Another original aspect ratio fan here.
Originally, though, I didn't care for widescreen because I had a small older model TV at the time and stuff generally wound up being scrunched into the middle third of the screen. Sure, I could see things as a director envisioned, but it sucked having the image greatly reduced in size more than it already was.
It really wasn't until I got a TV with a bigger screen that I began to appreciate widescreen more.