Can I ask an honest question?

[Boom]

I was just having a discussion with another member, and I wanted to get some feedback from people.

With every new year comes new high-profile films - each with built-in fanbases. And every year, arguments are started over which film is going to make the most money, and which film is going to be the best-received by critics. No matter how they start, these arguments inevitably end in the same result: the fans pit these movies against each other.

I just want to ask a few honest, simple questions.

Why are fans so deeply invested in how well their film does at the box office?
Why do fans care so much what the critics think?
Why do fans insist on pitting these films against each other - whether they're in direct competition or not?

Why does any of this really matter? For the life of me, I cannot figure it out.

Sometimes, it honestly seems like people care more about what others think than they do about their own opinions.

 

[Soapy]

I think it's just basic human behavior at work. People get invested in a movie, and they want it to do really well commercially and get great reviews because if not, they fear others will think they're stupid or uncool or have bad taste. Though ironically, when a movie does too well financially, like Avatar for instance or even The Dark Knight, it loops back around and becomes unfashionable to like. No one likes to look dumb, and everyone wants to be "right".

People pit their preferred movies against one another because most people think their tastes and opinions are infallible. "I think Movie X looks cool, so obviously it's going to crush Movie Z at the box office and critics are going to love it." Also, most people just enjoy competition, no matter how ****ing ridiculous it is. They like to make dick-measuring contest out of damn near anything.

tldr: People are stupid and do stupid things.

Fortunately there are at least a few of us sane ones on the internet.

 

[weezerspider]

I think it's just basic human behavior at work. People get invested in a movie, and they want it to do really well commercially and get great reviews because if not, they fear others will think they're stupid or uncool or have bad taste. Though ironically, when a movie does too well financially, like Avatar for instance or even The Dark Knight, it loops back around and becomes unfashionable to like. No one likes to look dumb, and everyone wants to be "right".

People pit their preferred movies against one another because most people think their tastes and opinions are infallible. "I think Movie X looks cool, so obviously it's going to crush Movie Z at the box office and critics are going to love it." Also, most people just enjoy competition, no matter how ****ing ridiculous it is. They like to make dick-measuring contest out of damn near anything.

tldr: People are stupid and do stupid things.

Fortunately there are at least a few of us sane ones on the internet.

I agree with most of what you say. I will add that the reason many people care about B.O. numbers, especially on this board with so much comic book adaption talk, is because a lot of the films we discuss have the options for sequels and fans of the films want sequels, which typically don't get made for films which make no money. For example, I'm rooting for Tintin to be financially successful because I want them to make the sequels. Now getting in fights with other members about B.O. numbers is pretty stupid, but simply wanting your film to do well has no harm, and IMO, a lot of it comes from the desire for sequels or for a certain director or actor to get recognized so they can get more roles/projects,that kind of thing.

 

[The Morningstar]

Validation mainly. People want to be validated for liking a film by it making loads of money or winning awards etc.

 

[Soapy]

I agree with most of what you say. I will add that the reason many people care about B.O. numbers, especially on this board with so much comic book adaption talk, is because a lot of the films we discuss have the options for sequels and fans of the films want sequels, which typically don't get made for films which make no money. For example, I'm rooting for Tintin to be financially successful because I want them to make the sequels. Now getting in fights with other members about B.O. numbers is pretty stupid, but simply wanting your film to do well has no harm, and IMO, a lot of it comes from the desire for sequels or for a certain director or actor to get recognized so they can get more roles/projects,that kind of thing.

I think wanting a film to succeed so it will get sequels falls into the "sane people" column. :P

 

[weezerspider]

I think wanting a film to succeed so it will get sequels falls into the "sane people" column. :P

I most certainly agree. I also think its natural instinct to want something you like to be successful. I loved TDK and rooted for it to break numbers simply because I liked it. I had no intentions of stuffing it down Spiderman fans throats.

 

[Soapy]

I wasn't trying to say that someone wanting a movie to succeed automatically makes them an idiot or whatever. Not in the slightest. I was just saying there are very good reasons and then are stupid reasons. Excruciatingly, painfully, mind-bogglingly stupid fanboy reasons. Unfortunately I feel like most people choose the latter path.

