Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Jumanji 2017 version. It was really bad. 5/10.

I guess I’ve never seen the old one, but I really enjoyed that one. Spent a lot of time laughing.

 

[kihei]

May the 4th be with you - all day.

Sounds like cause enough for celebration. I will drink a 5th tomorrow.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Sounds like cause enough for celebration. I will drink a 5th tomorrow.

Should have said, “I may drink a 5th tomorrow.”

 

[Oscar Acosta]

I’ll never understand the people that go to movies like the new Avengers and then complain about it’s merits as a film. Or that they went and then had to force themselves not to walk out.

Why even go when you know it’s not out to win you over based on your filmmaking critique or guidelines? Like I’m not about to spend money going to a One Direction concert and then complain later that it’s not some kind of musical achievement worthy of my time.

 

[aufheben]

I’ll never understand the people that go to movies like the new Avengers and then complain about it’s merits as a film. Or that they went and then had to force themselves not to walk out.

Why even go when you know it’s not out to win you over based on your filmmaking critique or guidelines? Like I’m not about to spend money going to a One Direction concert and then complain later that it’s not some kind of musical achievement worthy of my time.

Because I like going to the movies, and based on all the overwhelming positive reviews, I thought it would at least be decent.

 

[Oscar Acosta]

Because I like going to the movies, and based on all the overwhelming positive reviews, I thought it would at least be decent.

Well clearly it’s not your type of movie which I’m sure you knew going in. Positive reviews or not I’m not buying a ticket to a Lord of the Rings movie and then rip it afterwards, it’s not my thing and I know that.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Because I like going to the movies, and based on all the overwhelming positive reviews, I thought it would at least be decent.

I actually kind of get his point. You know what you're getting with those movies, and it's not the first one to get overwhelmingly positive reviews. And from having read your posts and seen your taste, I think you are aware enough to know it won't be your cup of tea. I mean, if you want to watch a movie because you know how cringy it'll be, by all means, knock yourself out but I don't think one should delude themselves that they'll be more than what they've always been. I mean, I've been dragged along to Justice League knowing full well what I was getting into and don't regret the 12 bucks spent because I knew it would be one of those cringy, funny experience even if it contributes to these kind of movies getting made. And before someone complains, I know how bad Justice League is considered, even compared to other superhero flicks. I don't think it stops you from ripping it if you've seen it though. Just that I get someone saying " Why go out of your way to see it? " There's more than enough good art in the world that someone who's not inclined towards those kind of movies should avoid them. Altough I think we might fall back to that joy discussion we had back in the albums thread.

 

[OzzyFan]

Blockers
2.5 out of 4stars

Started a bit slow for me, but a lot of laughs and some decent commentary on the subject matter is presented. I felt it to be a bit preachy at times and a bit too tame/restrained at times given the subject matter (when it pushed the envelope it was arguably at it's funniest), but a good watch nonetheless.

I actually kind of get his point. You know what you're getting with those movies, and it's not the first one to get overwhelmingly positive reviews. And from having read your posts and seen your taste, I think you are aware enough to know it won't be your cup of tea. I mean, by all means, if you want to watch a movie because you know how cringy it'll be, by all means, knock yourself out but I don't think one should delude themselves that they'll be more than what they've always been. I mean, I've been dragged along to Justice League knowing full well what I was getting into and don't regret the 12 bucks spent because I knew it would be one of those cringy, funny experience even if it contributes to these kind of movies getting made. And before someone complains, I know how bad Justice League is considered, even compared to other superhero flicks. I don't think it stops you from ripping it if you've seen it though. Just that I get someone saying " Why go out of your way to see it? "

Yeah, I too have zero sympathy for people that do this. It's a freaking "group" superhero movie, even if it gets 8 out of 10 reviews everywhere and breaks box office records, you can't expect it to be The Shining or The Shawshank Redemption, ha. I mean, you know what you're getting into is exactly it. And you know the storyline: "bad guy(s)" vs "good guy(s)" with complications and action. If you are one of these types and didn't even half enjoy it, the only person at fault is the one you see in the mirror.

