The REEL Addict 

In a conversation with a friend recently it came out that he thought SHAUN OF THE DEAD was the stupidest movie he’d ever seen in his life, he didn’t think it was even remotely funny, and he consequently turned it off after twenty minutes.

At that moment it was like a switch suddenly got flipped in my head, and from that point on I knew I would have a hard time taking any of his opinions about movies seriously again.

Before you condemn me, I’m not a condescending snob or a cultural elitist (or if I am, I’m apparently oblivious to that fact). Nothing annoys me more than when I sometimes indulge and enjoy an obviously mediocre film (THE SCORPION KING) and people give me crap about it. Of course, I’ll know I’m watching something not great, and I’ll willingly concede to that fact when criticized. But like anyone else, I’m pretty sure if I watched only films like NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, or SNOW ANGELS (all excellent films), I’d eventually kill myself, so I feel I need some silly funny every now and then too.

There is, however, a difference between watching a film you know isn’t really great, but can be fun for what it is, and declaring a film like SHAUN OF THE DEAD idiotic. Maybe it’s some limitation in my perspective that I can’t imagine that film not being enjoyed, but the thing is, calling it not funny, okay, I can appreciate that because humor is subjective. But calling it stupid? Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright’s spoof/homage films are anything but. And that’s my problem. Anyone who can’t see that it is an incredibly witty, smartly written piece of work – even if you don’t find it funny – is someone whose future opinions I’m going to be taking with a grain of salt from now on.

The thing is – before you judge me too harshly – I have the distinct impression that my friend felt the same way about me. In other words, if I feel one way about SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and he feels the opposite, how can he take any of my opinions seriously anymore? So it’s a two-way street perhaps.

Is he right? Am I right? Has anyone ever expressed a negative opinion about a film you consider untouchable that made you no longer consider their taste viable? Is their insistence that NORBIT is the funniest film they’ve ever seen accomplish a similar end? Or am I just an elitist, snobby, condescending jerk?

Post your thoughts and possible anecdotes below.