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Are we terrible movie critics???

3K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  absentminded 
#1 ·
I've noticed that when I'm really into a movie or show, it's generally not well received by critics because of some minute detail of plotting or whatever. However, when I dislike a show, it's very rare that it's well received by the overlords of cinematic taste.

I find myself loosing step with the movie and becoming intrigued by the possibilities that the premise presents. Even if it's an engaging thrill ride, I still have a back-burner working on trying on different incarnations of the underlying ideas and mechanisms. I'm particularly bad with Sci-Fi flicks.

I know we've talked about movies before, but what's your underlying philosophy on the silver screen? Do your friends trust your taste in film?

Lights! Camera! ACTION!!!
 
#2 ·
I find I tend to overlook the details that bug people about books or films, but then I get bothered by things a lot of them don't mention in reviews (especially pacing).

My friends don't tend to watch or read things I recommend, so I couldn't really comment on if my taste is good or not. My sister tends to ask me about new things coming out though.
 
#11 ·
I find I tend to overlook the details that bug people about books or films, but then I get bothered by things a lot of them don't mention in reviews (especially pacing).
no one ever talks about this, and it grates me too because of how important pacing is to film. timing and feeding the observer just enough at the just the right time is really the absolute means of cinema's end goal -- to manipulate emotions. it's the same with any form of entertainment really; comedy -- if you carry a joke for too long, even for a few seconds, you lose a part of the audiences momentum for the propensities you're trying to create. it's like having a car that keeps braking and you having to waste time and effort (and therefore trust in the car) accelerating again. this is why i admire editing so much in film, because it's what keeps the whole show driving along at a fluid pace.

it's why timing is so critical in any form of manipulation really, the victim needs to be lured into certain states so that another state can achieve itself to the fullest -- and that isn't just in relation to entertainment either, 'real life'/practical manipulation requires the same thing, its just that with entertainment people volunteer to be manipulated :tongue:
 
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#3 ·
Well oftentimes I check out IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes before I actually watch a movie, because if you go solely off internet recommendations there are a lot that are simply terrible. Note to self, do not ask for movie recommendations on Yahoo Answers... so I usually screen the movies beforehand just to get an idea of what I'm getting into and if I should even bother.

Anyway, it's not uncommon for my opinion to differ highly from the general consensus of the film. There were plenty of films that totally bored me but had very high ratings, and some that were rated poorly that I thoroughly enjoyed. I've noticed many movies with complicated plots where the viewer has to "piece together" the ending themselves tend to get a lot of criticism. I guess people don't like using imagination.
 
#6 ·
I'm very critic and impartial. I analyze every film that I watch and I can come up with a list of bad things about every movie that I love. I'm not some undergroud hipster that adores iranian movies, but I like movies that make me think. Even big blockbusters if they at least make me leave the cinema with a smile on my face, like The Prestige did. I like a few movies that the critics hate though and I also dislike a lot of films that are widely accepted as being a masterpiece by the critics.

I'm terrible at recommending movies to people. Last time someone asked me advice on what movie he should watch I just said "Anything directed by Roland Emmerich. I'm sure you gonna love it". I wouldn't recommend Mr. Nobody to someone that likes Transformers, so I always end up recommending bad or mediocre films and they always end up enjoying them, so I guess it is ok.
 
#8 ·
I'm bad at following movies. I can't become engrossed enough to maintain an adequate connection to it. I end up asking others about a part of the story that I'm then informed was blatantly obvious and should not have been asked about - in any reasonable case.

So I'm one of those annoying people that asks what's going on in a movie. In the main, I really cannot follow movies.

Cinematography it worth considering though - switching from story absorption to camera movements, angles, shot analysis. If the story is sub-par (which it almost always seems to be, or is that because I can't follow it?) then divert to camera, scene, lighting and production considerations.
 
#17 ·
I'm bad at following movies. I can't become engrossed enough to maintain an adequate connection to it. I end up asking others about a part of the story that I'm then informed was blatantly obvious and should not have been asked about - in any reasonable case.
Are you sure that's not ADD?
 
