internal ponderings while on subway and a meme...

[shadowkat]

[Sorry, I'm sucking at coming up with good subject titles at the moment.]

Been pondering something ever since I finished reading my flist last night.
Made it back to November 20th. Quite entertaining actually. Two trends on my list: Everyone who saw the Mountain, hated it. But seemed to like Marsters performance more or less. Everyone who saw The Incredibles, enjoyed it, but had serious problems with the themes. Something else stuck out at me as well, besides the two trends. Or maybe my brain just picked up on it, because of a conversation I'd had this Sunday at a friend's baby shower.

The conversation was about television. A woman was informing me that she usually didn't read or watch anything unless someone else recommended it to her. Someone she trusted. She'd missed the first six episodes of Joan of Arcadia, because she had decided, without trying it out first, that it was crap. Then a friend, she trusted, convinced her otherwise, and voila! she's a fan. Same thing happened with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Farscape.

I didn't think much of this conversation until last night, after I'd read my flist.

Two weeks ago I saw the movie "The Incredibles". I was ambivalent about seeing it and hoped the message would not grate on my nerves. I'd read in a Magazine review (Entertainment Weekly), that the director/writer's message seemed to be that "being super is a right and a responsibility". This line grated on me in a way that the reviewer, who adored the film, probably did not anticipate. It felt a little Ayn Randian to me. And I was not sure I could handle the film. Have become increasingly egalitarian as I grow older. So I went to the film with cjlasky with much trepidation. And very low expectations. Was pleasantly surprised. While there were hints of Ayn Rand throughout, I also saw things that counter-acted it. Such as valuing life is a strength not a weakness. And
finding a way to use your strengths in "your own way" not by emulating/copying others or attempting to get their validation by becoming them. As a result, I liked the Incredibles much more than I expected. Then I came online last night, and read several posts condemning the ideaology of the movie - to the extent in which I felt an odd sense of shame for enjoying it. Shame that I had not picked up those same themes. Was I anti-egalitarian because I enjoyed the Incredibles and didn't pick up on the themes? Did it say something about me?
Whose opinion on this is credible anyway?

This brings me to a question I have for anyone who is reading this (assuming of course anyone is):
"How much of your opinion regarding a work of art, book, play, tv show, movie,
or piece of music is influenced by other people?"

Here's a short meme:
1. Name a favorite show that you began watching because someone else
recommended it. How important is that show to you.
2. Name a tv show or book or movie that you persuaded someone else to try.
3. Name an episode of TV show, a movie, or a book - that you changed your mind about after reading a post or review or hearing a friend talk about it.
How did they change your mind? Did you like it and now have mixed feelings?
Did you hate it, and now like it?
4. Do you read reviews before buying a book, DVD, or seeing a movie or tv show?
If so, how do the reviews influence your choice? Or do you tend to veer away from reviews and test it for yourself?
5. Are there any movies or tv shows or books you would never admit to watching or reading, because you fear how others will regard you? (This is a tough question to answer for obvious reasons.)

Here's my answers:
1. Farscape. I admit I may not have given this series a second chance if it weren't for pumpkinpuss, redredshoes and buffyannatator's constant persuading. I fell in love with it. And am glad I gave it a second chance. The first go-around it seemed cheesy, now, years later, it seems ground-breaking.

(Buffy the Vampire Slayer - I began watching on my own and rarely told anyone about, because they made fun of me. Angel? Same situation. Although I did give up on it in Season 3 after the Darla storyline. Several people online got me re-hooked (Aresuthsa, Dochawk and masqthephilospher). cjlasky is persuading me to give Veronica Mars another chance. It's growing on me, even though Kristen Bell is no where near the actress Gellar was in my opinion. )

2. I persuaded my Mother to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, did it with the musical episode and the Buffy Marathon on F/X one Thanksgiving. And got a couple of people to try The Three Stigmata of Palmer K. Eldritch (they may resent me for that, not sure.)As well as a few for Farscape.