 

[Puck]

I actually kind of get his point. You know what you're getting with those movies, and it's not the first one to get overwhelmingly positive reviews. And from having read your posts and seen your taste, I think you are aware enough to know it won't be your cup of tea.

I agree with this. You have to go into the MCU, DCU, Star Wars U and Star Trek U franchises with a certain mindset. I go in for the experience and won't complain. I understand that some do complain but I try not to. Some of them are better than others, but slap me in the back of the head if I ever decide to whine about it. I did complain last year about Baby Driver a bit but Led Zappa gave me a slap behind the head. Watched it again a second time with a better frame of mind and enjoyed it. My only excuse is that it wasn't a known franchise and my first impression was not the best after the glowing reviews (too high expectations). But after hitting that reset button in my head, I saw the light and saw what other people enjoyed.

Expectation is a strange friend that often needs some perspective...and a perception reboot.

p.s. MCU has a formula down pat though for making tons of money with a certain demographic. I do wonder sometimes about the shelf life on that (how long it will last, but I think it hasn't reached the end yet by a long shot).

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I agree with this. You have to go into the MCU, DCU, Star Wars U and Star Trek U franchises with a certain mindset. I go in for the experience and won't complain. I understand that some do complain but I try not to. Some of them are better than others, but slap me in the back of the head if I ever decide to whine about it. I did complain last year about Baby Driver a bit but Led Zappa gave me a slap behind the head. Watched it again a second time with a better frame of mind and enjoyed it. My only excuse is that it wasn't a known franchise and my first impression was not the best after the glowing reviews (too high expectations). But after hitting that reset button in my head, I saw the light and saw what other people enjoyed.

Expectation is a strange friend that often needs some perspective...and a perception reboot.

p.s. MCU has a formula down pat though for making tons of money with a certain demographic. I do wonder sometimes about the shelf life on that (how long it will last, but I think it hasn't reached the end yet by a long shot).

I mean, to me it's not so much expectations or a mindset as much as it is knowing your sensibilities after years of being consuming art in whatever form it may come since we were all babies. I judge movies by the same guidelines - I don't believe in dropping expectations for one type or another - but just that I know my taste enough that with a quick glance, I can get a pretty good feel of what will be up my alley. And through that lens, I think superhero movies are the easiest one to read. They may not be the worst movies in the world - if at least from a technical standpoint - but I can't think of a genre that is easier to predict. Even the boldest of them - say Dark Knight - blatantly falls into the same formula.

 

[aufheben]

Well clearly it’s not your type of movie which I’m sure you knew going in. Positive reviews or not I’m not buying a ticket to a Lord of the Rings movie and then rip it afterwards, it’s not my thing and I know that.

Good for you.

 

[Puck]

You pay your ticket, you have a right to complain (I often do). For these franchises though, just saying, I personally would save my breath and not bother. It's like complaining about Budweiser beer on a Christmas beer thread. You might not like it (and prefer Belgian beers) but they (Bud) makes billions and you won't get much sympathy at large. I personally wouldn't bother unless I had a bad day and really needed to vent. (and apologies to Bud fans for using that example)

 

[Shareefruck]

I'm not going to deny that these movies can be compulsively watchable and easy (providing at least marginable appeal to the dork inside of us), and that this combined with hype can be enough to pull me in and feel bad about it later, especially when you consider that social situations, boredom, and accessibility gives you every excuse to. But even so, I'm not going to conclude that it's valuable or encourage people to watch it just because it was serviceable in some ultimately hollow function that isn't actually satisfying when it's all said and done, and with the benefit of hindsight. Personally, I don't think there's inherent merit in that compulsion. If I think a pop song is awful but it successfully gets stuck in my head, that's not a point in its favor that proves its worth, that's a point against it for being bothersome.

On top of that, it's not impossible for a superhero movie to be done well and feel inspired (for the record, I liked The Incredibles and despised The Shawshank Redemption), so I don't want to discount that possibility entirely, even if it's unlikely with Marvel and how formulaic they are. I WANT to be surprised by things that I tend to be dismissive of, and with constant praise and the studios at least making an attempt to push towards greater respectability over the last few years, there's always a chance that it's warranted. And hell, Kihei gave it very solid praise (without any caveats this time), so that piques my curiosity as well. Infinity War was a fair effort that attempted to do some admirable things, I just don't think it was that satisfying or on point.

