After all this extensive discussion on the “is it good” question, I feel as if one question needs to be asked: Is it really that important? Don’t get me wrong–this distinction is a very important one for me, but it seems that this is not a universal feeling. What if you don’t care whether a film you’re watching is ‘good’ or not, as long as you like it? And what if you’d rather not even make that distinction–you’re happier just accepting each film in terms of the enjoyment it brings you? While I disagree with this perspective personally, I think I’d feel very snobbish if I told someone not to think that way. As Stephanie points out, “a movie’s worth is in the eye of the beholder”. No arguments there. People will always disagree–not only about films but about books, scientific theories, philosophy…pretty much everything, actually. Everyone has their individual reasons for liking films, and it’s unfair to say that one person’s reason is less valid than another’s. If people went to movies with exactly the same purposes and expectations, it would be different. But we aren’t all looking for the exact same thing in movies. In fact, it even varies by individual film.
If you feel as if it’s important to make the distinction and be able to identify the difference, do that! (As I’ve said, that’s where I fall, personally.) But if it’s not all that important to you, don’t let other people’s opinions lessen your own film experience.