Today I Watched a Movie Alone For the First Time

Well technically it was the second time, but it felt like a first to me. The first time was in 1999 and the movie was ‘Cruel Intentions’ and I was actually just killing time while waiting for a friend. I was prepared to walk out of the movie too. It wasn’t a pleasant experience at all, and I felt super jittery. I was 28 then.

So now with a twelve year break in between, at the ripe old age of 40, I can say that I have really, really watched a movie alone. This time I enjoyed the movie a lot more and that’s why I’m counting it as a first. It also helped that it was a movie I’ve wanted to watch for the longest time. I’ve wanted to watch it since stills of the movie were leaked by paparazzi.

So I bought one ticket for ‘The Tourist’ and went in with low expectations. Whenever I go into a movie after hearing all the bad reviews I usually end up enjoying it. It always turns out to be pretty good. When the reviews are too good, sometimes the movie can be a let down. This movie – was pure fun. Johnny Depp’s character was really sweet and Angelina Jolie looked stunning, although I thought she was just too skinny. I think her body looked best when it was much curvier like in the movie Original Sin. It must be from running around with all her kids, doing movies and saving the world (I’m not being sarcastic at all, because I really do like her). When I first saw the trailer I thought her British accent was stilted and awful, but her first lines in the movie were in French and I was truly impressed.

What I didn’t enjoy? Well I chose a seat that had no one sitting beside it, but someone ended up beside me just as the movie started and he really had terrible body odour. I feel so mean to say this and I don’t fault him at all. He probably didn’t realize it. I usually have a stuffed nose and B points out these things to me, but this time it was so bad that I had to turn my head. On top of that the guy had brought into the theatre some kind of melted peanut butter toast. Five minutes into the movie I could hear the rustling of plastic bags, as he took out his grub. So now I had to contend with the stink of melted peanut butter. It doesn’t sound bad but it really was a bad combination. I tried my best to immerse myself in Venice with Jolie and Depp and just forget where I actually was. B told me I should have moved seats, but the theatre was super packed and I being the silly goose that I am didn’t want to make the person beside me feel bad.

Another very young blogger friend of mine, Miss Ene wrote today about dining alone and it captivated me. Like her, when I was in my twenties I was mortified to dine alone and I thought it was make me feel like a loser. I felt like everyone would stare at me and think what a pathetic soul. When I tried doing it in my thirties, while waiting for B, it wasn’t so bad. But I only recently started really doing it, while waiting for no one. Going out and eating alone just for the sake of making myself enjoy solitude and independence. I think it’s working because I now realize that no one is staring at me. It’s all in my mind. As I look around I noticed other confident people, alone too, with their laptops and books. And beautifully dressed women with their designer handbags, just having a meal.

I’m finding out that turning 40 can be quite liberating, because you start not to care and realize it’s now or never.

About bookjunkie

Blogging about life in Singapore & recently cancer too.
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28 Responses to Today I Watched a Movie Alone For the First Time

  1. Yes no one is watching, really! I first dined out alone when I was in my early 20s and watched movies alone when I was a teenager…it’s very liberating!

  2. thinkpinktoo says:

    I love doing assignments alone in cafes… you get yummy food and drinks brought to you and you get to people watch when you feel like having a break. I think your next adventure should be blogging in a cafe by yourself. Most good cafes have free wifi nowadays.

    • bookjunkie says:

      I actually did that once, but couldn’t really concentrate, because the music was too loud. Yes, I definitely hope to report on other firsts for 2011 🙂

      You’re right, I should go to a cafe where they bring you the menu and food. Have done that once or twice but quite a long time ago. Mostly I go to places where I have to pick up my orders from the counter. That would make a huge difference and would feel quite luxurious too 🙂

      Is there anything you wish to do solo in 2011 that you haven’t done yet? I am so in awe of your independence & at such a young age too!

