What Makes a Movie GOOD For You?
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
July 5, 2008 11:00pm CST
I could also have put this in the "Watching TV" interest because what I want to talk about can apply to either movies or TV shows. I've often said I don't pay a whole lot of attention to what the critics say, at least the professional ones who write for major newspapers and magazines and appear on TV to give their reviews. I've never quite been able to figure out what they're looking for in a film. Now and then I'll agree with them but more often than not if they say it's awful I'll probably like and some of the movies that have gotten rave reviews have been total wastes for me. I'm not all that technically savvy but I can tell if a film or show is well acted and I know if I like the plot or not and if it holds my interest. I know if someone can act or not and I know if the music and score "fits" or not. Hey, what else matters, right?
I've been thinking a lot about it lately because I've done some TV and movie reviews and I intend to do lots more. I've never reviewed anything I really hated but I just don't think I can because if I don't like it I don't take anything away from it, if that makes any sense. So, what I've realized makes a movie especially good for me is if it impacts me to the point that I think about it long after the final credits have rolled. It can be in a good way or a bad way; by "bad" I don't mean that I think about the movie being bad but if it makes me think about what it was about, as in if it makes me worry or become more aware of something. An example of that would be the old classic "On The Beach" which was about the aftermath of a nuclear war; that was very powerful and even though it's been a couple months since I last watched it I still find myself thinking about it often.
There are also lots of movies that make me happy when I think about them, make me laugh and smile all over again when I'm doing something else. Then there are the ones that make me cry long after they've ended, that can even make me cry when I hear the theme song.
I guess to sum it up I'd say that for me to consider a movie truly GREAT it has to stick with me in one way or another. The characters, whether they're totally fictional or based on real people, have to come alive for me and make me care about them for good or for bad. They have to leave me with some kind of reaction! Sadness over someone's death or the end of a love affair, sheer joy over a couple that was meant for each other living "happily ever after" or the thought that "Holy $hit, that could really happen!"
How about the rest of you? How do you decide if a movie is so-so, good or truly great?
Annie
4 people like this
8 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
11 Jul 08
Great post! the only " professional " critic I would trust is Roger Ebert. His taste seems to be close to mine.I love many types of movies and I agree with you. The "best reviewed" film I may not even like. And I can really find a overlooked gem that I really loved.I have had different type of film that has a lasting imprint on me. films that I can still feel their impact days later. One was Schindler's List.What a powerful film.But I also sang " Spider Pig" for two days after seeing The Simpson's movie.Or just smiling about the scenes in both The Money Pit and Bachelor Party.and then there are the films with surprise endings. I love them . My favorite is The Usual Suspects. The last scenes make you want to see it over and over again.There are many things that make a film good for me. it is either the plot, or the cast, or the theme. I just like it when it all comes together.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
11 Jul 08
"There are many things that make a film good for me. it is either the plot, or the cast, or the theme."
That says it all, doesn't it? I really love any movie where the cast, whether it be a couple with terrific chemistry or an ensemble cast that all play well off each other, really make me care about the characters they play whether it's in a positive or negative way. I think our tastes are similar in that we both like something really deep such as Schindler's List as well as something light and funny like Bachelor Party. Movies like the latter don't win many awards but they still have an important place in the movie world if you ask me. Sometimes we just want to escape and laugh our a$$e$ off - PERIOD!
Annie
1 person likes this
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
7 Jul 08
good day.. Yes I agree with you. Good movies should stand on it's own merit and not on other factors such as famous actors or actresses only, though it help a lot to have them but that doesn't guarantee a total hit. I think the plot and the way the direction of the movie would be play a lot. a good movie is something that you can't anticipate the ending whether its "bad" or "goo" closure. It's intelligent meaning there truths in some of the event, time and place.
@balasri (26537)
• India
6 Jul 08
A good movie must be able to do complete justice to the subject it is dealing with.And It must hold on to the story line with a good grip without deviating from the main plot and thus make us go off the hook.The narration should be neat,clean and interesting regardless of the genre of the movie.Well That sums up a good movie cor me.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
6 Jul 08
To me the Film needs to have a Story and it needs to be realistic and good acting so that I can actually believe that is life I do not like anything with violence or things like that I do not watch anything like On the Beach as it scares me as I know that it could happen in Life and I do not want to think about it I am more the type for the Happily ever after or True Stories
@antony2best (583)
• India
6 Jul 08
first of all it should have a nice story.a movie should not be made with the purpose of entertaining people with a whole lot of steaming scenes.
it should be well directed and should have professional actors working on it.it should be suitabe for almost all ages.
1 person likes this
@littlepinoy (600)
• Philippines
6 Jul 08
A movie is good for me when it has a good storyline. No matter how bad the movie effects were made [not that too bad though], I would still appreciate a movie with a profound storyline.
1 person likes this
@krayzietam (832)
• United States
6 Jul 08
The thing that makes a movie worth-while to me is substance. What kind of plot does it have? Is there a real story to this movie? Lots of movies have great action scenarios and that's great, but if the movie doesn't have any depth then it doesn't satisfy me. Not that every movie has to be deep but as long as there is some sort of story line and there isn't just a bunch of cars and buildings being blown up every second.
1 person likes this
@moirai (2853)
• Philippines
20 Sep 16
Basically, I agree with what you have said here.
First off, I also don't rely too much on what critics say. I've seen a lot of negative reviews of movies that I liked. Not saying that they are wrong, or they are not good critics. It's just that different people have different tastes and I, for one, would rather see a movie and decide for myself whether I like it or not. I am definitely someone who reads reviews only after seeing a movie, just to see if other people had the same impression about the movie as I had or not. But I certainly won't read a review before watching a movie for the purpose of helping me decide whether to see it or not in the first place.
Now, what makes a good movie? As you said, it is something that sticks to me even long after I've seen it. If there is something I learned from it, something I picked up from it... if the characters made an impression on me... even the music. Those are all elements of a good movie for me. If it just left me frustrated or confused, then I might consider that not a good one.
Although, to be fair, maybe the latter is only because I'm coming from a different place, or I'm not seeing or understanding what the movie was really about or trying to convey. I have written a few 'reviews' (they are more reactions, really) of tv shows mostly, and I plan to do more, but I find that most of the things I write are of those that I liked and not of those that I didn't like. As you said, I find that I have little to say about those that I didn't like because I didn't really take away anything from it. There are other people out there who like them, perhaps they are in a better position to review those, instead of me...
