and not judge.

Oh, god yes, thanks for this. I've been told by a non-Buffista that I *must* endure works of fiction (books/films/TV) that are deeply upsetting to me, because Art. And something something "Art is supposed to destroy your complacency," something something "all you want is empty-headed pablum!"

I probably don't need to say that I avoid that person like the Black Death, huh? Sheesh.

Again looking for the Like button, Teppy.

I enjoy watching/reading things that disturb me, even if I occasionally have to cover my eyes, but I don't feel the need to convince others that they should enjoy that same things.

Oh, I have no problem with people who enjoy things that disturb/challenge/whatever them. I actually do understand that that is one function of art, and it's cool that people embrace that to whatever degree they prefer.

My only problem is with blowhards who tell me I'm consuming media wrong and I must watch upsetting shit or else I'm an empty-headed fool.

I must watch upsetting shit or else I'm an empty-headed fool.

t still hunting for the Like button.

Raymond Chandler has an essay on "escapist" reading, summarized thus: "I hold no particular belief for the detective story as the ideal escape. I merely say that all reading for pleasure is escape, whether it be Greek, mathematics, astronomy, Benedetto Croce, or The Diary of the Forgotten Man. To say otherwise is to be an intellectual snob, and a juvenile at the art of living."

I figure the same can be extended to movies.

Thanks, everyone. I'll save Snowpiercer for when I can watch it on my couch with a friend to hide behind. The Apes movie was already off my list, partly because Animals, and also partly because from what I can tell from the trailers those chimps aren't acting like chimps, they're acting like humans in chimp suits, and it bugs me.

I don't have any complacency or naiveté left for Art to shake me out of. I want Art and its disciples to leave me alone.

And something something "Art is supposed to destroy your complacency," something something "all you want is empty-headed pablum!"

I would probably just reply "YEP!" to that and peace out.

I sat through Un Chien Andalou in film class and Eraserhead at home; hopefully that gives me enough Disturbing Art Cinema cred that I can get away with rainchecking Gravity (because I can tell from trailers the combo of the main character pinwheeling uncontrollably through wide open vistas and being enclosed in a suffocating spacesuit would make me queasy).

Zenkitty, with regards to your whitefont: it's somewhere in the middle, really, and one of the big issues in the movie is what distinguishes the apes from the humans.

We all have qs about various content in movies and many of your responses helped me a great deal. I am glad we can help each other discern whether a movie is for us or not.