RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world,

Posted by RGA (R) on April 9, 2020 at 10:52:46

In Reply to: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, posted by tinear on April 9, 2020 at 09:25:13:

Well critics are not necessarily any sort of gold standard either - directors choose best directors. They also select who gets those life-time achievement awards. So when some "nobody" on a forum starts on that XYZ director is an overrated hack I often laugh and wonder what they have actually done artistically that was worth a crap.

Film is art - it's different than reviewing cars, stereos, or toasters.

To be a good art/film critic they have to have a pretty wide palette in that they can fairly evaluate all genres no matter the subject.

Take Horror - many of the good ones offer some commentary on society, mankind (humanity), consumerism, (Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead and George Romero in general) etc. The ability to see through the visceral (ie; past the gore) to what was actually the theme can only be done by critics at a higher level than the "horror movies are shlock" types. People with literature degrees tend to trump people who just know how to work the F-stop on a camera. But if the critic can't see past some red paint passing for blood then that critic is useless IMO.

Satire (JoJo Rabbit) runs flat on the literal minded (so does dark humor). So they frankly don't "get" Pulp Fiction's humour (or even realize it is a comedy) or probably any of Tarantino's other films. Do these critics even get that many of them are linked from film to film that there are set pieces that are carried over from film to film - the same white Honda car is in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill and Death Proof or that Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction is the brother of Vic Vega in Reservoir Dogs or that Kill Bill vol 1 and 2 are movies that the characters in Pulp Fiction would be watching in their "universe" - Mia Wallace is playing Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill. Hell those Kill Bill movies were set up in Pulp Fiction in the $5 milkshake scene. The dance scene in Pulp Fiction is taken from the movie 8 1/2 not, mistakenly assumed, a prior John Travolta picture.

Dark Humour, Science Fiction, Satire typically demands more from an audience. That is why when I see people gravitate to "pretty" cinematography and films built on camera angles with few words and more pictures I am less impressed with them as critics.

Even the well intentioned critics and sometimes well written reviews of Satirical film miss the point. The Hitler character in JoJo Rabbit comes from the mind of a 10 year old vision of what Hitler is representing to him in the absence of his father - a monster in the guise of an imaginary friend. He is not "actually Hitler" so it's an important differentiation that again fails to be realized by critics who operate in a black and white literal mind. If one laughs at the imaginary friend Hitler they are not laughing at Hitler.

I mean it should be obvious when "the main reason they present Hitler this way, however, is to deconstruct fascist thinking. Jojo can't even tie his shoes, and he sees the Third Reich in the way a young American boy would picture Navy Seals. Through him, WWII is almost a fairy tale adventure — there's even a scene where he sips watered-down soup across from Hitler, gorging on a roasted unicorn." https://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2019/11/21/jojo-rabbit-is-a-jaw-dropping-take-on-satire/

Although the film is set in the Nazi era, it, in fact, laughs in the face of present-day hatemongers and institutionalised propaganda machinery.
Jojo Rabbit uses Germany as an allegory to convey what indoctrinators and manipulators can do with the conscience of today's youth.

And what is also the point of satire is to make the viewer think and feel uncomfortable about what they are seeing. A good satire isn't supposed to be well loved by all. It should have people rail against it as they railed against The Producers back in 1967.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Most unforgivable and egregious modern Oscar acting award debacles? - tinear 07:54:37 04/07/20 (43)

After the '12 Years a Slave' debacle . . . - Billy Wonka 17:49:06 04/11/20 (0)

Billboards Ebbing, MO, is such a piece of crap movie - Jay Buridan 20:45:48 04/08/20 (5)

Crap is useful. That film? Not. nt - tinear 16:23:10 04/13/20 (0)

I thought it was an actor's film . . . - Billy Wonka 17:32:50 04/11/20 (3)

Agreed ... - reelsmith. 11:05:01 04/14/20 (2)

Same, but Opposite - manerac 13:15:17 04/14/20 (1)

Oh well ... - reelsmith. 15:24:18 04/14/20 (0)

