It is no secret that movies can change peoples lives. We are inspired by their messages, meaning, and more. However, there is another thing that movies bring us that, although incredibly common, is not talked about enough. The phenomenon of “movie nights,” is one that many experience but rarely fully appreciate. Besides the opportunities to watch great movies, movie nights also allow us to spend time with friends and family, provide escapism, and open the door to conversations we may have never had otherwise. When I was younger, one of my favorite moments was when my whole family gathered in our living room to watch a family movie. We watched so many classics like Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings. When my sister and I got older, it became coming of age stories, indie films, and the movies that would come out that we all wanted to watch yet missed the theatrical releases of. I learned a lot about life from these experiences watching movies with my family. These movies helped me ask the tough questions about why characters acted in certain ways. They helped me learn to identify what was right and wrong. Experiencing these movies with my family helped me to see how the same movies can affect people in different ways. After the movies were over we would always debrief with one another. “Wow, wasn’t that one great!” or the classic “Wait, I still don't understand...” I really cherish these memories as well as the little moments that some might label as forgettable. The frustration of surfing for something to watch that we can all agree on for well over an hour, my mom always needing to take a bathroom break right as the movie starts, and my sister losing interest and asking random questions during the movie to the annoyance of my father and I. We don’t get to spend movie nights together as regularly as we used to, as life gets busy, but when we do I am still reminded of the feeling of connection that they can bring to me and my family. I've laughed, cried, closed my eyes, and every range of emotion in between with my family, and for that, I will always be thankful for movie nights.
Written by Stella Naymik
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