One of the things about writing for a Film Site like this one is that we like to give our opinions. Just like bellybutton’s everyone’s got one! But I thought I would take a quick moment here to talk about that.
I never deny anyone their opinion. Its very popular to hate on Michael Bay or to think that Neil Blomkamp is destined for greatness for sitting in Peter Jackson’s lap. But those are all opinions.
AND THAT IS GREAT!
On the Movie Blog its our jobs to give our opinions on stuff. And though we might like to express it like we are right, that is just because we are expressing
You are free to disagree, and we rather enjoy it when you do. But not because we want conflict, but we like to engage in different ideas. John once wrote a post about this to clarify how to debate instead of fight and called it Levels of Movie Debate.
But recently we have been faced with a weekend of wonders for those who just live to bash things. Two lowly anticipated comedies opened this weekend and though we didn’t expect much out of them, we also were not condemning them before they came out. The Love Guru justifiably looked like a recycled Meyers’ character comedy, and Get Smart was looking like another weak attempt to monopolize on the popularity of an old tv show. Both of those statements sound like we are already judging the movie, but in reality we are judging our PERCEPTION of the movie.
Our intrepid reviewers hit up the films this weekend and gave their reviews. Now they are justified in their statements and can now give their final opinion on the movies. They can even express how this matches up or contradicts their first impressions. You might disagree with their assessments, but now they have seen it and therefore they can give an opinion on the final outcome of the film.
But if we were to condemn the final outcome of a film before it even comes out, then we would be making presumptions based on things we do not know.
Opinion: Broccoli tastes like ass!
Discussion: I actually like it and don’t believe it tastes like ass.
Debate: Really? Have you tried broccoli? Even Smelled it?
Nothing to Debate: Oh, so you have never tried broccoli, so you are just passing final judgment because you heard broccoli wasn’t good.
Sometimes you can miss out on some great movies because they were poorly promoted or had bad trailers, but at the same time, some films look so amazing in the trailer and turn into asspiles in the theaters. Sometimes they are just what you thought they were. But you won’t know for sure.
You can judge anticipation and outright choose to pass something by because of it, but you cannot condemn a movie you never saw just because you didn’t feel inclined to see it.
But you can say, it didn’t look good so I didn’t bother. Its even safe to say It looked like ass, and everyone who DID see it says so too. These are all justifiable reasons to not see a film. Its your money and your choice. Those people who did go had their reasons for flopping down their allowance on it too.
Calling a movie you didn’t see a pile of crap is like saying you don’t like broccoli, and never once trying it. Make sure when you pass judgment that you are clear on what you are condemning.
Is it really Neill Blomkamp’s fault because Peter Jackson decided to make him his pet? If Peter Jackson put you on his lap, wouldn’t you want to ride the Maori Kneexpress to Oscarland too?
Likewise 790!
And thank you for that clarification Shane. You seem to have grasped what I was saying quite solidly.
The point here is that there are two distinct types of opinions here. You are equally entitled to have either opinion, however the two are not an opinion of the same thing.
If you haven’t seen a film, plain and simple: You can not have an opinion of the film itself. You can have an opinion on it’s marketing, the actors in it, the director, the concept or the genre or a thousand other reasons you do not want to see it. But your opinion on THAT does not in any way qualify as an opinion on the actual film.
So you’re entitled to not want to see a film, and whatever reason for that is valid. But regardless of your rationale, if you haven’t seen the film, you can not critically judge the film itself.
That’s the point that you and Evan seem to be missing here 790.
Had a good time debating with you Rodney. ;-).
Nothing personal.
Judging someone as ignorant because they have pre-judged a movie is a little harsh. Unless you expect everyone to think like you….
Realistically I don’t have the time or money to see every film. Some films you can just tell are going to suck, do you disagree on that Rodney ???
If you expect people to just say “I don’t want to say its good or bad I’ve only seen the trailer” that’s just illogical and boring.
