"I dunno, I kinda liked it..."

It's an experience I think most people have had at one time another. We watch or go see a movie with friends, enjoy it (or find something to enjoy about it) while watching it, and then in conversation afterwards realize that our viewing experience has varied wildly from our fellow audience members. Or we've discovered some movie somewhere (I'm old enough to remember this happening a lot at the video store or on UHF television, but now more likely via streaming or torrent), watched and liked it and then realized it's gotten universally bad reviews. Or we've watched something with universally bad reviews and thought, "I dunno, I kinda liked it..."

This is a blog about the experience of finding value in things (mostly movies, but not exclusively) that seem to have been otherwise largely dismissed, not to be contrarian, or because something is so bad we enjoy making fun of it, but because we see some element of value in it, something that speaks to us in some way, whether it's simply because we're entertained or because it provides some kind of deeper meaning or more profound experience. Sometimes it's something that the filmmakers intended, but sometimes it's something that only registers when filtered through the viewer's own personal experience or perception. Sometimes we respond to the film as a whole, or sometimes there are just parts of it that speak to us. It could be something really specific or just a sense of something, an idea or a vibe. 

There really are no rules, rhyme or reason when it comes to "liking" something, though it feels sometimes in the Internet era like people's taste in popular culture tends to be more "all or nothing" than it might have been in the past. So much of contemporary media discourse is painted in extremes. Everything is the best thing ever, or so bad it's a personal affront to the viewer. On social media, people treat movies they like as though they were a religion. While there used to be cult movies that attracted audiences outside the mainstream, now there seem to be actual cults built around movies, filmmakers, actors and even movie studios (like the dangerous, brainwashing kind of cults). Often these are very mainstream movies that wouldn't have trouble reaching an audience otherwise, but have become so elevated in importance in people's minds it's absurd, with even the mildest criticism directed their way met with more of a kind of stark hostility than people respond with to actual, real-world problems and threats. Some people even seem offended by movies that inspire no strong feelings at all, as though not being the "best movie ever made" were a personal affront to the viewer, as though not being someone's "favorite thing" precludes serious consideration of any kind.

Taste is always going to be subjective and the debate around it should be a least a little fun even when it's contentious, but try telling something you thought their favorite Marvel or A24 movie was "just okay" or "not my thing" and see what happens. It's contentious, but it isn't fun. If I'm being totally honest, I find this approach to media fairly unhinged, and my goal for this blog is to write about film without that defensive/offensive posture, to avoid snark and "hot takes" and instead approach thinking about media with nuance and genuinely interrogate why people can respond to things in such radically different ways, to find value in things that have been otherwise dismissed and just generally to make a space for myself to talk about the things I find interesting in the way I want to talk about them. Hopefully sooner than later, there will be a podcast to go along with this blog, where different guests will talk about the underrated or misunderstood films they like. Stay tuned for more details on that as they develop.

I guess it's inevitable that this blog is going to be a bit personal, which feels kind of weird and narcissistic to me, but is sort of inevitable given the subject matter. That's something I'm going to have to find my own comfort level with along the way. Maybe getting out of my comfort zone a bit will be a good thing, or maybe this blog will wind up self-indulgent and unreadable. I have no idea. Just to briefly introduce myself, my name is Harris Smith, and I've been studying, researching, writing about, working on and making media for around the past 30 years. In that time, I've done a little bit of everything- making and working on films and videos; writing film criticism; programming film for a small Brooklyn microcinema; writing, editing and publishing comic books; making music; hosting radio shows, all in addition to various less glamorous day jobs in film, media, comics, digital publishing and marketing. I have an undergraduate degree in filmmaking and a masters in media studies. For some reason there is a page about me on Wikipedia, I have no idea who added it or why. Despite feeling basically okay with calling myself "experienced" or "knowledgable," I don't consider myself an expert or authority on anything, but rather a curious traveller with an ever-evolving relationship to and perspective on media. 

I think that's all anyone really needs to know for now, probably more than anyone really needs to know. Reviews to follow. Hope you enjoy.

(stills from Dead End Drive-In, Messiah of Evil, He Knows You're Alone, Anguish, Matinee, Demons and Popcorn)