Diversity of likes/dislikes is fascinating

[Anrhydeddu]

In looking at what folks here and elsewhere really likes and really dislikes, I find it fascinating as to liking/disliking polar opposites. This range from games to movies to tv shows to food to any other diverse areas of interest. This was brought home to me this week as I rented MIB2, which I thought was just okay, it had its moments. I then go on to the imdb messageboard and see one person (from Sweden no less) adamantly saying that this is the greatest movie of all time and that there is no better actor than Will Smith (he was truly serious about it).

Now I’m not debating the merits of MIB2 but it again struck me that if you absolutely love something, you will find at least one person here that will absolutely hate that something. And vice-versa. I just find it fascinating of how we all can have such extreme diversity in interests and likes/dislikes. That is healthy except when someone gets defensive and can’t believe that anyone else can love/hate something they hate/love.

There is a list or a game in here somewhere, I think. I would like to hear more of extremes likes/dislikes of games, movies, tv shows, food, etc. – just don’t make it personal.

I can start off with one I know will elicit polar opposite opinions: I think The Matrix is a very lousy movie.

[Anrhydeddu]

dola

Here's another one that came up here recently: it appears that Ramzavail can't believe that not everyone is thrilled about the upcoming CM4 release. And then we have soccer, which the extreme diverse opinions is a given.

[cthomer5000]

Everytime I watch a really horrible band perform, between trying to keep my ears from bleeding, I think "This is someone's absolute favorite band."

the world is an interesting place.

[Swaggs]

No one plays Will Smith better than Will Smith.

[Anrhydeddu]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
Everytime I watch a really horrible band perform, between trying to keep my ears from bleeding, I think "This is someone's absolute favorite band."

the world is an interesting place.

Exactly!

[henry296]

I think another broader topic that is similar to soccer is Country Music.

Todd

[HornedFrog Purple]

Not sure if this is what youre looking for. I like:

Boring, defensive dominated 3-0 football games.

The DH.

A.I. the movie

Dont like:

Domes.

Backdraft the movie. Well it was ok just Hollywooded to death.

Lack of a strike zone.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
Everytime I watch a really horrible band perform, between trying to keep my ears from bleeding, I think "This is someone's absolute favorite band."

I was thinking that exact same thing as I painfully sat through a performance by the band Alabama on one of those New Years' Eve shows. I don't think I had ever actually heard them before, and after that moment, I was thankful for that fact.

We had this discussion once before about country music in general, but I don't like it because I can't relate to the songs about workin' hard for a living, boozin', and playin' pool and drinkin' beer, and I don't like overly-sentimental patriotic crap. That doesn't leave much else to listen to.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Oh my biggest dislike:

Sports talk radio-stations that dont talk about sports for more than 13 seconds an hour.

[Anrhydeddu]

Frog, interesting list and I wonder how extreme you are with those (or how someone can take an extreme opposite view)? I'm sure there are those that think every single sport should be played in a dome (I haven't heard anyone say that, so that would be interesting to find). You and I have opposite tastes on QB and football games types but I do think we can find some common ground. I just think most folks (not all) are willing to be less extreme.

cthomer: You have an example of a band?

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by HornedFrog Purple
Oh my biggest dislike:

Sports talk radio-stations that dont talk about sports for more than 13 seconds an hour.

cough The Ticket cough

[HornedFrog Purple]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Frog, interesting list and I wonder how extreme you are with those (or how someone can take an extreme opposite view)? I'm sure there are those that think every single sport should be played in a dome (I haven't heard anyone say that, so that would be interesting to find). You and I have opposite tastes on QB and football games types but I do think we can find some common ground. I just think most folks (not all) are willing to be less extreme.

I think we did the QB issue to death.

There are a lot of people that are anti-DH. I like it because I would rather see an over the hill hitter at the plate instead of a typical pitcher. I dont buy into the NL is more strategy based than the AL.

The type of football game I would never take someone to task over but I am guessing a majority like open offensive games.

JeeberD ding ding! The only guy I will listen to on that station is Norm Hitzges and most Ticketheads think he is boring.

[rkmsuf]

The movie that popped into my head was LA Confidential. Lots of people loved that movie...I thought it was a big pile of donkey dung...

