Years ago, my friend Shep told me to watch the movie “Hot Fuzz.” I had never heard of the film or its director, Edgar Wright, but knowing Shep, I decided to give it a shot. Elysha and I sat down and watched the movie and loved every minute of it.
I’ve rewatched it several times and look forward to rewatching it with my kids someday. I also immediately began watching Edgar Wright’s other films, including “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Shaun of the Dead,” and “Baby Driver.”
All excellent, too.
Shep gave me the gift of entertainment by pointing me to something slightly obscure but absolutely brilliant.
Years ago, I did the same for Elysha when I told her that we should watch “Galaxy Quest,” another film that I know is fantastic but often does not receive its due. I suspect that Elysha was slightly skeptical of my recommendation as we sat down to watch, but she loved the movie and has recommended it to others.
Clara watched it this week and loved it, too.
An excellent movie recommendation – particularly when the movie is not a household name – might be one of the best gifts you can give a person. A couple of hours of entertainment, perhaps repeated over the course of a lifetime, and the subsequent musings that often take place after watching a film, are priceless.
Shep has done many great things for me over the years, and I count “Hot Fuzz” among them.
But admittedly, it’s also a dangerous game. If you recommend a movie that your friend or loved one ends up hating, you’ve just stolen precious time from their lives and undermined their faith in your ability to assess entertainment properly.
Tread carefully.
This gifting rule also applies to television shows, books, music, plays and musicals, and comedy, though the longer the content (in the case of a TV show) or the more effort required to consume the content (movies, plays, and books), the less they feel like gifts.
A movie is a beautifully contained object that can be consumed in one sitting in the comfort of your home, usually at little or no cost. Recommending a television show or a book akin to proposing a commitment. Suggesting a Broadway show often involves great expense and, depending on where you live, travel and logistics.
None are bad, but they demand effort from the recipient. Sort of a “batteries not included” situation.
Recommending a relatively unknown but diamond-in-the-rough movie feels like the perfect little gift – superbly sized, eminently convenient, and simple to consume. In a world filled with materialism, where objects have far more value than they deserve, I’ll take the perfect movie recommendation any day.
Allow me to recommend “Hot Fuzz” to you, along with all of Edgar Wright’s films.
“Galaxy Quest,” too.
My gifts (and re-gifts) to you.
