Fun Watching Movies with my Wife

[divemaster13]

My wife won't watch hardly anything, movie-wise. And this goes for Korean movies as well as U.S. films (my wife is Korean). Anything with a plot? She won't keep up. Action or thrills? It "makes her heart go pounding." Dramatic tension? Gives her stress. No ghosts, no horror, no killing, no sci-fi, no fantasy. If I were to say "Star Wars" to her, or "James Bond," she'd have no clue what I was talking about. Culturally (western) based comedy is lost on her and physical or slapstick comedy gets termed a "no-clue movie." If I even want to think about sharing movie time, I have to ask myself is it worth the grief afterwards. (Seriously, I thought she was going to file for divorce after we saw Inception. WTF was I thinking taking her to that?). Even something as universally beloved as the Princess Bride? Too violent.

I have scored a few hits. She liked Life of Pi. The recent Les Miserables (Crowe/Jackman) was a good date, though she didn't follow all the plot details. We watched Mamma Mia on the DVD and she liked that. She laughed at some of the appropriate moments of Hot Shots. I could probably pull up a handful more that were good calls on my part.

However, most of the time it is like this...

Divemaster watching a movie with his wife:

Me: You want to watch a movie tonight?

Wife: Is it a new movie?

Me: Well, not really. It's one of my favorites from a while back. Romantic comedy. Nothing objectionable.

Wife: But it's not a new movie?

Me: Well if you haven't seen it, it's new to you.

Wife: I only like new movie. You watch it yourself.

(Bangs head against wall)

Ok, so now we're watching an actual "new" movie...about 45 minutes in...

Wife: What do you think about the house?

Me: What house? The house in the movie?

Wife: Yes. Do you like the way it is decorated?

Me: Who cares? I'm trying to follow the characters and the plot.

Wife: Oh, I'm not interested in any of that.

Me: So, what? You're trying to get decorating ideas?

Wife: Of course. What do you think of her hairstyle?

(Bangs head against wall.)

 

[sitenoise]

Love it!

 

[divemaster13]

LOL. I have about 500 DVDs on the shelf, at least 150 of them for Korean movies. When she really wants for us to watch something together, I tell her to pick something herself. Inevitably, she'll go to the Korean DVDs and start looking around. I already know which movie she will pick. Out of 150 choices, she'll inevitably grab Please Teach Me English. Do you know how many times I've seen Please Teach Me English?

 

[clayton-12]

she'll inevitably grab Please Teach Me English

Is it a new movie?

Even though we both love movies and push each other to embrace things we probably otherwise wouldn't, I can totally relate to your story about the house. We get to the part in Mad Max where Max's wife is running desperately along the road with the baby, as the Toecutter's gang bears down on them: "I've got a bag just like hers".

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

I'm pretty lucky that my wife and I do like a lot of the same things. Sure, she likes some chick flicks, and while she likes horror, she doesn't like anything cheesy or overly gory, but we can agree on a lot of flicks. She really likes the Marvel movies, and she actually initiated a STAR WARS marathon a while back (still can't get her into STAR TREK). So I feel for you, divemaster. It would be like the times I was forced to sit and watch the TWILIGHT movies.

 

[divemaster13]

Since my wife doesn't have any interest in movies, except for the occasional romantic comedy, she has no idea about Hollywood or what's showing. But every once in a while a fella wants to take his wife to a movie, ya know?

True story from about 10 years ago....

Me: Let's go see a movie.

Wife: What movie?

Me: I don't know. Let me check the paper (rustle rustle rustle)...Hmmmm, nothing much looks any good. How about Batman Begins? Supposed to be good action; heard some good things--shouldn't be too violent.

Wife: I would hate that movie (scrunches up her nose--I can tell I need to find another movie quick)

Me: (noticing something for the first time)--Hey! How about March of the Penguins! Oh, man, I heard about that! I really want to see that!

Wife: March of the Penguins? What is it?

Me: Well, see, it's a nature show. There's this penguin. And it has an egg. And, and, well, it's cold because they live on the ice. And the seal tries to eat them... (hmm, I'm floundering here...). And I think they have to move to another spot, like ... marching around. And, uh, ... (seeing the look on my wife's face)....and, uh, uh, ...did I mention there's this egg?

Wife: What was that other movie again?

Sigh

 

[DeJoHnNiE]

Thanks all for the headsup. If I ever get married I will know what to expect when I ask about watching a movie

I think I need one that deffo likes Anime as I love to watch that [or anything good animated].