[Kodos]

Pulp Fiction. Many seem to think it is the best ever. I thought it was utter crap.

[SplitPersonality1]

For me it's Austin Powers.

My brother-in-law goes on and on about the first two films - even he thought the third one stunk - but I just don't think that they are that funny.

[Anrhydeddu]

Kodos, I feel the same way about Pulp Fiction. I would also add Bogart and any of his movies.

[wade moore]

Likes:

Country Music
Acapella Music
Dude Where's My Car?
Country Line Dancing

Dislikes:
Pulp Fiction (yay Kodos)
The recent version of Romeo and Juliet.

[scooper]

A couple dislikes of mine that tend to be very popular:

I don't like Adam Sandler much. I have not hated all of his movies, but I didn't find him funny on SNL. I think most of his characters are exactly the same and not that amusing to me.

I also don't like Dave Matthews Band. People love them. I'll agree that they are talented musicians but his voice to me is fingernails on a chalkboard.

As for a like: I didn't love it, did not pay to see it in a theater, but I once sat down and watched the movie Waterworld on TV, just to see what the stink was. I sat through the entire thing and enjoyed it.

By the way, I love 3-0 defensive struggle football games.

[AnalBumCover]

Strange, I initially disliked Pulp Fiction, then for some odd reason, it grew on me...and I began to really like the movie. Probably because some of my close friends kept on raving over it. Talk about peer influence.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by wade moore
Likes:
Dude Where's My Car?

Ha! This one would appear to be purely generational:

Likes:

Strange Brew


Dislikes:

Dude Where's My Car

[jerem77]

I can't stand DMB. I took my fiance to a concert because she likes his music. I felt like I was listening to the same song for 3 hours, interupted only by him mumbling into the microphone.

[Ksyrup]

I Intensely Dislike:

Grateful (He's) Dead
Phish
Widespread Panic
Any other "jam" bands

But Like:

Dream Theater
Queensryche (way back when)
Shadow Gallery
Fates Warning
Spock's Beard
Porcupine Tree
Most rock/metal prog groups

[scooper]

Ksyrup,

One jam band I like that is usually classified more as a Skynard like southern rock band is the Allman Brothers. As for the others, I agree.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Did anyone like Battlefield Earth? I think that was the worst movie I have ever seen.

The only saving grace of Pulp Fiction was the soundtrack.

[Leonidas]

My wife and I cannot figure out how "Signs" got so much critical acclaim and box office success. C'mon, aliens capable of interstellar travel can't figure out how to break through a friggin door held up by 2x4's?

[JeeberD]

And they don't realize that the planet they're invading is made up of 2/3 of a substance that's toxic to them???

[Anrhydeddu]

Did anyone like Battlefield Earth? I think that was the worst movie I have ever seen.

That would be interesting. I have heard that BE will be on most critics (and fans?) worst movie of all time list. I am very sure that somewhere out there, someone thinks BE is the single greatest movie of all time. Fascinating.

[scooper]

I never even gave Battlefield Earth chance. I just couldn't get past John Travolta looking like Rob Zombie.

[rkmsuf]

That would be interesting. I have heard that BE will be on most critics (and fans?) worst movie of all time list. I am very sure that somewhere out there, someone thinks BE is the single greatest movie of all time. Fascinating.

That person wouldn't be named Travolta or Hubbard would they?

[Senator]

Enuff Z Nuff is the greatest band of all time - (next to the Beatles)


Beat that.

[HornedFrog Purple]

I didnt see it when it came out and I had read some reviews which said it was downright awful. Sometimes even after I read them I will watch it myself and disagree with them or at least find something that I didnt think was that bad (this was the case with A.I.) So I rented it on DVD and honestly in my opinion, there is nothing good about Battlefield Earth. Its absolutely horrible, a complete waste of film.

[QuikSand]

LOVE:

"real" country music (Hank Williams, good Johnny Cash, that's about it)
Pulp Fiction
Radiohead
good talk radio (I'm the judge)
vanilla
pistachios
Tim Russert
Charlize Theron

HATE:

"new" country music
Forrest Gump
most radio
most talk radio
three-button suits
power ties
non sequiturs
The Sixth Sense

[scooper]

Originally posted by Senator
Enuff Z Nuff is the greatest band of all time - (next to the Beatles)


Beat that.