I agree that it's silly to EXPECT and DEMAND any more than what it is and later react with outrage as if you were owed something better or got duped. But beyond that, I don't see what's wrong with having some compulsion to watch these movies, not expecting them to be good, and calling them out for what they are. Negative criticism and commentary isn't an attempt to express outrage or garner sympathy or convince people that they shouldn't like something.

Beyond that, we do lots of things that we probably shouldn't and procrastinate with doing lots of things that we probably should. You might stumble into a reality show and hate-watch it out of fascination, or spend too much time with social media or time-waster Youtube clips. You don't need to like or value something to knowingly waste time on it. I suppose you can criticize someone for spending their time unwisely, but who cares?-- It's not your time. Like anyone, sometimes I care to spend my time efficiently and sometimes I don't.

The thing that causes me to procrastinate with watching Loveless even though I'll probably like it is the same thing that causes me to watch this, even though I probably won't. It's just the nature of how easy something is to consume and how much or little effort it requires.

Along the same lines, I despise that whole "Nobody's forcing you to watch it! There's so much available now that you should just stick to your own niches and shut the hell up about everything else!" mentality that seems to be so popular (and that the entire entertainment industry model seems to be built around) these days. If everyone stuck to their own niches and comfort zones, they would never change their minds about anything or see past their initial flawed prejudices. I certainly wouldn't be aware of any of the things that I find most valuable now if I just stuck to what I knew I would like.

When I have preferences, sensibilities, and possible prejudices that I'm aware of that contrast with what other people are praising, my instinct is to test them every once in a while to confirm that it isn't just ignorance or narrow-mindedness. I do the same thing every year with the same acclaimed Kanye West albums that I have never warmed up to. There's some narcissistic possessiveness and morbid curiosity that goes into it too that makes you go "alright, I'm probably not going to like this, but let's see what the fuss is all about", I'm sure, but I'm not sure why that's a problem.

On top of that, opinions aren't worthless just because they aren't coming from the targeted audience. As a skeptic of these types of movies, I'm always curious of the opinions that other skeptics have about them, particularly because when it's well received anyways, it's usually worth taking notice. Even when it's not, it's nice to get suspicions confirmed or denied. If you went to a One Direction concert and hated it, I'd be curious to hear about it.

 

[Shareefruck]

You pay your ticket, you have a right to complain (I often do). For these franchises though, just saying, I personally would save my breath and not bother. It's like complaining about Budweiser beer on a Christmas beer thread. You might not like it (and prefer Belgian beers) but they (Bud) makes billions and you won't get much sympathy at large. I personally wouldn't bother unless I had a bad day and really needed to vent. (and apologies to Bud fans for using that example)

I understand not wanting to bother, but if you do, it gives a more balanced and accurate picture of people's perception of a thing, and I always appreciate hearing the other side of it when I'm reading reactions, personally. Whenever something big comes out, I definitely want to know what the non-fans have to say about it, rather than being misled by a situation where only the people who gravitate towards them bother to comment (something I find annoying about reading early reviews). It's true that you won't get much sympathy from the hoards of fans, but I think it's good when the mob doesn't completely dominate perception.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Infinity Chamber

on Netflix now

A guy who looks a bit like Brad Marchand wakes up trapped in a robotic prison cell which, unfortunately, does not torture him to death.

Boring as shit.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I'm not going to deny that these movies can be compulsively watchable and easy (providing at least marginable appeal to the dork inside of us), and that this combined with hype can be enough to pull me in and feel bad about it later, especially when you consider that social situations, boredom, and accessibility gives you every excuse to. But even so, I'm not going to conclude that it's valuable or encourage people to watch it just because it was serviceable in some ultimately hollow function that isn't actually satisfying when it's all said and done, and with the benefit of hindsight. Personally, I don't think there's inherent merit in that compulsion. If I think a pop song is awful but it successfully gets stuck in my head, that's not a point in its favor that proves its worth, that's a point against it for being bothersome.

