There is no right or wrong way to judge art since the judgment or critique is based on one’s opinion. I just want to offer the two lenses I use to view a film or any form of entertainment. Usually, my first reaction to a movie involves comparing it to almost every other movie that has ever been made. Once this initial reaction subsides, I merely appraise the film for what it is and what it tries to achieve. Essentially, I look at a film as the Critic and as the Audience. The Critic tries to decipher how good or bad the film is while the Audience decides whether they like it or not.
Most of the time, these two thought processes line up when judging whether a film is good or bad, but the Critic is more harsh while the Audience is more forgiving. I’ll use Ocean’s Thirteen as an example. Ocean’s Thirteen is one of my favorite movies to watch. It’s got its flaws but it is an absolute blast to watch because of its easygoing and confident nature. The Audience would probably give the film a 9/10 because it’s fun, light, has likable characters while also having enough conflict that keeps you invested in the plot. The Critic would agree with the Audience on those points, but would probably hover around a 7.5/10 for Ocean’s Thirteen because it relies too heavily on charm in order to gloss over plot holes. Also, the conflict and/or tension may not be strong enough for you to actually feel that the protagonists are in actual danger. Also, go watch Ocean's Thirteen on Netflix right now.
It’s the classic “best” vs. “favorite” argument that you have with yourself, and it is always nice to maintain a good balance between the two. You don’t want to lean too hard on The Critic’s mindset because you’ll find yourself not enjoying movies as much as you want. However, you still want to maintain your standards and value your time properly as to not overindulge in the perspective of the Audience which can sometimes gain the bad reputation of liking everything.
Franchise filmmaking can create a large divide between the two personalities. Many long-running franchises can devolve into formula which the Critic normally hates because nothing new or innovative is being brought to the table, but the Audience probably loves because it is more of what originally attracted them. The Marvel Cinematic Universe suffers from this sometimes. Critics are usually kind toward the MCU, but even the positive reviews will comment on formulaic plots and how the Marvel faithful will show up in droves no matter what. The box office receipts show that the Audience is loyal. Why? Well, the MCU is a ton of fun, relatively light, and the heroes almost always win. However, the Critic wants to see the MCU take risks so the Audience doesn’t know what’s coming. Create something that is unpredictable.
Always remember that the Critic and the Audience are just two sides of the same coin. Many critics are film fans like you and me. Sometimes, you just want to have dumb fun and turn on John Wick or Kung Fu Hustle. Eventually, your mind will hunger for something challenging like Inception, Arrival, or The Social Network. This does not mean that one is better than another. You just want to scratch the itch in another part of your mind. So scratch away.
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