In the before times (a few months ago), I liked or disliked movies based on my emotional response to their content. I judged a movie based on the promise and delivery of a story line that fell into my comfort zone pre-conceptions. If I knew before hand it did not sit there, I tended to avoid them. Cowardly I know, but the world if full of bad news, why go looking.

As an example, I would have had little or no interest in “12 Years a Slave”, not because I am not sympathetic to the plight of the characters or lessons learned, but becasue I find these stories troubling and frustrating on a deeply emotional level, something I do not need reinforced time and again.

This goes for tragic animal stories especially.

I know these things happen, I am realistic, but not happy about them nor keen to share their imaginary plight. I do my little bit as able to prevent or repair the real issues through my own actions and support of charities, but I do not need to be beaten over the head with more tragic stories. No “Lassie” for me.

Unfortunately for me, many of the greatest scenes in the most beautifully crafted films come with this baggage.

The tragic evacuation scene in “Atonement”, a massive and magnificent one take sweep around the beaches, only reminds me of the people and animals killed in the name of human hubris. The compelling but horrifying hanging scene in “12 Years”, most of “No Country For Old Men” are good examples of the craft at its highest level, but hard can be to watch content. “Amelie” they are not.

With a new found awareness of movies that are true modern (or older) master productons, my preferences have shifted to those that are well lit, with gripping sound, are masterfully blocked, strikingly shot and equally well written.

Does this mean I feel more comfortable with the content? No, it just means that my judgement of these films, for what it is worth, is now split into an awareness of content and one of production qualities, each judged on differnet levels.