The Shoulder Glance: We Can Watch a Movie For the First Time More Than Once

Sometimes we watch movies by ourselves, and other times we watch them with others. When we watch them with others, the experience is somehow different. We have all noticed this. In fact, the revelation is a relief in most instances, as it affords us the opportunity to revisit our favorite movies and watch them from a different vantage point. 

Last night, with Meghan and my wife, we watched Monster House.  

 

This movie was, to be generous, quite awful. It had its share of creepy elements, but none of those elements were strong enough to save this disaster. 

Thankfully, we don't always watch movies for the movie alone. Sometimes it's more important to give someone the shoulder-glance and know they're invested in the movie as much as we are. We look, also, to see how they are reacting to the same scenes. 

What does this say about us? I think it says that we get to watch our favorite movies (and our least favorite movies) more than once for the first time. There is more than one time a person can watch a movie for the first time; a person can watch a movie alone, and then with someone. The experience is different.