So, Let’s consider: What makes a Movie or TV Show MUST SEE…and why?

OK, so I’m sitting in my mechanic’s waiting room and flip open the paper to occupy some time. The first thing that hits me on the entertainment section is some article about how a movie is “Must See”. Really? Who says it’s “must see”? Why? I read the article further and it delved into show’s plotline a bit, and how it was a MUST SEE.
Really? Frankly, it sounded just like the rest of the mindless schlock that Hollywood keeps cranking out in the hopes that I’ll spend my well earned money and time on. And, frankly, other than it was the author’s opinion that I must see this thing, I was really hard pressed to come up with any reasons why it warranted spending any time and money on! Considering that I have to get a second mortgage to go to a movie any more and the cost of popcorn and a coke is close to a house payment I’ve found myself being alot more selective on what I actually go see!
Marketing takes many forms. From would be “critics” that seem to always have a “thumbs up” positive must see/read spin on everything they’re paid to write about, to what can only be called “infomercial” articles in the papers or on the web that we can’t seem to get away from we seem to be more inundated with positive spin on things that someone wants us to spend money on. And, you have to keep in mind that they have to be politically correct and put a positive spin on almost everything…or they’d lose business from advertisers. After all, who’s going to support a newspaper that says their product sucks…even if it is the truth?
Think about it a minute…just when was that last time you read anything that said “this movie sucks! Avoid it!”??? It doesn’t happen and it never will! The presenters in the media depend on advertisement revenue for their profits and imagine how many people wouldn’t be advertising in their product(s) if we were actually told something like “this is a total waste of your time. You’d be better off watching championship sock matching!”???? Stuff that’s really bad just tends to always die a silent death…after being mega-hyped and taking a bundle of your time and money!
Considering that the average one hour TV show is about 38 minutes of show and 22 minutes of really expensive ads, it’s in their best interest to put a positive spin on everything they’re being paid, in one form or another, to present! After all, they want your face in front of that screen to see those ads! And considering how expensive movies are to get into nowadays, they want to put your butts in the seats…regardless of the quality of the movie! Just think, how many people actually depand their money back after sitting through a movie that really sucks? Face it, they’ve got your money and they’re on their way to the bank with it.
So, what to do? For starters, THINK. Is that latest must see about some chick on a cable channel that’s just become an empty nester and now is out to explore her long lost sexuality really the best use of your time? Or is it just more banal over hyped media designed to bring more soft porn to your living room? Is the time you’re spending on must see crap really the best use of your time? Most likely the answer to that is a resounding “HELL NO!”. Is being a couch potato in front of some mindless schlock in the best interest of your life, state of mind, family? I’ve yet to see any “must see” anything that would create a “yes” answer to that question.
Think. You have a life. Control it by the choices you make about what you feed your mind and how you use your time. I always hear “I just don’t have time to do…” from people that spend hours oogling some “must see” crap and sacrifice their time and resources to someone else’s agenda and totally lose control of their own life. It’s your life, take control of it, establish your own priorities and management to YOUR best interest.
If you don’t control your own life’s goals, desires and directions then you sacrifice them to someone else’s control and they may not have your best interests in mind… If someone has to tell you that something is “must see” that you wouldn’t watch on your own, then chances are it’s not a “must” anything, much less something that’s worth your time and money. Think what’s in your best interest first.

I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.

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