Why are sentimental movies almost universally disliked?

[Coenskubrick]

Originally Posted by wonderer99

Haha I seem to be going round in circles. Yes, I think in the movies there is a clear divide between natural emotional responses that come from the narrative and emotional responses achieved due to a direct intention of the filmakers to illicit tears. Some films are designed to make you cry. Those are the films I am talking about, not ET and all the rest which which merely have emotional scenes dotted throughout a wider vision. It is the films that are created to sentimental, that is their sole aim, that seem to have an almost universal disdain directed at them. So my initial question was why does sentimentality, as a lone goal, illicit such hate? This is of course, as I mentioned before, taking out of the equation the simply bad films. I am talking about specifically sentimentality being used as a negative in itself as a criticism.

Well I'm saying that aside from simple cynicism, the use of the word sentimental in negative context is probably just being confused with contrived sentimentality.

[Wernski]

Originally Posted by wonderer99

So my initial question was why does sentimentality, as a lone goal, illicit such hate? This is of course, as I mentioned before, taking out of the equation the simply bad films. I am talking about specifically sentimentality being used as a negative in itself as a criticism.

I don't know if you can take it out of the equation completely, because I think that clearly trying to evoke emotions, and failing to evoke them, is the problem. People who leave a sad movie crying don't think the sentimental film was poor because of it. It's the people thinking, "god, the movie was expecting me to cry at that ham-fisted cliched tripe?" When the movie is clearly trying to push you somewhere but not moving you, it's like an unfunny comedy.

If you look up the word "sentimental," the problem is right there in the word itself: "appealing to the emotions especially in an excessive way." That's definition #2, admittedly, but it's a common connotation and what critics mean when they call a movie sentimental. It's not just trying to make you feel sad, it's doing so in an unnatural, over-the-top and therefore ineffective way. There is such thing, I think, as an unsentimental tear-jerker.

[Tarkovski]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

Same principal on always seeing posts with people raving about dark, depressing endings to movies because "it's not the typical Hollywood ending"... whatever that means

A Hollywood ending is 90 minutes were everything seems to go wrong for the protagonist, but it's switched around in the last couple of minutes of the narrative were everything is ok and beautiful and works out and...

[AaronJ]

I might not be the best person to comment on this, since, even though I love my hopeless and cynical films as much as the next guy, I cry really easily, even watching some TV show.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I might not be the best person to comment on this, since, even though I love my hopeless and cynical films as much as the next guy, I cry really easily, even watching some TV show.

I still tear up a little when I think about Joan Rivers beating Annie Duke.

Talk about rigged.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by octagon

I still tear up a little when I think about Joan Rivers beating Annie Duke.

Talk about rigged.

lol

[Infernal King]

A.I. is the only remaining film that can really make me cry.

And yes, it's mostly that third act... which some idiots don't like.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

A.I. is the only remaining film that can really make me cry.

And yes, it's mostly that third act... which some idiots don't like.

Honestly, I never got through the whole film.*

I'll give it another try sometime.



* -- I should point out that, with few exceptions, I'm not much of a Spielberg fan to begin with. And yes, I know this began, and went a long way, as a Kubrick project.

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

A.I. is the only remaining film that can really make me cry.

And yes, it's mostly that third act... which some idiots don't like.

The third act is the greatest part of the film. Always seemed technically pretty visionary to me, and emotionally impactful.

[Talleyrand]

Good question. Personally, I don't know, I don't like sentimental movies at all. I guess that could be viewed as an attempt to be "cool," but it's just a preference.

Originally Posted by JWFORD

And, Nicholas Sparks movies are simply terrible, including The Notebook (and I was born and raised in the city it was shot in).

Oh absolutely. That film was a straigth up abortion. I only watched it because I was in a context where it was being suggested as the movie for the night. I knew I wouldn't like it, but I figured it would be a kind of bland dislike, me just not taking any interest at all and being kind of bored. Good heavens, I was not not prepared for the onslaught of shit I received from that movie.

Last time I'll even watch a Sparks movie, that's for sure.

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

They're not universally disliked. They're disliked on forums such as this one, which is a specific and tiny subset of the audience, mainly comprised of little boys (of any age). How many women participate in these forums? But women are a large part of the movie-going audience.

That's sexist?

Originally Posted by Buscemi

Pre-Internet, we had no problem with films like Love Story or Terms of Endearment. Nowadays, admitting that you like such a film is considered a kiss of death in such a community (along with saying you didn't think Whiplash or Captain America: Civil War was that great).

Never seen Love Story or Terms of Endearment, no real interest. Whiplash was decent but not that great. Civil War was a piece of shit. COMMENCE THE KISS OF DEATH!!!!

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Honestly, I never got through the whole film.*

I'll give it another try sometime.



* -- I should point out that, with few exceptions, I'm not much of a Spielberg fan to begin with. And yes, I know this began, and went a long way, as a Kubrick project.

I get tears in my eyes when I think about what Kubrick could've done with that film if he had directed it.

...such a shame.

[Impossible]

I love a good weepie

[dancerslegs]

Sentimental movies can be cool. (Especially some of those great 1930's-40's "woman's weepies", *sob*!) It's when I can catch a distinct stink of cynicism wafting from the proceedings that I balk.

A proper mix of sincerity, humor, panache, and good old-fashioned romantic spirit go a long way toward making this kind of magic. Hopefully, La La Land ends up fitting this bill!

[Ernest Rister]

I don't mind sentiment when it's earned, with our leads going though great pain and strife. Ain't nothing wrong with reunions, reconciliations, grief and love.