Why Cinema is a lifesaver.

I have to admit that I take up multiple viewings of single films. I would not shy away from the fact too that I am addicted to them. It is not a pretentious attempt to glorify myself as a movie freak but a manifestation of a festering weakness of mine. The Dull Reality of Life. Life is dull and real. Cinema is an illusion which wants to become real. Sometimes it does, mostly it doesn't.

Often we try to judge people by the kind of films they like to watch. I have had discussions about movies with my friends all the time. Some of us even pretend to like a particular genre because it seems cool: it is all over in the papers and news and social media. But whatever be the likes of a person one thing is for sure. That is our escape from the dull monotony of life. Whatever be the nature of visual content we see, it is meant to soothe the itchy dullness that life offers us.

Cinema offers us an escape from that dull life we lead. Not all of us are movie stars, celebrities, writers, CEOs, singers, astronauts and so on. We have a routine life. And routine is boring. It kills impulse, it kills vitality. I am not mixing routine and discipline: both of them are far apart. Even those of us who have very happening lives look for some sort of getaway from the edgy lives we have. In short everyone looks for a getaway from the lives they lead. The cure to that monotony, that particular kind of dullness, for the lack of a better word is entertainment. That is where cinema sets its foot in.

Fantasy, Crime, Noir, Neo Noir, Period, Romance, Action, Musical are some of the facets that cinema has to offer. These are just some names that take you away to worlds different than your own.

Many would argue that some movies get us to face realities too. For example, the documentary movie "Before the flood" makes us aware of the dangers associated with climate change. Or the movie "The Big Short" makes us aware of the circumstances that led to the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the US around 2008. But in a way I believe these too are getaways into something more alien yet important aspects of human life.

As time has passed by the efficiency of the medium has increased yet the purpose has remained the same. From those bulky tapes showing black and white films back then we now have this amazing web application netflix where we can stream all we want in colour HD. The need still remains the same.