Laziest defenses for any movie...

"It wasn't meant to be Shakespeare..."

"It's not trying to win any Oscars..."

"It's not Lagaan, but..."

"Just turn yer brain off!"


"Talk to the hand."

I really, really hate these arguments. You argue with somebody about how a movie is, you hate it, and the other person comes back with one of these wonderful gems. Yeah, no shit Kambaht Ishq isn't aiming to be the next Macbeth. That doesn't excuse it from being terrible.

I recall Kareena Kapoor claiming that people should enjoy KI for what it was; an illogical, brainless flick for the purpose of entertainment. Newsflash Kareena, but EVERY film aims to entertain. There are just many way to entertain through film. Whether it's through informing, evoking emotion, or just plain spectacle. The point of every film is, in one way or another, to entertain.

Just because a film is an escapist action/rom-com/fantasy flick, it shouldn't excuse it from poor writing, poor directing and poor acting. You can make a movie that has pretty pictures, funny jokes and shit blowing up and still have compelling stories and characters. Why does entertainment and thought provoking stories have to be mutually exclusive? Some people make it sound like you have to choose between shit and Shakespeare, when in reality there's a very comfortable middle ground that manages to be both entertaining and not brain cell-destroying. Low quality entertainment is neither personally enjoyable nor good for me.

In any case, in the spirit of honesty, I have certainly enjoyed my fair share of guilty pleasures, usually because I'm able to sift a few grains of gold that speak to my sensibilities from the pile of silt. So I don't really begrudge other people having that. I just don't have the balls to tell other people they should get the same thing out of it that I do.

I realize that everyone is entertained by different types of films, but a person can use an intelligent argument to defend their liking of ANY movie, no matter how bad the movie is. As long as you have perspective, you know why you liked a movie, you recognize that it has flaws and why other people disliked it so much, it's possible and really perfectly simple to defend your opinion with an intelligent argument. .

I think 'just turn your brain off' is the worst defense I could think of. I would actually love to see one of these people actually turn their brain off. I mean, that would kill them, right? Sure, if you're going be forced to eat dog shit, I highly recommend shutting off your mental faculties and pretending you're slopping up an ice-cream cone. The problem is, I can't make myself dumb enough not to recognize what I'm consuming short of bashing my head against the nearest concrete wall.

Personally I find it strange that people find it acceptable that you have to put yourself into a mental state on par with a drooling vegetable in order to enjoy a piece of entertainment. That smacks of a rather defeatist view on life. Just take whatever life gives you and when shit goes downhill, simply lower your standards.

Laziest defenses ever.

You take everything too seriously, chill out, stop watching so many movies, it's just good fun, it's what people like to watch, if so many people go see it it must be good, you only like movies nobody watches, this is what movies were made to do, if I want to think I'll read a book, the chicks are hot, the action is awesome, the special effects are amazing, John Abraham is hot, I want to turn off my brain, I don't particularly have it on the rest of the day and I don't intend to turn it on for a movie, it's not real life, you think too much, if you think too much about a movie you break it apart, you look too hard at things, just sit back and relax, it's a good way to spend two hours, I got my money's worth, if they don't nominate this movie for a Filmfare/Oscar then I don't know what the Oscars are good for, I don't like arty pretentious tripe, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie, this movie is awesome.

This is the problem. People talk about all the "hard work" that gets put in the movie when the movie does not do well at the box office. Doesn't hard work apply in a really good movie as well? People justify, and give a lot of excuses for a terrible movie. I think deep down they are well aware that the movie is terrible. I don't see any reason to write words, such as, "Turn your brain off." The only reason they are defending the movie is because they are in love with it. Ignorance is bliss. We have every right to voice our thoughts be it positive or negative about a movie.

Some days I like brainless movies too, and I'm not afraid to admit it, while there are also other days I dislike movies that are defined as "good" since the masses loved them.

Ok I don't have a whole lot of time right now, but one thing I have heard is "You didn't absolutely love TZP or thought Black is overrated ... you heartless, cold, evil person".

On the other side of the spectrum, I hate when I ask people things like:

"Why do you like [insert movie title]?"

and they responds with things like

"Because its a classic"
"Because [the director] is a genius"
"It's considered one of the greatest movies"


I think too often people just like movies because they feel that they are supposed to like them, but then again, I'm venturing off the point of this topic, and I think I already discussed this in my 'New York' topic (where people felt they should like the movie because it was supposed to be important).

Originally posted by: Gossip Girl

This is the problem. People talk about all the "hard work" that gets put in the movie when the movie does not do well at the box office. Doesn't hard work apply in a really good movie as well? People justify, and give a lot of excuses for a terrible movie. I think deep down they are well aware that the movie is terrible. I don't see any reason to write words, such as, "Turn your brain off." The only reason they are defending the movie is because they are in love with it. Ignorance is bliss. We have every right to voice our thoughts be it positive or negative about a movie.

Some days I like brainless movies too, and I'm not afraid to admit it, while there are also other days I dislike movies that are defined as "good" since the masses loved them.

I agree.

People can like whatever crappy movies they want. But claiming it was never meant to be good in the first place does not make a movie void of criticism.

So now I can elaborate:

Like Rox said earlier, not all people are going to like the same films. People's tastes and sensibilities are different. Something might work for person A and does not for person B. Personally, I am extremely allergic to melodrama and I don't care much for action movies. Those are my preferences or biases even.

I actually like a good discussion on films and appreciate a back and forth exchange of what works for you and what works for me. Unfortunately what happens often is that people get defensive about their movie preferences and think that criticising a film they like is a personal attack on their being. And so you get lame defenses ranging from "This is a brainless film - turn your brain off - I go to see films to be entertained" or "this movie had a good message/was sincere/deals with a serious subject and that should be good enough for you" or "this film is too intelligent for your inept mind".

|"f enough people like a film, its good. Plain and simple."


What a dumb thing to say. If 8 million people say a stupid thing, it's still stupid.

I absolutely agree. Calling a film "non-brainer entertainer" is such a lame excuse to defend the film. And also how some say that "it was not supposed to be a masterpiece" or "Its not meant to be great work of art" or "its just a masala movie".....i mean does a masala film mean tht it takes the audience for granted and insults their intelligence with over the top hamming?
Films are meant to entertain and entertainment could be of any form, be it a comedy, action, drama, suspense, romance, horror...anything. An entertaining film is one which grips the viewer and involves him completely into the movie. Of course, every viewer has his/her own choice of fav films because wht might grip someone else, might bore u to death. Its just a matter of opinion.
But definately, throwing in some crude toilet humor, stupid jokes, a few "stars" and lame dance sequences does not translate into an entertaining movie....(not for me atleast). I was entertained more by Johnny Gaddar than by the so-called entertainers "Hey Babyy" or "Partner"

I also find most supposed "brainless entertainers" just brainless and very un-entertaining. That aside, I still am trying to figure out how to isolate my brain during a film so that enjoy these films .