Take the Bad with the Good

I started writing amateur reviews for films about three years ago. It was part of a pet project I had to make my high school's newspaper a little less sucktastic. My articles were mostly well-received, except by those who got off on reading multiple surveys on people's favorite Thanksgiving treats. I enjoyed writing them; they allowed me to be a bit more active when going to the movies, and they gave me an outlet to flex my writing muscles. Yet, while people liked my writing, they seemed to have a problem with the asshole who put the words to paper. To this day, I get a lot of people telling me, "Payton, all you do is tear things down." And to them, I have a message.

Oh, honey-child, you know I do.

No. No, I don't only tear down people's hard work. Unless the project is poorly constructed, lazy, or associated with Jennifer Anniston. But I digress. Despite being a frequent user of the Internet, I try to keep my cynicism in check. I tend to give most things the benefit of the doubt, and I always look for the good until the bad shows up with sparklers in a star-spangled skirt and does high kicks. But I digress.

Instead, I tend to absorb my entertainment with a sense of caution. There's so much crap out there that I think we should be careful of how we take it in. Movies, TV shows, games, or whatever else may not seem terribly important, but think about it. Which part of 2012 excited you more: the election or the summer blockbusters?

Whedon 2016

Then again, I'm not condemning the enjoyment of that which is objectively bad. You're going to like what you like - haters gonna hate. Just be sure that what you like has some heart to it, or at least strikes a chord with you personally. 2008's Wanted is one of my favorite films. Is it any good? Not really; in fact, it's pretty freaking stupid. But it's enjoyable as crap. Will you see me ranting about how it "defined a generation" or "is incredibly underrated?" Nope, but I will squeal like a girl if you show me the assault on the Fraternity.

I still get tingles.

Like what you like, no matter how bad. But the minute you start placing The Hunger Games on the same level as The Departed or The Hurt Locker, you can bet I'll call you out on it. Because The Hunger Games is a bad film. Sorry you had to hear it from me. As for me, I'll keep reviewing - it's fun. However, if I piss you off, just don't read it.

But really, keep reading. I mean it. Don't go...

I've had so few comments on this blog, I'll settle for emoticon penises in the section below. You have my permission.