A Concerned College Student

During my time studying film in college, there seems to be this overwhelming idea from professors and other film students that if you want to make movies you obviously want to make "artsy" movies. If you desire to make, or simply even like Hollywood made blockbusters, there is always the question as to why? If I say I love an arthouse movie, I am never questioned, but saying that I love a Steven Spielberg movie, I am blasted as to why I do. It's a frustration that I have run into, and what it all really boils down to is individual tastes.

I love macaroni and cheese, it's probably my favorite food dish in the world, and 99.9% of the time no one asks me why I love macaroni and cheese. Most people understand that I simply like the taste of it, and there is no further need to explain why. If I love Star Wars or Harry Potter and not, "fill in the blank art film," it doesn't mean that I have poor tastes, it just means I have different tastes.

Here's the thing, arthouse movies tend to leave me cold, they are more cerebral than emotional. The feelings that they create are in the mind, not in the heart, and that is not what I am interested in. The fact is, when I see a movie, I do not decide whether or not I like it based upon how original it is, or how thought provoking it is, but on how the movie made me feel. My feelings on movies are always a gut response, I either love it or I don't. If I don't feel a certain way in my gut, then the movie just isn't for me. I've tried loving movies that I didn't feel anything for, and the thing I've found is that I can appreciate such movies, but I don't ever love, or even like them.

I have one professor, who feels that if you make Hollywood blockbusters you are selling out as a movie maker. What if I love Hollywood blockbusters? Is that selling out? No, because that is my taste in movies. It's not his tastes, it's mine, and the fact of the matter is, I want to make movies that people feel.