On top of that, it's not impossible for a superhero movie to be done well and feel inspired (for the record, I liked The Incredibles and despised The Shawshank Redemption), so I don't want to discount that possibility entirely, even if it's unlikely with Marvel and how formulaic they are. I WANT to be surprised by things that I tend to be dismissive of, and with constant praise and the studios at least making an attempt to push towards greater respectability over the last few years, there's always a chance that it's warranted. And hell, Kihei gave it very solid praise (without any caveats this time), so that piques my curiosity as well. Infinity War was a fair effort that attempted to do some admirable things, I just don't think it was that satisfying or on point.

I agree that it's silly to EXPECT and DEMAND any more than what it is and later react with outrage as if you were owed something better or got duped. But beyond that, I don't see what's wrong with having some compulsion to watch these movies, not expecting them to be good, and calling them out for what they are. Negative criticism and commentary isn't an attempt to express outrage or garner sympathy or convince people that they shouldn't like something.

Beyond that, we do lots of things that we probably shouldn't and procrastinate with doing lots of things that we probably should. You might stumble into a reality show and hate-watch it out of fascination, or spend too much time with social media or time-waster Youtube clips. You don't need to like or value something to knowingly waste time on it. I suppose you can criticize someone for spending their time unwisely, but who cares?-- It's not your time. Like anyone, sometimes I care to spend my time efficiently and sometimes I don't.

The thing that causes me to procrastinate with watching Loveless even though I'll probably like it is the same thing that causes me to watch this, even though I probably won't. It's just the nature of how easy something is to consume and how much or little effort it requires.

Along the same lines, I despise that whole "Nobody's forcing you to watch it! There's so much available now that you should just stick to your own niches and shut the hell up about everything else!" mentality that seems to be so popular (and that the entire entertainment industry model seems to be built around) these days. If everyone stuck to their own niches and comfort zones, they would never change their minds about anything or see past their initial flawed prejudices. I certainly wouldn't be aware of any of the things that I find most valuable now if I just stuck to what I knew I would like.

When I have preferences, sensibilities, and possible prejudices that I'm aware of that contrast with what other people are praising, my instinct is to test them every once in a while to confirm that it isn't just ignorance or narrow-mindedness. I do the same thing every year with the same acclaimed Kanye West albums that I have never warmed up to. There's some narcissistic possessiveness and morbid curiosity that goes into it too that makes you go "alright, I'm probably not going to like this, but let's see what the fuss is all about", I'm sure, but I'm not sure why that's a problem.

On top of that, opinions aren't worthless just because they aren't coming from the targeted audience. As a skeptic of these types of movies, I'm always curious of the opinions that other skeptics have about them, particularly because when it's well received anyways, it's usually worth taking notice. Even when it's not, it's nice to get suspicions confirmed or denied. If you went to a One Direction concert and hated it, I'd be curious to hear about it.

I agree with certain points and disagree with others. Would you the same points hold up for different types of art? For example, would you try every Taylor Swift album which comes out because of the hype and the accessibility? I wouldn't. I've nibbled on it enough to know that it's not up my alley and considering there are only 24 hours in a day, consuming art with the primary mindset of '' I want to be surprised by stuff that's usually not up my alley '' seems like a sure way to have me feeling hungry most of the time. While I can understand the sentiment and find it honorable, I can't see it as a productive way to consuming art. I agree that there's value to hearing the opinion of a non-fan/criticism of a genre, but I do think that superhero movies are such a phenomenon that criticism can be more or less copy-pasted from one film to the next. Almost every superhero film which comes out has received major acclaim (and the only two films which appear to have distanced themselves from the pack are The Dark Knight and Black Panther and they have a 10-year gap between the two of them) and have been around for so long that I can't help but shake the feeling of '' Well, maybe this one will be different! '' being a foolish game. They all relatively receive the same acclaim, and they're all a continuation of the same trite story. Brushing them off from the start doesn't seem narrow-minded. Just logical. It doesn't stop someone from being open to other forms or genres of art and movies.

