What has happened to people? (1 Viewer)

I've been on IMDB for quite a while... and regarding the forums, I never really have liked it too much, but lately, it seems as if the atmosphere is almost strictly people who love to hate movies. People seem to have become so mean.

Great example is the latest Transformers movie. I know it wasn't the greatest movie, but it did what it was supposed to do. It was an entertaining blow out action movie.

Another example is Martian Child. Check out the forum for it on IMDB, it's FILLED with people talking about how the movie is crap. Personally, I thought Martian Child was really friggin' good.

I'm amazed. What has happened to people? Since when did it become so "cool" to hate everything. From music to movies to styles. It seems like people like to talk down about things that are huge because it makes them "different" and "edgy".

There is no conversation, it just "This movie sucks, you are an idiot for liking it" or "This movie is racist"

I'm an odd person, and I am most definitely a non-conformist, but I still love Transformers and Nickelback.

Maybe the reason people are bashing Transformers 2 is that it's a dumb, mindless, confusing, silly, over the top horrible movie. I think it's as simple as that. I hated it, and I know I'm not the only one. I'm sure there are people who do diss things and write scathing reviews because they think they sound cool, but for the most part, I agree with the reviews on Transformers 2. I hated that movie.

See Shad R... you kinda make my point... why do you have to be so hateful sounding? It's just a movie.

Jonny, your basic point in the OP is valid. A good example being people who hate things they've never even seen a hint of. You see a lot of that these days.

However, you wont win any arguments trying to claim Transformers was a good movie. That was the shittiest piece of shit that the shit farm ever shat. Its not a baseless opinion, people saw the film, and rationally concluded its awfulness. There's a difference between that and the sort of attitude based skepticism that's so prevalent these days.

It also doesn't mean you can't like it personally. I think Bad Boys II is Bay's masterpiece, but it wasn't well received. No point in pretending otherwise.

I understand a lot didn't like Transformers... I was just bringing it up as an example.

There are plenty that thought Dark Knight, Departed, and 2001 were crap.

My point is not really so much, what movies actually are good or bad... it's just this ridiculously negative attitude that people give off is just kind of sad.

In the words of my dad... "Whats wrong with everybody just being cool and getting along?"

I know what you mean Jonny. When I got on the internet about 11 years ago I was confronted with so much hate on movies that I and my movie-going friends thought were universally enjoyed by everyone, big summer blockbusters. They may not be of the calibre of Citizen Kane or 2001 but they were entertaining, why all the hate? I was shocked.

The IMDB is a good example, no film is left unscathed on their comment boards, and the more successful a movie is the more hate it receives.

We have haters on the HTF too, Transformers was a harmless bit of summer fluff and I enjoyed it, I'm looking forward to the DVD. When I read comments like "That was the shittiest piece of shit that the shit farm ever shat." than I get the impression that person can't possibly be more than 13 or 14 years of age, but I might be wrong, Zack?

A bad film worth avoiding to me is something like Gigli or Swept Away, but when it's a film about giant alien robots pounding each other into the dust and you go to see it knowing thats exactly what you're going to get, why the hate? The movie does what it says on the tin.

My usual explanation for this internet phenomenon is that most of the haters are unhappy, glum little nerds who need to get out more, find a girlfriend, and I stand by that.

Where it gets interesting is when a movie like Wolverine or Terminator 4 or Transformers 2 arrives on DVD a lot of these 'haters' will be scrambling to buy it, tripping over each other to be the first to own it, with some excuse that its "for me dad" or "my sisters kid" or even "well I liked the first so I should get this too". [sniggers]

And thats my rant of the day.

As Zack said, there are two separate points here - (i) whether there is unfair criticism on the net and (ii) whether it's unfair to slam Transformers. The first is a factual "yes" the second is an opinion that seems to be held by many. They're different points and shouldn't be confused.

There are tons of reasons why people like to bash movies, and every other subject matter, on the net. Anonymity, seeing nobodies turn blogs into profitable careers, get a rise out of people, etc. It's just the way it is now. Find a place where the collection of people are more open minded (like the HTF generally) and move on. Forums evolve when the people posting in them grow, leave, change, etc. Most don't last forever, but the HTF has had great longevity as many of the admins, owners and posters here are fair minded.

As for the other point that "Transformers did what it was supposed to do," did it really? Is it ok to hold it to a lower standard? The Pixar films, Batman Begins, Spiderman and a number of other action films or films targeted at younger audiences have proven that action films and kids films can be made with a good story. The bar has been raised.

Originally Posted by SoldanoCrush

I understand a lot didn't like Transformers... I was just bringing it up as an example.

