"I like it when I'm entertained by a movie."

That's the usual response I get from people with whom I discuss films. If I try discussing a film that has strong themes and no gun totting action, that is the universally accepted response. I wonder when this happened. Did some people come together, have a meeting one night, and decided this was an acceptable and vague enough response to give when questioned about film taste? The funny part is I'm wondering if I ever used that excuse myself (...this is somewhat a question I'm asking Eric).

I was scrolling through IMDB message board discussing the original Dawn of the Dead and someone posted that answer. The person was calling the film boring, slow and uninteresting. His response to others who commented that he lacked proper taste was "I watch a movie to get entertained...to lose myself."

The definition of entertainment, from dictionary.com:
1. the act of entertaining; agreeable occupation for the mind; diversion; amusement: Solving the daily crossword puzzle is an entertainment for many.
2. something affording pleasure, diversion, or amusement, esp. a performance of some kind: The highlight of the ball was an elaborate entertainment.

I guess the word 'diversion' is what charms many people into using the phrase to avoid being looked down upon when question about art. But Dawn of the Dead is obviously an entertaining movie. It diverts attention, it amuses, it's art and unless one wants to avoid anything in the horror department, then it also affords pleasure when it develops its complicated social themes.

So what diverts pleasure from these films? Its hard to think of something more pleasing visually and auditory then 2001: A space Odyssey but some tend to say "I want to watch a movie to escape.". What a better escape then 2001! It's nothing like one sees everyday! I'm confused...

The last phrase I hear is: "It's just a question of opinion."
I'll leave it at that...