Pasteurized or Au Naturale?

I just finished watching Domino on TV, and as par usual, I hopped onto IMDB to check out all the Trivia and stuff about it. This is a normal practice for me after I see a film I enjoy. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, even though I had been warned away from it as if it were a plague bearer (I think I actually watched it for Keira Knightley, but that's neither here nor there). I glanced down and noticed the horrible rating it has been getting from many of the IMDB patrons. I can see why some people wouldn't like it. It is an unconventional film, and wandered about quite a bit, but I wasn't expecting such an abysmal rating. After seeing the horrible rating, and against my better judgment, I decided to check out what people were saying on the forum. As with all things, I like to understand the method behind the madness. Before I start spilling over into the next bit, I should mention that I think everyone's opinion is valid, but if you are going to have an opinion about something, please explain why. If you watched or did something that you didn't like, even if you are not sure why, just write "I didn't like it" and leave it at that. Don't open your mouth and start spewing shit which has no bearing, and no point. I think a simplified example is in order. If somebody writes, "I liked this film", and the reply is "This movie sucked, and you are stupid because you liked it", it is a completely useless post. What exactly did the reply add to the discussion? Nothing. The only thing it did was waste a few seconds of my life. Flame wars on the Internet are pointless. Nothing is learned, and with no knowledge to be gained, there is no point. Maybe people who start flame wars just can't express themselves in real life, so they try to exert themselves behind the mask of the anonymity of the Internet. Aha, and there's the rub. The main motivation is fear. Fear of expressing and being yourself in real life, so you create an alternate reality to try and be the person you want to be on the Internet, and yes, I am aware of the irony and the hypocrisy of using the same powers of anonymity on my blog thanks. Now no one has to point it out.

Back onto the train that I started this trip on.

I think there are two main type of movie viewers in the world. Those who like a movie to be spoon fed to them and predictable, and those who tread off the beaten path and enjoy films that are generally disregarded and scorned by the majority of the public. I'm not saying that either group is right, or completely exclusive, but I think it's safe to say we all fall stronger into one of these groups or the other. Occasionally I do enjoy some silly, pointless piece of Hollywood clap-trap, but for the most part I dig deeper into films. One of the things which impacts me the most in a film is if it has a mood or feeling associated with it. That is probably why I dislike many of the films that are blockbusters. They are enjoyable for the 90 minutes that you spend with them, but leave no aftertaste. I like a film that leaves me feeling something, or is thought provoking. Hmm, allusion time? I think not. Anyways, I know Domino is probably not a good example in this case, as it is not exactly the most thought provoking film in the world, but it is unique. Maybe weird for the sake of being weird is the phrase I'm looking for. I dunno. I'm just writing what the little voices are telling me to.

Now, the bit I like. If you take more from column A than from column B, there is no reason that you have to dislike people who enjoy the reciprocate. Perfect example of this is Obi and Company VS. Myself. We are great friends, and generally agree on most things, but our ratio with movies that we all enjoy is around 20%-30%. That doesn't mean that the movies they like suck, or the movies that I like suck, it just means we have different tastes in entertainment. Just because I listen to music which is reminiscent of white noise, does not mean that if you don't like it, you're an idiot. It just means we have different opinions, and they are both valid. No harm, no foul. Just don't you dare to try playing Justin Timberlake or Nickelback in my car. That is ground for an instant boot to the head and you rolling down the highway beside my car. We all have our limits of tolerance.

In the perfect world, entertainment would be judged by fans, and not by corporations telling us what to like and not to like. I know it has very little to do with the topic of tonights sermon, but I felt like writing it anyways.

"Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population."
Albert Einstein