One advantage of a long haul flight is it provides a chance to catch up on some of the latest and greatest movies. These days virtually every carrier offers an In Flight Entertainment (IFE) system build into the seat-backs of their aircraft that run the international routes. While my preferred method of burning time is not to binge watch multiple movies (look for an upcoming post on tips for long haul flights) – I will usually watch at least one flick when crossing the pond.
In the not-so-distant past all passengers on the plane watched one movie together. Nowadays we feel inconvenienced when the screen pauses for a captains announcement as we peruse the dozens of movies available for us to watch with the touch of a screen. First world problems indeed!
There are some movies you should avoid watching on a plane… that is if you want to save yourself some embarrassment. No, I’m not referring to any movie with graphic violence or sex (airlines seem to filter out some of the bad stuff anyway). One recent movie that I would recommend avoiding is Lion (that is if to have any heart at all). On a recent long haul flight I was in business class and decided to watch Lion while flying over the Pacific. Let’s just say I was highly embarrassed when the stewardess came by to ask if everything was alright. It’s tough not to shed a tear or two during that movie!
Another movie to avoid… Dead Poets Society. A couple of years ago (not long after the death of Robin Williams) I thought it would be a good idea to watch that movie again – for the first time in about 20 years. I had forgotten the ending… and let’s just say it was a little poignant. Spoiler alert… there’s a suicide at the end of the movie. I guess it was a little too much for my tear ducts to handle. Blame it on the altitude! I wasn’t in business class that time… but that didn’t prevent me from getting a couple weird looks from the Japanese folks sitting next to me. All just a bit too embarrassing.
Moral of the story… go ahead and watch a gut wrenching movie at your own peril. It may help the time fly by… but there may be an awkward or embarrassing moment in store for you if you start dropping tears.