Great stories, keep them coming, I like it a lot.

 

[Daniel Larusso]

This is a cool topic. I keep thinking that it would be pretty cool to have a gf/wife who enjoys the same things as me, like movies and videogames, but I've never found anyone like that.

Well the best story that I have is watching Love Exposure with my ex. She didn't care about asian cinema and she still liked it. It was special to me since it is my favourite film. She covered my eyes in Yoko's erotic scenes. LOL

 

[plsletitrain]

@divemaster

Haha that is so cute! Your wife is adorable, she is really a girly-girly girl.

I'm lucky my husband couldn't care less what I watch. He doesn't care which sites I visit, or what I do with my internet time the whole day that I'm online. He doesn't know I signed up for this forum or that I was on IMDb too. And the best part: he lets me watch movies alone. (And while I'm away for 2 hours, he'd be in charge of babysitting.) And I like it that way. I've been like that since I was still single. I used to watch movies alone, and I still do that today. I don't like having companions in movie theaters because I don't like someone talking while the movie is ongoing, I lose my concentration. I also don't like having companions when watching movies because who decides what to watch? What if I won't like his choice? Or what if he doesn't like my choice? Yeah, I'm a loner. And I like it that way. I really hate it when I'm being told what to do. I'm quite a stubborn brat ain't I? Hehehe. There are times when our tastes would meet. He would suggest a film to watch. Me: What's that about. Him: About this and that. Me: Okay let's watch it. End of story.

And not to sound like I'm so proud of my husband, but yeah, I'm quite am. He lets me do my fangirl stuff! Just lately, I told him about a South Korean cute guy I really love. I said, dear, I think I'm in love. lol. He gives me that awkward look that says "here goes that crazy girl again". And I said, no really, I really like him. But I don't want to sign up for his fanclub because I erm, I don't think I'm ready to do the duties of a fanclub member. He said, well you can still support him from afar. Just watch his vids. And I said, if by chance he comes to the Philippines for a fanmeet or a concert or whatever, will you go with me? He said yes. I'm quite lucky with my husband. We sure have our problems, but I'm lucky he's patient with me because I'm a hot-tempered and strict mom and wife.

 

[divemaster13]

So, we're visiting the Baltimore Aquarium way back when. One of the exhibits was on sea lions, and there was a short narrated film loop (5-7 minutes or something like that) that played in a side room. We mainly went in to rest our feet for a few minutes, so we plopped ourselves down and learned a bit about sea lions. Anyway, the film showed them on the rocky beach, nuzzling their young, calling for mates--whatever else sea lions do. I'm watching, thinking how interesting this all is, and noticing that my wife also seems fairly captivated. Ah, but about 3 minutes into our viewing, my wife leans over to me and says........."Can we eat those?"

"No, honey, we don't eat those."

"Oh, ok." And goes back to watching the film.

Now here I am appreciating the wonders of nature and all that, and my wife is trying to figure out how we can cook and eat one.

 

[divemaster13]

@divemaster

Haha that is so cute! Your wife is adorable, she is really a girly-girly girl.

I'm lucky my husband couldn't care less what I watch. He doesn't care which sites I visit, or what I do with my internet time the whole day that I'm online. He doesn't know I signed up for this forum or that I was on IMDb too. And the best part: he lets me watch movies alone...

My nickname for my wife is "Princess of the Mall" LOL

We have a similar arrangement to what you described. I have my man-cave home theater and watch whatever I want. She has an internet connection and spends all her viewing time watching Korean TV. Lots of K-dramas (romantic and historical) and of course romantic comedies. But she also watches the TV talk shows. Best I can tell, a panel of 4-5 people sit around and make jokes and discuss whatever topics come up, guided by the show host (a "gag man" as she calls it). And sermons. And medical advise, as dispensed by Korean "doctors" or folklore. (Don't even get me started on that--that's the one thing I wish she would NOT watch).

Oh, and to add a coda to my March of the Penguins story, I actually convinced her to accompany me to the theater to watch it with me--and she liked it! She got caught up in the parents caring for the egg and the young and gained appreciation for the wonder that is penguins.

And she didn't even ask about cooking one.

 

[sitenoise]

Except for that last one of culinary desire, I love the way your wife watches movies. It's pure freedom, like the way I watch movies, except different.