I saw Fly High Michelle on VH1 classic the other day. I remembered that I really liked that band.

[wade moore]

Originally posted by QuikSand
LOVE:

"real" country music (Hank Williams, good Johnny Cash, that's about it)
Pulp Fiction
Radiohead
good talk radio (I'm the judge)
vanilla
pistachios
Tim Russert
Charlize Theron

HATE:

"new" country music
Forrest Gump
most radio
most talk radio
three-button suits
power ties
non sequiturs
The Sixth Sense

I don't 100% agree with your country music dislike as I like the likes of george straight, Clint Black, etc. as that is what I grew up with -- but I hate the "poppy" country that is coming out now...

[Senator]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I saw Fly High Michelle on VH1 classic the other day. I remembered that I really liked that band.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



They have made 10 more CD's after that one. Can you believe that? On CD #11.

[Anrhydeddu]

three-button suits
power ties

But you still have to wear them? I also hate suits and ties, never wore a suit in my life and perhaps the primary reason I don't live on the East Coast.

[QuikSand]

I certainly wear suits and ties, but I refuse to get suckered into wearing an absurd black three-button double-breates suit with a bold yellow power tie. That's just idiotic.

Robert Hall, 1957. Never goes out of style. Dark blue suit, crisp white shirt, reasonable tie, conservative black shoes, and a tan overcoat. That and a cell phone, and I'm ready for business.

[Anrhydeddu]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I certainly wear suits and ties, but I refuse to get suckered into wearing an absurd black three-button double-breates suit with a bold yellow power tie. That's just idiotic.

Robert Hall, 1957. Never goes out of style. Dark blue suit, crisp white shirt, reasonable tie, conservative black shoes, and a tan overcoat. That and a cell phone, and I'm ready for business.

And to think, you used to be my hero.

Jeans, Rockports and Polo Shirts are about as formal as I get, esp. for work.

Back on the subject of extreme opposites, I remember some discussions a while back about female celebrities and who are the beautiful ones. I recall taking the opposite view in thinking that Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and some other popular chick are major league ugly (for a celebrity).

[Aylmar]

Wade --

IMO, I wouldn't classify George Strait as "new" country. He's been around well over twenty years. I've got to admit, though, I like his older "country swing" music (Fireman, Ocean Front Property, etc.) more than I do his newer stuff...

[scooper]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu


Back on the subject of extreme opposites, I remember some discussions a while back about female celebrities and who are the beautiful ones. I recall taking the opposite view in thinking that Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and some other popular chick are major league ugly (for a celebrity).

Good one: Julia Roberts. Ugly.

[Kevin]

Dislikes:
Most movies with special effects. (good special effects are usually used to cover a weak plot)
Rap
Hip Hop
Techno Pop
Bigots


Likes:
Rock n Roll
Blues
Fast paced novels
Julia Roberts
Golf
Curling
Monty Python movies

[Anrhydeddu]

Good one: Julia Roberts. Ugly.

THAT"S IT! Thanks for the recall.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by rkmsuf
That person wouldn't be named Travolta or Hubbard would they?

Hubbard's writing style just cannot possbily translate to film. It was a huge mistake tryint to make it.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Senator
Enuff Z Nuff is the greatest band of all time - (next to the Beatles)


Beat that.

In theory, this is a band I should love, but I don't own a single CD. And I think I sold the two I had. I'm a huge Beatles fan, love King's X and other Beatlesque harmonies bands, power pop, etc., but just never got into EZN. Odd.

[Ksyrup]

This subject reminded me of a statement on the website of a fascinating guy who writes a weekly music review column on his own site called the War Against Silence .

The guy is an amazing writer, often blending his reviews with observations about the world, humanity, etc. He has diverse tastes, so you could probably pick a band you like and search his back log of reviews and find one to read.

Anyway, at the bottom of the front page of his site, he has a statement about what he is "for" and what he is "against" that I've always thought was humorous and interesting:

"glenn mcdonald lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with four inert platypi, three guitars, eleven remote controls and twenty-eight copies of the Big Country song "Wonderland". He is against microwave ovens, unchecked market economies, films about mobsters or prostitutes with hearts of gold, video games, infidelity and wallpaper, but for secret passages, dictionaries, b-sides, basing driving habits on moral imperatives, listening to pop songs and soccer broadcasts in other languages, shaved heads, semicolons, bread you slice yourself and OS X. Hopelessly obscure music trivia has crowded out of his mind one essential detail of every significant bit of human knowledge he has ever learned."