Also, I don't think anyone is claiming '' Stick to your niche and shut up about everything else! as much as it is '' You're probably aware of what works for you, what works for you is antithetical to 250 million superhero movies from the get-go, so why go out of your way to see it? ''. I'm hoping Black Panther can change the game, but why would you expect what's proven to be a successful formula within a hopelessly hacky industry to change? Hell, even when directors or writers try to do something a bit more risky, they tend to be shut down by production companies. This is all well-known. It's also not likely to change. When a great one comes through, it's effect is usually felt beyond the regular superhero movie acclaim and I think then it's worth seeking out. You've talked about mostly seeking out stuff based on the recommendations of people's opinions you respect. If you don't respect the opinion of the regular superhero movie fan - which you don't, as far as I can tell - why keep being intrigued by the hype? It seems deeply contradictory to me, and in a way that's not worth the contradiction.

Edit: Also, I don't think the Kanye West example holds up. While I'm not a huge fan of his music, his acclaim feels a lot more long-lasting/memorable/likely to stand the test of time and insightful than it is with the run-of-the-mill superhero movie. I'd sooner compare them to the likes of Swift or Hasley or something.

 

[kihei]

I would nod to my old mentor Dwight Macdonald (Esquire Magazine, 1960-66) and claim there are such things as good bad movies, and they are fun to watch and fun to write about (as are bad good movies, but that's another story). In a more general sense, I don't think a reviewer/critic should exclude himself/herself by fiat from any movie. All movies are to some extent cultural artifacts, and the Hollywood ones reveal a lot about cultural phenomena, audience manipulation, and social values. Why should pop culture movies be excluded from serious criticism? Also I don't know why a reviewer/critic should "respect the opinion of the regular superhero fan." Fans ain't go nuthin' to do with nuthin' when it comes to legitimate criticism. A critic's responsibility is to be open to any film and honest in his/her opinion--not take somebody else's feelings into account.

This superhero crowd bugs me, and it has nothing to do, per se, with the quality, or lack thereof, of any given superhero movie. But many fans of such movies do seem to take the position of "oh, no, you are not a believer, therefore you cannot say anything bad about our pet genre. You mean." Grow a pair. If a superhero movie is released to the general public, it is fair game for anyone who wants to buy a ticket. No movie gets a free pass, let along a genre that says many, many things about mass taste.

 

[Puck]

I understand not wanting to bother, but if you do, it gives a more balanced and accurate picture of people's perception of a thing, and I always appreciate hearing the other side of it when I'm reading reactions, personally. Whenever something big comes out, I definitely want to know what the non-fans have to say about it, rather than being misled by a situation where only the people who gravitate towards them bother to comment (something I find annoying about reading early reviews). It's true that you won't get much sympathy from the hoards of fans, but I think it's good when the mob doesn't completely dominate perception.

I don't mind that people complain and vent about some Marvel Universe films. I just agree with Amerika personally about not getting into it myself. There are many threads here where people have argued about The Last Jedi or The Force Awakens and I just decided to not bother getting into it. I know what I am getting into, the kid in me likes them but I've put my adult side on lockdown for that. Pepsi or Coke. I won't bother challenging people on their taste on that either if they have strong opinions on it (some do, I don't care). I'm not saying 'never' about venting on MCU content, but there is a conscious effort on my part to try not to do it.

I also agreed with your reviews on the Koreeda films. I totally enjoyed them too. I disagree with your rating on Three Billboards though. I'm not challenging you on that, it's your opinion and are totally allowed to have it. We could argue about politics, history, philosophy or religion but when it comes to movies or even food, people have different tastes and I just learn to accept it. We can discuss it, I love a good discussion but I won't argue much. I also don't like Labatt's Blue beer but people are quite welcome to it, I'll never dump on you if you like it.

 

[OzzyFan]

Tully
2.8 out of 4stars

Does a really good job of explaining the motherhood experience of a ~middle class family and does a good job to not be dull or beat you over the head with the obvious. Lot of intelligent commentary and sprinkles of dry wit throughout. Also contains a big twist which I will not tell of, and I'd like to add and talk more about the movie but I don't want to spoil anything, so don't worry. Ha. But I have always had this conversation in my head over and over again, but it sometimes befuddles me and it all can be connected through 2 questions:
1=Why do peoples have children/what are the main reasons people have children?
2=Why-do/Do people really not comprehend the depth or realities of life and the major changes that occur ALL around when starting and raising children/a family?

