Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

You all know it's possible to just, like, ignore awful bullshit, right? There is greatness in this field, in these arts, on this planet. This reads as arguing about exacting semantics and edu-splaining why dumb thing is dumb. Like sorting your garbage alphabetically. To what end? Some people just don't get it, and that's okay, but you don't have to suffer it. Get out of the Facebook slums where this stuff gets tossed around by some rando that added you because they liked your lightsabers video.

Move on. Elevate the fucking discussion.

Here's a bridge to what I consider a more interesting angle on the whole thing. An article written by Armond White a couple years ago framing Pauline Kael against the last 50 years of film criticism.

http://www.cjr.org/essay/why_kael_is_go … p?page=all

Kael elevated reviewing from the low function of “consumer advice,” a designation that inherently limited the form’s literary potential, and one that automatically implied film was nothing more than commercial product. Today, the profession’s stature has changed. Box-office stats are foregrounded in the media. Filmgoers increasingly gauge a movie’s worth based on its aggregate rating, as individual critics grow less and less important. Indeed, many newspapers no longer employ their own critics, instead running syndicated material or capsule synopses. Reviews have shrunk, and so has Kael’s reputation. Her 13 books (published collections and compilations) have been out of print until recently. The biography and new compendium suggest a recovery, yet negative press reactions seem to take it all back.


PS: I love me some Crit Hulk and even being in the same jokey breath as him is a super compliment. Just read the first part of his James Bond book last night. It's great.

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Doctor Submarine wrote:
Jimmy B wrote:

Well, obviously comedy is subjective.

Okay but misogyny kind of isn't.

Oh for fuck's sake, Doc. You are screaming 'misogyny' based on on two out of context lines I posted. If it was misogynistic do you actually think I'd bloody watch it? If it was misogynistic, do you think Cotterpin would defend them?

Jesus wept, dude.

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Paul is right. I'm out.

"The Doctor is Submarining through our brains." --Teague

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

I want someone to warp the Cinema Sins concept into something horrifically insensitive and wrong with the 9/11 Sins idea Trey suggested or a Stormfront version for Schindler's List with stuff like "if they're burning bodies, why isn't all the wood engulfed in flames" *DING*, "actually, typhus was the reason for the shaved heads" *DING*, and "all these people at the end are liars" *DING*.

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Alright, I've read some more of the Film Crit Hulk stuff and decided I don't completely hate him. His style isn't always ridiculously flowery and bordering on nonsense. The James Bond articles are perfectly good—and quite in-depth—critiques (altho I'm not fond of the Cracked-style pics with komedy kaptions).

Points to Teague.

Last edited by Zarban (2014-07-18 05:32:45)

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

*looks up*

Oh. Thanks.

Hey, weird, look at what happened in this thread. Yeesh.

*looks down*

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Teague wrote:

Hey, weird, look at what happened in this thread. Yeesh.

Frankly, I'm surprised that you're surprised.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Teague wrote:

*looks up*

Oh. Thanks.

Hey, weird, look at what happened in this thread. Yeesh.

*looks down*

Yeah. I wish someone could explain to me why this comes down to a bit of a fight...  hmm

God loves you!

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

fireproof78 wrote:
Teague wrote:

*looks up*

Oh. Thanks.

Hey, weird, look at what happened in this thread. Yeesh.

*looks down*

Yeah. I wish someone could explain to me why this comes down to a bit of a fight...  hmm

Side A thinks side B is reading way too much into some jokes.

Side B thinks Side A is allowing the complete and utter destruction of everything good and noble.

Side C thinks both Side A and Side B should grow up.

Side D is just gonna go laugh at the jokes.


I've very recently joined side D.

Last edited by BigDamnArtist (2014-07-18 05:42:53)

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

BigDamnArtist wrote:
fireproof78 wrote:
Teague wrote:

*looks up*

Oh. Thanks.

Hey, weird, look at what happened in this thread. Yeesh.

*looks down*

Yeah. I wish someone could explain to me why this comes down to a bit of a fight...  hmm

Side A thinks side B is reading way too much into some jokes.

Side B thinks Side A is allowing the complete and utter destruction of everything good and noble.

