What Movie Did You Just Watch

[LumRanmaYasha]

Yeah, I saw Doug and Rob's review and it really annoyed me. For half an hour all they did was gripe about how the movie isn't scary because clowns aren't scary and other bullshit, but not once do they ever address the themes of the story or the development of the characters in context of the horror elements. At one point Rob complained that the adults were scarier than the clown...which was the entire fucking point! They really seem to have a very shallow understanding of the appeal of the novel, and a lot of King's work in general. I'm glad their opinion is in the minority, but it was definitely a strange whiplash for me after listening to Brad Jones' really positive and thoughtful review right beforehand.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

The thing is, it doesn't actually bother me that they dislike something that I or others like. Nor does it even bother me if they completely miss the point. It annoys me when they do those things while expressing their opinions in a painfully arrogant and ignorant way, though thankfully most commenters are calling them out on their bull-shit in that video (not that they actually read the comments, anyways).

Also, the film specifically uses a technique of having all of the adult characters framed in ways that make them look intimidating. It was an intentional decision to have this entire movie filmed from the childrens' point of view. Not sure how they didn't quite grasp that concept when literally everyone else did.

And Rob calling this movie a "Trainwreck of tonal inconsistency" is hilarious coming from a guy who claims to be a fan of Stranger Things, a show that is not only directly inspired by Stephen King works like IT, but was even created by people who originally were trying to make this very adaptation before being turned down due to their lack of experience at the time, and then making their show carry many of the same themes and tonal shifts "inconsistencies" of IT.

[LumRanmaYasha]

It feels like they're preoccupied with their ideas of what IT should be and have blinded themselves to what it actually is, and think that any other interpretations and perspectives on the story is beneath their own, even though theirs is extremely shallow. If this was the character of the Nostalgia Critic saying this it would be one thing, but it's obnoxious because these are Doug and Rob's "real thoughts," which is apparently "everyone who likes this is dumb and easily scared."

[Foggle]

Personally, unless they're discussing a Holocaust movie or something, I absolutely hate when people harp on about "tonal inconsistency." Oh shit, something funny happened after something scary did? That's real life! A normal day for anyone is usually going to feature tons of conflicting emotions, including laughter, anger, sadness, fear, etc. The Wire is praised for being realistic and heartbreaking... guess what, that show is also funny as hell, which is a huge part of what makes it realistic. Actual human beings naturally say hilarious shit without thinking about it, even during the gravest moments. I mean, if the characters start randomly busting out with tired Adam Sandler/Amy Schumer-esque gags or anime-style boob jokes, then yeah, that's stupid, but a film devoid of humor is also a film devoid of character or realism as far as I'm concerned.

Also, I've always found clowns terrifying. Yeah, I'm a pussy, whatever; they're scary! And this is the first I've heard of Wind River but it sounds like a very unfortunate film.

[Dr. Insomniac]

I feel bad for clowns in real life because of how IT, the Joker, and John Wayne Gacy have painted them as crazed murderers. I want a movie where a clown is the guy who saves the day just to fuck with viewer expectations.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I feel bad for clowns in real life because of how IT, the Joker, and John Wayne Gacy have painted them as crazed murderers. I want a movie where a clown is the guy who saves the day just to fuck with viewer expectations.

Just for fun they should make the villain of that film an evil cosmic turtle.

[Avaitor]

RIP Harry Dean Stanton

The man had a long life and incredible career. And it's been way too long since I've last seen Paris, Texas.

[gunswordfist]

I feel bad for clowns in real life because of how IT, the Joker, and John Wayne Gacy have painted them as crazed murderers. I want a movie where a clown is the guy who saves the day just to fuck with viewer expectations.

Then gets shot by Deadpool.

[Dr. Insomniac]

So I have no interest in watching the movie, but it's been fascinating to see guys like Half in the Bag and Critikal give their takes on mother! by Darren Aronofsky.

[Avaitor]

mother! sounds like a trip, but not really in a good way. I'd consider using it for a bad movie night, but it sounds too bleak for that.

[Foggle]

I'll check it out on DVD probably, but yeah, more interested in people's reactions to it than actually watching it.

[Avaitor]

This quiz says it's a skip for me.

[Dr. Insomniac]

But I thought this was a movie about religion...

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, a whole eight years after it came out, I finally saw Watchmen for the first time. Originally when the movie was coming out I planned to read the graphic novel before it released, but I didn't really get a chance and with the polarizing reviews, I just decided to skip it altogether. I did eventually read the book, and then just recently re-read it which got me thinking that it's about time that I checked out the film version just for the hell of it.

Keeping my expectations relatively low, I ended up finding it to be not nearly that bad. It's riddled with a lot of Zack Snyder's obsession with style over substance, though not anywhere close to as much as something like Batman V. Superman, as there is at least a little bit more cohesion here. Really, this movie to me, as an adaptation, is the equivalent of what Game of Thrones is in comparison to ASOIAF when Dan and Dave don't have George to hold their hands and guide them along. That is to say that it's reasonably entertaining on a base level despite a fair share of cheesy and over-the-top moments, but it thoroughly misses the point of the source material by essentially glorifying the very things that its counterpart is specifically so critical of.

Also, what was with all of those insert songs popping up randomly during big scenes? This move came out last decade, well before this annoyingly overused trend was even a thing, but then again I suppose you could say that Snyder helped contribute to that very trend. It certainly wouldn't surprise me.

Still, it's alright for a Snyder film. I'd day that it was worth one watch. But it's certainly not the type of film that I'd ever care to revisit beyond that. Though, I will give it props for having a pretty excellent opening credits sequence.

[Dr. Insomniac]

What amused me the most about Watchmen's production history was when David Hayter of MGS fame wrote a script for Watchmen that would've set the story in the early 2000s and done some other changes, and it was the script that convinced Alan Moore to bite his lip and reluctantly say it was the closest Hollywood would ever get to adapting Watchmen correctly. Of course, Snyder got somebody else to heavily rewrite that draft for the final product.