[Fritz]

I just hate marmel.

[dawgfan]

Being in the 3D animation business and still relatively young (33), I find myself surrounded by people that loved the Matrix and can't wait for the next 2 sequals. Personally, I thought it was totally overblown. Yes, there were a lot of cool effects, and I appreciated those. But even the interesting camera shots I thought got a little old by the end of the movie - creative camera shots for the sake of showing off rather than improving the quality of the story. And in my opinion, the story needed all the help it could get - a horribly contrived, bad comic-book plot that took itself extremely seriously.

I also have never understood the praise for M Night Shyamalan. I thought Sixth Sense was OK, but not all that. Unbreakable was utter crap, and I haven't been willing to see Signs yet. Here's another case of a guy who takes himself and his films waaaay too seriously. Unbreakable in particular - another silly comic-book plot, which would've been fine except that it was played as this deadly serious, important story.

Count me in the camp that thinks Pulp Fiction was brilliant. I like everything Tarantino has directed, as well as True Romance which he wrote and Tony Scott directed (Tony's finest moment in a career of mediocrity).

Some other films I think are brilliant: Blade Runner, Apocolypse Now, Alien, most of Stanley Kubrick, most of Martin Scorcese, the first 2 Godfather films, the original Star Wars trilogy, the Indiana Jones trilogy, the Lord of the Rings so far, Memento, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (perhaps my favorite), the Monty Python movies, most of Hitchcock's classics (Vertigo, Rear Window, the Trouble with Harry), Lone Star, Raising Arizona, Animal House, Caddyshack, A Fish Called Wanda. And I'm sure I've left off another 50 or so I'd love to have in my DVD collection.

I'm with Quik on country music - the old, classic stuff is worth listening to (Hank Williams, Johnnie Cash) but the "new" country is garbage.

I'm into all kinds of music:
- alternative/expermimental stuff like Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Bjork, P.J. Harvey;
- progressive metal like Tool and King Crimson;
- electronica and ambient like Aphex Twin, Moby, Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Amon Tobin, DJ Shadow, Brian Eno;
- the "Seattle scene" and similar bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Audioslave, Smashing Pumpkins, Janes Addiction;
- classic rock like the Who, the Beatles, the Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Roxy Music;
- current stars like U2, REM, Red Hot Chilli Peppers;
- jam bands like The Grateful Dead, the Allman Bros., the Dave Matthews Band, Phish;
- certain catchy hip-hop like Eminem, Public Enemy, Nelly, Digital Underground;
- most jazz, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Weather Report;
- classic blues like Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters

I think the new Austin Cooper Minis are great, as are most of the retro designs, including the Beetle and the Jaguars, though I'm not entirely sold on the new Thunderbird; the new A4's are growing on me though I prefer the 99-02 S4's; I think the current 3-series BMW's may be the pinnacle of BMW design, though I don't like the direction the company is going in with the new 7-series; I love the classic Mustangs, and I hope the concept designs for the new Mustang are produced; I think the recent Mercedes' designs are impressively aggressive; I think Lexus has spies in the Mercedes design facilities so they can copy whatever Mercedes does.

I like a variety of women, my current faves being Jennifer Connolly, Cameron Diaz, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry, Natalie Portman, Uma Thurman, Winona Ryder and Heidi Klum.

[dawgfan]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
I recall taking the opposite view in thinking that Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and some other popular chick are major league ugly (for a celebrity).

I was never a big Nicole Kidman fan until recently - she's starting looking a lot better to me, especially after Moulin Rouge.

[rkmsuf]

In defense of the Matrix it was never billed an artistic masterpiece. It did revolutionize special effects and should be at least given credit for that.

I liked it...

Since you mentioned Kubrick can you explain any appeal The Clockwork Orange has?

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by dawgfan

I think the new Austin Cooper Minis are great, as are most of the retro designs, including the Beetle and the Jaguars,

Ack, puke, blah! The PT Loser is another design that should go back to the (s)crap heap.