The Film Reviewer

[Stolly]

any attempt to define the "essential" elements of a good film is doomed to failure.

we can all name examples of films that succeed on their own terms where one element is emphasised above all others.

unless you specify that any film that isn't strong in all your chosen elements doesn't really count as a "film" at all :wink:

surely we all know that there's no such thing as a "good" or "great" film in absolute terms - it's all just personal opinion?

personally, I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than watch Mamma Mia, but I don't think there's any level on which I could try to convince someone who loved the film that their opinion was somehow invalid - and conversely, they'd probably think Rashomon was pants - and I bet there's someone out there who likes both!

I like both.

Too many people dislike films without ever watching them and Mamma Mia's an especially good example of that. I didn't especially like Abba before I watched it but incredibly I like a fair few of the songs in the film . Also lots of would be or actual film buffs play up to and fawn on the views of film critics - liking Citizen Kane never having watched it being a totally acceptable opposite to disliking Mamma Mia never having seen it. I sometimes get to listen to Simon Mayo/Mark Kermode on radio 5 Friday afternoons and loads of the listeners who text in put on their own Mark Kermode airs and graces, liking and disliking films for exactly his reasons (rather than perhaps their own). I find his film reviews pretty good actually but I still like some films he doesn't. In fact he absolutely hates some films I like.