A few things to say about film snobbery

[DerekG]

I always aimed a little higher than my peers: when all the other 12 year olds were obsessed with Wes Craven's "Scream", I was devouring the Dutch version of "The Vanishing"; when the other high school denizens were intrigued by Kevin Smith's "Dogma", I found my solace in Bergman's "The Seventh Seal."

I pride myself on my good taste; so I'd like to say a few things to all the film snobs I see frequenting the arts cinemas across America.

1. "Jaws" is as perfect--and timeless--a film as Coppola's "The Godfather."

2. Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is as sublime as Cocteau's.

3. Political correctness should not stand in the way of enjoying "Gone With the Wind."

4. Yes, there is Bad "Star Wars" (ROTJ, TPM, AOTC), but there is also Good "Star Wars" (ANH, ESB).

5. Our action maestros (James Cameron, George Miller) should be distinguished from the hacks (Emmerich/Devlin; Bay/Bruckheimer).

6. Tom Cruise can be annoying as hell, but he can occasionally turn in a good performance ("Born on the Fourth of July", "Magnolia", "Collateral").

7. "Return of the King" deserved every Oscar it received.


Flame away!