This is my article about scary movies (kind of Halloween themed I guess?) This is also the first article where I was able to state that I am a Young Life Leader. I am hoping that those familiar with Young Life and it's mission will be able to either look back at old articles or see in upcoming ones that I am implying that there is Truth and purpose in life and that it's our duty to find out what that Truth is. It's been pretty difficult putting this in writing that would be read/printed in a secular newspaper, but I've enjoyed it very much and am hoping to see fruit from it in the future. This article in particular doesn't have much in the way of pointing readers toward greater questions, but it is an important step in letting them know who I am as a person. Enjoy!
With Halloween swiftly approaching,
scary movies are slowly coming out of their crypts and forcing their
acknowledgement through trailers and previews. I’ve never been a fan of scary
movies, and I think this had to do with a possibly traumatizing experience I
had as a child.
The last scary movie that I watched
of my own accord was Anaconda when I was six. Although most wouldn’t classify
it as a “horror,” or “suspenseful,” to my younger self it was the epitome of
fear. Gigantic snakes, foreboding music and Ice Cube’s acting combined into a
perfect storm which haunted me for weeks with nightmares. After that
experience, I have avoided scary movies like the plague. I don’t know what
defines a traumatizing experience exactly, but if I had to guess, this would be
it.
As time went on, the nightmares
ended and I started to move past this event. Unfortunately, most of my peers
growing up loved scary movies. On most occasions I was able to find some excuse
to not see them: walking my dog, the Matrix being shown on TBS, etc. but there
were a few times in high school when the girl I liked wanted to go see some
variation of a Saw movie and I was forced to attend. I vividly remember sitting
in the theatre knowing how ludicrous it looked for the 6’3, 200 lb. man to be
cringing and crushing the popcorn container into a wad of greasy cardboard.
Post high school it has been much
easier to avoid these films. With age comes maturity, and also my friends are
way too cheap to spend ten bucks at the movie theatre. The only exception is
that I lead Young Life at a local high school. Sadly, this causes for me to occasionally
delve once again into the high school culture of scary movie fanaticism and
therefore make a fool of myself once again. I don’t know if you have ever seen “Woman
in Black,” starring Harry Potter, but be warned that it caused me to yelp like
a small schoolgirl in a full movie theatre.
Even though I have been able to
avoid scary movies more easily in the recent years, in the world we live in it
is hard to sit down and watch any television without ads for scary movies
leaving me anxious and scared. Most recently, titles like “Sinister,” and “Paranormal
Activity 4,” have left me curled up on the couch momentarily paralyzed with
fear. It truly is amazing that in less than two minutes producers can develop
an ad that convinces me there is a murderer next door and a monster in my
living room.
In conclusion, as Halloween
approaches and freaky flicks once again rear their ugly heads, a few decisions
must be made. Are you going to buy a ticket for the next horror blockbuster? Are
you going to unplug your TV till November? Whatever your decisions may be, make
sure of two things: that none of these star Ice Cube, and to always check your
living room before you turn out the lights.
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