3. Lies My Parents Told Me. I actually enjoyed the episode when I first saw it. But when I went online, after reading a few posts, I felt ashamed for liking the bits I did. I honestly did not see what annoyed and angered others the first go around and felt ashamed for missing it. Weird response, I know. When I watched it a second and third time - I did see these things and decided I disliked the episode. How did they persuade me? Well through examples, several emotional ones that hit certain triggers in me. We all have our button issues and they managed to hit mine. So much so, that I felt defensive for liking the episode or seeing it differently. Now, I'm curious to know what I would have thought about the episode if I'd never gone online? Or what I'll think about it now, that I've had time to process all of this. And which opinion is the credible one? My initial impression or the latter one? Does it even matter?

Brings up another question - I wonder how many people who adored S7 were annoyed with those of us who didn't? Same thing with S6? If you are reading this, I'm curious, how much or how little did the negative reviews of S6 and S7 influence your own opinion and enjoyment? How did you deal with these reviews?


4. Used to read movie and book reviews, don't so much any more. It got to the point that the reviewer was telling me too much about the movie, tv show, or book - spoiling the experience of discovering these points on my own. We get so overwhelmed with information - and opinion - what to buy, what to watch, that sometimes I need a break from it. So I read them intermittently now. Most movies and tv shows - I decide to watch without knowing much more than what I've seen in commercials. That said, bad reviews of The Chronicles of Riddick and In The Cut stopped me from seeing either movie in the theater. I regret not seeing In The Cut. While Lost in Translation and Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow are examples of movies I expected to enjoy based on reviews I'd read and despised. For some reason I reacted negatively to both of them - was deadly bored. I blame it on high expectations.

5. Any movies, books, or tv shows I'd never admit to watching?? Yes, several. And no I won't tell you what they are. (I'm insecure, I admit it. )

Comments

[oyceter]

I don't think you're necessarily missing anything or being anti-egalitarian for not seeing the same things I did in The Incredibles. I think much of it is how we filter works -- I know that I tend to read things from a gender perspective and not very much from a political one. And I know the feeling about feeling guilty for liking things. londonkds's posts on Fables are very intelligent as to the political landscape of the books, but it's something I never notice when I read them, so I feel a bit ashamed of myself for not seeing it either.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think much of it is how we filter works -- I know that I tend to read things from a gender perspective and not very much from a political one.

This is a great point. I think that's true. It's how we watch something.

I know at the beginning of the Fall, I was watching everything through a gender perspective. Hyper-aware of how women were or weren't utilized in tv shows, movies, books. It made it impossible for me to enjoy just about anything on tv, outside of maybe Joan of Arcadia for a while. Then I somehow managed to flip off the filter.
As a result I can now watch and actually enjoy Veronica Mars and Lost without cringing.

Never been very good at picking up political stuff either, I tend to watch things more through an emotional filter. Gut-level/Intuitive. Visual metaphors often hit me more than dialogue does. I know I had troubles with S7 BTVS, because the character Robin Wood reminded me of someone who I despised at that particular time. He was an emotional trigger for me at that time. Might not be one now. I can't help but wonder if others have similar experiences but with different characters or themes?

[oyceter]

The gender filter is particularly frustrating because there are so few shows out there that deal with it well! Sometimes I like a show so much that I overlook gender issues (Angel), other times, I just can't take it (Alias). But I've been looking through it so long subconsciously that it's hard to let go of... one of my main criteria when I was a kid was kickass heroines.

But yes, I think one of the good parts of LJ and AtPO is that you can see the show from other people's perspectives and hopefully have them enrich your own viewing experience and contribute in part.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't feel ashamed of yourself. I think that one naturally tends to pick up on political ideas which irritate more than ones one agrees with, especially when the ideas are particularly dominant in the US at the moment.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I think a very large part of it is that while I am a giant bleeding-heart liberal, I tend not to think about politics that much in daily life. But I really enjoy your posts because they bring in a perspective that I often overlook.

[anomster.livejournal.com]

"I know that I tend to read things from a gender perspective and not very much from a political one."

And a gender perspective is not political...how?

[oyceter]

Different focus? I think some people specifically focus on the liberal/conservative divide, of which gender issues are a part of, but gender by no means encompass the whole thing. Or there can be a work that reads fine from the gender perspective but still pokes fun at bleeding-heart liberals or somesuch.