Books vs. Movies

I went ahead and cancelled my Netflix membership. It is time, and it makes sense. The reason I am doing this is because they don't make enough good movies to justify the expense and the time. Let me elaborate.

I remember having a convo with my bro on the telephone back in the 90's, and he mentioned seeing this new movie called Pulp Fiction that he thought was really good. Needless to say, I thought it was really good, too. There haven't been any other movies from that decade that I really cared about. To be honest, there are only one to two movies that come out each year that I think are worth the time and money to watch.

TV shows like The Wire, Lost, Mad Men, etc. have become the biggest thing in visual entertainment. The reason for this is because TV shows have the time to tell a story. By being limited in budget but unlimited in time, TV shows can develop a story in the way that only a novel can tell a story. Meanwhile, movies get better and better special effects but are unfit to watch. They have no story in them. Then, they get diluted by sequels, franchises, reboots, and all the rest. I am consistently disappointed with movies.

I am rarely disappointed with books. Books deliver. The best stories come from novels. Good movies usually come from good books. It takes longer to read a book, but the books are just so much better than any movie can be. You live with a novel. I am currently reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road which they have made into a movie. But I don't need to see the movie. That book is so good. Movies are for people who don't have time or brains to read. Movies are for people with diminished lives.

I'm sticking with books and saving the time and money. My Netflix membership would buy me two paperbacks a month or one hardcover. Plus, books from the library are free. It maximizes my enjoyment for far less money. It is time well spent. I don't want to be a viewer anymore. I want to be a reader. As for Pulp Fiction, I can rely on word-of-mouth to alert me to those once in a decade movies. On a books-to-movies ratio, I've read way more good books than seen good movies which is ironic because I have seen way more movies than I have read books. Going to print is a smart move and one I don't see regretting.

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