Author Topic: My only complaint about the show is ...  (Read 7463 times)

Dennis McDonald

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My only complaint about the show is ...
« on: October 14, 2009, 09:19:47 PM »
I've been listening for a couple of weeks now via podcast and I love the show. My only complaint so far is that sometimes the guys get too heavily into discussing the movie that wasn't made, the most egregious example being the discussion of DISTRICT 9. I'm just more interested in reactions to and discussions of what's actually on the screen, not what someone thinks SHOULD have been on the screen. Otherwise, the show is hunky dory!
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FroHam X

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2009, 10:37:35 PM »
I've been listening for a couple of weeks now via podcast and I love the show. My only complaint so far is that sometimes the guys get too heavily into discussing the movie that wasn't made, the most egregious example being the discussion of DISTRICT 9. I'm just more interested in reactions to and discussions of what's actually on the screen, not what someone thinks SHOULD have been on the screen. Otherwise, the show is hunky dory!

I've questioned this before, but I've come to the conclusion that it's a valid method of criticism. Sometimes the best way of articulating the flaws in a film is to lay out how the film might have played had those elements been handled differently.
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Adam

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2009, 11:41:17 PM »
I've been listening for a couple of weeks now via podcast and I love the show. My only complaint so far is that sometimes the guys get too heavily into discussing the movie that wasn't made, the most egregious example being the discussion of DISTRICT 9. I'm just more interested in reactions to and discussions of what's actually on the screen, not what someone thinks SHOULD have been on the screen. Otherwise, the show is hunky dory!

I've questioned this before, but I've come to the conclusion that it's a valid method of criticism. Sometimes the best way of articulating the flaws in a film is to lay out how the film might have played had those elements been handled differently.
Good argument, though I don't think we are all that guilty of it actually... or at least not that much. Anytime you don't like a movie or have issues with it, aren't you essentially saying, "I wish it had been done THIS way"? But the bottom line is you have to take every movie on its own terms, which we did with District 9. The movie it opens as and the movie it becomes are two very different things in my mind, and I liked the former and how it went about it better than the latter - a critique completely based on what the movie gave us on screen.

If the things we're saying don't strike you as reflective of the movie being presented, then I'd say that's an issue of how we're watching/analyzing the movie differently -- not a matter of our review process.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 12:31:33 AM by Adam »
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FroHam X

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2009, 01:15:24 AM »
I have a complaint. You and Matty don't get into big disagreements often. I want my Battle of The Lake House for the Matty Generation!
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mañana

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2009, 01:48:16 AM »
I want my Battle of The Lake House for the Matty Generation!
American Teen.
There's no deceit in the cauliflower.

FroHam X

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2009, 12:33:34 PM »
I want my Battle of The Lake House for the Matty Generation!
American Teen.

I guess that one counts. But you must admit that the Sam years had more frequent divisions of opinion.
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Dennis McDonald

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2009, 01:42:03 PM »
Adam said: "Good argument, though I don't think we are all that guilty of it actually... or at least not that much. Anytime you don't like a movie or have issues with it, aren't you essentially saying, "I wish it had been done THIS way"? But the bottom line is you have to take every movie on its own terms, which we did with District 9. The movie it opens as and the movie it becomes are two very different things in my mind, and I liked the former and how it went about it better than the latter - a critique completely based on what the movie gave us on screen."

I guess a lot had to do with why we listen to discussions of films. A discussion about how the reviewer would have done the movie differently is different from a discussion of whether the reviewer thinks the creators succeeded -- or didn't succeed --  in doing what they may have set out to do. When we veer into the land of "this is how I would have done it" we're asking the reader or listener to evaluate the movie and our own creative abilities and imagination.

Basically, my take is that motion pictures are such complex technical and artistic achievements in and of themselves that there's plenty to talk about without having to go into personal alternative approaches. But, hey, it's all a matter of degree. I'm just a fan. And it's a pleasure to listen to continually entertaining, informative, and intelligent discussions. More power to you all!
« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 01:43:52 PM by Dennis McDonald »
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cloudsabio007

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2009, 01:50:56 PM »
...I wish there were more episodes. The show is absolutely perfect to work to (endless hours drawing at the drafting table).

I also agree with the idea that they need to talk more about the movie that was actually made rather than what should have been. While it's a valid way to show the contrast between what works and what doesn't, I think using more scenes (though this can be hard without spoiling the movie) and more evidence from the movie would provide an interesting take on the actual movie.

Adam

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2009, 02:33:22 PM »
I guess a lot had to do with why we listen to discussions of films. A discussion about how the reviewer would have done the movie differently is different from a discussion of whether the reviewer thinks the creators succeeded -- or didn't succeed --  in doing what they may have set out to do. When we veer into the land of "this is how I would have done it" we're asking the reader or listener to evaluate the movie and our own creative abilities and imagination.
I've NEVER critiqued a movie based on how I would have done the movie differently had I made it, nor would I ever. I'm not a filmmaker. What right do I have to tell a director how I could have done it better? It would have to be an incredibly sucky, just downright ineptly made film for me to ever think or say I could do a better job.

Like I said above, if you think what we're saying isn't about the movie on screen but some movie in our head, then we're just not watching movies the same way -- or watching the same movie. Which is fine.

If Matty says The Informant should have had Philip Seymour Hoffman or someone like him in the lead role, that isn't Matty making a different movie -- that's him saying that what Matt Damon was bringing to the role, based on everything the movie is giving him and what he makes of it, wasn't working. In other words, the movie seemed set out to do one thing and the casting didn't deliver (in his opinion, of course).

If I say District 9 shouldn't have devolved into a conventional action movie, that's not because I have a problem with conventional action movies... my problem is with movies that start out so much smarter and more interestingly made, and then devolve into a conventional action movie. Again, the movie seemed to set out to do one thing and then abandoned it.

It's always about what the movie is giving us.

I also think we do a good job of using specific scenes and examples from the movies we're discussing to make our points. If anything we get complaints that we're too specific.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 02:36:11 PM by Adam »
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mañana

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Re: My only complaint about the show is ...
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2009, 07:31:19 PM »
I want my Battle of The Lake House for the Matty Generation!
American Teen.
I guess that one counts. But you must admit that the Sam years had more frequent divisions of opinion.
Yeah, there were definitely a lot more debates in the Sam Van Hyperbole days.
There's no deceit in the cauliflower.