Side C thinks both Side A and Side B should grow up.

Side D is just gonna go laugh at the jokes.


I've very recently joined side D.

Indeed.

God loves you!

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Wowsers.

Sometimes I march confidently onto the field of online discussion, and other times I feel like taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture.
http://i.imgur.com/DqiLZDM.jpg

I like good movies, you like good movies, and we all want people to like good movies. Yeah.

Disclaimer: if you dislike the tone of a post I make, re-read it in a North/East London accent until it sounds sufficiently playful smile

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

BigDamnArtist wrote:
fireproof78 wrote:
Teague wrote:

*looks up*

Oh. Thanks.

Hey, weird, look at what happened in this thread. Yeesh.

*looks down*

Yeah. I wish someone could explain to me why this comes down to a bit of a fight...  hmm

Side A thinks side B is reading way too much into some jokes.

Side B thinks Side A is allowing the complete and utter destruction of everything good and noble.

Side C thinks both Side A and Side B should grow up.

Side D is just gonna go laugh at the jokes.


I've very recently joined side D.


http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/2837510/michael-jackson-eating-popcorn-o.gif

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

BigDamnArtist wrote:

Side A thinks side B is reading way too much into some jokes.

Side B thinks Side A is allowing the complete and utter destruction of everything good and noble.

tinafeyeyeroll.gif

"The Doctor is Submarining through our brains." --Teague

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

BigDamnArtist wrote:

Side A thinks side B is reading way too much into some jokes.

Side B thinks Side A is allowing the complete and utter destruction of everything good and noble.

Side C thinks both Side A and Side B should grow up.

Side D is just gonna go laugh at the jokes.


I've very recently joined side D.

Side D sounds good to me! smile

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Please bear with me.

In the 80's, I watched Star Wars many times on TV. I did not see films in a theater until I was in my late teens/early 20's. Do you recall Luke saying he saw a sandperson? What was he talking about? There is no sandperson on screen. The TV version cut that side of the film. It bugged me for over a decade until I finally saw a letterbox version of the film.

In Wild Wild West, the Fresh Prince is in a water tower with a lady early in the movie. It's unhygienic. It's highly unlikely anyone would do that. When the tower falls and he is unscathed, it is improbable. But, these things establish the style and tone of the movie. The fact that the naked sexy lady vanishes is...problematic. I am slightly invested in the character after seeing her all nakedy. A falling water tower could crush and kill someone. Did she die? Did she land just as safely, grab a blanket and run off? I don't know and I am left confused.

CinemaSins is just what they claim to be. They count the things in movies that they choose to call "sins". These are not an indicator of how amusing the movie will be, etc. But, there is often a correlation between high or low counts and good or bad movies (in my opinion of movie enjoyment). It's just like the audience % on RottenTomatoes. It suggests there may or may not be something you won't like. As an example, lots of things bugged me in HP and the Order of the Phoenix (the book also). Everything that took me out of the movie or annoyed me or broke my suspension of disbelief was mentioned by CinemaSins. I do not look for these things. The term 'fridge logic' confounded me for over a year as it occurred to me immediately that a fridge is not protection from an atomic blast; That simply being hurled a distance in a fridge would pulp poor Indy. As another example, the end of Edge of Tomorrow is deeply flawed and confusing. I may watch it again but I cannot call it a great movie, as a result. I see these things and it is my curse that I cannot stop seeing them.  smile

TREY:
I have loved your insights and value your experience.
If the following quotes refer only about people who broadcast about film mistakes, you are name-calling and insulting and it's pretty harsh.
However, if you are talking about everyone who notices these things, I'd like an apology. You are entitled to your opinion of nit-picking, but these are not things you say to a person unless you are trying to hurt them. You certainly hurt my feelings (and that is hard to admit).

"I'm going to hear from those jack-offs and who cares. That's just life. But, Fuck those people. Being one of those people I think is it's own punishment because what kind of human does that? I mean, if you're going to be one of those people that's fine."

"I would never have noticed that because I am a normal human being who, you know, has touched girls"

I'd like to think there is at least some tiny part of you that will read this and think "that's not what I meant" and that you'll say so. I think you know you can say very mean things and this time some of it was directed at people you didn't mean to hurt.

