Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by jamesgarvin (A) on December 22, 2005 at 09:26:48

In Reply to: LOL! That is the most acute case of moral relativism posted by Victor Khomenko on December 22, 2005 at 09:01:47:

You seem to like strawmen - mischarachtarizing what I wrote, then telling me why I am wrong. I never said or implied that "the film is crap, but since you love the crap it is a great film for you!" Nor do I ever recall Ebert writing that either. I do think that films are inherently subjective. If someone likes a piece of crap, say, the Russian film Mother and Son directed by Sokurov, which I think is one of the two or three worst films I have ever seen, but you love the film, then who is right? If you like the film, then who am I to tell you that you are wrong? If I reviewed the film, I would simply describe the film, and write that watching paint dry was more emotionally and intellectually involving, and if that is your cup of tea, have at it. Why should I care if it a great film for you? My life goes on.

Nobody wrote that there were no absolutes, only shades of acceptable. Once again, you have misstated, I assume accidently, what I wrote. Enter into Ebert's website all the films he has given zero through two and a half stars, and there are a litany of films. Some are scathing reviews. Clearly, there are not only shades of acceptable, otherwise everything would be a postive review. But then you would not understand this unless you did the research.

I never wrote that mediocre is fine. Films, like music, and dare I say amplifier design, are inherently subjective. If they were not, then there would be one way of doing them. I would ask you for "absolutes", but then, your list would probably be different than mine. So I am not sure there are absolutes. Maybe for that person. If there are absolutes in amplifier design, then are all the other manufacturers wrong because they do not adhere to your thoughts? Are poor Patrick's Krells deficient in some way, dare I say, mediocre?

Or is your version of "absolutes" open so long as they comport to your opinions? I do not care if people care for what I deem to be mediocre. Why you are so concerned puzzles me. Perhaps your years of growing up in a society in which the government attempted to control actions and thoughts has stunted your growth and ability to appreciate that some things are so inherently subjective, that there are no "answers".

But what is most decidedly not subjective is whether a person is a "shill", or on the take. Which is what you accused Ebert of. Disagreeing with their opinion is the name of the game, but impugning their charachter is not, which you most certainly do when you accuse them of being dishonest. Particularly when you have not the fortitude to do so directly to them. So perhaps you can set forth your evidence that Ebert is a shill. Or maybe enter the world of human beings and retract those comments. And I thought Patrick was critical of name calling. Hmm, maybe he will enter this discussion.