escape" kind before dating me. Now he likes to talk a little about them afterwards, but not as much as I do. He's learning though. And he doesn't talk during them, so that's awesome.

I am fine with immediate post-movie discussion 95% of the time, but there have been a few occasions when something pushed real buttons for me, and I needed a little processing time. Just, like, "not in the car, let's wait until we're back at the house." So the half-hour thing would have been perfect in those situations.

It's for everyone's protection, honestly; it's a gut-level feeling like, "If someone mentions X scene, even in a good way, I will start crying uncontrollably, and I'd prefer not to do that."

I am fine with immediate post-movie discussion 95% of the time, but there have been a few occasions when something pushed real buttons for me, and I needed a little processing time. Just, like, "not in the car, let's wait until we're back at the house." So the half-hour thing would have been perfect in those situations.

You're right. With extremely heavy-themed movies, I have to process, too. I recall seeing The Deer Hunter (a revival showing at my beloved New Beverly Cinema in LA) and being so thankful that my then-boyfriend completely understood that we just needed to be silent for a good long while.

But that little moment led me to rethink the movie and appreciate what it accomplished. I just didn't have the cultural reference points to properly evaluate it. But I've never had that problem with any previous Coen bros movie.

We had a similar experience with A Serious Man. I went with my MiL and Bob, and we all were deeply annoyed by the movie leaving the theatre. But then talking about it in the car, my MiL started obsessing about what it all MEANT, etc., and I think both her and Bob really gained a new appreciation for it.

X: The Unheard Music might be the best music documentary I've ever seen. I can't decide if I liked it better than We Jam Econo.

and I think both her and Bob really gained a new appreciation for it.

I like when that happens.

There are times, like with this latest Coen, that I can appreciate that a movie was well-made and that it deeply touched/affected a lot of people without it being personally enjoyable or something I'd want to see again. Just because something doesn't speak to me doesn't mean it's not exquisite for someone else.

I recall seeing The Deer Hunter

Oh, lord, that's a whole different level. I mean, I definitely see how you'd feel that way; I was just thinking of things more like when I saw Edward Scissorhands in high school and one scene cut too close to the bone. Er, so to speak.

I think that when it comes to plot holes or too much deus ex machina in a movie that otherwise grabs me and hauls me along for the ride, I will abstain from the "thinking too much," at least along those lines. In many cases, I can excuse something like Frodo not taking an eagle taxi to Mount Doom because that blip allowed for a damned good story.

Also, the only thing hurt was my suspension of disbelief, which may have suffered a wee bit of joint strain.

Moff's Law is important, IMHO, in cases where ignoring the problem goes hand-in-hand with ignoring something that is actively problematic outside of the world of the film. Handwaving some applied phlebotinum generally doesn't hurt anyone. Handwaving the fact that a movie gives another example of Mighty Whitey and reinforces some truly skeevy imperialistic and/or racist thinking does hurt people. It may also implies that maybe some people are handwaving or flat-out refusing to examine some truly problematic thinking in real life as well.

I think Moff's Law is important, because if we don't fight against the folks who think the best way to be a consumer of media is to turn off your brain and just stare at the bright colors, we're gonna end up at "Ow! My Balls!" in no time.