Many people like to round off a day by watching a movie on the tube, and so do I. My primary sources of amusement are Netflix, Prime Videos, and YouTube. These outfits offer a large choice of movies, but quality alas is often scarce and one (me) must shovel a lot of manure before finding a nugget.
My tastes are eclectic, and I will watch anything that catches my fancy. It could be in Spanish, German, French, Italian, Russian, Hindi, or any other foreign language, as long as the offering comes with subtitles.
Some of my favorite movies are Hispanic productions from across the Rio Grande, and beyond. I particularly like Argentinean movies; they usually have a plausible plot; they can be funny or gritty, and they are realistic and well-acted.
Others, like some French films, can be exasperating. They often feature a stupid story and when the plot is interesting, it has an open-ended finish. When you tell a story, it must have a clear conclusion; somebody dies or lives. There is no in-between. I cannot believe that I liked some of these stories when I was living abroad.
Then, you have the predictable American romcoms (with a happy ending) that often are too vapid and unrealistic. But talking about realism… I noted fairly recently that many movies now have a scene where the protagonist (with her undies on her ankles) is sitting dejectedly on the toilet bowl.
I am not a Puritan, but it is good to remember that “Familiarity breeds contempt”. In other words, the better you know someone, the more you will find fault with her/him, or lose respect for that person. Everybody deserves respect. When I am on the throne, I don’t want any witness to my doings. Remember, even the Queen usually surrounded by personal assistants sits there alone… in majestic mystery.
I would also add that “love cannot thrive without some mystery”. Any relationship needs some boundaries. It is unhealthy and oppressive to have the person you share a bed with, knowing absolutely everything about you, warts, and all. Let sleeping dogs (and toilet stories) lie. So, movie directors, no more peeing scenes, unless it is absolutely necessary to the plot.
It is said that when the Parisians stormed the Bastille, King Louis XVI wrote “rien” (nothing) in his diary. Sometimes it is crucial to intrude on somebody’s toilet meditations, but this derogation is only valid when something really big happens, like a release of new photos of scantily clad Kim Kardashian and her new heartthrob.
Alain