--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want to see ourselves - but…" description: "\"We want to see ourselves - but differently. We want to see these dream versions of ourselves. We want to be surprised; we want to be entertained. I thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/elvis-mitchell-2864_country_we-want-to-see-ourselves-but-differently_1918969.jpg" --- # We want to see ourselves - but differently. We want to see… ![“We want to see ourselves - but differently. We want to see these dream versions of ourselves. We want to be surprised; we want to be entertained. I think primarily, especially in this country, we ask that movies entertain us, which seems to be something they're less and less likely to do on a…” quote by Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/elvis-mitchell-2864_country_we-want-to-see-ourselves-but-differently_1918969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/elvis-mitchell-2864_country_we-want-to-see-ourselves-but-differently_1918969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/elvis-mitchell-2864_country_we-want-to-see-ourselves-but-differently_1918969.jpg) > “We want to see ourselves - but differently. We want to see these dream versions of ourselves. We want to be surprised; we want to be entertained. I think primarily, especially in this country, we ask that movies entertain us, which seems to be something they're less and less likely to do on a continual basis.” [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People desire movies that surprise, entertain, and present idealized versions of themselves, but modern films often fail to consistently deliver such experiences. **In simple terms:** Audiences want surprising, entertaining films that reflect ideal selves, yet many fall short. Key Takeaway Seek media that challenges and delights you. Themes entertainment self‑image expectations Mood thoughtful critical hopeful Type analysis commentary When to use this quote - movie nights - personal reflection - creative inspiration Key Concepts cinema idealization surprise Questions to Reflect On - What film has truly surprised you? - How do you define entertainment? A Different Perspective Films may prioritize profit over artistic risk, limiting surprise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) ## Related quotes > [We're living in a time where we want to be entertained but I think part of what people are looking for, that they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/we-re-living-in-a-time-where-we-want-to-be-entertained-but-i-think/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [In terms of my own behavior and activity, the funny thing about regrets and saying "I'm sorry," is that there's so much I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/in-terms-of-my-own-behavior-and-activity-the-funny-thing-about/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [In terms of work, I never felt that I've done it right. I always want to have done it differently, to have done it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/in-terms-of-work-i-never-felt-that-i-ve-done-it-right-i-always-want/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I've always wanted to do things differently, and if one person or ten people are doing the same, then I want to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-sims/i-ve-always-wanted-to-do-things-differently-and-if-one-person-or-ten/) [Molly Sims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-sims/) > [I don't know how much movies should entertain. To me I'm always interested in movies that scar. The thing I love about JAWS is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-don-t-know-how-much-movies-should-entertain-to-me-i-m-always/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I am a fairytale person and firmly believe that movies are made to entertain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-shetty/i-am-a-fairytale-person-and-firmly-believe-that-movies-are-made-to/) [Anushka Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-shetty/) > [While the goal of all movies is to entertain, the kind of film in which I believe goes one step further. It compels the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-lumet/while-the-goal-of-all-movies-is-to-entertain-the-kind-of-film-in/) [Sidney Lumet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-lumet/) > [Americans don't understand what metaphor in cinema is about. They're extremely good at making straightforward, linear narrative movies, which entertain superbly. But they very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/americans-don-t-understand-what-metaphor-in-cinema-is-about-they-re/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [I love being entertained sure, but the movies that I live for, the movies that I buy and think about and stay in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-love-being-entertained-sure-but-the-movies-that-i-live-for-the/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“I think I have the right to be able to see myself differently from how others see me, to see myself however I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-vila-matas/i-think-i-have-the-right-to-be-able-to-see-myself-differently-from/) [Enrique Vila-Matas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-vila-matas/) > [I've always wanted to be my own player from the start and do things a bit differently to what the others do. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-barty/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-my-own-player-from-the-start-and-do-things-a/) [Ashleigh Barty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-barty/) > [It's just I do things differently and I want people to appreciate music for what it is, and not because of a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-harvey/it-s-just-i-do-things-differently-and-i-want-people-to-appreciate/) [Mandy Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-harvey/) > [Though few would admit it, most of the time, when people are upset they don't actually want to feel differently, they want agreement and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-l-jampolsky/though-few-would-admit-it-most-of-the-time-when-people-are-upset-they/) [Lee L Jampolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-l-jampolsky/) > [We don't want to be treated any differently, and we want to continue with our lives and our careers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kerry/we-don-t-want-to-be-treated-any-differently-and-we-want-to-continue/) [Vanessa Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kerry/) > [If your goals is to produce something of permanent value, you start to think differently about you want on the site.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-spolsky/if-your-goals-is-to-produce-something-of-permanent-value-you-start-to/) [Joel Spolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-spolsky/) ## More by Elvis Mitchell > [No actor has made a career of exerting determination to the extent that Matt Damon has. In the 'Bourne' movies, he burned himself down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/no-actor-has-made-a-career-of-exerting-determination-to-the-extent/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [There are storytelling traditions that come from Africa that are unique from anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/there-are-storytelling-traditions-that-come-from-africa-that-are/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The world may not be ready yet for the film equivalent of books on tape, but this peculiar phenomenon has arrived in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-world-may-not-be-ready-yet-for-the-film-equivalent-of-books-on/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [What we're most aware of in 'Eight-Legged Freaks' is how similar it is to other movies, a recombinant mutated species itself, the product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/what-we-re-most-aware-of-in-eight-legged-freaks-is-how-similar-it-is/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [Watching daring, high-tech criminals in action, I have the same thought that probably occurs to other moviegoers: if these guys just held on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/watching-daring-high-tech-criminals-in-action-i-have-the-same-thought/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The influence of John Hughes is fully felt in the melodrama 'Donnie Darko.' This first film written and directed by Richard Kelly is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-influence-of-john-hughes-is-fully-felt-in-the-melodrama-donnie/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [Some people bring their work home with them. You might suppose that Sid Mashburn is one of those guys - the man was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/some-people-bring-their-work-home-with-them-you-might-suppose-that/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [In 'Requiem for a Dream,' the director Darren Aronofsky's adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr.'s lower-depths novel, Jared Leto has lost so much weight, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/in-requiem-for-a-dream-the-director-darren-aronofsky-s-adaptation-of/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [That's a part of success: figuring out what success means to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/that-s-a-part-of-success-figuring-out-what-success-means-to-you/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [Miramax seems to be showing the same faith in Roberto Benigni's 'Pinocchio' that the Republican Party showed in Trent Lott; the live-action version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/miramax-seems-to-be-showing-the-same-faith-in-roberto-benigni-s/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The Ebert thing just didn't work out. We just couldn't, like, come to an agreement. And 'Movieline', they obviously didn't want me, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-ebert-thing-just-didn-t-work-out-we-just-couldn-t-like-come-to-an/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [I've been cheered by the reaction to what I've done with Film Independent at LACMA and the organizational support I've received in pursuing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/i-ve-been-cheered-by-the-reaction-to-what-i-ve-done-with-film/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [If Mr. Chan ever makes another movie like 'The Tuxedo,' it's American audiences that will see him in court. With 'Shanghai Knights,' he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/if-mr-chan-ever-makes-another-movie-like-the-tuxedo-it-s-american/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [In Moulin Rouge, Baz Luhrmann takes the most thrilling moments in a movie musical-the seconds before the actors are about to burst into song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/in-moulin-rouge-baz-luhrmann-takes-the-most-thrilling-moments-in-a/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [The mission of '8 Mile' is essentially to garner sympathy for a white rapper involved in an old-school shootout - a rap contest. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-mission-of-8-mile-is-essentially-to-garner-sympathy-for-a-white/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) [Explore all 147 Elvis Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. 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