      • thinkpinktoo says:

        You need to find yourself a little chic European style cafe in Singapore with table service. Go during the week, mid afternoon when its not too crowded. It could almost feel like you are in paris and who knows you might be inspired to write that novel just like Hemingway 🙂

      • thinkpinktoo says:

        One thing I would like to try solo is traveling to a different city by myself. I would either get really bored or really inspired 😛

      • thinkpinktoo says:

        New York!!!! (just so that i can say i made it there 3 years in a row) and also because I love the city or maybe even somewhere exotic like Morocco… I’ll probably will have to do a weekend trail run to Melbourne or Sydney first to see how I go….

        • bookjunkie says:

          Wow that sounds amazing and brave!! One good thing would be you don’t need to check with anyone and you can just do what you feel like at anytime of the day. If you’re bored at some place you can just leave. Or if you’re loving a particular museum you can stay as long as you want!

  3. I think it’s very chic to dine alone. If I actually had time to do it I would!

  4. Kirsten says:

    I don’t mind going to movies by myself, although I’m slightly more hesitant about dining alone. I have no problems with eating alone at hawker centres or food courts, but I don’t think I would go to a fancier restaurant (than Swensen’s, say) and eat alone. Because I’d feel a little awkward, and also because if I’m alone then I can’t justify the expense, since there’s no one to enjoy it with!

  5. Lady J says:

    There’s always a first for everything! When I was younger, I used to think that I could never watch a movie or dine by myself. Then I moved to Japan. With no friends in a foreign land, I had to do alot of things by myself. I learned how to dine by myself and it was rather enjoyable. Just enjoying my food, people watching, listening to my own thoughts and just watching the world go by. Now that I’ve returned to Sing, I no longer find it strange to dine by myself.

    • bookjunkie says:

      It must have been quite an experience in Japan. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, the solitude allows us to hear our thoughts and make sense of them. I sometimes feel I am better able to think when I alone in a Cafe, but not quite alone because I am surrounded by other people, also solo, with their coffee, books and laptops.

  6. 365days2play says:

    Hahaha I used to dine alone, at McDonalds every afternoon after school. But one thing I did alone which I wouldn’t recommend you do, that is go to Disneyland. I went to Disneyland alone and all day I had NO ONE to verbalise the fun I was having and how much I enjoyed the place.

    Sucks to be anywhere near somebody with body odour! I’m not as kind as you, I TOTALLY think it’s the person’s fault. I mean in this day and age where there are soaps, deodorants and perfumes….there’s no reason at all to smell!

    • bookjunkie says:

      I was wishing I had a tissue with a spray of perfume on it so that I could hold it to my nose…it was pretty bad.

      I guess the happiest place on earth is not as happy alone….never been to Disneyland by the way.

    • LL says:

      I thought the same too until I visited Singapore. It is just too hot and especially humid for some people to effectively manage their body odor. I remember showering several times a day since I would be covered in sweat just from being under the sun for a few minutes, and what made it worse was the humidity – sweat can’t dry! I had to find air conditioned havens and ducked in there everytime I felt sweaty. I hate sweat. So while I was there, I cut them a lot of slack, but if it were back home (much less humid – actually too dry. my legs look like crocodiles if I forget lotion) I would have changed seats asap.

      • bookjunkie says:

        My legs look like a reptile’s too when I travel..I kinda hate icky oily moisturizers.

      • LL says:

        Kind of a gross confession but when I was raised my parents never bought lotion (when I was past baby age of course) since they grew up in the Philippines (Humid too!). So now my legs are always a bit scaly regardless of lotion. There are also some discoloration patches/scarring from it being so dry for so long =/ I still can’t get into the habit of always putting on lotion after my shower. It’s usually during the winter months I forget the most often (too cold for me to walk around only in my underwear waiting for the lotion to dry), which has the worst repercussions since winter is the driest season!

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  8. miss ene says:

    Thanks for the link bookjunkie! It’s been a long LONG time since someone addressed me as being “very young”. Heh. PS. I’m not *that* young! Young is 25 years old and I’m no where close to 25.

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