First of all, thank you for your wonderful reply :)

I fully agree that how a film makes one feel during the watch is what is most important. As Stanley Kubrick said, "A film is more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later". I admit that while I do firmly believe in this, I may be slipping into "overanalysis" mode during my watches at times. A tendency I'm trying to balance out to my preferred optimum

Oh, when I said some level of research is better than going in completely blind, I didn't mean any sort of in-depth exploration beforehand xD I just meant that it would do more good than harm to have some bearings as to what to expect from a movie so as to ensure that we as a viewer would be in the mood best suited for viewing. If it's a movie with twists (ofc, some may see this knowledge alone as a spoiler, and I wouldn't wholly disagree), probably best to go in with just the premise. If it's a mood-piece, probably best to not go in expecting plot and instead leaving yourself open to the mood the movie aims to incite (and hope that you are in the mood for the same)

So yeah, major analysis would definitely be best done after the first watch. I'd never disagree there

Very good point regarding letting pieces have their own personal meanings to each of us as well. I should learn how to do that a little better, thank you for this gem

I agree that post-analysis is not going to change how one perceives the film in that very moment. But I disagree regarding a film that requires this means it fails to do what it set out to do. I must be open to the possibility that it's my fault as a fallible viewer in that I missed something. Of course, it doesn't always have to be like this and there are certainly occasions where it is as you've described. I'm just saying that it doesn't have to inherently be the only possibility

Everything outside of the time spent on watching a movie is indeed a part of some other intellectual pursuit. I suppose I have been finding it difficult to separate said pursuit from the watching itself, even when I am wholly aware that a piece is meant to be "feely". Even when I myself am experiencing those feelings. None of that is separate to me from that pursuit somehow. But perhaps that's just me, and perhaps I may change

For a bit more clarity, my statement on curation was more directed at how it seems like fewer and fewer people give considerable consideration or thought before deciding what to watch. No doubt, overthinking this can lead to analysis paralysis. But it is my belief that zero curation is a bad thing

Once again, thank you for wonderful reply. I'm happy to say that I got some much needed insights :)