80's Action flicks, and the "So bad it's good" effect Rant

I have had many things on my mind lately, although I've had a difficult time figuring out how they fit together. After recent catalysts, I decided the perfect way to address them, would be with one combining force. The "So Bad It's Good Effect", We have all heard it, oh it's so bad it's good. But, and this goes for all media, Film, Gaming, Books, really any form of entertainment, and that word entertainment is not only the most important one; it is the key factor for my argument against this horrible trend/label.

I love 80's action films, and not just the classics like Rambo First Blood Part Two, Predator or Die Hard, but lesser known films like Extreme Prejudice, Uncommon Valor, Invasion U.S.A and Red Scorpion. I love these films because they represent my favorite genre, and because of how they represent what I love most about media. You may think my favorite genre, would be action, and you wouldn't be far off. But my favorite genre is fantasy, because it has my favorite aspect of media, and that is a kind of pure cathartic, escapism entertainment.

I use the word cathartic, because it best fits the way this type of media effects me. It entertains me, by featuring events that build emotions. Emotions that then end climax in a satisfying and cathartic release. This is in all types of fantasy films, whether that is the 80's action hero fantasy, the cowboy fantasy, sci-fi fantasy, historical fantasy or sexual fantasy. I'm sure I am leaving many forms of fantasy out, but the point is all of these films result in a pleasurable and satisfying climax.

Now please get your mind's out of the gutter. When I say climax in this instance, I am referring to the wave of emotions, the rush that film made you feel, it is in a way a high, as the feelings resemble euphoria;  well I am using big fancy terms, and it may seem over the top, or like i'm trying too hard, but they simply fit. What do Star Wars, Delta Force, Captain Blood and Escape from New York have in common? It is simple, the way they make you feel. 

Movies and games are all forms of entertainment as well as art. They can either be a mix of both or just one, but really art and entertainment are nearly identical in their principles. Both try to invoke an emotion, state of mind or a feeling. Even if the media in question, only focuses on one of those things, that does not make it bad.

Games, movies, and books are all made mainly to entertain you, some aim to do more than that, some aim to stimulate your mind, invoke complicated emotions or to educate. Still, if the only use or reason something was made; was to just entertain that does not make it worth any less, than something that aims for more. 

Take the film Missing In Action for example, it is not a good movie by traditional standards. It is very cheesy and it does have a cheap and amateur feel to it, but it is everything good media should be. It provides that cathartic kind of entertainment, that I find so satisfying. It also tries hard to provide a message. While some can be cynical about the true meaning and message of that film and others like it. The message is good will win against evil, to not give into evil and sometimes doing the good thing means that you have to fight.

This is why I consider Out For Justice, Road House and many more fantasies, because they all have that common factor of providing emotional satisfaction. While it is great for something to aim to be more than just entertainment. If the only reason for something is to entertain, that does not mean it is lower than those that strive to be more. Which is why the term "So Bad It's Good" means nothing. 

It is also why there is really no such thing as a bad film, book or game. Now before I go further, yes there are some exceptions, but for the most part, the things that could be labeled as purely bad are less than one percent of all media. And I say that because I have a vast amount of experience with all forms of media, and the amount of truly bad things that I have experienced is so small, that I can barely recall but a few. 

Really the only reason you may hear someone say a game or movie is bad, is because that thing did not entertain that person. Taste is entirely subjective, so really there can not be anything that is truly bad. Now, if something just plain does not work, then you could say it is bad; but, for something to truly be bad, that thing in question, would have to fail it's most basic function.

These are the only circumstances when I could view something as truly bad. The movie has to fail to play, the audio would have to be inaudible, the video would need to be too dark to view, or the game mechanics need to be broken or simply not function. Otherwise, there will always be someone who gets something from that piece of media. Whether that is a sense of happiness, a cathartic sense of euphoria or it maybe it even made them think more deeply about a subject. If you were entertained in any way, it wasn't bad. 

If you were entertained by the high level of violence, the themes, the cheesiness, or any other random factor; then that media item did it's job. Just because something reaches those goals through easy or juvenile methods, or even if it just had low aspirations, those factors do not lessen that item's value.

The way we treat things, and the lack of appreciation we have for them, the lack of respect. It just keeps pushing our values and our way of life into a state of mind that is fueled by negativity. I can not stand it. It bothers me that people keep contributing to a negative minded culture. 

I do not blame the people who use these terms, or enforce these ideals. Yet, why must we all see something, and try to find some reason to pick it apart. Why is being jaded, cynical and negative more popular and more frequent then people being positive.

Why are the people who have found way's to feel happy and find the good in life, looked down upon because of what makes their existence better. Especially when nearly every case is of someone being themselves, or doing something that makes them happy, that harms no one. Life is short, and unlike a video game, we don't get a do over, there are no checkpoints, and no One-Up.