And, let's not gang up on me here, OK? I'm not a hippy, feely guy trying to get attention.

I post because I care.
  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
"Feel free to flame me. I don't like Legends of Korra or Gravity, either."

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

I think Trey's comments were specifically about the continuity complainers. "The length of the cigarette changes from shot to shot." And "Her hair goes from being inside her coat to outside and back again during the conversation." And "The car appears undamaged for a split second after first collision and before the second collision." Movie Mistakes and the IMDb goofs pages are full of that stuff, and it's miserable.

Trey (and I) agree that Cinema Sins' level of noticing characters suddenly disappearing and such is fair game and kind of amusing.

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

67

Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Trey was using irreverent hyperbole to make a point. If he were a politician speaking on the floor of the senate, an apology might be in order. A guy talking a little smack on a lighthearted movie podcast doesn't exactly shock the conscience.

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Well, I also thought Trey's comments were a bit overboard. But I found it hard to take it personally when it's an example of that "complaining about an undefined group of people who do an undefined set of things."

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Jp12x wrote:

Please bear with me.

In the 80's, I watched Star Wars many times on TV. I did not see films in a theater until I was in my late teens/early 20's. Do you recall Luke saying he saw a sandperson? What was he talking about? There is no sandperson on screen. The TV version cut that side of the film. It bugged me for over a decade until I finally saw a letterbox version of the film.

In Wild Wild West, the Fresh Prince is in a water tower with a lady early in the movie. It's unhygienic. It's highly unlikely anyone would do that. When the tower falls and he is unscathed, it is improbable. But, these things establish the style and tone of the movie. The fact that the naked sexy lady vanishes is...problematic. I am slightly invested in the character after seeing her all nakedy. A falling water tower could crush and kill someone. Did she die? Did she land just as safely, grab a blanket and run off? I don't know and I am left confused.

CinemaSins is just what they claim to be. They count the things in movies that they choose to call "sins". These are not an indicator of how amusing the movie will be, etc. But, there is often a correlation between high or low counts and good or bad movies (in my opinion of movie enjoyment). It's just like the audience % on RottenTomatoes. It suggests there may or may not be something you won't like. As an example, lots of things bugged me in HP and the Order of the Phoenix (the book also). Everything that took me out of the movie or annoyed me or broke my suspension of disbelief was mentioned by CinemaSins. I do not look for these things. The term 'fridge logic' confounded me for over a year as it occurred to me immediately that a fridge is not protection from an atomic blast; That simply being hurled a distance in a fridge would pulp poor Indy. As another example, the end of Edge of Tomorrow is deeply flawed and confusing. I may watch it again but I cannot call it a great movie, as a result. I see these things and it is my curse that I cannot stop seeing them.  smile

TREY:
I have loved your insights and value your experience.
If the following quotes refer only about people who broadcast about film mistakes, you are name-calling and insulting and it's pretty harsh.
However, if you are talking about everyone who notices these things, I'd like an apology. You are entitled to your opinion of nit-picking, but these are not things you say to a person unless you are trying to hurt them. You certainly hurt my feelings (and that is hard to admit).

"I'm going to hear from those jack-offs and who cares. That's just life. But, Fuck those people. Being one of those people I think is it's own punishment because what kind of human does that? I mean, if you're going to be one of those people that's fine."

"I would never have noticed that because I am a normal human being who, you know, has touched girls"

I'd like to think there is at least some tiny part of you that will read this and think "that's not what I meant" and that you'll say so. I think you know you can say very mean things and this time some of it was directed at people you didn't mean to hurt.

And, let's not gang up on me here, OK? I'm not a hippy, feely guy trying to get attention.

I just want to quote and say you did a good job. Your description of Cinema Sins (among others) is closer to how I feel and I appreciate someone else expressing it.

As for Trey's thoughts, I'll leave that to him, but I took it as hyperbole and a bit of poking fun. But, I certainly can understand the feelings too smile

God loves you!

