I have watched and lked some really offbeat films and films that move as slow if not slower than 2001. So attention deficit or not being able to appreciate offbeat stuff is certainly not the reason for disliking 2001. Comments like yours are examples of classic snobbery that exist in reviewer circles.

Tastes are acquired, you are not born automatically with an inclination to listen to Ilayaraja and watch Mani Rathnam’s films. I understand that and I am not addressing that.

I am talking about a slightly different phenomenon. That of desi behavior when it comes to Hollywood films or distinctly alien music/films/art.And the snobbery and hypocrisy I witness. I honestly believe that you cannot beat yourself up into liking a film. You might be able to appreciate a few things when pointed out and might have an academic interest. But holding it close to your heart?

Its like..
“I didnt like that song at all despite giving it a try few times, but after someone pointed out the chord progressions and the underlying raga usage suddenly the song seems melodious and great ” )

Taxi driver talks about American issues like urban decay, loneliness, post-war depression and so on. I dont necessarily expect every desi, to identify with and empathize with or even understand De Niro’s character in that film. And that directly affects the impact the movie has on you. I become less engaged(I’ll avoid using entertained) with the proceedings.
There might be better examples to illustrate how cultural divide/language barrier affects movie appreciation but maybe later. It might not be easy for an American movie critic, who might have watched a lot of Tamil films and might even know the Tamil language very well(without the help of captions) to instantly appreciate and identify with Bharathiraja’s characters and his films like Mudhal mariyaadhai or 16 vayadhinile. Films that are firmly rooted in our culture and some of which might seem silly to them or even unfathomable.

To a certain extent every desi has the same handicap too while attempting to watch and analyse Hollywood films or other World cinema.
But nevertheless, they read up stuff on the net, read Ebert’s reviews and act like as if they got everything about the movie and that they talk in a tone like as if were mentally conditioned to naturally appreciate those kind of movies. I was only ridiculing that.

To me, there are a lot more engaging ways that I could stimulate myself to think about life, evolution, universe and so on than watching 2001 space odyssey. It is as simple as that.

“But I wonder, how many of your tastes are NOT acquired ones?
Reviewers recommend movies, friends recommend movies/books/music, even when you buy something on the shelf, you read the one-line-praises about it which are printed on the cover… Acquired taste is nothing to be frowned upon, if you do not happen to like *everything* that is recommended to you”

Chaitanya, by acquired taste I mean what Raghav suggested earlier. Beating yourself up for not being able to like something that a few others praise and trying to watch it or listen to it repeatedly in order to be able to like it. No, I dont have any such acquired taste like that. I think some of it is just hypocrisy and snobbery, in order to join the club that likes those films and think they are superior because of it. Believe me I have seen this happen atleast in desi circles.

Did I mention they always run old trailers before they show the movie?

Sagarika: This reads like an obit (disguised or otherwise)? I intended it more along the lines of a “2001 turns 40″ kinda thing. That’s what triggered this piece.