There are plenty that thought Dark Knight, Departed, and 2001 were crap.

My point is not really so much, what movies actually are good or bad... it's just this ridiculously negative attitude that people give off is just kind of sad.

In the words of my dad... "Whats wrong with everybody just being cool and getting along?"

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I only feel The Departed is crap since it doesn't hold a candle to the Infernal Affairs Trilogy and Scorsese should've received his Oscar for a different picture. Just my two cents.

I see your point, Jonny. It's not just that people dislike a movie, it's the vitriol with which they seem to attack it and others who do like it. It's the exuberance of their scorn that's sometimes troubling. Not to mention the extent of their analysis is coming up with colorfully profane ways to rewrite the phrase, "it sucks". They can't say why it did, or analyze the film's flaws or accomplishments in intelligent terms, all they can do is invent new adjectives that typically are synonymous with excrement because they mistake it for cleverness.

Why do they do this? I honestly think it's an age thing. The people posting on IMDB seem to be adolescents to early adults. That's the time period in a person's life that they feel the need to rebel against "the norm" to develop their individuality. The trick is, they feel the need to announce these new found traits at the top of their lungs. Hence, it's why you get very nasty opinions about pop culture, and why they cling to discussion boards to do it. If you disagree with their opinion, then you are disparaging their new found individuality and in their mind's framework insulting their deepest held beliefs. In time, as these people mature, they will become more educated in school or through life, learn to make better conclusions and form smarter opinions, and will lose the inclination to vilify others who disagree with them. They'll learn individuality begins with taste in pop culture, but does not end there. They'll eventually learn to value wisdom over cleverness. In short, they'll grow up.

Originally Posted by SoldanoCrush

I've been on IMDB for quite a while...

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How long has it been?

Originally Posted by Chad R

I see your point, Jonny. It's not just that people dislike a movie, it's the vitriol with which they seem to attack it and others who do like it.

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It does take a weird turn when people seem to take a movie and its fans as a personal insult. What do I care if Steve or Jonny like Transformers 2? Is my life going to improve if I convince someone that it was a terrible movie?

I'm not saying that anyone here is doing that type of thing, I'm talking more about the bottom feeding losers at IMDB or Aint It Cool where the person that screams the loudest and angriest is the 'winner' of the debate.

It's not just the internet. A lot of "professional" critics are no better.

The fact is that it's hard work to analyze a film thoughtfully and express those thoughts clearly. Being snarky is a lot easier, and most people are lazy. That's nothing new, but the internet brings it up close and personal.

The difference is professional critics are often more entertaining when putting their distaste into words, one of my favourites (on Transformers 2) - "a cacophonous series of explosions intermittently interrupted by needless dialogue".

Originally Posted by Steve Christou

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My, such an intense expression of disdain ("hatred") for the "haters". Easily matching the disdain people have for certain movies. The pot's pretty black here. I've seen some quite articulate critiques of Transformers and why it's a bad movie (and yes, it does seem to be a strange defense to say "yeah, but it succeeds at being a bad movie!"). Sort of like the difference between saying one hates foreign films and saying one hates bad foreign films.

Originally Posted by Steve Christou


We have haters on the HTF too, Transformers was a harmless bit of summer fluff and I enjoyed it, I'm looking forward to the DVD. When I read comments like "That was the shittiest piece of shit that the shit farm ever shat." than I get the impression that person can't possibly be more than 13 or 14 years of age, but I might be wrong, Zack?

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That's odd, when someone says they liked "Transformers 2" I get the impression they can't be more than 13 or 14 years old. Weird.

It's not only the Internet it's around in real life too. Example: While talking on the phone with an old friend we got onto the subject of the movies of Summer 2008. He said he thought The Dark Knight was the best comics movie ever. I said I still thought Superman was the best. He proceeded to roll right over my "I liked TDK too" and called the movie gay, me gay, Christopher Reeve gay, stupid because he couldn't stay on his horse, and that Superman Returns was better. To that I just said "Hmm" and managed to end the call about then. I don't comment on films anymore much, either in life or on HTF, I'm tired of being told I'm dumb or I didn't get it. I like what I like/You like what You like. Savvy?

Originally Posted by Steve Christou /forum/thread/290230/what-has-happened-to-people#post_3583284

Originally Posted by Michael Reuben /forum/thread/290230/what-has-happened-to-people#post_3583362

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It's as easy as using the "deeper, wider soundstage", "more focused midrange", and "superior microdynamics" type phrases thrown about in the High End audio subjectivist mags.


Edited by RobertR - 7/12/2009 at 07:51 pm GMT