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Jp12x wrote:

CinemaSins is just what they claim to be. They count the things in movies that they choose to call "sins". These are not an indicator of how amusing the movie will be, etc. But, there is often a correlation between high or low counts and good or bad movies (in my opinion of movie enjoyment). It's just like the audience % on RottenTomatoes. It suggests there may or may not be something you won't like.

I can't really agree with this. I recently watched some more of their videos to see what all the noise in this thread was about, hadn't seen any in a while. There's a lot of the plot hole poking and general nitpickery involved, but then there's also stuff like these examples of sins from Elyisum: "Reading" (in regard to subtitles), "Unnecessary wagon wheel space station design," "So... great band name, Fuchsia, Foster, and Fichtner. You're Welcome." "Wickus isn't growing a prawn arm in this scene." That's just in the first five minutes, I didn't have the stomach for nine more.

Obviously those are intended to be jokes. They didn't particularly tickle me, I'm not a fan of narrator guy's delivery. But these all counted as sins on the counter. So how is there in any way a value to this as a gauge for whether or not you'll like the movie?

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

C-Spin wrote:

So how is there in any way a value to this as a gauge for whether or not you'll like the movie?

There isn't. They just point out things that stand out and/or make shit up. The "scene does not contain a lap dance" line has no value whatsoever and can be used in any context. It's impossible to take this stuff seriously on any level.

This sums it up pretty well I think:

"We are not reviewers, we're assholes"
"Why was this called a sin? Fuck you, that's why"

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

C-Spin wrote:

So how is there in any way a value to this as a gauge for whether or not you'll like the movie?

Because that's totally not what CinemaSins sets out to evaluate. For one, they're designed to work when you've already seen the movie.

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. - Carl Sagan

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

I get that that's not CinemaSins stated intention. But Jp12x specifically said, "there is often a correlation between high or low counts and good or bad movies (in my opinion of movie enjoyment). It's just like the audience % on RottenTomatoes. It suggests there may or may not be something you won't like."

And I'm wondering how it can function in that capacity for him when the count is inflated by things that are just intended to be jokes. Hell, I forget the specific example, but I saw one video where they called something cool and THAT counted as a sin too.

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

Lamer wrote:

The "scene does not contain a lap dance" line has no value whatsoever and can be used in any context.

Yeah, he even says that in The Notebook when Ryan Gosling is topless.

C-Spin wrote:

Hell, I forget the specific example, but I saw one video where they called something cool and THAT counted as a sin too.

He has also taken sins off for moments he considers awesome. Usually if he says a moment is cool but counts it as a sin it is because of something else in the scene that is 'wrong'. There is a shot with a mirror in Ghost he considers cool but 'dings' it as you see the crew in the reflection. He also 'dings' a part of Back to the Future which he considers one of his favourite moments in cinema history because it doesn't really make sense. And I agree with him, hell, I voted for Cinema Sins to do BTTF because I like what they do.

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Re: Plot Hole Film Criticism

C-Spin wrote:

I get that that's not CinemaSins stated intention. But Jp12x specifically said, "there is often a correlation between high or low counts and good or bad movies (in my opinion of movie enjoyment). It's just like the audience % on RottenTomatoes. It suggests there may or may not be something you won't like."

And I'm wondering how it can function in that capacity for him when the count is inflated by things that are just intended to be jokes. Hell, I forget the specific example, but I saw one video where they called something cool and THAT counted as a sin too.

I don't entirely agree with Jp12x's opinion regarding the higher sin count being associated with poor films. The Matrix got 85 and Batman and Robin got 122, so there is not, to me, some set correlation between higher sin count and film quality. Heck, even films like "The Room," get artificially inflated counts just due to bonus rounds and different counts and things like that. So, not sure, like you said, how you get meaning because of the multitude of jokes.

http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/46/4688668e4138abc21361f6bde1e21598bf0d18751fb011bd6d638cb06d94e6ec.jpg

It's comedy and I like the longer movies and higher score counts because it means more jokes. It is just like wanting WAYDM to do things like Twilight, Spiderman series, Star Wars prequels, Howard the Duck and Batman and Robin because they are, generally, regarded as poor films and are ripe for mocking. CS, and others, just happen to do it in the most superficial way possible. I find it enjoyable, but your mileage may vary.

God loves you!

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