Do You Compartmentalize Your Media?

Late on Thursday afternoon, right before the homeward commute, I got a text from a friend of mine: “Dude, The Tomorrow War was not good.”

I couldn’t figure out what he was referring to until I remembered I threw up a short review of the film on my Facebook page: “Just watched The Tomorrow War. It is exactly what you think it is: a fun, over-the-top summer blockbuster film. The whole family enjoyed it. The film had some thrilling action, scary-ass aliens, and genuine emotions stakes.”

I chuckled even more when my friend send me this video with the comment “This pretty much sums up my feelings.”

Oh, spoiler alert for the entire film in this video-but you don’t need to watch it for my pont.

I chuckled with the video. It wasn’t wrong. But you see, I didn’t care. 

My comment back to my friend: “Sure, all those comments are accurate and true. But it’s a summer film and there are few I don’t enjoy. Don’t think. Just watch. It’s a thrill ride. Just enjoy the roller coaster.”

Later that afternoon, I promised I’d review some past summer movies and see if there were any I didn’t like. I couldn’t come up with any for one main reason: if I don’t like something, I do not go out of my way to bash it. I just forget about it and move on.

Compartmentalization: Is that the right word?

I’ve kept thinking about this concept. There are some movies I go see and I know exactly what I’m going to get—and what I want. When it comes to summer movies, like roller coaster, I want them loud, action-packed, and usually funny. Come the fall, I’m in the mood for a different type film (although I’m always game for a ‘summer movie’ no matter the season). Hallmark Christmas movies? Everything is already in your head before you start watching. It’s the various steps along the way that make it fun.

I know what I want depending on my mood and I seek out that kind of content. It applies to movies as well as music, books, and TV. Even more so for social media. I do not get in the weeds over what some celebrity or politician said or did. Life’s too short to get all wound up over something like that.

I go into those things with a certain mindset. Sometimes, the mindset is changed, but most of the time, I’m just going along with the creative thing presented in front of me. I rarely read reviews ahead of time, allowing the movie trailer, the lead single of an album, or a book description and cover to either capture my attention or not. 

I wonder if that makes me easy to please. It certainly does, but I’m much happier for it, and I rarely get disappointed. 

How about you? Do you “compartmentalize” your media consumption?