When I’m watching a movie I often feel very strong connections with the characters and the storylines. I often feel my needs and feelings are at least partially embodied in their personas. In other words, I truly get sucked in.

But I realized something tonight. The reason I get so caught up in the lives of screen images is because there are no obligations associated with them. It is not a 2-way relationship. You are absolutely at total liberty to safely immerse yourself in these projected people. It is fantasy, right? Therein lies the trouble.

You look for some similar kind of gratification in real life. And you wonder why it is so different, so much more elusive. It turns out it is like comparing apples and oranges, but not only in that it is different. Apples and oranges are both fruit, right? So cinema and reality are both derivatives of human experience. In deeper senses there is a comparison between them, but practically speaking, not so much.

I imagine it’s a good thing that one’s reality isn’t left up to the machinations of screenwriters and Hollywood A-listers.

originally published on 9/20/10