Introducing: Cinephile Problems
Hello, loyal followers. Hope your Wednesday is going by smoothly. Inspired by yesterday’s events (which I’ll describe further down this post), I’m introducing a new feature for this blog: Cinephile Problems!
Everybody in this planet has problems. They vary depending on our age, our family, our environment, our lifestyle, our responsibilities and our money (or lack of it). But we all have to deal with them, that’s something all humans have in common. But there’s a certain kind of problem that only affects us, those who live and breathe film. The latest indie darling isn’t coming to a theater near you? Your friends’ idea of a good movie is something with Adam Sandler in it? That super-expensive Blu-Ray didn’t come with any special features? Cinephile Problems is a place for me and all of you to vent our movie-related issues, those little (or big) things that bug us to no end while “normal” people couldn’t care less.
If you want to share your cinephile problem, send me an email to ferquinteroc@gmail.com and I’ll share it here! Who knows? Maybe we’ve all gone through the same thing. I’m sure you’ll find some empathy here. Read more after the jump.
Now, to kick things off, let me tell you about yesterday. Blockbuster was a sort of temple for me and I visited at least once a week. This was a place that put thousands of movies at my disposal, after all. When I was in high school, I rented movies like crazy but the responsibilities of university, particularly this (my last) semester, kept me from visiting my Mecca. Yesterday, I was ready to make my triumphant return. Besides, on Tuesdays, rentals cost 15 pesos (about 1.25 dollars). School isn’t quite over yet, so I thought it’d be wise to rent “only” 5 movies instead of 8 or 10. I rented Haywire, Young Adult, La Piel Que Habito, The Muppets and Finding Neverland. I exited Blockbuster, very happy with my selections. I got on the bus and headed to school to see some friends when I noticed something strange. Where was the Blockbuster bag? Oh right, I LEFT IT IN THE BUS. I called the company and the lady asked me if I knew the bus number and I told her I didn’t (who notices that, anyway?) I gave her my name and number and she said they’d contact me if the movies turned up (they didn’t). I didn’t get to watch any movies and, worst of all, I’ll have to pay Blockbuster for the 5 movies I lost 😦 These are my cinephile problems.
What a bummer. I’m prone to forget stuff to so I know where you’re coming from. I lost a cap I loved a lot on a train this winter. It won’t be as expensive as your films though.
This column is a wonderful idea. Perhaps you could expand it and also give advice to people who write into you. “Ask Fernando”… 🙂
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Thanks for the support, Jessica! Both situations suck, mine because I’ll have to pay (and I didn’t even get to enjoy the movies) and yours because that cap had a lot of sentimental value. And thanks for the “Ask Fernando” idea, it’ll be a nice addition to “Cinephile Problems”, no doubt. Don’t forget to send your stories! 😉
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That’s a tough break
My related cinephile problem – All the Blockbusters near me have closed, in addition to nearly all the other brick and mortar video rental places.
I’ll have to think about some of my other gripes and email them to you…I know I have some but I’m just drawing a blank
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Thanks for the support, Andy! The death of video-rental places is a sad problem as well. I feel for you. And about the other thing, don’t worry. You can send your stories any time!
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Great new feature for your blog.
I have something that happened yesterday. My friends came over with some redbox movies. Worst day in a long time. I had to sit through Gone, Transformers 3, and… Jack and Jill. They had never seen them and they really wanted too. My eyes desperately wanted to close. So I got up to get stuff throughout because I have already seen the last two. I also asked them what they thought. They said that 0 was way to less and that they would have put them on a best of the year list. After they left I saw No Country For Old Men – one of my favorite movies – just so my eyes would forgive me a little.
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Also, sorry that happened to you. That has happened to me before. It’s the worst.
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Yes, it is awful. Thanks for commiserating!
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Thanks. The idea came to me late last night, actually. And if I were you, I’d never speak to your friends again, haha! Those are terrible selections. I’m sorry you had to sit through that!
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I’ll send you an email soon. This is such a great idea!
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Forgot to mention how much that really SUCKS, you losing Blockbuster items.
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Yes, it sucks terribly. And thanks!
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By far my biggest cinephile problem: Waiting out a Criterion release.
Case in point, with MOONRISE KINGDOM being released in Toronto last week, I went back and watched all of my Wes Anderson dvd’s. The only film of his I didn’t watch was THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX since Criterion hasn’t released it…and with every other Anderson film being a Criterion staple you just have to believe they’re gonna…eventually…someday.
So, do you bite the bullet and buy the film (especially for directors like Mallick and Anderson who CC clearly love)? Or do you get what’s available and worry about selling it off later?
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Hello Ryan, and thanks for visiting! You know, I haven’t had the exact same problem but I can totally understand it. My advice would be, like you say, buying the regular version and if there’s a Criterion release later, get that and sell the old one.
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Thanks Ryan! 🙂
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That’s a very annoying thing to happen!
My personal problem is that I bought a pass for the cinema which allows me unlimited access, which means I could go out and watch every movie out (in one day if that was possible). Problem though is that since I bought the pass a couple of months ago I haven’t been able to use it as much as I would want because of my busy life (family etc).
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That sucks! I’ve had it happen to me before with a cinema pass and also with a yearly pass for an amusement park, which we used like 2 times only! haha
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Oh my goodness!! You poor thing. I’m sorry to have that happened to you man! I hope you don’t have to pay too much for those, but that is such a bummer indeed. Well good thing you have a blog so you can at least vent about it 🙂 Seriously though, hope that won’t ever happen again.
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I hope it doesn’t happen again, too! haha but thankfully, I didn’t have to pay a whole lot. The people at Blockbuster were very nice and understanding and didn’t overcharge me.
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