 

[Asgard]

Why are fans so deeply invested in how well their film does at the box office?

Why do fans care so much what the critics think?
Why do fans insist on pitting these films against each other - whether they're in direct competition or not?

Why does any of this really matter? For the life of me, I cannot figure it out.

Sometimes, it honestly seems like people care more about what others think than they do about their own opinions.

Its a dick measuring contest. Thats all it boils down to. These guys attach themselves to one movie or another for any myriad of reasons no matter how trivial and use that movie's success to "pwn" posters who are similarly attached to some other movie.

I agree that its stupid and whenever I read posts from people bragging that "their" movie is making more money or has better reviews or has better crowd reactions or better action than another movie I just have to laugh at the stupidity.

 

[weezerspider]

I wasn't trying to say that someone wanting a movie to succeed automatically makes them an idiot or whatever. Not in the slightest. I was just saying there are very good reasons and then are stupid reasons. Excruciatingly, painfully, mind-bogglingly stupid fanboy reasons. Unfortunately I feel like most people choose the latter path.

Yeah I got that. I didn't think you were saying all reasons were stupid. I was just adding another reason on the "not so stupid" list. That said, even that one doesn't really matter. The only reason that actually matters is the sequel thing. All of the other reasons have no effect on one's enjoyment of the film.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I dont see the point in it either, if I like a movie, I want it to do well at the BO so we can see a sequel and more of the same universe/characters, but I dont put them in competition with each other.

 

[kickass]

Because people DO care more about what others think than their own opinions. Anyone who denies this is a liar.

 

[Lencho01]

Validation mainly. People want to be validated for liking a film by it making loads of money or winning awards etc.

Yep.

 

[C. Lee]

Personally...it would be nice if the things I liked were financially successful and loved by the world....but it doesn't bother me when they aren't. If I like something...I like it and that's good enough for me.

Too many others get into either, as some have said, a pissing contest or they are insecure and NEED the validation that the thing they like is loved by others.

 

[C. Lee]

Because people DO care more about what others think than their own opinions. Anyone who denies this is a liar.

You just called me a liar. That's not nice. If you know of me from this site...you will know that I really do not care if others don't like my opinions on movies, TV shows, books, etc. I very rarely like what the majority here loves....and I very rarely dislike what everyone else hates with the passion of a thousand blazing suns. As I just said in my previous post...it would be nice if more people agreed with my likes and dislikes (simply because I could have some civil intelligent conversations about things without all the standard rude immature responses from those who feel it's their duty in life to tell me my opinion is wrong) but it doesn't ruin my day in the slightest if they don't.

 

[OsGom]

It is a validation of personal taste. This is especially important for the "socially challenged". Fanboys get excited when their individual niches appeal to the mainstream and most believe the the measuring stick for that success is $$$. Mainstream success also implies that they have not wasted their life devoting themselves to a specific religion of entertainment.

Personally I don't care so much about the money but the ultimate quality of the project. If it makes money that's great, but Scott Pilgrim was a total flop and yet I believe it is one of the finest comicbook adaptations ever.

 

[chaseter]

I care how much a movie makes that I like because it rewards the creative team behind it and it increases the chances of a sequel or another movie from the same creative team.

 

[Secret Fawful]

When I see merit in something, or don't, I tend to want others to be able to at least see the logic in my POV. When they can't, I genuinely can't understand it, unless they explain it well, but if they can't, I tend to get upset about it.

 

[BillPardy]

Because, when people criticized me for reading comics, I couldn't convince them to read a comic and actually form an opinion, based on some kind of knowledge of subject. But, they could, and would watch the movie, and if they liked it, or were shocked by the content in some way, then maybe they'd realize this media that they completely shrugged off, was in fact full of substance.

Which is why I say to every one, that watched and loved TDK, but refuses to read the comics. Go eat a dick. Or to everyone that thinks the Walking Dead is the greatest show on television, but wont be bothered with the comic, go eat a dick.
Speaking of none comic movies, movies where the general audience has no knowledge of the creative team behind it, as far as director, or writer, and have no ability to think of a film's content in a TRULY critical way, and cannot be bothered to use their brain while viewing the piece, they too can eat a dick.

