My Name is Jason Griffin and I have always loved watching movies. Yet, I noticed over the last couple of years that has meant getting those red Netflix envelopes in the mail or watching HBO or Showtime and the like. I have not been going to my local theater much.
Growing up, I went to the movies all the time with my dad. Up until a couple of years ago, I would at least see all the big blockbuster action movies over the summer, the way they should be seen. Last year (2006), I saw two movies at a theater, Mission: Impossible III and Casino Royale. So, to stem the tide, I came up with New Movie Friday.
The idea is to see a newly released movie every Friday, that is the day most films are released after all. Not just a movie every Friday or once a week but one that has opened on that Friday. Once I have seen the movie, I will write and post a review. This will get me out to a theater at least 52 times this year. That will be 50 more movies than I saw last year on the big screen. (December 30th, 2006 – I see a lot more movies these days, but that’s what got this site started originally.)
What You’ll Find at New Movie Friday
Each Tuesday/Wednesday, I will post about what new movies are coming out on Friday. What looks good and what doesn’t will be discussed. You are welcome to join in with your comments and what you might be heading out to see over the upcoming weekend.
Thursday/Friday, If I’ve screened a movie ahead of time, then reviews will be posted Thursday evening or Friday morning.
Each Friday, I will go to a local theater and see a movie. I will tweet my initial reaction (@NewMovieFriday). Later, I will usually try to write up a review.
At other times, other topics around movies like anticipation for far off releases, giveaways, movie news, adventures in theater movie going and more may be visited in posts.
One of the great things about movies is that they are a great starting point for conversation. It is an easy way to connect with others, much in the same way that sports or TV can be. Whether you like the same movies, teams or shows isn’t of great importance. The common bond you have of sharing a similar experience is, whether you are best friends or have never met.
Thoughts on Reviews
Who that loves movies hasn’t thought of being a movie critic? I always thought, what a cool job. You get to see movies for free and get paid to boot. That sounds pretty great to me. Now just about anyone, with the time or inclination, can fancy himself or herself a movie critic and post their reviews online for the world to see. So, consider myself fancying.
As for movie reviews and reviewers in general, my thoughts are:
- If you, mostly, agree with a reviewer about movies then maybe they might be helpful in your choice of which movies to see in the future.
- Conversely, if you, mostly, disagree about movies then maybe they might be helpful as well. You will know that if they liked it, that you should stay away and if they hated it, that it will be right up your alley.
- These things don’t tend to be overall though, as they tend to show up in movie genres. For example, we may both really like the same type of comedies but when it comes to dramas we might as well be in two different theaters.
I remember back when I lived in Denver, CO that there was a movie critic on one of the local news stations. She never seemed to like what I liked. So, I knew after a while that if she thought the latest comedy was terrible that I would find it funny and entertaining and if she thought the latest drama was the cat’s meow that I would find it boring and yawn inducing.
So, whether we agree or disagree, we can all help each other find the next great movie for us to enjoy. It just might not be the same one.
Note: Regarding links out to other websites you will find in the posts. Whether I love it, hate it or could care less about it, if they have an affiliate program then it is probably an affiliate link. Just thought I would put this out front, should anybody care?