It is, after all, MY blog (2004)

I’ve come under some recent criticism concerning my taste in movies. These comments have referred to both my personal collection of movies, and the movies I choose the review for this site. Normally, I would take no mind of comments such as these, but, because they have been directed at me thrice, I will address them.

Obviously this site is in the spirit of my beliefs. As I have said in the past, my goal here is to bring to you movies that I feel you should (and some that you should not) see. Yes, I tend to steer away from big Hollywood blockbusters or highly critically acclaimed “I’d like to thank the Academy” movies.

I lean this way for various reasons.
1) You probably already know all that you need to know about movies like that. It’s not that I haven’t talked about blockbusters before (e.g. Troy), and it’s not that I won’t again (e.g. King Arthur). But generally speaking, I do not believe that my opinion of such movies makes any difference.
2) What comments could I possibly add to the reams of accolades about certain films? What insight could I have about, for example, The Godfather, that hasn’t already been dissected and disseminated?
3) Chances are that movies/films like those are among your favourites. You probably enjoy quite a few movies like Spiderman or Lord of the Rings. I do not think that you want/would appreciate to hear my opinion of either of the above.
4) Movies/films like that are not what I strive to comment on here.

This is definitely pretentious: I want to tell you, for the most part, about movies that you might otherwise never hear about.

Look, I’m not under the impression that I write a favourable review, and you, gentle reader, run right out and rent the darn thing. I will tell you what I hope for. I hope, that on some distant evening, while wondering the aisles of Blockbuster, Roger’s, or your local library (places that make even the most decisive and opinionated of people simply shrug their shoulders), you might see a video that I raved about, and you might consider getting it. I don’t anticipate that you will; I want to believe that you would think about it.

Here are the three things I know when it comes to all forms of art, high and low:
1) As my mom always said, “There’s no accounting for taste.” People like what they like, and they dislike what they dislike. Nothing could be more reasonable.
2) Everyone thinks they have good taste. The problem with that is that people automatically assume that because they like something it’s good. I always thought the key to having good taste was to realize that liking something had little influence on its quality.
3) When it comes to criticism, there is a shift. You can still like whatever you want, and you are now forced to admit it. The basic idea is that you can still like something that is “bad”, but you have to be in a position where you can openly say that it is “bad”. Movies like that are what I call guilty pleasures.

I’m not running around here with a journalistic sense of impartiality (not that journalists always are). I know I have a bias. I have a bias about what movies that I review based on what movies I see. I am biased about what movies I see based on personal tastes. I will not, I wager, ever see Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed .

And that’s my prerogative. I have no desire to see that movie, so I won’t.

Now about my personal collection. Movies that you own are very different than movies that you see. In fact, I might even see a movie more than once but never actually purchase it. I might really, really like a movie but still not own it.

The deal with owning movies is that they have to be movies that you want to see again and again. They have to be movies that, for example, can cheer you up when you are feeling down or let you have a good cry.

I know what I am about to say is going to make me seem like I belong in a mental institution, but I’m going for it anyway: Movies that you own, that you actually choose to pay for, are like old friends. There is something comforting and free from judgement about them. You like having them around. When they are on, you are glad.

So, yes, I am insane. That’s not a newsflash.

Consider this my manifesto. The comments box is there for a reason. You can agree or disagree with my opinions about movies, actors, directors, screenwriters, or composers. You can tell me what you think in no uncertain terms. You can suggest movies that you think I should review. I'll probably even get around to watching them. I'm game for all of that.

But I am not game for you telling me what movies I should and should not review. This is my site, and here we play by my rules.