I’m disturbed by the new definition of “popcorn movie.” In current parlance, a popcorn movie is a film in which the audience is expected to “turn their brains off” and just enjoy it for what it is. Translation: incredibly shitty films are being termed popcorn movies, as if that somehow excuses their low quality.

It doesn’t.

Two good examples from this summer are Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. I have not seen either, because I’ve heard such horrible things about them, and they’ve gotten extremely negative reviews. Considering how much movies cost to go see nowadays, why would I waste my money? (Perhaps I’ll rent them, but I doubt it.) While most people have derided the two films, with apparent good reason, there’s a still a vocal contigent of fans who glorify the two as pure, fun entertainment. I’m sorry, I’m all for a cheesy movie now and then, but I don’t want to watch one that will insult my intelligence.

I remember when popcorn movies were good action and adventure films, such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day or Raiders of the Lost Ark. You could even qualify the original Star Wars trilogy under the old definition; you sat back with a bucket of popcorn, and enjoyed a fun movie. These movies were thrillrides, but of high quality, not the dreck that populates cinemas these days.