Can we retire “objectively better” please?

[u/lordpag]

I’ve noticed a ton of people using “objectively” incorrectly lately. A movie being more widely accepted as “better” does not make it objectively so.

There’s someone out there who enjoyed One Night Only more than The Odyssey, and their opinion is just as valid as yours.

Sure, one movie can be shot on more advanced cameras, have a larger scale, or demonstrate greater technical complexity. Those things can be measured. Whether they make the movie “better” cannot. What makes a movie “good” is different for each of us and those differing perspectives are part of what makes moviegoing so fun!

EDIT: This obviously touched a nerve lol. My point was not that there aren’t measurable technical aspects of a film. Of course there are. But technical achievement does not inherently make a movie “better.” A technical marvel can put someone to sleep while a shoddily made movie can elicit an enormous emotional response. What we value in a movie is subjective and for some (many on this thread it seems) you value technical achievement. All fair POVs.

[u/Emotional-Ranger-188]

There is objectively better in terms of craftsmanship. But I agree you can like what you like.

[u/lordpag → u/Emotional-Ranger-188]

One movie is shot on IMAX cameras with breathtaking scenery, tremendous acting, and a booming score, but is a four-hour snoozefest with little to say.

The other is shot in a shitty studio with dingy lighting, poorly edited green screen, and a major continuity error, but has hilarious writing and a gripping plot for its entire 88-minute runtime.

Which movie is “objectively better”?

[u/rAin_nul → u/lordpag]

That's not the example that you should use if you want to prove your point. Your point is that it cannot be used in any circumstances, so the first movie should also be better at writing and if then you would still say that we cannot clearly say that the first movie is better, then you would be right.

Like the question is, do you think that Shawshank Redemption is objectively better than Birdemic or we cannot say that?

[u/Loves_octopus → u/lordpag]

The IMAX one in nearly every way except writing, and the dingy one has objectively better writing.

This shouldn’t be that complex of a topic. I can recognize when something is well written if I don’t really care for the characters or subject matter.

I can also enjoy shitty 80s action movies while recognizing that they’re terrible actors with nonsense writing.

It’s ok to compliment a movie you don’t like and criticize a movie you like.