Erik The Movieman HBS Monkey


Joined: 12 Jul 2002 Posts: 8587 Location: Elk Grove Village, IL USA
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Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:52 pm Post subject: In Defense of Ben Lyons |
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No, not by me. Just came home to this e-mail.
I just read your comments in the L.A. Times article about Ben Lyons, and I have to say that you're apparently a moron.
(1) You said, ""His integrity's out the window. He has no taste." Are you an objectivist or something? Objectivists on aesthetic assessments are morons. Everyone has taste. "Taste" simply refers to what one likes versus dislikes, prefers versus avoids. "He has no taste" is an idiotic statement. Also, who are you to say that he's not being honest? Do you have some evidence that his actual opinions are different than those he's expressed?
(2) You said, "[I Am Legend is] one of the 'greatest movies ever made'? . . . Next to 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Citizen Kane'? The only way you can say that with a straight face is if you've only seen 50 movies in your life. Or you're trying to give quotes to appease someone who can do you a favor later." Aside from the lame, generic quip that any random IMDb Film General Board regular could easily top, that comment from you does suggest that perhaps you're an objectivist. Anyone could legitimately feel that any film is better than Citizen Kane. They can't be wrong about that (and neither can they be right). We're simply talking about how we feel about the films, what we prefer--and that includes what we prefer when it comes to elements like editing, cinematography, production design, etc. I also prefer I Am Legend to Citizen Kane. Is I Am Legend as important to film history as Citizen Kane? No. But that's hardly relevant for whether it's
a good film.
You don't deserve being a published critic who would be quoted in an L.A. Times story. You're too stupid for that, and you're promoting stupidity in your comments. Objectivism is _factually_ incorrect, unlike film opinions. That you'd have a position like that while I do not is a ridiculous injustice.
--Brandt _________________ Erik Childress
Online Film Critics Society / Chicago Film Critics Association
Nick Digilio - WGN Radio Chicago |
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