The Cleansing....
So, every year I have a routine I go through. I always look at the releases in january to March, and try to find a film that I know will be bad. Then I make a commitment to go and see this film. There is a very valid reason for this torment I place upon myself each year, however. When i go to see the chosen film, one of two things will happen. Either I am surprised to find it was mis-sold in teh trailers, and is actually a pretty decent film, or it is as bad as feared and I thereby get something to base the rest of the output of the year against.
Think about that for a moment. We know that the majority of summertime blockbusters will be, at best, average films. They will be filled with big names, explosions, and unoriginal plotlines. Wisecracking lead heroes will rescue the feisty damsel in distress, and when you analyse them in detail the films are just hollow, empty and vacuous time-wasters when contrasted with the quality that is served up on the run-up to 'Awards Season' (January to March). By seeing a rubbish film early on in the year, I find I can enjoy the simplicity of the average films so much more later on.
If, like some people, you go out of your way to only watch critically acclaimed films, then you will inevitably become something of a film-snob - and there is nothing worse than someone who looks down on films such as Death Race, refusing to even watch it once as it is "brainless fodder" (I enjoy Death Race for what it is - bloody, brutal and fun). If there is one person I hate talking to about films it is a 'snob'. Their total refusal to even risk the possibility that they will enjoy an 'effects driven' film, and sneering attitude towards 'Hollywood output' sometimes makes me want to smack them hard with a wet fish! For these people, if it isn't in Polish, and exploring the intricacies of emotional distress in the modern era, then it isn't worthy of watching. These are the people who will cry out that a film which spends 4 hours watching paint dry is, "artistically crafted to make us analyse ourselves". No it isn't...it is crafted to make pretentious dicks spend money on crap!
Film is, and always has been, designed for entertainment. Sometimes I want heavy drama, sometimes i just want eye-candy. So, by doing an annual 'cleansing' and reminding myself how bad a film can be, it lets me enjoy the rest of the year a lot more than if I cherry picked the 'quality'. Heck, last year I enjoyed Pirates 4, even though i know inside it was a bit poop. Why did I enjoy it? BEcause I had the misfortune of watching Sucker Punch, that's why!
Rant over - here's to a great year ahead!
(BTW: I also have a 'Sandler' rule, whereby I must see an Adam Sandler film every couple of years to base my dislike of him on. Past few occasions have seen me actually enjoy his work - but those were his semi-serious roles such as in Funny People, Reign Over Me, and Punch Drunk Love. This year, I have 2 to choose from...and both are 'comedies'. I fear!)