Taste in Movies

Okay, if someone lists their favorite movies and the list contains rehashed-mainstream dog shit, does that mean they're mildly retarded? Not fully autistic or anything but just not capable of operating heavy machinery or watching children.

Yes.

It could mean they haven't seen very many movies, or that whatever they were doing at the time was significant and they are associating the movie with that event rather than judging the movie on its own, objectively.

Or they're retarded.

One of our greatest gifts as humans is to find beauty in the ordinary or even in the ugly.

Besides, what isn't a rehash of good vs evil, coming of age, seeking love and riches, and dying etc?

Nothing new under the sun and all that. Granted, some is done better, but wyote covers that point..

Besides, artistic retardation is necessary if someone is going to do my taxes and fix my car for me.

"One of our greatest gifts as humans is to find beauty in the ordinary or even in the ugly.

Besides, what isn't a rehash of good vs evil, coming of age, seeking love and riches, and dying etc?

Nothing new under the sun and all that. Granted, some is done better, but wyote covers that point..

Besides, artistic retardation is necessary if someone is going to do my taxes and fix my car for me."


Nope.

quote:

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One of our greatest gifts as humans is to find beauty in the ordinary or even in the ugly.

Besides, what isn't a rehash of good vs evil, coming of age, seeking love and riches, and dying etc?

Nothing new under the sun and all that. Granted, some is done better, but wyote covers that point..

Besides, artistic retardation is necessary if someone is going to do my taxes and fix my car for me.

---

Yep.

I'd say anyone who actually went and saw beverly hills chihuahua is definitely retarded. Which would be quite a few people since it was #1 for like... a week. tear.

Interesting question. Here's another: if Isomeone lists their "favorite movies" am I to automatically assume that:
1. the list is authentically posted by the person its supposedly posted by rather than a friend or family member being funny and
2. the list is authentic by the poster with no sarcasm or humor meant by the poster himself?

The problem is I can't safely assume that without asking the question and believing that the response is authentic and sincere which I can't do without asking if the response to the question is authentic and sincere which I can't do without... you see where I'm going with this?
I find it's best to take favorite lists with a grain of salt (as I would suggest with anything) and to assume that there may be a sincere and acceptable explanation behind the list.
On that note however, I wonder what it is possible to tell about someone based on their favorite movies.

In the interest of science, I'll start:
Favorite movie - The Terminal (with Tom Hanks)

"Artistic and sensitive. Able to appreciate the qualities of compassion and mercy as ends in themselves without regard for selfishness. Appreciates friendship as relationships were meant to be, i.e. not looking for what it can for you but as an appreciation of the other. Able in all situations to resuscitate the beauty from the ugliness. At one with himself and his fellow men."

It seems you can learn something you never thought of before by someone's taste in movies.

I think it depends on the type of rehashed dogshit we're talking about. I wouldn't begrudge anyone a film of the genre a friend of mine calls "action porn". Sometimes a favourite film can be one that you can just switch your brain off before pressing play, because all you are looking for is a way to kill two hours preferably with guns, explosions, attractive women and fast cars (not necessarily in that order and occasionally with the adjectives swapped). If the film is a favourite because they actually think it's good, then they should probably be put out of our misery, but if the film is a favourite because it's a fun thing to watch with a group of friends and some beer, it's the association not the film that is important.

There is no way you can judge someone based on their favorite movie, if I thought everyone I had ever met that had watched Donnie Darko and said it was there favorite movie was an intellectual, independent and abstract thinker. I would be extremely wrong.

Along with judging people on what kind of film they like to watch is also absurd, like it was stated above everything that is presented in modern main stream culture is a rehash of some older generation's childhood, nothing new has been presented in the last 1200 years.

Lastly what you find funny or entertaining says little about you as a person.

"Along with judging people on what kind of film they like to watch is also absurd, like it was stated above everything that is presented in modern main stream culture is a rehash of some older generation's childhood, nothing new has been presented in the last 1200 years."

So you think there's no difference of quality in movies? Give. Me. A. Break. If you take a sniff of 90% pure cocaine there is no way in hell you're gonna go back to to that 10% shit if you have any choice in the matter. And if you can't tell the difference then you might.. be... retarded.

"Lastly what you find funny or entertaining says little about you as a person."

I can't remember the reference but I heard before that what people laugh at is a big sign to what's going on in their lives.

Quote

"So you think there's no difference of quality in movies? Give. Me. A. Break. If you take a sniff of 90% pure cocaine there is no way in hell you're gonna go back to to that 10% shit if you have any choice in the matter. And if you can't tell the difference then you might.. be... retarded."

Naa, its a matter of opinion there are large differences between high school musical 3 and blade runner but I don't think judging someone on it is correct. Sure I wouldn't want to go see it but I know some decently intelligent people who enjoy what I consider crappy films. I really think film is an art form that has been left open to the mind because everyone's opinions with what they consider good and bad is totally up to that person.

Quote

"I can't remember the reference but I heard before that what people laugh at is a big sign to what's going on in their lives."

Interesting, makes sense.

There is a difference in quality of films, scripts, actors, effects, cinematography etc all make huge differences. But of the two films listed by Zach neither is a bad film with regards to it's target audience.

Can you honestly claim to have no guilty pleasures in life Chris? Nothing you like that's kind of embarrassing to admit to? If so you are almost certainly in the minority.

The other question is, does our hypothetical retard have a list consisting entirely of "rehashed dogshit" or a film or two as well as some good films?

"If the film is a favourite because they actually think it's good, then they should probably be put out of our misery, but if the film is a favourite because it's a fun thing to watch with a group of friends and some beer, it's the association not the film that is important."

I agree with that. But like you said, it's not the film that's important in this situation. Usually there's a joke behind it or something else which is where the entertainment is derived.

Wtf's a guilty pleasure? If I have a guilt complex about some kind of pleasure then it probably means there's something wrong with me or some insecurity I have. I really can't, off the top of my head, think of any pleasures I feel guilty about.

Wait, yah I can think of one: Laughing at things I'm not supposed to. There's good reason for that one... I think.