# Dumbest reasons to dislike a movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041 "2009-05-11T15:59:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/81 "2009-05-12T05:58:10Z")
Any movie wth Jane Fonda because she’s a pinko. (My Dad.) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/82 "2009-05-12T06:50:28Z")
> [@Reepicheep](#): > > OK this is not a movie but a TV show. I hate _Walker, Texas Ranger_, not because it’s a bad show (which it may be, I’ve only seen two episodes). I hate it because they canceled Raven, and put WTR in the timeslot. I liked Raven. Hell, I still hate televised football—not that I was ever a fan to begin with—because they preempted the second part of a _Sonic the Hedgehog_ cliffhanger in 1994. It was the _good_ Sonic series, too, not the crappy slapstick one. [TV.com](http://TV.com) gives the episode airdate as Saturday, October 8th—anyone remember who was playing that day that the San Francisco ABC affiliate would’ve broadcast? I promise [del]my minions will unleash Earthly perdition undreamed[/del] I’m all over it, now, and I’m just curious. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/83 "2009-05-12T08:52:03Z")
> [@runcible\_spoon](#): > > If I’m remembering that correctly, they were taking that as a sign that the movie would be sub-par, not a reason to dislike the movie itself. > > Actually, quite similar to the whole genre-thing - there is, in my mind, a rather large difference between something being a cause of scorn and just a red flag. As another example, [movies produced by the Sci Fi channel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sci_Fi_Pictures_original_films) are covered in red flags to me - generally speaking, I wouldn’t hesitate to say, “I dislike Sci Fi channel movies”, even though i haven’t seen them all (or many, thank god) and can’t rule out the existence of a hidden gem or two. I have to agree about Sci Fi channel movies. All the ones I’ve seen seem to be heavy on the horror or monster genre, and light on the scifi. Still, I did sort of like the Langoliers. (Yes, it was still light on the Scifi, but it pulled off horror without making me too squicky.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/84 "2009-05-12T11:43:42Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > To add a gripe to the list, and a comtroversial one at that, I am annoyed when people demand slavish devotion to source material. > [@commasense](#): > > Lots of people here won’t go to movies by or starring certain people because they disapprove of some aspect of their personal lives These are the two I agree with the most. I grew up on Star Trek and comicbooks. I can still enjoy movies based on both if they are enjoyable, even if they don’t closely follow the source. Who cares, it’s a separate work that should be judged on its own merits (if it has any). I am aware of the personal lives of stars. I do read the internets. But when I am sitting down to watch a movie I don’t care about that. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/85 "2009-05-12T11:52:05Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Hell, I still hate televised football—not that I was ever a fan to begin with—because they preempted the second part of a _Sonic the Hedgehog_ cliffhanger in 1994. > > It was the _good_ Sonic series, too, not the crappy slapstick one. [TV.com](http://TV.com) gives the episode airdate as Saturday, October 8th—anyone remember who was playing that day that the San Francisco ABC affiliate would’ve broadcast? I promise [del]my minions will unleash Earthly perdition undreamed[/del] I’m all over it, now, and I’m just curious. Feel free to watch the NFL. October 8th was a saturday. If it was football it had to be college. San Francisco played Detroit on the 9th. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/86 "2009-05-12T12:37:43Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I took **Mahaloth** to be vexed by people who dismiss a show sight unseen based only on the genre rather than its merits. Exactly my point, and better phrased than me. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/87 "2009-05-12T13:08:22Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > This is true. But it is also not what **Knorf** is talking about. Maybe I misunderstood, but I got the feeling that he was implying that pretentious isn’t a valid assessment of a movie and that anyone who asserts that is too stupid to have understood it. I think that yes, some movies are “pretentious” and that is a perfectly valid reason to dislike it if a person doesn’t go in for that sort of thing. And no, I can’t really think of an example of something\* I\* find pretentious but a lot of people thought \*\*Crash \*\*was . I can absolutely see why someone would think that, even if it didn’t strike me that way. It wouldn’t occur to me to think they’re some numpty who simply didn’t “get” it. Hell, it aint that complex. **Cisco** also gave a good example with **Doubt**. I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, despite the fact that I was always very aware that Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Streep are great ACTors! practising their CRAFT! I can see how some would not enjoy that kind of thing and indeed find it a little high falutin’. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/88 "2009-05-12T13:12:59Z")
I’m one of those who has said in the past that I don’t watch black and white movies. To me, I would be happy if every movie was Color by Technicolor (watches all of the movie buffs recoil in horror) However, as in the case of romantic comedies and SciFi movies, that doesn’t mean I _never_ watch a black and white…I just select them much more carefully. I freakin love the Seven Samurai, it’s one of my all-time favorite movies, hands-down. I really loved Roman Holiday. There’s one I had wished sooooo much it was in color it hurt. I wanted to see her beautiful dresses in color, plus Audrey was just so sweet. And of course Young Frankenstein. Currently I am watching Nosferatu, which is even more than b&w - it’s silent! My first silent film ever, barring the little shorts we used to get in Bugs Bunny - anybody remember those? So while I certainly make exceptions, it’s not frequent. Same goes for romantic comedies, barring a select few. They are even worse than black and white. Blah. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/89 "2009-05-12T13:18:14Z")