That year Oscars was a HUGE mistake in several categories... - TWB 09:13:40 04/07/20 (35)

SPR lost out on Best Pic most probably 'cause of the competition from the other - tinear 15:46:56 04/07/20 (34)

I AM a Malick fan and love his films.. but IMO TTRL was not as good as SPR... - TWB 19:30:40 04/07/20 (33)

Oscars are not categorically restricted to American films, i.e. "Parasite" won this year. - tinear 05:50:39 04/08/20 (32)

To TWB's recommendation of Blue Jasmine (worthy!) I'd add her performance - Road Warrior 22:23:40 04/08/20 (5)

Thought I'd seen her entire oeuvre! Thanks. nt - tinear 09:18:33 04/09/20 (0)

Hmmm.... Blanchett, Willis and Thornton PLUS... - TWB 00:27:29 04/09/20 (3)

It's quite the oddball story with a non linear story line. - Road Warrior 07:25:16 04/10/20 (2)

It was a cute little movie... I enjoyed it (nt) - TWB 14:45:56 04/11/20 (1)

Glad you enjoyed it. While not a great film, it certainly had its moments - Road Warrior 11:27:46 04/12/20 (0)

In your box of cold and aloof, you forgot the Queen of that... the Streepster.... - TWB 09:59:53 04/08/20 (1)

Cannes, Berlin, Venice: no other major award is nationalistic. If Hollywood - tinear 09:20:37 04/09/20 (0)

An interesting take on SPR versus SiL - RGA 07:50:53 04/08/20 (23)

Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - tinear 09:25:13 04/09/20 (4)

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - RGA 10:52:46 04/09/20 (3)

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - tinear 16:34:40 04/13/20 (1)

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - RGA 07:17:56 04/14/20 (0)

Spoiler Alert!... - musetap 12:00:50 04/10/20 (0)

RE: An interesting take on SPR versus SiL - jamesgarvin 18:48:48 04/08/20 (16)

RE: An interesting take on SPR versus SiL - RGA 05:10:07 04/09/20 (9)

RE: "best" films - dean_martin 10:16:02 04/10/20 (0)

Next year's Oscar - Bill the K 04:34:29 04/10/20 (0)

Terrific synopsis of "Pulp Fiction!" Why does the Academy like - tinear 09:31:47 04/09/20 (6)

This may answer your question - jamesgarvin 10:47:10 04/10/20 (0)

Tropic Thunder explains it well. nt - dean_martin 09:59:13 04/09/20 (4)

That Simple Jack didn;t even get nominated for an Academy Award, just a cupla crappy - Road Warrior 07:32:59 04/10/20 (3)

Thanks. - dean_martin 10:18:18 04/10/20 (2)

I thought of quoting what Tugg Speedman did wrong in his portrayal of Simple Jack - Road Warrior 11:59:54 04/10/20 (1)

RE: I thought of quoting what Tugg Speedman did wrong in his portrayal of Simple Jack - dean_martin 12:14:42 04/10/20 (0)

And THAT is exactly why the Oscars have become a joke.... - TWB 20:38:55 04/08/20 (5)

Well, TWB, actually "Parasite" has been extraordinarily popular for - tinear 09:38:00 04/09/20 (4)

I have no interest in seeing Parasite... from what I have seen... - TWB 13:51:41 04/10/20 (3)

RE: I have no interest in seeing Parasite... from what I have seen... - tinear 13:58:49 04/17/20 (2)

"the original thread".... went off the rails LONG ago... (nt) - TWB 06:47:50 04/19/20 (1)

Answer the question, please! Did you see "Central Station?" nt - tinear 07:45:52 04/19/20 (0)

RE: An interesting take on SPR versus SiL - Bill the K 09:33:01 04/08/20 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - RGA 10:52:46 04/09/20 (3)

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - tinear 16:34:40 04/13/20 (1)

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world, - RGA 07:17:56 04/14/20 (0)

Spoiler Alert!... - musetap 12:00:50 04/10/20 (0)

RE: Well, you don't have to view every film in the world,

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