 

[sitenoise]

I also don't like having companions when watching movies

I never thought I had a position on this but now I know. I learned it from watching basketball with someone. I don't like being persuaded by someone else's experience and way of expression. Cheerleading, and being frantic about every shot, etc. So I quit watching basketball and took up Volleyball, so I can be alone. lol

It's true of movies--at least the kind I like to watch--you can feel the experience of the person or persons you're with. It's more palatable with comedies and action movies because the range of response is limited. I wouldn't want to watch the lezbo scissor boinking in The Handmaiden with someone sitting next to me.

 

[plsletitrain]

I never thought I had a position on this but now I know. I learned it from watching basketball with someone. I don't like being persuaded by someone else's experience and way of expression. Cheerleading, and being frantic about every shot, etc. So I quit watching basketball and took up Volleyball, so I can be alone. lol

It's true of movies--at least the kind I like to watch--you can feel the experience of the person or persons you're with. It's more palatable with comedies and action movies because the range of response is limited. I wouldn't want to watch the lezbo scissor boinking in The Handmaiden with someone sitting next to me. View attachment 338

Yes totally agree with you. Its true with every single experience of watching a movie. Like bringing food, you offer it to him/her. Then both of you share it. So that's the sound of food crunching, asking and accepting the offer, which distracts the viewing experience. And not to generalize women, but when there's a jumpscare scene, the scream, not to mention she will grab you by the sleeve or worse, lie on your arm for cover. Or if someone handsome flashes his abs and they go Woah!!!!! at the top of their lungs. I wasn't born for those. Call me loner or whatever but I try to avoid those events if I can. When I still didn't have work, I would watch the first showing (which is when the theater opens because it has the less viewers, it's work and school time). And its a better experience than watching with a group. And yeah, the boinking scenes in films. Its really awkward even if you're with your partner. That's why I prefer watching movies alone: I can confine my emotions to myself. And then just scream on an IMDf post later. lol.

 

[divemaster13]

Except for that last one of culinary desire, I love the way your wife watches movies. It's pure freedom, like the way I watch movies, except different.

Freedom, yah, but frustrating (for me). We were watching Infernal Affairs with some friends and about 15 minutes from the end of the movie, my wife asked me something along the lines of "Why did that guy just do that?"

"Because that's what undercover police officers do."

"He's a police officer?"

"Well, yeah. How can you not...how...I mean, that's the whole point of the movie!"

"I must have missed that part."

facepalm

 

[clayton-12]

you can feel the experience of the person or persons you're with

I got a foot in both camps on whether this is bad or good. As a case in point, I was given tickets to see Jeffery Lau's Just Another Pandora's Box. I'm sure it was nowhere, nowhere near as good as his earlier A Chinese Tall Story (and I'm basing this statement on divemaster's review), but seeing it a theatre packed with 15 year-old girls, I could appreciate just how well the film was hitting all its marks. I might personally want a lot more of out of a film, but at least by experiencing it as a shared experience I could see just how successful it actually was, something I could never have appreciated watching it alone, or even in the company of my contemporaries.

 

[plsletitrain]

Another reason to avoid going in theaters with groups: The inevitable question and answer portion. Its alright when watching in DVDs or online because there's a pause button for that. But if you're in the movie house and someone asks a question, of course it would be rude not to answer but in so doing you have missed some dialogues already which may or may not have vital lines in it. And you will miss watching that scene for a couple of seconds because you have to face the one who asked directly otherwise it would be rude not to face him when you answer him.

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

I might personally want a lot more of out of a film, but at least by experiencing it as a shared experience I could see just how successful it actually was, something I could never have appreciated watching it alone, or even in the company of my contemporaries.

This is why I wish I had seen THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT in the theatre. Everyone went on about what a great movie it was. Then I bought it as soon as it was out on video, and wondered what movie they had all seen. If I had had the group experience, I might have been more into it. I appreciate it as a film, maybe more so now, but at the time, my expectations were not met.

 

[ant-mac]

she actually initiated a STAR WARS marathon a while back

That could be grounds for a divorce.

(still can't get her into STAR TREK)

That's definitely grounds for a divorce.

Of course, there is always the very faint possibility that I'm ever so slightly biased on the matter...

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

Worse yet, she only likes Nu-WHO. She still can't bring the love for Classic WHO. Believe me, I've tried. I sat her down Malcom McDowell style and tried to condition her. I played "The Talons of Weng-Chiang". She's a tough nut to crack.