@korvus:

Anonymity also produces much stronger opinion-stated-as-facts folks. I am just waiting for OT to actually have the same consensus as the critics and mass audience, but it probably won't ever happen. And also, gotta protect my baby. lol

True, but semantics may say otherwise. Not throwing in a "I think" or "it just seemed," and it sounds like people are saying something as if it was objectively true. The opinion is assumed yes, but saying TFA was garbage, or terrible, or whatever in a seemingly objective sense is ridiculous, especially when, again, the vast majority of critical opinion says otherwise (general audience as well).

@korvus:

Then how can we have critiques of anything in a manner that seems to be objective? I can't refer to your critiques apart from what you just stated, but many of the complaints on here have been said with the presumption that their critique is objective. And again we go in circles. :P

All this derives from something it seems you've now (and maybe you did before) cleared up; that you recognize the objectively good elements (acting, effects, characters) of the film, but still disliked it. Which is a-ok. But to call it a bad film? That's what seems absurd to me.

Well take the word taste, and apply it to what it is normally referred to; food. Now we can objectively say that someone who enjoys a home cooked and authentically made Cuban sandwich (don't know why that came up, maybe I want one! lol) more than a BigMac has better taste, right? And the one who likes BIgMac more has worse taste, even if he is convinced the BigMac is better. The Cuban sandwich, literally, is tastier.

And also, if you know you don't like the genre, that in and of itself means your critiquing or taste on that particular style is jaded. That's why I can't judge a lot of 70s music, including Pink Floyd and the like, as "bad music" merely because I don't like the style. I know it is critically acclaimed, so even though there is something holding me back from liking it right now, I would never call it "bad" music. And this brings me full circle.

TFA is a Star Wars film, which A) are primarily designed for children, and B) almost ALWAYS have recycled elements from previous films. To judge it as if it was supposed to be an Alien film, or a Star Trek film, or some other space fantasy/si-fi film series is unfair. You know what you're getting when you watch Star Wars. TFA just gave us a 2015 version of it, and people are bothered by a lack of originality? Many stories use repeat elements because if it isn't broken, don't fix it.

@korvus:

Recognizing those objectively good qualities in things, whatever the art form may be, generally speaking. There are some good films I can explain thoroughly about their goodness, while there are bad films I know are bad but can't quite explain their badness, and vice versa. But those with good taste, I'd argue, would usually land with the critics who, especially those who are well paid and acclaimed, have very respectable taste.

I don't know. I think you can objectively critique only to an extent. Fundamentally at the end of the day art is art. What it means one it does not mean to another.

There is not a single person who can perfectly objectively critique anything. Perhaps if we were emotionless machines maybe, but fundamentally, we are not.

This is something OT fundamentally ignores. One can not have the "best taste." They can have good or bad taste, but that's essentially it. If people believe it goes beyond that, then they are only deceiving themselves.

All that being said, the vast majority of film critics with "good" or at least "respectable" taste have enjoyed the new Star Wars film. That's why I find the complaints against the film so out of base.

@LostProphetFLCL: He is essentially good at "big ideas." Technically, not only did he not direct V or VI, he only wrote the "story," not the screenplay.

How?

How?

How?

Do you guys just hate pop culture? That truly is the only way I can start to grasp what you mean...

Have you seen any other blockbuster? Like ever?

Kylo Ren was exceedingly more intriguing of a villain than almost any other blockbuster type film.

As an avid fan, the only real amazing portion of this clip is the song behind it. Without Williams' song, it's just another scene.

Likewise, in my mind, Rey getting a lightsaber instead of Kylo at Starkiller base, and the exact same song they played from this scene, gave me an equal amount of chills/nostalgia.