My World: Over the Top Film Fanatics

Being a film fanatic for many, many years I’ve seen so many debates about movies and have seen opposing opinion flare into rather emotionally fueled arguments. 

They’ve sprouted from the menial and trivial stuff about continuity in a series, the adaptation of something, or something grand like whether there are racist tones and intention in something.  

Personally I have no trouble with seeing an opposing opinion about something, especially if it’s film. That just allows for a conversation to get started and a discussion, which is always enjoyable. 

So I say to you if you disagree with my opinion about a film, go right ahead and disagree with me.

Over the years I’ve come to realize that none of us will agree 100 percent of the time.  But I’m fine with that because that allows us to engage in a hopefully friendly debate and discussion. But sadly there seems to be a large portion of the online community who seem to think that a differing opinion is a personal offence. 

The worst of it seems to come from the fan base of movie director Christopher Nolan.  Now there’s no doubt that Nolan has been extremely popular over the years with his “Batman” trilogy and “Inception,” but, like any film maker, he has flaws and not everybody will like his films.

However, according to a small faction of Nolan’s fan base, that is unacceptable.  I remember that, when “The Dark Knight Rises” was released, there were news reporters about critics getting death threats because the critic gave a negative review of the movie.

As much as I’m a lover of film and all things related to it, and I understand the passions that surround it, I find making threats against a person’s life because of an opinion on a movie to be a bit over the top and ridiculous. 

Then there are comments like “You didn’t get it because you’re stupid,” or “F*** you!  This movie was great/awful,” or something like “Well, how many movies have you made?”  

These don’t add to the conversation or debate.  They just come off as wanting to shut up the opposing side because they didn’t like the same movie.

The world of cinema should be open to having a discussion, but it’s petty comments like the one I mentioned that just degrade and ruin the experience and the online community.