People who hate "serious" movies

I got into a spirited debate with a friend over the weekend after we talked about the movie "Nebraska." I was saying how much I loved that movie and other films similar to it. My friend rolled her eyes saying that I tended to like serious movies that were usually dull and too dry. "I watch a movie to escape reality--not be bummed out by real life!" she said.

I found this to be a strange comment. To me, a film that is based on reality has just the same ability to provide an escape just as a superhero movie. Just because it's not happening in far off galaxy or has wizards and trolls doesn't take away it's ability to put someone somewhere else.

Does anyone know someone like this or perhaps can relate to this? Of course everyone has different likes on what they like in films but I know a few people like this and figure there would be some on this board who could speak on the subject too. I'm curious on the psychology of different fans of films. Are people who like light hearted adventures usually upbeat happy people who like to stay away from sad/dark films while people who enjoy smaller, quieter films based on reality to be more moody/serious people? The same thing can happen in music. I know people that generally listen to mostly upbeat music and almost never any "sad" dark songs. I figure there is a parallel here.

Any thoughts?

 

My wife is like that. If it's time to chose a movie her first choice id always a lighthearted romance or romantic comedy. We pretty much take turns picking movies as I'm always looking for movies with dialog.

 

Yep. Give me a well thought out plot with smart dialogue and I'm a happy guy. I don't need rom-coms. Don't need car chases. And I don't need explosions.

 

Depends on my mood. Sometimes I want a fun, popcorn Flick, sometimes I want a smart, compelling drama, Hell, even a stupid comedy or action flick can be fun. It just has to be done well.
Ultimately, I think a balance should be had, as with music and anything else in life.

 

I don't think the two realms (music vs film) overlap necessarily. Personally, when I listen to music I want it to be be upbeat, something you can move to, tap your foot to or sing along with. Not exclusively so of course, but generally.

For films, I appreciate a quality comedy or romcom (hard to come by these days), but won't watch anything which requires you to check your brain at the door (not hard to come by these days). I'll take substance over style every time.

 

yes, I have a few friends that will not watch a movie with a tragic ending...I feel differently I see it as just a movie...unless it's a true documentary...

 

A lot of people have that same reaction. Lots of people over the years stated the same thing. The phrase "brain-dead entertainment" is how I describe Hollywood movies of today. All CGI with no good script or acting. Just awful but people eat it up.

After a long hard day at the office, most people couldn't care any less about how good a script is. Put a bunch of explosions and drench the movie in CGI. That's all it takes.

Personally, I like movies to tell an actual story that hasn't been told a million times and where you can see the money was spent getting a good script, actors, and director. Any two-bit director can create a CGI commercial. Those aren't for me.

 

Unfortunately the audience for serious movies isn't served well by Hollywood, partly because theater owners don't make much money unless a movie runs for a while (i.e., the first week or so most of the revenue goes to the studio)--so it's far more profitable to run stupid stuff like Fast and Furious XVII than Kirosawa's Ran.

Sometimes it's worth it to organize a film society to show classic films; if there is such an organization in your area, it would make sense to support it just to keep good films coming to your area.

 

I'm kind of a person like you describe. I only like serious films that have some of 'fantastic' element or something I wouldn't experience in everyday life, like Blade Runner or The Godfather films or Silence of the Lambs. A lot of 'serious' movies, especially those made in the 1970s, just strike me as too slow paced, too verbose, and not exciting. I don't need big explosions or this or that but...A movie needs to get going, to not drag, and to take me away from real life to enjoy it. Maybe I have simple tastes; I don't know; but it's just what I enjoy.

As far as dark/moody goes, it depends on how its presented. A film like Blade Runner could be considered bleak and dystopian but I find the tone is subtle enough to be enjoyable, whereas a film like The Dark Knight hits you over the head with its darkness and gloominess; it feels like an attempt to be edgy, which I pretty much despise in movies (Couldn't get into Fight Club for that reason). That's not to say every superhero film needs to be stupid like Batman & Robin, but when it comes to those movies, films that got it right for me are the Burton Batman films, or Marvel's lineup of films.

 

I typically hate people who hate serious movies.

 

We need a little less hate in this world.

 

Learn to embrace it. It's the new reality. No going back.

 

After years of pleading with me about 'I like funny', the wife has finally resigned herself that a majority of funny movies are either directed at teenage boys, aren't funny, or just dumb.
Funny to people around 60 is not what Hollywood cares about. I'm always on the lookout for something funny for mature people that doesn't involve snickering at nudity.

Years ago, people she worked with told her about two really good comedies: The White Dog and Fried Green Tomatoes. She quickly realized that the folks who said they were comedies had screws loose.

 

I think it depends on how people view movies. For some people, they are just escapist fun, while others are seriously interested the art of film making. I mainly prefer serious movies, but I can also occasionally enjoy dumb action or comedy movies. I totally understand why someone would dislike The Godfather or Taxi Driver, the same way I have no desire to watch the latest comedies or romance movies.

 

I kind of fall into that camp, though, honestly, I'm not a big fan of movies in general. I find today's superhero/sci-fi explosion fests literally get on my nerves, as in they make me jumpy. I haven't paid to see a comedy in over a decade. Never did like dramas, especially ones with graphic violence.

I do like quirky or warped movies, though. Cohen Brothers or John Waters.

 

If you never go "there", you don't have to worry about going back.

 

have you looked into Martin McDonagh?

 

My inlaws don't read, don't go to any movies, and don't listen to music. I think they must be zombies.

 

You just gotta accept that different people expect different things from their movies.

My father wouldn't watch movies at all. Zero interest and he thought I was nuts to even bother with them. Little less anything crazy like actually knowing the director's name. Of course, he also had no time for music or books and actively avoided the news.

My mother would occasionally give them a try, but she rarely ever watched a film all the way through. About half an hour was pretty much her maximum. Mostly she liked pretty dresses and the more colorful, the better. She's get very annoyed if she couldn't relate to the characters. If anyone was gay, or black, or Italian or teenage or , well, anything that wasn't her, she'd lose all interest immediately, For her, films were supposed to reflect her life. Why should she watch something she couldn't relate to? Even the very idea of trying to expose yourself to how others live was an alien concept that just made her angry. There were very few movies that fit into the narrow confines of what made her comfortable, so she just (wisely, I guess) ignored them.

My sister liked movies, but classified everything into "exciting" or "boring." An exciting movie was good - a boring movie was bad. Didn't seem to matter to her whether it was artistically significant or intelligent or creative in any way. And a lot of my favorite films are boring! - for me, it wasn't a criticism so much as a description. Heck, pretty much all of Tarkovsky's movies are boring; that's part of their charm. And most of what she thought of as exciting I found to be enervating. I bet she loves everything Michael Bay has put out.

 

Not quite the same thing but my boss once said about foreign films, "if it was any good, it would've been made in English"...I wanted to punch him in the face.

 

Your friend is missing out. Nebraska is a great movie with several very funny parts.

 

Hey Audiomixer. Might we be related?

 

My long lost twin brother?!?