All movies give the audience a message. This message can be, "crime never pays", "war is hell", or "the belief in a nebulous, genetically-based energy promoted by Hippies in bathrobes (a.k.a. The Force) will let you slaughter millions of mid and low level workers on a space station". No matter the film, even the most frivolous flick out there, has some message it imparts.

The way a film delivers this message is by posing a question at its opening and answering it at its very end. Within the first 3-7 minutes you will find a question, a conflict, is established - will the boy get the girl, will the treasure be found, will the hero learn to love, etc. At the end of the film, the last 3-7 minutes, you will find that question is answered. Everything in between these two points are proofs that are shown to be wrong. Will the boy get the girl? He tries this, that, and the other thing until he really botches it up. He then figures out the real way to win her love, puts this into practice, and the two live happily ever after. This answer is also known as the moral of the story.

You will find this in almost all films. Take your favorite movie, watch the first five minutes and then watch the final five minutes. See if you can identify the central question and answer.

Labels: miscellaneous, movie watching tip