I'm not taking sides or have even decided on sides(my future wife will play a major role in those decisions too), I'm actually curious of the how and why on this subject from a "human" psychological perspective. Albeit it doesn't take a genius to see, whether they do this very often or from time to time(depending on the person), humans are impulsive and emotional beings (which is a scary powerful combination and reality).

 

[Shareefruck]

I agree with certain points and disagree with others. Would you the same points hold up for different types of art? For example, would you try every Taylor Swift album which comes out because of the hype and the accessibility? I wouldn't. I've nibbled on it enough to know that it's not up my alley and considering there are only 24 hours in a day, consuming art with the primary mindset of '' I want to be surprised by stuff that's usually not up my alley '' seems like a sure way to have me feeling hungry most of the time. While I can understand the sentiment and find it honorable, I can't see it as a productive way to consuming art. I agree that there's value to hearing the opinion of a non-fan/criticism of a genre, but I do think that superhero movies are such a phenomenon that criticism can be more or less copy-pasted from one film to the next. Almost every superhero film which comes out has received major acclaim (and the only two films which appear to have distanced themselves from the pack are The Dark Knight and Black Panther and they have a 10-year gap between the two of them) and have been around for so long that I can't help but shake the feeling of '' Well, maybe this one will be different! '' being a foolish game. They all relatively receive the same acclaim, and they're all a continuation of the same trite story. Brushing them off from the start doesn't seem narrow-minded. Just logical. It doesn't stop someone from being open to other forms or genres of art and movies.

Also, I don't think anyone is claiming '' Stick to your niche and shut up about everything else! as much as it is '' You're probably aware of what works for you, what works for you is antithetical to 250 million superhero movies from the get-go, so why go out of your way to see it? ''. I'm hoping Black Panther can change the game, but why would you expect what's proven to be a successful formula within a hopelessly hacky industry to change? Hell, even when directors or writers try to do something a bit more risky, they tend to be shut down by production companies. This is all well-known. It's also not likely to change. When a great one comes through, it's effect is usually felt beyond the regular superhero movie acclaim and I think then it's worth seeking out. You've talked about mostly seeking out stuff based on the recommendations of people's opinions you respect. If you don't respect the opinion of the regular superhero movie fan - which you don't, as far as I can tell - why keep being intrigued by the hype? It seems deeply contradictory to me, and in a way that's not worth the contradiction.

Edit: Also, I don't think the Kanye West example holds up. While I'm not a huge fan of his music, his acclaim feels a lot more long-lasting/memorable/likely to stand the test of time and insightful than it is with the run-of-the-mill superhero movie. I'd sooner compare them to the likes of Swift or Hasley or something.

I mentioned a number of reasons that all factor into it. I probably agree that it would be unreasonable to keep giving these movies a shot based on just one of them, that if I had perfect control of my impulses and was 100% efficient with my time, I probably never would (and ultimately, wish they would disappear), and that people who choose to avoid them are making the smarter choice (one that I wasn't trying to discourage in my explanation).

I wouldn't bank on the slim possibility that these types of movies might be good, for all the reasons you've given, but you have to understand that this also combines with the regrettable compulsion/curiosity that comes with once being a dorky kid that liked these things, had knowledge of these things, am still drawn to the premise of these things, have interest/would like to see one be good and be made with a labor of love, and also admittedly still finds some limited shallow addictiveness (something that I don't think is valuable or actually satisfying) in them that pulls me in.

A Taylor Swift song does none of these things for me (although I wouldn't begrudge the fact that it might for someone else), even though I wouldn't disagree with anyone who dismisses these movies as being more or less the same kind of thing.

While this last point is not something that I think justifies anything or is a good reason, admittedly there's also an irrational and narcissistic sense of possessiveness and curiosity about what does/doesn't get the credit it deserves in general that makes me want to be able to have an opinion on this thing that dominates so heavily on today's culture.

And then of course, there's also ease, accessibility, and hype that makes it all an easy temptation.

None of these reasons stand up on their own or make watching these movies an admirable act that should be encouraged, but it's an explainable vice influenced by many organic factors. I figure as long as my impression of them isn't compromised by this (I don't see why it would be), I don't see why I shouldn't comment on what they are after seeing them (and ultimately, you're right, I don't respect them or think they're "worth" spending time on-- it's just that often, the opportunity comes up and I take up the offer).

