Rewatch
I recently read the novelized adaptation of Batman Begins. We’ve watched the Nolan Batman trilogy many times, and I always enjoy it. The book added extra depth to a movie I already loved.
As a kid, we had a good library of VHS tapes. I ran through them on repeat. I can easily recall the movies in great detail. As I revisit them with my kids, I quote lines, see the setups for upcoming gags, and appreciate the nuance in the story and the characters.
My family streamed a lot of TV during the early days of the pandemic. The world tumped over. I spent the newfound screen time dividing my attention between the little screen in my hand and the big one on the wall.
There is less of that time available now, so we curate a list of movies and shows. When we get an opportunity to watch something, we consult the list. There are an embarrassing number of times when we turn on a show or movie and, partway through, I realize Ihave seen it before. There are entire seasons of shows that I've forgotten I've already seen.
I am sure a part of it is the divided attention between my screens. My absolute favorite books, shows, and movies I have watched multiple times. I connect with them deeper, more fully. I love novelty and exploring new things, too. With the right focus, I can get the same novelty and newness from a deeper connection during a revisit.
Depth, layer, and nuance seem to be lost, or at least fleeting. It is still there. It only exists with study. I’ve read many self-help books, hoping to be forever better at some new skill. Only to find that a single reading, and upon completion, barely considering it, has little lasting impact. This says nothing of the author or their material. It has everything to do with my willingness to invest and reinvest my attention to absorb and internalize something.
If art, or life, feels faded, if it feels dry, I might just need to sit with it longer. So little is black and white, if I can’t see any nuance, if I can’t see any gray, I might not be close enough to it. Depth requires a sustained attention that might feel like boredom.
What have I skimmed that needs a second look? Can I find and appreciate nuance? Will I find the beauty on the other side of boring?
Be curious, be kind, be whole, do good things.
It’s so crazy that the movies I watched in my youth I can totally remember them and can also quote lines. I still have Aladdin about halfway memorized and can quote it fairly well. But the movies in my adulthood I forget that I watched it or even remember how it ends. I feel silly when my husband turns to me and says “you don’t remember it?” There are so many distractions now. How many times am I watching something and scrolling through my phone at the same time. I’m trying to learn to be completely in the moment of what’s happening so I don’t miss something good. 😊