A mass media teacher once told me that there are four ways to critique something, and looking at people's ridiculous comments on movies and music in this forum, I thought it would be best that I share my knowledge on this issue:

Four ways to critique:

1.) It see that it is excellent, I love it.
This means that this particular film or album,etc, is of high asthetic value. The reviewer sees that it is high quality, and loves it.

2.) I see that it is excellent but I don't like it.
This is appreciating something for it's value but not personally enjoying it. For example: I see the artistic brilliance of Jazz, but I do not like Jazz. I see that Gone With The Wind is a cinematic masterpeice, but I hate watching it.
This I think is the largest problem when it comes to disagreeing with someone's taste. A lot of people will simply say 'they suck' or 'that film sucks', but does it really suck, or do you just not like it? Personal taste shouldn't blind you that way.

3.) I see that it is bad, I don't like it.
This is obvious. Some things in life just plain suck. You see that it is horrible and tacky beyond comprehension.

4.) I see that it is bad, but I like it anyway.
This is a "guilty pleasure". Some things are simply awful, but you enjoy they anyway, perhaps out of comic value, perhaps some single element touches you. I like tacky comedy films like "Don't Be A Menace" or "Waterboy". I see that they are decadent piles of shit, but enjoy the light hearted absurdity of them anyhow. I'll even read a Maya Angelou poem now and then.

Although you allowed your music teacher to direct your thinking, it is
possible that forum members will choose not to allow you to direct theirs.

:) Just a thought.

Your teacher is full of snot. Who’s to say what a classic is and what’s not?

A lot of people will simply say 'they suck' or 'that film sucks', but does it really suck, or do you just not like it? Personal taste shouldn't blind you that way.

It's your personal taste though. If I hate a movie, then damnit I hate it. Gone with the Wind is a shitty movie all around, it is not a cinematic masterpiece. That is my opinion, and I do not have to appreciate any movie because someone else considers it a 'cinematic masterpiece'.

To quote that guy in that one movie: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."

Well thank you for that wise insight. You are truly a sage CounslerCoffee! All be humble before him, for he shall surely blow away the ill informed with his vast cosmic knowledge!:rolleyes:

I placed this here as a suggestion and nobody HAS to agree with.
In my opinion, relativism is for morons (how's that for a play on words?) If you don't like it, DON'T reply.

I would add a special category for those movies which I don't like, and which I deem to be poorly made, but which will nevertheless be considered an instant classic by everyone else.

(John Carpenter's Vampires was one of these for me. Everyone tried to excuse its egregiously bad quality by telling me that it was a comedy. Whatever.)

Conversely there are likeable well-crafted movies which you nonetheless know everyone will hate.

(I personally liked The Time Machine; didn't bear much resemblance to the book, of course, but apart from some poorly thought-out scenes relating to the time machine's operations I thought it was a good movie with a good message.)

Then there are movies like Mission to Mars, which go into the Should Never Have Been Made category - the movie that should not be. There's lots of those.