“Why can’t you just like anything?”

Back in the day, I really didn’t care about reviews for games. I would play the game and either suffered if it sucked or thanked the gaming gods for the great game I bought. For movies, many of us would watch two guys on TV tell us how they felt about a movie. Maybe we would hear about it through word of mouth; that’s how I discovered The Matrix. This was well before the internet or, YouTube, where 9 million people screamed their opinions at you.

So as I sit here, looking at what movie am I going to watch next or what game to play, I’m wondering something.. I really enjoy watching some reviewers on YouTube, including Angry Joe, the Nostalgia Critic, Andre the Black Nerd, and AVGN. I think about how long they’ve been at it. Then something hits me like a sack of bricks. They’ve been at it for so long, they must be numb to it all. Are they? If so, will that happen to me? I’m just getting started, and it feels numbing to me.

Basically, does being a critic ruin movies and games? Personally, I think it may.

I remember some movies from my past that I would forever cherish. At the time, I considered them perfect. Today, I can’t watch those same movies without pointing out the negatives or find flaws. I used to love watching Howard the Duck. Now I can’t see it without asking, “Why does that one duck have tits?” Or, “wait, did Bev almost fuck Howard?”

Another timeless classic for me is Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. When I watch it now, all I do is pick it apart. Like, why is Short Round with Dr. Jones, knowing he can get killed at any time? Or why is Willie so fucking annoying?

(Ed note: fuck you, Punisher…oh, wait. You mean Willie in the movie. My bad. Yea, she’s a bit annoying Never mind, carry on.)

When I was younger, I would love playing Back to the Future on the NES. I thought the game was amazing. I recently played and found myself asking, “why the fuck am I playing this? Why is Marty stopping a bunch of Biffs by throwing milkshakes? Why is riding the skateboard so hard in the game?”

Getting older could be the reason for looking back at things I loved and hating them. Except for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, all of the other examples are hated by many people. I see why; they’re shit. It’s possible that I was younger and didn’t have as critical an eye as I do now. But I do it now with more modern movies and games.

This year, I saw Transformers: The Last Knight and I was not pleased at all. The thought also hit me back then: in that theater, I was the only one with the problem. My little nephew was loving the movie. Other people were as well. By enjoying it, I mean they thought this was the best thing in the world. There was a lot of clapping at the end of the movie and high 5’s all around. All over that robotic garbage. I talked to Uncle Willy, God, and the Devil that night, trying to make sense of it. Why can’t I be like everyone else? Why can’t I just enjoy a movie without criticizing it? Sometimes, I want to go back to the old days and not really care for things like that and cherish movies and games. In fact, I want to be like everyone else.

Criticizing a movie like I do here is both a blessing and curse at the same time. On one hand, I’m sharing my opinion about what I see and play, hoping someone appreciates and enjoys the truth. On the other hand, I’m crushing and maybe killing everything you might have loved or liked about the movie and game. In a way, I enjoy a good conversation about what people enjoy about the movie or game. I see if I can see through their eyes in to find why they liked it so much. It’s a challenge, though. Some people can’t speak their mind without getting butthurt and want to bash you on what you think.

I hated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. There were a lot of people who loved it and think I’m crazy. I did enjoy the extended cut of BvS, though. If they have shown that instead of the original crap they showed in theaters, I may have enjoyed it as much as the others who love it. Maybe I was being too critical? If so many people enjoyed it, there has to be some good in it. But a lot more people didn’t like it, including Digital Crack’s DC expert, Cousin Jose. He just keeps screaming something about “LAVA NINJA TURTLE” then challenges Uncle Willy to a drinking game. When he loses, he sits over at a corner, drunk and sobbing, saying, “Why did he say that name?”

I think I want to ask this question you all: How do you feel about a critic? Love them, hate them, enjoy seeing them rant, watch to see if their point of view and see if it matches yours? Please let me know in the comments below. I’m interested in knowing your thoughts about this topic. Stay Tuned for what’s coming up in November. We are going to have a lot to talk about. Punisher, Thor: Ragnarok, and Justice League are soon upon us! Yeah, this is going to be fun!

As always, I’m Punisher and hope I see you in the movies.