#9 ·
Everyone says I'm a harsh critic, but I think I'm being rational. I go into every movie/TV show/anime/whatever trying REALLY HARD to hate it. I look for every reason I can to say it's crap. That way, when I DO find something I like, I know it's appeal to me is legitimate. My list of "likes" tends to be way shorter than everyone else on this, but I think my list is more genuine and honest. I know people who love OMG!EVERYTHING and that actually annoys me :p Do they not have a critical bone in their body or what?! There's no way that much stuff is that good lol. Seriously, I've known people who are "fans" of 4365834768934 things and I just don't get it.
 
#10 ·
well firstly, it's maybe not a good idea to use popular critics as the base line for your argument. they are popular for a reason -- their work resonates with a large crowd, and so is usually too diluted for niche/hardcore audiences. this applies to probably every spectrum of entertainment, not just film. best to search around for peers with a repertoire that you can trust


as for recommending films, i think i'm very good at this. once i get a general taste of what a person likes i think i have the rationale to put forward films of similar themes or angles. the more 'casual' the persons interest the easier it is to recommend. i make the distinction that 'hardcore' = wanting to put your mind into something, whilst 'casual' = wanting to take your mind off of something. so generally what i recommend for 'casual' users would rely heavily upon eye candy/high production value and adrenaline rushes, and an imposing soundtrack doesn't do any harm either.
 
#12 ·
1.) Superhero has chick. Evil villain comes along. Chick gets held hostage or somehow exploited by villain to draw out hero. (Alternative: Some mid way drama between hero and chick on a personal level). Superhero fights villain: Either loses or wins with villain retreating. Final battle: Hero wins, gets the chick and crowd goes wild.

2.) Soldiers! War! Glory! PEW PEW PEW PEW! 'MURRICA. And thus the world was saved, eventually. Somehow. Anyway, in war there's always the good guys and the bad guys! Screw the bad guys.

3.) Screw the whole chick stuff. Explosions mang, explosions everwhere! It was cool when A-Team did it, but some random 1 guy army living, causing and experiencing approximately 320 explosions within a 90 minute spam is neither cool, nor thrilling, nor anything of substance.

4.) Romance, Drama! Over the top idealized love story for the completely delusional folks! Their Up. their Downs, so heart tearing. Ideally 3 to 4 times over the span of 90 minutes.

5.) Convoluted cluster fucks that mixed in any of the above.

Whatever doesn't fall into any of the 5 categories (which is rare enough) I might watch - but even then it's unlikely :mellow:
 
#13 ·
I enjoy movies. I post my Trigger stars, 1-5 on facebook. No one reads my criticism, but I like to think I'm pretty legit... in my head.
See, I think for INTPs we tend to be pretty impartial to the movies presented. But we do have our movies that are negatively criticized by the public, but we enjoy them for what they are... even with an analysis as to why it's a legitimately good movie.

I think like everything, we do not follow the crowd and even try not to, out of fear of being another buffoon. For example , Twilight sparkle vamps, how many of us even gave that movie a shot before criticizing it?I knew the plot, we all did. I didn't even watch Harry Potter till my aunt brought it over, I didn't WANT to watch it... it was just okay [saw the second one and it just got boring]. I even wanted to see Avatar (Pandora-Avatar); when I saw it I was highly disappointing with the overplayed story line, awkward alien sex, predictable war, predictable predictable... I won't even continue.
 
#14 ·
I seem to like movies that people either hate, or don't get..., or hate because they don't get it.

Example: Rage (2009) - IMDb

It's set at a fashion show, where a murder occurs, but you don't get to see anything that goes on, the only thing that you see are interviews with the characters. They got some amazing actors to be in it too, but unfortunately the critics didn't like the pace(it is very slow).
 
#16 ·
According to the consensus gentium, Boobs and Explosions > Thought Provoking Nuances.
 
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