"but NOTHING happened!"

[SoNowThen]

What I find most interesting about situations like these is that someone who really doesn't give a shit about something, someone who is terribly ignorant, would feel the need to single someone else out who cares and takes the time to acquire the knowledge, in order to make that person look bad. People's need for acceptance will make them do funny things. I've been in a group of people where the conversation revolved around Harry Potter, the tv reality shows, and whatever was on the top ten at ten radio station last night, and brought up something that, although still fairly mainstream, wasn't the flavor of the month, and people have turned and looked at me like I got up and took a shit on the table.

And usually it's the most self-conscious people pulling shit like this. Like you said, this smarmy asshole comes out and announces like he's heard it all before "this guy likes weird movies". Like he wants a big pat on the back from the other coworkers so he can be in the "group".

"oh really, so it is him that likes the weird movies. I thought for a minute it was me, but now I see that he's the idiot, and we're all the normal ones. Pats on the back all around..."

*sigh*

[Fernando]

As I was reading thought this was the funniest phrase/post of the week...

people have turned and looked at me like I got up and took a shit on the table.

but no, it is this one that took the cake.

"oh really, so it is him that likes the weird movies. I thought for a minute it was me, but now I see that he's the idiot, and we're all the normal ones. Pats on the back all around..."

[MacGuffin]

if you think someone sucks for liking a movie, any movie, doesn't that make you a snob? i mean, i think someone can justifiably be labeled as an idiot if you were to hear his actual thoughts on cinema [i.e. torque was awesome...it was never boring, lots of action, and that chick was sooo hot.]. but to just like a movie like that, i see nothing wrong, as long as you can give mature and logical reasons for liking it, coupled with thoughts on an assortment of other genres.

this happened to me a while ago at work:

i ask a co-worker "seen any good movies lately?"

co-worker: i saw swat. it was fucking cool.

me [silently a little disappointed]: oh yeah? was it good?

him: "lots of action, bro. i like action movies."

assistant manager comes in: oh, walsh [me] doesn't like movies like that, do you walsh?

me: not really.

manager: walsh likes movies like "clock orange". those are boring movies walsh. "clock orange". ehh.

the manager used to work at blockbuster when i was in junior high, so i guess that's why he said that.

anyways, yeah. that happened.

But if you don't really like those kinds of films and/or the people who do like them, wouldn't that make you a snob also? I don't understand what you "a little disappointed" by; that he/she liked "SWAT" (which I'm assuming you haven't seen) or at your co-worker's mini-review. I think you're asking a lot if you think the casual moviegoer is going to give you a detailed, Roger Ebert analysis-type review, especially on mindless escape movies like "Torque".

[pete]

if the action movie is good, then sure, why not.  right now most of all of the action movies are pretty terrible, where they either rip off hong kong or french guys (one for the fight scenes the other for the car chases) or they combine guns with xtreme sports, which hasn't been cool since James Bond skiied against them russians.
I think action scenes need more wit and creativity.

[snaporaz]

But if you don't really like those kinds of films and/or the people who do like them, wouldn't that make you a snob also? I don't understand what you "a little disappointed" by; that he/she liked "SWAT" (which I'm assuming you haven't seen) or at your co-worker's mini-review. I think you're asking a lot if you think the casual moviegoer is going to give you a detailed, Roger Ebert analysis-type review, especially on mindless escape movies like "Torque".

i never said i don't like people who don't like good movies. my assistant manager, on the other hand, is an all-around jack-off who also likes to talk shit about great movies by giving the most idiotic logic. he's the kind of guy that would say black and white movies suck. my other co-worker, on the other hand, is just another guy that hasn't really bothered to go out and experience movies on his own. i was slightly disappointed by his response because swat doesn't seem interesting to me. it's not like i rolled my eyes at him or told him he shouldn't be watching movies like that. it's just that i like being surprised by people who sometimes say they've seen a movie that i've either been wanting to see or have seen and like it alot. i think just about everybody in the world is like that, whatever preference of movies it is.

and no, i don't look for ebert-esque critiques and expect comments on the cinematography and editing and whatnot. one can still talk about movies without sounding condescending and also not just blab about explosions and hot actresses.

