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Movie critics tend to give mediocre movies a bump when they like the message or think it otherwise is politically desirable. Similarly, critics tend to downpla

Movie critics tend to give mediocre movies a bump when they like the message or think it otherwise is politically desirable. Similarly, critics tend to downplay movies that have a more... blue collar?... appeal, no matter the artistry or purpose of the film. For instance, Taken gets 59% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a hugely important and impactful film. It basically spawned/revived a whole subgenre of action film.

unfocussed_mike 5y ago
> For instance, Taken gets 59% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a hugely important and impactful film. It basically spawned/revived a whole subgenre of action film. A fair number of critics looked down on that film because it is casually chauvinistic, nasty and bigoted. (I absolutely loathe it. Want to see how that film could have been? Watch Man On Fire.) I don't know whether you can support your "politically desirable" assertion with meaningful data -- not to say that you might not be right, but more to say that I don't know what shape that data would have. But I'd be interested to hear a couple of examples anyway.
- humanrebar 5y ago
  Maybe, but skimming reviews they mostly seem to think it's boring or lowbrow or something.
majormajor 5y ago
> For instance, Taken gets 59% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a hugely important and impactful film. It basically spawned/revived a whole subgenre of action film. I wouldn't be surprised if 41% of the general population didn't much like Taken either. I've never had a desire to watch it a second time, for instance, which places it pretty far down my personal list of movies I've seen. So you can think it's "too blue collar" or whatever, or you can think "it's a subgenre, so broad appeal isn't expected" and you could then argue about how movies without universal appeal should be reviewed, but jumping straight to "they don't like it cause damn blue state liberals" or somesuch seems like a stretch.
- pronlover723 5y ago
  > I've never had a desire to watch it a second time Is that a good criteria for whether a film is good or not. There are plenty of films I never want to watch again but I thought they were good. Conversely, there's are arguably stupid but fun films I watch over and over even though they are full of flaws, bad acting, bad writing, etc...
  - unfocussed_mike 5y ago
    > Is that a good criteria for whether a film is good or not. I don't rewatch films as a rule but I do sometimes rewatch films with people who have not seen that film. There are films like Dancer In The Dark, Grave Of The Fireflies, or Dogville that I simply cannot watch a second time because of the precise, agonising emotional turmoil they create. I will recommend this experience to everyone, and they too will watch it only once and recommend it to others. Then there are films like Taken that I would never watch because they are dreadful, hateful trash. I would consider the former list to be beautiful, painful exceptions to the idea that a film that can be watched endlessly is a great work. And even then I might be persuaded to watch them with someone I really loved. Perhaps. Though I'd have to love someone a lot to willingly watch through the end of Dancer again. I would not be so enthusiastic about spending time with anyone who joyfully rewatches Taken.

unfocussed_mike 5y ago

> For instance, Taken gets 59% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a hugely important and impactful film. It basically spawned/revived a whole subgenre of action film. A fair number of critics looked down on that film because it is casually chauvinistic, nasty and bigoted. (I absolutely loathe it. Want to see how that film could have been? Watch Man On Fire.) I don't know whether you can support your "politically desirable" assertion with meaningful data -- not to say that you might not be right, but more to say that I don't know what shape that data would have. But I'd be interested to hear a couple of examples anyway.

humanrebar 5y ago
Maybe, but skimming reviews they mostly seem to think it's boring or lowbrow or something.

majormajor 5y ago

> For instance, Taken gets 59% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a hugely important and impactful film. It basically spawned/revived a whole subgenre of action film. I wouldn't be surprised if 41% of the general population didn't much like Taken either. I've never had a desire to watch it a second time, for instance, which places it pretty far down my personal list of movies I've seen. So you can think it's "too blue collar" or whatever, or you can think "it's a subgenre, so broad appeal isn't expected" and you could then argue about how movies without universal appeal should be reviewed, but jumping straight to "they don't like it cause damn blue state liberals" or somesuch seems like a stretch.

pronlover723 5y ago
> I've never had a desire to watch it a second time Is that a good criteria for whether a film is good or not. There are plenty of films I never want to watch again but I thought they were good. Conversely, there's are arguably stupid but fun films I watch over and over even though they are full of flaws, bad acting, bad writing, etc...
- unfocussed_mike 5y ago
  > Is that a good criteria for whether a film is good or not. I don't rewatch films as a rule but I do sometimes rewatch films with people who have not seen that film. There are films like Dancer In The Dark, Grave Of The Fireflies, or Dogville that I simply cannot watch a second time because of the precise, agonising emotional turmoil they create. I will recommend this experience to everyone, and they too will watch it only once and recommend it to others. Then there are films like Taken that I would never watch because they are dreadful, hateful trash. I would consider the former list to be beautiful, painful exceptions to the idea that a film that can be watched endlessly is a great work. And even then I might be persuaded to watch them with someone I really loved. Perhaps. Though I'd have to love someone a lot to willingly watch through the end of Dancer again. I would not be so enthusiastic about spending time with anyone who joyfully rewatches Taken.