On a different note
Jul 2nd, 2009 by Jared
A few days ago I saw Transformers 2, and began to suspect something - I don’t think I have the ability to tell a bad film from a good one. All the reviews from sites I trust lead me to believe I would hate this film. The mere fact that these are not the Transformers I grew up with should be reason enough for me to hate both films. But reviews be damned, it’s up to everyone to make up their own minds, and I ended up enjoying every bit of it. Even the twins. I do wish some concepts, like Arcee’s “one mind, three bodies”, were explored in more detail (or ANY detail), but the film was already running long…
Is it a great film? Hell no! But it is a fun one.
And that’s where I got thinking. Since I like “good” and “bad” films almost equally, the 5-star or thumbs up/down rating systems just don’t cut it. I’d like something more descriptive. This is what I’ve come up with so far -
These are all pretty self-explanatory, and some can apply to good and bad films alike -
Fun - Any film that is just fun to watch, even if you have to completely shut your brain off. Probably the most forgiving category.
Boring - There are many great films that I likely will never see, simply because I know I’ll be bored.
Stimulating - These are more expertly crafted, subtle, cerebral, or intense. Mysteries, thrillers, documentaries… films that either open your mind, or keep you guessing until all is revealed.
Annoying - 90% of so-called “children’s entertainment”. Teen dance competition films. Most modern spoof films. Pretty much any film that you can tell is completely insulting to even the lowest intellect, just from glimpsing the trailer.
Why the hell did they even make this? - These are something special. These are any film that defies all logic or reason, leaving you wondering how it ever even got made, much less released. These would normally fall into any of the other categories, but they have an extra level of insanity that sets them apart.
If I were to add a sixth category, it might be “No, thanks“. These might be those films you hear so many great things about, but for one reason or another you just have no desire to see, ever.
