My point about being annoyed by the "everyone should just stick to their interests" mentality was more of a general reaction to an annoying but popular sentiment, not so much something that applies to this scenario.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I mentioned a number of reasons that all factor into it. I probably agree that it would be unreasonable to keep giving these movies a shot based on just one of them, that if I had perfect control of my impulses and was 100% efficient with my time, I probably never would (and ultimately, wish they would disappear), and that people who choose to avoid them are making the smarter choice (one that I wasn't trying to discourage in my explanation).

I wouldn't bank on the slim possibility that these types of movies might be good, for all the reasons you've given, but you have to understand that this also combines with the regrettable compulsion/curiosity that comes with once being a dorky kid that liked these things, had knowledge of these things, am still drawn to the premise of these things, have interest/would like to see one be good and be made with a labor of love, and also admittedly still finds some limited shallow addictiveness (something that I don't think are valuable or actually satisfying) in them that pulls me in.

A Taylor Swift song does none of these things for me (although I wouldn't begrudge the fact that it might for someone else), even though I wouldn't disagree with anyone who dismisses these movies as being more or less the same kind of thing.

While this last point is not something that I think justifies anything or is a good reason, admittedly there's also an irrational and narcissistic sense of possessiveness and curiosity about what does/doesn't get the credit it deserves in general that makes me want to be able to have an opinion on this thing that dominates so heavily on today's culture.

None of these reasons stand up on their own or make watching these movies an admirable thing that should be encouraged, but it's an explainable vice influenced by many organic factors. I figure as long as my impression of them isn't compromised by this (I don't see why it would be), I don't see why I shouldn't comment on what they are after seeing them (and ultimately, you're right, I don't respect them or think they're "worth" spending time on).

My point about being annoyed by the "everyone should just stick to their interests" mentality was more of a general reaction to an annoying but popular sentiment, not so much something that applies in this case.

Makes sense. Especially in regards to childhood memories/having been a genuine fan of the thing in the past. I could see why someone would keep giving them a shot/be curious about the hype based on that. I liked Spider-Man enough as a child (The 2002 film was the first one I went to go see on my own at the theater when I was 10) but it was never something that I was obsessed with enough to keep up with or anything of the sort.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I would nod to my old mentor Dwight Macdonald (Esquire Magazine, 1960-66) and claim there are such things as good bad movies, and they are fun to watch and fun to write about (as are bad good movies, but that's another story). In a more general sense, I don't think a reviewer/critic should exclude himself/herself by fiat from any movie. All movies are to some extent cultural artifacts, and the Hollywood ones reveal a lot about cultural phenomena, audience manipulation, and social values. Why should pop culture movies be excluded from serious criticism? Also I don't why a reviewer/critic should "respect the opinion of the regular superhero fan." Fans ain't go nuthin' to do with nuthin' when it comes to legitimate criticism. A critic's responsibility is to be open to any film and honest in his/her opinion--not take somebody else's feelings into account.

This superhero crowd bugs me, and it has nothing to do, per se, with the quality, or lack thereof, of any given superhero movie. But many fans of such movies do seem to take the position of "oh, no, you are not a believer, therefore you cannot say anything bad about our pet genre. You mean." Grow a pair. If a superhero movie is released to the general public, it is fair game for anyone who wants to buy a ticket. No movie gets a free pass, let along a genre that says many, many things about mass taste.

My comment about respect was solely based on Shareefruck previously stating that his main way of being interested in watching/listening to something was based on someone's taste he respected. I didn't mean it as a general rule. I too think a critic's sole responsibility is to give his opinion - unabashedly - exclusively from his point of view. I'd have to think about it a bit more but I'm inclined to say the review is worthless otherwise.

 

[Shareefruck]

Makes sense. Especially in regards to childhood memories/having been a genuine fan of the thing in the past. I could see why someone would keep giving them a shot/be curious about the hype based on that. I liked Spider-Man enough as a child (The 2002 film was the first one I went to go see on my own at the theater when I was 10) but it was never something that I was obsessed with enough to keep up with or anything of the sort.

