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Overrated is an Epic Fail

 

Movie Revolt’s Overrated is an Epic Fail: A Soap Box Against the Over Use of Overrated

 

 

Article By: Dan Clark

In today’s world we have more vehicles than ever before that allow us to export opinions to the masses. With the simple click of a button we can inform our friends, family, and people around the world about our viewpoint on the news of the day, the weather, who we hate now, oh and of course movies. Sometimes we assign our names to these opinions, but more often than not we are simply anonymous usernames that take on a life of their own. I don’t need to tell you with this power has come even less responsibility. Opinions have become more vile then ever and statements that would once be reserved to etchings in bathroom stalls are now bellowed to the world using Twitter, Facebook, and (cough) blogs.  People tend to have a sense of pride an accomplishment knowing their words will cause a stir, and relish the idea of igniting a classic message board war of words. You no longer need to yell fire in a crowded theatre to garner attention, instead you can virtually shout words like “epic fail”, “socialist”, and of course the ever present “overrated”. 

Think of a movie, book, TV show, restaurant, color, shoe lace, apple seed, or thought.  There is a message board somewhere with someone screaming it is overrated. We have gained a sense ownership of the world.  Our statements can be seen on the same page as a New York Times article, well page 12 of 23 of the comments section at least. We are not speaking our opinion but facts and truths that everyone else fails to see. Sure the vast majority of world may think Citizen Kane is one of the greatest and influential films of all time, but I think it’s too long, boring, and lacks vibrant color so it’s overrated. I’m not a lemming mindlessly following the person who came before. I am an individual who was granted the unique gift of unyielding insight to determine a products true quality. While others give opinions, I provide the world with the one true evaluation that will live on for generations. This may be an overstatement, but in most cases I’ve undersold it.

I have no issues with people providing their opinion on anything. If I did, I wouldn’t have this blog or be writing these words right now. My issue is when we lose the grasp of the meaning of the word opinion. Pick any film you can find some sort of flaw. What may be a flaw to some can be a point of attraction for another. I enjoy listening, reading, and writing reviews of films. There’s something about providing analytical evidence to come to a conclusion of a movies quality that stirs my curiosity. Some do it better than others, and the best reviews are not necessarily the ones I agree with. Listening to someone who disagrees with you can give you a better hold on your own opinion. (Though it is hard at times) However, when that an opinion is limited to a single statement no one gains anything except for frustration. There is no debate just an enraged argument, because it is impossible to argue with the term overrated. For one it requires you to know the true rating of a film.

What is a film’s true rating?  Is it the Rotten Tomatoes score, IMDB rating, where it falls in the AFI Top 100 films, how many Oscars its won, or some random excel spreadsheet rating system you created on a late night binge of Red Bull, Mountain Dew, Sunny D, and whatever you found in your mother’s medicine cabinet. If a film was critical and financial success, won awards and garnered the attention of the world, but not liked by Clever_username_USA can it be considered Overrated?

“It’s good, but not as good as people said it was” can be used for anything at any time. That’s all you need to close the case in the trail of the overrated. When it comes down to it, it is the ultimate showing of lazy arrogance.  With one word we can disprove the misgivings of the entire world, and propel our opinions to the high heavens for all others to worship. Though I’ve heard heaven is overrated. Instead of limited ourselves to bumper sticker statements let us challenge ourselves to be better. While debating the quality of a film won’t make the world a better place, the inability to do even that will be frustrating for everyone. If we can start with movies perhaps we can then move on to more important topics. Though I doubt at times we could even agree on what the more important topics would be.

 

 

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Dan Clark

A fan of all things comics, movies, books, and whatever else I can find that pass the time. Twitter: @DXO_Dan Instagram: Comic_concierge

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