Alphabetical Movie – Hugo

Here’s where I describe, in far too painful detail, the question of whether or not I was actually going to watch Hugo for the alphabetical movie project.

As I discuss in the rules of the Alphabetical Movie Project, there is a recently watched clause.  If I’ve watched a movie recently, I don’t need to watch it again right away.  I’m close enough so it still counts.  This rule, however, is rather vague.  What does “recently” really mean?  A week?  A month?

That lack of clarity is what caused a concern when considering Hugo.

When a new movie is purchased, it is placed onto my list if I haven’t passed it already.  For instance, The Adventures of Tintin isn’t going to be watched for quite some because I have to get all the way through the Z’s and then start over with all the A’s that I purchased after I’d already made it past them alphabetically.  Hugo, on the other hand, was placed on the list in order because I was only part of the way through the H’s.

As of right now, it is the film I’ve watched closest to its original release date because it just sort of worked out that way.  Therein lay the problem.

See, I saw the film three times when it was in theatres in late December and then I my kids wanted to watch it when I picked it up on DVD about a month ago.  This would be the fifth viewing in just over four months and I was genuinely conflicted.  Should I watch it again or not?

Now, I know what you are thinking.  Seriously, I know.  It is not just a rhetorical device.

You are thinking “who the hell cares?  Are you so freaking anal that you are going to watch a movie you’ve seen several times recently just because it falls in alphabetical order?  And why the hell are you blogging about it?  You are some sort of freaked out crazy person, aren’t you?”

I got the general gist of it right, didn’t I?

All of these thoughts went through my head as well but let’s be honest here – If I’m going to bother to have rules, I ought to follow them.  Without rules, my movie watching would descend into anarchy and we can’t have that now, can we??

My decision, as should be obvious, was to watch the movie again.

I did so for the best of all possible reasons – I like the movie a lot.  I figure if I’m going to force myself to endure How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days , I ought to be able to reward myself by watching Hugo.

Because really – what is the point of having rules if you can’t use them to your advantage?