It's not so much that I was a huge Marvel fan as a kid or anything, but as a kid, there are certain shallow and childish impulses that I found myself easily manipulated/pulled in by (like which characters have which strengths/weaknesses, power scaling/who's stronger than who, can't beat this guy until he gets stronger, etc.) that I'm pretty sure most little boys can relate to and that still annoyingly permeates in some ways but that I now think are worthless.

I was more into something like Power Rangers/Dragonball as a kid and was only aware of this Marvel stuff peripherally, but there are still remnants of that same mentality in a lot of these things that can have the same effect. So I can understand why so many gravitate to this stuff (the formula exists for a reason) and why this whole man-child culture exists-- and the fact that I bother to watch them is evidence that I'm not impervious to it-- I just don't think it's a good thing that should be embraced/defended or that holds much real value/satisfaction on its own (let alone being something that you should view with a more forgiving warped mentality in order to ignore its flaws/limitations and enjoy as much as possible).

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't mind that people complain and vent about some Marvel Universe films. I just agree with Amerika personally about not getting into it myself. There are many threads here where people have argued about The Last Jedi or The Force Awakens and I just decided to not bother getting into it. I know what I am getting into, the kid in me likes them but I've put my adult side on lockdown for that. Pepsi or Coke. I won't bother challenging people on their taste on that either if they have strong opinions on it (some do, I don't care). I'm not saying 'never' about venting on MCU content, but there is a conscious effort on my part to try not to do it.

I also agreed with your reviews on the Koreeda films. I totally enjoyed them too. I disagree with your rating on Three Billboards though. I'm not challenging you on that, it's your opinion and are totally allowed to have it. We could argue about politics, history, philosophy or religion but when it comes to movies or even food, people have different tastes and I just learn to accept it. We can discuss it, I love a good discussion but I won't argue much. I also don't like Labatt's Blue beer but people are quite welcome to it, I'll never dump on you if you like it.

I get that. I definitely think there's a trade-off between "putting your full opinion out there bluntly, just to give a more complete piece of the picture, regardless of whether or not people are sensitive/protective enough to treat it like their tastes are being challenged" and "losing your sanity dealing with the nonsensical fall-out of poking that bear". For me, it's principle vs. practical, and the former usually stubbornly wins out (even though it makes things more tedious for myself).

And for the record, I'm not trying to get anyone who likes Superhero movies to agree with me or feel bad about themselves for liking it, I'm just disagreeing with them as well, rather trying to stay quiet about it to avoid stepping on their toes.

 

[Puck]

I often try to find movie critics that have tastes similar to mine. The idea is, when you find one that has those tastes/opinions similar to yours, then you can trust him/her a bit more to select movies to go see. That doesn't always work though. Another option is to find great movie critics with sophisticated tastes to discover new things. These guys are master film goers and technically you are reading their masterpiece editorials and put yourself under their tutelage. That backfires at times too. Problem there is going to see their movies that you don't always like but still trying hard to like them because they know more than you but you think maybe you should like the films too (even if you often don't). At this stage I'm often just willing to play Hit and Miss or Russian Roulette on my own and make up my own mind. I tend to read pro reviews AFTER I go see a film, just out of curiosity. It's just to see if people saw what I saw, if I missed something, get their side of it. I really like that. But reading a film review before seeing a film, I usually just do that here on this thread actually, as I peruse through the thread (or read film festival lists). It's mostly to find out the indies, the foreign films, the art-house movies or hidden gems that are outside of the pop culture marketing hype; It could be a pop culture film too but something I missed, something that flew below the radar.

I really enjoy reading people's reviews here. I prefer reading them than writing them (I push myself to do that to contribute). I prefer discussing movies (not to argue or rate) just for analysis (did we perceive the same thing); however that leads to spoilers and others complain. But I find it difficult to write film reviews for some reason (even though I have tons of opinions). SO I'm definitely not inclined to write yet one extra review of a film that has gotten tons of exposure elsewhere on the Entertainment threads. Billions on billions of electrons have already died from sending internet opinions regarding the Marvel, DC, SW, Hollywood blockbusters (many needlessly unfortunately). I'm not necessarily inclined to add to the massacre and kill a billion more.