Checking up on films

@JudyEv (382104)
Rockingham, Australia
June 16, 2025 8:27pm CST
We live in a retirement village. Every Tuesday evening, we go to the clubhouse to watch a movie. We don’t really care what we watch. They are all entertaining and mostly suited to people of our era, meaning not too much violence, fantasy or sci-fi. We meet half-an-hour before ‘showtime’ and share a drink and a chat with our friends. Vin and I both have a few hearing problems now and sometimes find it hard to follow a storyline particularly if the actors speak quickly or have strong accents. Before the last few films, I’ve read about them on Wikipedia. Some would see it as spoiling the film somewhat, especially if the ending is a bit of a surprise but by doing this, at least I can keep up with what is happening.
13 people like this
13 responses
Anna
@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
17 Jun
I often add the subtitles when we watch movies on TV, I do not want to annoy the neighbors so we keep the volume low, but often it's hard to understand what actors ay, particularly women.
2 people like this
Anna
@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
18 Jun
@JudyEv - I have to say that I hear no noises and the neighbors have a young boy. I hope they cannot hear our TV.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun
Our houses are reasonably soundproof because the airfield is nearby but I sometimes wonder if the neighbours can hear our TV.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun
@LadyDuck I keep thinking I'll go outside one evening and listen but then it's too cold or too dark and I put it off for another day.
1 person likes this
Lenore Plassman
@sallypup (69177)
• Centralia, Washington
17 Jun
I think you are actually enhancing the movie experience cause now you will have a chance to truly understand the action.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
It works for me. I'm encouraging Vince to do it too. He sometimes leans over and asks 'what did they say'. But the time I tell him, the whole thing has moved on!
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Lenore Plassman
@sallypup (69177)
• Centralia, Washington
17 Jun
@JudyEv One of my sisters is pretty illiterate. Years ago we went to a fabulous play about Amahl and the Night Visitors. Before we went to the play I found a kid's book about the story. Sis and I went through the book together. She really enjoyed the play a bunch more than she would have if we hadn't spent some before time about it.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
@sallypup That was very smart of you to do that. I'm sure it made a big difference to her understanding. Whenever we've had a local guide to show us around anywhere, we've always got a lot from the experience so it's a similar sort of thing.
Kareng
@kareng (80243)
• United States
17 Jun
That is a fun event for the residents each week and a good excuse to get together!
2 people like this
Kareng
@kareng (80243)
• United States
17 Jun
@JudyEv Very nice!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
It's mostly a small group that goes but we set the world to rights over a drink then watch the film. A good excuse indeed.
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174482)
• United States
17 Jun
As long as you enjoy the film, how you enjoy it is up to you. If I start a film and an accent is too thick for me to understand or the dialogue is too fast, I turn the video off. It's not interesting to me if I can't understand what's happening.
2 people like this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174482)
• United States
17 Jun
@JudyEv I'm glad that works for you.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
Fair enough but this works for me.
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (156506)
• Philippines
17 Jun
That sounds like such a lovely Tuesday tradition, simple, social, and full of charm Reading about the films ahead of time is actually a clever idea
2 people like this
rakski
@rakski (156506)
• Philippines
17 Jun
@JudyEv oh yes, that is true
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
Sometimes, if you miss some of the dialogue, it becomes hard to keep up with the plot.
1 person likes this
M Cheung
@Beestring (15372)
• Hong Kong
17 Jun
I think it's a good idea to check out the film first. If you cannot follow what's going on while watching the film, it is no longer entertaining.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
It helps me follow the film. I've found doing this quite helpful.
1 person likes this
Max Crisp
@Orson_Kart (8273)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun
I see nothing wrong in reading a synopsis before watching a film. I’ve often read the book before watching a movie. That way I can criticise it , saying, “It didn’t happen like that in the book”, or “they missed out loads from the book”. I am terrible for criticising movies. Like Anna says, subtitles could be the way forward.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun
I have trouble deciding if I like the book or the film best. I think mostly I prefer the book. I'm always nit-picking films too. Kids can be in the water and two minutes later they're walking home in dry clothes. Or a mob of wild horses but the big stallion has shoes!
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (56257)
• Canada
17 Jun
I think that is a great idea if it allows you to go to the event and makes things easier.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
It's very useful now that we don't hear so well. At home, we often watch with the subtitles for much the same reason.
1 person likes this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (135770)
• Marion, Ohio
17 Jun
That's a good idea for keeping up
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun
Sometimes they seem to speak very quickly and if they have an accent, it's even worse.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (98027)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Jun
Hope you enjoy the film,
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun
The film was Ray and about Ray Charles. Very entertaining.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (21497)
• London, England
19 Jun
I haven't seen a film on a big screen in ages. Most films seem to be quite predicable these days
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun
Now we're in suburbia with not much to do we've subscribed to Netflix. The fillms we've enjoyed most are often those based on true stories. Tuesday at the clubhouse we watched Ray, based on Ray Charles' life.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (222417)
• United States
17 Jun
I'm sorry you and Vince are having hearing problems. I use closed captions on the TV...not because I can't hear but because sometimes the people talk too fast or slur their words.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun
It's just part of getting older. Our hearing isn't going to get any better. Vince's is worse than mine but he does wear his hearing aids which helps.
1 person likes this
Kandase
@Kandae11 (57231)
•
17 Jun
It's almost like reading a suspense novel and deciding to take a peek at the ending... Well, not quite.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun
It's a bit like that for sure but at least it means I can follow the story.
1 person likes this