[analogzombie]

i think its just a case of frustration.  I work in college radio and for a couple indie labels and its the same with music. It's not about being a film/music snob, it's about being frustrated at the generel quality level in them and feeling like films/music that do have inherent artistic value are underappreciated and underfunded.

I mean if someone likes SWAT, it's no skin off my back. I like a lot of films most people would find no real value in at all, well no artistic value. A film that someone enjoys for the sheer number of explosions has just as valid a reason to love a movie as someone who likes the subtle interplay of the two characters' super egos and how the time period is juxtaposed with the said characters modern speech, or whatever.

the point i think is that like music and art, films can be good or bad. you can critique something's worth. It's not wrong to like a bad film, i just think people who are able to tell the difference between good and bad are frustrated with the mainstream's ambivalence about quality. and how in our society big budgets and box office draws seem to be synonomous with the public's perception of a film's worth.

you don't have to like a film to know it's a good film, and you don't have to hate bad ones. it's simply about where the value is placed. and i too get frustrated when someone knocks a film or band that is of high quality simply b/c they are not familiar with it/them, and do not possess the ability to differentiate between good and bad.

example: I own a black velvet Kenny Rogers painting I bought at a flea market and a poster of Salvatore Dali's Persistence of Memory. i enjoy both of them, for different reasons. The kenny Rogers painting however is a bad work of art, the Dali is a good one. if someone said to me 'damm that kenny Rogers painting is amazing, but that squiggle thing over there is terrible', i would think they missed the point and be frustrated with it.

[snaporaz]

couldn't have said it better.

[Slick Shoes]

That happened to me coming out of In The Bedroom. I was totally drawn into the world of that family and I felt I had experienced everything they experienced. After it was over some guy behind me made a comment about how nothing happened. I didn't know the guy, he wasn't talking to me, but it felt like a personal affront, like he was attacking me. He went on, "I'm gonna buy the soundtrack!" The more he talked the more I wanted to hit him in the face.

[Pas]

Oh god not that topic again. I didn't read all but I think the point is realizing not everyone bears the same interest we have in movies, and if someguy likes SWAT or anything and you dislike him for that you are the asshole.

It reminds me of the time I told my football loving friends I watched the Superbowl for the ads. They laughed and still invited me to watch it with them. If someguy told you he wants to watch 21 Grams to see Naomi Watts' nipples, you should laugh and bring him along

My previous point was about people being phony, not the taste of people.

[pete]

It reminds me of the time I told my football loving friends I watched the Superbowl for the ads. They laughed and still invited me to watch it with them.

sweeet.

[Myxo]

my roommate claims Fight Club is an independent movie

Haha..

[pete]

I used to hang out at this video store in Boston called City Video, and once a wicked hot chick came to apply for the job.  On the application she had to list her favorite movies from each genre, under independent movie she put down "indepence day."

[SHAFTR]

There are two types of movies...good and bad.  The beauty is that we get to define to ourselves where each film belongs.

[Myxo]

There are two types of movies...good and bad.  The beauty is that we get to define to ourselves where each film belongs.

We had a great discussion about this recently in one of my classes.

How do we know that something is bad? Do we learn that things are bad, or are some things instinctively bad?

When a baby is first born, does it know that some things smell bad? Or, does the baby have to learn from it's parent's reactions to the smell?

I take the position that there are certain things that are just plain bad. I suppose we end up with certain biases towards mediums like film and music, but in general I think there are qualities in both that make them good or bad. What they are I can't say. I'm by no means an expert in either. However, when I walk out of a theater, there are times when what I've just seen made a connection and there are times when the work felt like a failure.

I donno.. This is a great philosophy discussion really.

The immediate response by most people is to say, "It's all a matter of opinion" or, "It is entirely subjective".

Is it really?

[Alethia]

I used to hang out at this video store in Boston called City Video, and once a wicked hot chick came to apply for the job.  On the application she had to list her favorite movies from each genre, under independent movie she put down "indepence day."

i want to laugh but I'm not sure if i can lol