This all started on the Wanted thread, that film has so much in it that I don’t like, I was able to form an opinion instantly. Rodney seemed to think that I was limiting and ignorant. Fine, whatever I’m still not seeing the film.
I don’t do this with every movie Rodney, just the stinkers that I can smell coming down Sunset Bvld…
And I don’t loose any sleep over what I might have missed in life.
Evan compilcates the matters by saying his opinion is that he can be wrong and its not his problem.
Opinons are fine, but to plead ignorance as a lifestyle and make it everyone else’s problem is just more ignorance.
Just sayin.
No Shane, you missed the point. Evan, has his Point of View and that’s what were really talking about here.
If some have a problem with that, that’s there prob.
I agree with Evan, except not with ya on Get Smart. ;-(
Ps, Brocolli is good if its fresh and you have some good pepper and butter.
Bruce, if your posts were deleted it is simply because you violated the commenting rules.
We dont censor.
Evan, the point has just left. You missed it.
This post is true. Stardust looked like shit, but I saw it and LOVED it.
What if the movie is called “Shit, the movie” ?
LMAO when I saw this post today Rodney…. Glad to inspire!
You know its only a matter of time before “Shit, the movie” comes out.
I have had about 3 of my comments deleted now. I guess because this is the home of the correct movie opinion.
I disagree with the poster.
I can say whatever I want about whatever I want, whenever I want. Whether or not you take me seriously is your problem.
For example, if a friend mine saw “Epic Movie” when it came out and I made fun of him for it. He made the same point you did, that I hadn’t seen it, and I said, “I don’t give a fuck if I hadn’t seen it looks retarded.”
He got pissed because I was being an asshole and shitting on something I knew nothing about. Which is exactly what I was doing.
My point is, the fact that my friend got pissed at me is his problem not mine. If somebody’s conflicting opinions about movies make you that upset regardless of the circumstances that is not the fault of the person presenting the conflicting opinion. It is a problem that you have.
So next time somebody gives an opinion on something that they know nothing about, such as a movie, just ignore them. If you really liked it then who gives a shit what anybody else says. Aside from that, I am trying to pay off student loans, if a movie [i]looks[/i] stupid then I am just going to assume that it [i]is[/i] stupid and save my money.
Having said all that, Get Smart was pretty funny.
We wait for Hollywood to give us a reason to see a movie, they only gave us a couple so far this summer, Indy and Iron Man. Better advertising was the key to these other movies. I can only watch Mike Meyers “beep” in reverse sitting on his platform so many times before it’s just not funny anymore. The Hulk trailers over and over just reminded me how much I wasted my money last time, had I seen them less I would have forgot how horrible it can be.
Great post. It’s a fine distinction, but saying something “looks” like it’s going to suck is different from saying something “will suck, sight unseen.
Of course I will probably say former regarding about AVP3…
Vic
“Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
I can’t say that Transformers will be shit because I haven’t seen it.
I can’t say that Avatar will be great because I haven’t seen it.
Vice-Versa
Looks = Is in my mind…
Whatever. I mean, I MIGHT be wrong but…not likely and I’m not looking to find out the hard way.
No Audioout, you missed the point…
It’s fine to say it LOOKS like shit…
It’s just funny how many people will say “such and such movie IS shit” when they’ve never seen it themselves.
So my argument that Meet the Spartans looks like a flaming pile of absolute shit is moot because I can’t judge it before I see it?
It’s amazing how many people here know what ass tastes like. :)
I judge movies before they come usually by past experiences with the film makers work.
I’m expecting Avatar to be amazing.
I expect Transformers 2 to be absolute dog shit just like the first film.
I have yet to try either, but I do know how well Cameron can make a sci-fi film, and how poorly Bay can make one.
Yes I’ve tried it lol.
Jessica Alba movies usually taste like ass.
=)
Bellybuttons taste like ass too…I’ve said too much.
And you have tried it…?
Broccoli does taste like ass though.