Do you constantly ignore what Rotten Tomatoes has to say about a film and go see it regardless? Does one of your favorite movies have Ashton Kutcher or Zac Efron in it? Would you consider The Benchwarmers a comedic masterpiece? Do not feel bad if you answered yes to any (or all!) of these questions because your unusual tastes might reveal something about your intelligence.
In a study reported by the Poetics journal, participants were asked about their taste in movies—trashy movies, in particular. The study defined these bad movies as cheap, low-budget films that you’d be embarrassed to admit to watching. Participants were asked to explain just what they liked about watching these movies.
Refinery29 reports that the people who likes these films are actually considered to be smart people referred to as “cultural omnivores.”
The study explains that “cultural omnivores” are viewers who “attribute to trash films not just amusing/entertaining qualities, but also a positive, transgressive deviance from the cinematic mainstream, and their appreciation of these films is coupled with marked preferences for art cinema.”
So, don’t be ashamed of your less-than-popular film choices. You just might be a satirical genius in disguise. Movie night, anyone?