Addressing Yesterday's Movie Theatre Blog, As Well As My Opinions On Movies As A Whole

I'm not surprised. Look, I stand by much of what I said in yesterday's blog. I don't think going to the movies is an enjoyable experience anymore. Even though I'm leading off with that, I'm sure there will still be people that claim I'm backtracking. I'm not. But I listen to criticism. If you want to work at Barstool, you have to expect that, at some point, people will hate you for something you did or said. Everyone gets their turn in the chamber. I would've been a fool to have posted that blog and expected no backlash. And I doubt my follow-up blog is going to win back anyone. But I am nothing if not self-reflective, so let's dive into this.

One very fair bit of criticism I read about yesterday's blog is that the headline was too brash. Using "we" instead of "I" made it seem like everyone who enjoys going to the movies is somehow stupid. That was a mistake on my part. Also, the assigned seating complaint was a stretch. Do you ever get so enraged about something that you start hating things that aren't a problem? That was an example of that. One thing I left out of the blog I should've mentioned is that I am legitimately jealous of those who still find the movie theatre experience magical. When I was young, going to the movies was one of my favorite things. Over the last several years, it has lost a significant amount of luster for me. Is this because I'm a miserable fuck? Maybe. I have a pretty jaded, pessimistic view of the world of cinema. With that said, I still don't claim to be a "contrarian." A contrarian is someone who comes into something hoping to hate it. I don't like many popular movies, but I have never gone into any movie hoping to hate it. Some people enjoy being the guy who pisses in people's cornflakes. That's not me. 

Reviewing movies is one of my favorite things in the world. It was my first love. The first content I ever created was me reviewing movies at 12 years old. To this day, dissecting what does and doesn't work in a movie is one of my favorite things. So many movies I loved as a child defined who I still am as an adult. And even today, at age 28, I still enjoy few things in the world more than seeing a great movie. That said, I am appalled by what's become of modern cinema. Of course, there are exceptions, but I think the art of film has greatly devolved. I grew up loving movie-making. I love the effort that is put into movies. Sadly, I don't see that effort come across very often anymore. This doesn't make me "right." It just makes me critical. Yes, I am Stan Marsh in the episode of South Park, where everything looks like shit.

Strangely, it's not like this mentality exists in other areas of life. Every time I step into a ballpark, whether a Major League park or a local high school field, I am filled with that anticipatory excitement that many film buffs feel when they walk into a movie theatre. 90% of the time, I don't enjoy the movie theatre experience. I stand by most of my criticisms, but I'm a horse's ass if I come across as someone trying to tear down what so many people enjoy. I'm going to keep seeing and reviewing films. It's something I've done most of my life. And I hope that one day, I can develop a more optimistic view of things that makes my opinions more accessible to those who read my stuff. Later today, I'll start a blog series about movies I enjoy, starting with 2017's "Logan." I hope you all read it. In the meantime, enjoy the movies, and don't let my viewpoint get in the way.