What is Mainstreamin'?

More importantly, why should you care about it?

Mainstream can loosely be defined as that which is popular, or anything that is designed to appeal to the largest number of people.  Most artists want to appeal to as many people as possible to increase sales, which increases income.  Of course, you already know that people don't become musicians, artists, actors or directors to stay poor.

Unfortunately, I have always been a bit of an anti-mainstream person.  I didn't even really develop personal tastes until I was a teenager, but when it happened, it happened big.  Though my family always tried to make sure I did not 'judge a book by its cover,' I was always willing to make the exception for 'books with stupid covers.'
This led me to become more interested in less mainstream art.  Many of my favorite musicians are not played on any radio station.  Many of my favorite movies are foreign or low budget.  These are the sorts of movies that earn rave reviews and are seen by dozens and dozens of people, all while making tens of dollars.
I can't help myself.  When I see a major movie release, my first reaction is to sardonically wonder if the special effects are worth sitting through an inevitably terrible plot.  I have not truly enjoyed a summer blockbuster film, with the exception of some of Marvel Studios works (because I am also a huge nerd), since Independence Day.

So, this year I will challenge myself.  I will watch every single blockbuster movie release the weekend it comes out.  If there is not a blockbuster release for that weekend, I will go and see the movie with the largest advertising budget, or the one that is the most talked about.  I will also attempt to expand my musical horizons with more pop and less indie/techno/reggae/punk/metal.
I will then return to this blog and not only write about what I thought of the movie as a reviewer, but I will also give random thoughts.  Was the opening-weekend audience a help or a hindrance in enjoying the movie?  Would I recommend this to anyone I know?  Did any one actor make the movie far more fun than it should have been?  If I cannot find any redeeming factor in said movie/album, what would I recommend instead?

Please join me in my year long quest to become more open to mainstream media and maybe less of a snob.  Or watch to see if this backfires and turns me into a hateful, angry old man.

My only rule?  No Nickelback.