I feel like it’s appropriate to start this off by stating that I love movies. Movies are viewed and loved by nearly everyone! Whether you’re a passionate cinephile who loves to critique, create, and study films, a regular Joe who finally got some free time to watch a movie you’ve been waiting to see on the big screen, or you’re one of the people who watches the entirety of “Whiplash” through YouTube shorts, one thing remains true: Films are a timeless medium. A production comes to fruition as the premiere approaches, eliciting different emotions from everyone involved, hopeful to leave an impression on the viewer… all for some jagoff to rate the movie 2.5/4 stars because, although the story is interesting and Taron Egerton’s performance is exceptional, it lacks the originality that characterized its source of inspiration… for the Tetris movie.
Nobody will feel the same about one movie. While you may love “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” your mom probably doesn’t, likely getting squeamish at some of the death scenes. Sharing these opinions on different forms of media, not just film, helps others form a better idea of what films are worth seeing. These opinions could be reviews made for online discourse, personal recommendations from friends or family members, or meth-induced rants made by manchildren from their moms’ basements with raging hate boners for Rian Johnson. However, on occasion, movie ratings can be so non-descriptive that it feels as though the person rating it judged the film harshly because they were in a bad mood or on their phone half of the time. I mean, sure, “Shin Godzilla” is a tad slow at times, but the whole movie is supposed to be a giant, satirical critique of the Japanese government’s bureaucracy (6.9/10 IMDb). If you want a Kaiju movie that’s just Godzilla vs the world, watch “Godzilla: Final Wars.” Maybe you’ll enjoy that instead, or, more likely, complain about the movie’s fast pacing and lack of in-depth character development (54% Rotten Tomatoes). One thing is for sure: you can’t have a good movie without a good story. Story and visuals should go hand-in-hand to ensure that the feature succeeds, which is what many are told, but the market has proven that this is far from the truth.
The market, otherwise known as general audiences, is not the end-all be-all. I cannot stress enough that the same people who are entertained by “Fruit Love Island” are not always correct on what dictates a good movie. “Blade Runner 2049,” upon its initial release, flopped at the box office due to its slow-paced and rich storytelling, but is now regarded as a cult classic, receiving praise for the visuals and storytelling that were initially criticized. “Iron Lung” has received a similarly bitter opinion, yet it still saw success. One was a massive production with an A-List cast and stellar visuals, while the other was an indie film made by a YouTuber. Both were criticized for being confusing and slow when they first premiered, but are now highly regarded by their respective fanbases.
For the record, this is fine. I don’t think anyone should be hung by jumper cables just because they prefer a faster-paced movie like “Baby Driver,” but JESUS, MAN, we CANNOT excuse animated or family movies for having shitty writing because “It’s made for kids.” Let’s make one thing clear: the Mario movies are NOT well written, but goddamn do they make a lot of money, more than a collective $2 BILLION at the box office worldwide, in fact. With audience scores of 95% and 89% respectively, you’re telling me you bottom feeders like these movies more than “The Road to El Dorado,” which only earned a 66% rating??? At some point, it just feels inconsistent and lazy to defend an overall weak set of movies. It’s okay to just admit that you like the silly Italian, bro.
It has to be a pride thing, right? No “normal” person willingly admits a movie they like is bad; they’ll gladly call things they dislike bad, but never the reverse. A film can have amateur cinematography, a shaky camera, and generic themes that blend together, but it still gets a pass because it’s “Fast and Furious 6,” and Vin Diesel and flying cars are SO COOOL AND AWESOME AS SHIT. Movies like “The Great Gatsby” have fantastical visual set pieces, but the shallow character writing does not properly portray the book (7.5/10 IMDb). And then a movie like “Godzilla Minus One,” my personal pick for the all-time best Godzilla movie, can have immersive storytelling, tense acting, breathtaking visuals, and high stakes… but get nearly the same rating (7.6/10 IMDb).
A multitude of movies are put down for having either a bad story or a lack of impressive visuals, but where is the cut off? “Killer Klowns From Outer Space,” (6.2/10 IMDb) is a dark comedy horror film with stunning practical effects. It did NOT take off outside of the US, whereas “The Blair Witch Project” (6.5/10 IMDb), which was filmed with a Sony DCR and a dream, was an instant $250 million international hit. Box office success doesn’t always dictate quality, but it often determines whether your film gets a shot at pitching a sequel.
Your taste in movies is your own. It doesn’t matter if the film is objectively “good” or “bad,” as long as it leaves an impression on you. Depending on the movie, you could be expecting more stellar visuals and fight choreography for “Mortal Kombat II,” or a more character analysis-focused story with creative framing to help build the sense of tension and mystery for “Knives Out.” Depending on the movie, your priorities may change, and I guarantee you that if “Get Out” had bad sound design, all the suspense would crumble to dust and blow away. Whether you prefer to give new movies like “Nope” or “Sinners” a chance, or you’re a massive fan of pre-existing franchises like “Marvel” or “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” one thing is irrefutable: “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” clears ALL OF THEM!