 

[terry78]

If no one else likes what you like, as confident or "I don't give a crap" you may be, subconsciously everyone wonders if they're the one that's wrong if no one else agrees with it. Nobody is THAT confident.

 

[Banes_Dealer]

For me, it's a matter of seeing chances get taken. When "Fight Club" came out it 99, it initially bombed at the box office. They didn't make another great offbeat movie with an unhappy ending for 10 years until "Repo Men" came out in 09, another ending with a "F**k you to the fans" unhappy ending. It tanked at the box office also. The next offbeat movie will come around 2019, and all because the studios see flicks like that lose major coin and it scares them off for YEARS. For me, that's the main reason we see so many remakes and nostalgia BULLS**T movies with no heart or new ideas, because of ticket sales. That's the only reason the B.O. figures mean a fiddler's f**k to me.


...And thank god for NOLAN. Had the bat movies not made a dumpster full of hundred dollar bills, Prestige and Inception would be a written screenplay gathering dust in a desk drawer somewhere. It's merely my opinion, but it's how I see it.

 

[BillPardy]

For me, it's a matter of seeing chances get taken. When "Fight Club" came out it 99, it initially bombed at the box office. They didn't make another great offbeat movie with an unhappy ending for 10 years until "Repo Men" came out in 09, another ending with a "F**k you to the fans" unhappy ending. It tanked at the box office also. The next offbeat movie will come around 2019, and all because the studios see flicks like that lose major coin and it scares them off for YEARS. For me, that's the main reason we see so many remakes and nostalgia BULLS**T movies with no heart or new ideas, because of ticket sales. That's the only reason the B.O. figures mean a fiddler's f**k to me.

Thats exactly it. If I was forking up the money to make a movie (money that realistically, I wont make back, then I'm putting it into a safe bet. Which is a TESTED property, a remake, sequel, or adaptation, something with a fan base that will translate into sales. It has nothing to do with there being, "No original idea's left in the film industry." it has to do with smart spending for the producers.
Because idea's that are to original, are scary, and as much as people say they want change, what they really like is the idea of change. As comic fans, we should all know this, because as soon as one of our favorite characters changes to much, we lose our heads.

 

[Banes_Dealer]

Thats exactly it. If I was forking up the money to make a movie (money that realistically, I wont make back, then I'm putting it into a safe bet. Which is a TESTED property, a remake, sequel, or adaptation, something with a fan base that will translate into sales. It has nothing to do with there being, "No original idea's left in the film industry." it has to do with smart spending for the producers.
Because idea's that are to original, are scary, and as much as people say they want change, what they really like is the idea of change. As comic fans, we should all know this, because as soon as one of our favorite characters changes to much, we lose our heads.

God I am so glad you are in agreement. I was hesitant to post that for fear of people telling me I was full of it. But I look at the box office and I see yet another footloose remake or another Alvin and the chipmunks movie and I think "Jesus Christ, come on Hollywood". My hat goes off to ideas that are unheard of, for example Cowboys & Aliens, Inception, and the upcoming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and I think to myself "Man, at least they're taking CHANCES." Good films or not, at least it's new and fresh and you haven't seen it thirty times before with a different title, you know?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

There is no one reason. Why people care or invest their feelings into a film is all personal, as is how they handle the hype and other people's opinion of it.

 

[cherokeesam]

E-peen

[YT]CCd_b4vWdzQ&feature=related[/YT]

 

[The Dark Defender]

Caring about reception/box office/awards for the sake of future sequels and seeing more films like the films you love is perfectly understandable.

However, if it's simply a discussion of basic quality, I don't think those things should even be brought up. I consider them to be irrelevant. I think each individual should be able to argue their point about good/bad they feel a film is without having to even bring up what anyone else thinks or throwing around statistics, and when it comes to film quality, there's really no reason to care about what anyone else thinks.

I consider the old bandwagon fallacy or "this movie is great because it won a bunch of awards...this movie is great because critics said so" to be one of the worst arguments in the world.