“a film with comic-book characters, an unbelievable story, no political or social commentary, lousy acting, preposterous dialogue, and a ridiculously simplistic morality. In other words, a bad movie.”
CAN'T WE JUST HAVE FUN!!! Does EVERYTHING have to shove liberal morality in our faces? These fools will laugh and impugn anything remotely Christian and moral but will celebrate the filthy anti-American lies from De Palma!
This is why the "top lists" from critics of the past are no better than those of today. There was and is praised heaped on some works (literary as well as film and tv) because of some political view someone held (especially among the Hollywood 10) or other agenda. Other works are suppressed or forgotten because of personal or political grudges.
Pauline Kael (who is often held up as the best critic ever) said that she didn't know how Nixon could've won. Nobody she knew voted for him. They are all myopic and it influences their judgment.
Homos, women, and socialists dominated film criticism for awhile so you got costume dramas, musicals, and "social realism" defined as "the best cinema had to offer". Now a new crowd are the tastemakers. Critics once upon a time hated rock and roll too. They still generally do so they have to find the atypical example to elevate it as "good".
2001 was "art" not sci-fi. REM and Radiohead are "above rock". Those who enjoy the real deal feel cheated.
I like Star Wars although I have to agree that Anakin having no Dad made me a bit uncomfortable, too. And, I got upset that Lucas sold out to Disney- the evil empire- for the last trilogy. And I cry at the end when Luke sees his Anakin, Yoda, and Obi-wan again. Which is why I've never had the nerve to watch, "Old Yeller!" 😭 (((sniffle)))