Fight Club - “I was expecting it to be a stupid action movie”. This is someone I was discussing what Cronenbergs Naked Lunch was about. And yet, he can’t accept that not all films are literal versions of their title… ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/90 "2009-05-12T13:32:48Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I took **Mahaloth** to be vexed by people who dismiss a show sight unseen based only on the genre rather than its merits. Not to be contrary _again_ (sorry all; not trying to dis anyone’s opinions, I just enjoy discussing this topic) but why would anyone see something of a genre they know they don’t like? If your granny says she doesn’t care for horror you’re not going to expect her to see Saw V because it’s different from the first four 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/91 "2009-05-12T13:35:03Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I didn’t like _Godfather_ because it insisted on itself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/92 "2009-05-12T13:56:28Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Not to be contrary _again_ (sorry all; not trying to dis anyone’s opinions, I just enjoy discussing this topic) but why would anyone see something of a genre they know they don’t like? If your granny says she doesn’t care for horror you’re not going to expect her to see Saw V because it’s different from the first four 😕 Because absolutes are rare. To use myself as an example, I hate musicals and Westerns, and don’t really like horror either, but _Once More With Feeling_ was a wonderful musical written by a writer I love so I enjoyed it; _Tombstone_, while not great, wasn’t bad either; and _May_ was delightfully creepy. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/93 "2009-05-12T14:08:21Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Because absolutes are rare. To use myself as an example, I hate musicals and Westerns, and don’t really like horror either, but _Once More With Feeling_ was a wonderful musical written by a writer I love so I enjoyed it; _Tombstone_, while not great, wasn’t bad either; and _May_ was delightfully creepy. May I ask what moved you to give these a try? I mean, did someone else pick them and you reluctantly went along and then enjoyed them? While you can be pleasantly surprised by something of a genre you don’t typically like, I don’t think it’s illogical to stay away from what you have a history of disliking if it’s \*your \*choice. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/94 "2009-05-12T14:13:32Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Lots of people here won’t go to movies by or starring certain people because they disapprove of some aspect of their personal lives, e.g., Woody Allen for his alleged behavior toward Soon-yi and/or Mia Farrow; Tom Cruise or John Travolta, because of their religion. I have no idea about, and less interest in, what happened in the Allen/Farrow household 20 years ago, and knowing that someone sincerely buys the the tenets of Scientology (or any other religion, for that matter) certainly does nothing to raise their reputation in my eyes. > > But a person’s personal life, whether I approve or not, has no bearing on his or her professional talents. I don’t change my opinion about their ability because of their private behavior or beliefs. If they’re in a movie I’m interested in seeing, I’ll go and see it. I won’t _pay_ to watch films that star Scientologists, Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses. I also will not _purchase_ music made by cult members either. Maybe it’s stupid, maybe not. But I will not have my money go to the stars who will then turn around and give their money to support a damaging cult. In regard to the stars’ personal behavior, I don’t care one whit. I just don’t want my money going to Scientology indirectly. That said, if a Beck song comes on the radio and I don’t have to spend money to hear it, I will sit and listen to it. Or if War of the Worlds happens to pop up on my free-TV viewing radar, fine. I just won’t allow my money to support cults, having spent the last 20 years recovering from one. They got enough of me, dig? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/95 "2009-05-12T14:13:46Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > May I ask what moved you to give these a try? I mean, did someone else pick them and you reluctantly went along and then enjoyed them? While you can be pleasantly surprised by something of a genre you don’t typically like, I don’t think it’s illogical to stay away from what you have a history of disliking if it’s your choice. _Once More With Feeling_ was written by a favorite writer, _Tombstone_ was well received both popularly and critically so I was curious, and I watched _May_ with a friend at her apartment. In general, I just try to be open-minded. I also try foods I dislike every couple years and now love many foods I used to despise. An unwillingness to experience new things or try something you didn’t care for but are in no danger by retrying annoys me. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/96 "2009-05-12T14:15:04Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > May I ask what moved you to give these a try? I mean, did someone else pick them and you reluctantly went along and then enjoyed them? While you can be pleasantly surprised by something of a genre you don’t typically like, I don’t think it’s illogical to stay away from what you have a history of disliking if it’s \*your \*choice. Usually someone recommends it to you, someone you trust, or someone makes you sit down and watch. I don’t begrudge people not trying a whole show because they don’t like the genre, though. It’s one thing to sit through a two hour movie and get payback right away at least. If you’re not even sure you like it…then you have to sit through umpteen episodes…yuck. One of the (many, many) reasons I have been thus far avoiding Buffy is people keep telling me “It doesn’t get good till the second second season.” Then why would I want to sit through the whole first season? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/97 "2009-05-12T14:20:40Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Exactly my point, and better phrased than me. Well, of course it was. I had the opportunity to edit. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/98 "2009-05-12T14:42:46Z")
An ex-girlfriend of mine refused to see “Batman” because it beat out “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in box office revenues. She might have seen the movie otherwise, but since she was so moist in the pants for Harrison Ford she resented seeing a non-Harrison Ford movie out-perform it. She was even going to go so far as to get a Batman T-shirt (remember 1989 when _everyone_ was wearing a Batman shirt?) and add a red blood spot to it as if to suggest a gunshot wound. She then realized that if she bought a Batman shirt she’d be contributing to its revenue stream. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/99 "2009-05-12T14:46:18Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I knew someone who hated _The English Patient_ but it “glorified adultery.” I always thought that was pretty stupid. > > But the worst of all is when someone dismisses a movie as “pretentious” when they clearly don’t really know what the word means. It ends up meaning that there was something about the movie they didn’t get; it becomes sort of a sour grapes-style epithet. I knew someone who was bothered by “Brokeback Mountain” for the same reason. She didn’t care at all that the guys were gay, just that they were cheating on their wives. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041/100 "2009-05-12T14:56:39Z")
Adultery does bother me in movies. It didn’t bother me in Brokeback, because I didn’t really see they had much of a choice. I only read the Horse Whisperer, never watched it, but the adultery in that book thoroughly disgusted me, especially considering the woman was well-rewarded for her choices while the poor man was just strung along. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-reasons-to-dislike-a-movie/496041.md?page=6)