Posts by Jerry Martin19

Guess I’ll listen to you guys 🙂

But honestly, as much as it sounds harsh, I hope they just get their jobs terminated 😠

Now I'm probably getting hit with a hate speech ban 🙂

wiredranger30 said:Look, don't just take them for granted. If someone else starts doing it, you'll feel the sting, and then the problem solves itself. 👍

And why can't you just move on if it becomes the consensus? Is your opinion really more important than what everyone else thinks? I'm guessing yours is, so...

Fair enough. That's a solid suggestion and one I usually stick to, but this is more about the individual. For the future of movies, critics are basically inviting a collapse. Think about it—if a movie gets trashed now, in a few decades, hardly anyone will even know it exists because the critics spat on it. People won't know about something like Zodiac (just an example, haven't heard much hate for it yet) because the critics didn't let it blow up when it actually mattered, regardless of what the audience thought. Doesn't that pose a real threat to the future of cinema and general film culture?

And if we all agree here (which looks like we do) that we don't need critics, then why are they still around? What the hell keeps them grounded? 😠

wiredranger30 said:
What’s this even about? 😕 🙏

Man, Jerry Martin19, what's eating you this time? What's the big drama... 🤣

other people's opinions, which are basically shoved down the throats of readers and viewers by some media dictatorship and then just taken for granted 😠

then those opinions get shaped into "public consensus" that I'm apparently not allowed to challenge 😠

so why can't I, for example (not that I'd want to, just an example 🙂), write something myself and have people actually follow my lead? 😕

rowdybadger41 said:so I read today that some critic thinks the new Linkin Park album is actually great... ☕

honestly, they probably didn't even watch the whole movie, and that review was likely written by someone who was either stoned or just stressed out with a toddler crawling on them while they puked on their laptop.
seriously, who even are these critics? what kind of schooling did they go to?
did they watch every single movie ever made just so they can lecture us on what's trash and what's a masterpiece?
it's like when my little cousin tells me, "I've played every game in the world and Silent Hill is mid. FIFA is the best."

burn them all, I say. 😍

🙏 🙏 🙏

nah, only idiots actually read reviews and let them dictate their taste.

don't be so harsh 🙂

if I watch a movie—and more than once because I loved it so much I couldn't stop—some random critic's opinion that I don't even know doesn't touch me at all.

it doesn't really touch me, but it bugs me how much they're pushed. it's a bit concerning...

anyway, burn them all 🙂

Cerb and nimblemarlin6, you guys are my favorites tonight 😁

electriccyclist15 said:And don't even get me started on critics who trash a movie only to flip-flop once it becomes a cult classic a few years later. I think that’s exactly what happened with Ebert and his take on Blade Runner. Look, critics are critics—some are good, some suck, some are boring, some are fun—but honestly, you shouldn't take most of them too seriously (especially here in the States, where half the critics are on such a massive ego trip it's actually embarrassing)

This is a solid take on critics, but you really have to learn who's worth listening to and who isn't. I don't mind when they lay out facts or break down a film's merits—that's just a proper review. But trashing a piece of work like they're sentencing a serial killer to death? That's just arrogant and full of itself. At the end of the day, a critic is just a person, just like you or me, and we all have tastes. So, a critic uses their taste in every single piece they write. Isn't that obvious? Honestly, I'd probably just abolish that whole "professional" status altogether. Man, I sound like some failed dictator hungry for power, but hey, it's a hopeless situation...😳

Eric Jackson43 said:If critics can't even agree with each other half the time, then they aren't doing their jobs right...

How do you even judge that without using specific criteria? And if you do, you're basically calling yourself a critic too. So, are you any good at it?...

btw, everyone’s got an opinion. most people don't see eye to eye. how are we supposed to know who's actually right?

Feels like the movie buffs on this sub are gonna lynch me for this one. Hope I'm wrong 😢

So you watch a movie. You watch it again, maybe a third time. Most likely reason: you actually liked it. Then, a day or two later, you're sitting in some coffee shop with a fresh film mag you just grabbed at a 7-Eleven down the street... You're holding this raw magazine, still smelling that glossy cover ink, dying to check out the latest reviews. You flip through, page by page, until you hit three consecutive reviews about, say, Zodiac. You're stoked, so you read every word. It’s about *that* movie—the one you went to see three days in a row because the first viewing just blew your mind and left you wanting more. And then "bam." Here comes the critical breakdown where, of course, the critics lay out their opinions and flaws. They criticize, as the name implies, convinced they can see things the average fan can't. You read one, then another, then a third, and realize they can't even agree with each other. It's maddening. You can't believe you're paying actual damn money just to be served someone else's opinions—opinions you might accidentally swallow and then end up sharing with people who act like machines designed to produce specific results. If you realize that this whole thing is just an indirect debate over taste—since the sheer amount of conflicting criteria proves there's no consensus—then you have to admit this isn't much different from a random thread on a forum, just with fancier vocabulary. And then someone tells me that "knowing" film and being a critic is a profession that demands respect. I really have to wonder if it's right to let someone else's criteria dictate my own perspective after I've just had a personal experience with a film...

Like Hercule Poirot said: "opinions are like assholes. everybody 's got one" (not sure who coined it originally. I think it was Brian Molk, the guy from Placebo)

The saddest part is you aren't even allowed to criticize the critics, because then you're putting yourself in the same boat, and those standards become some kind of "peace struggle". So now I'm going "criticizing against criticism". You just can't go against those critics 😠

What do you guys think about all this?

(this whole scenario with Zodiac is just a hypothetical example)

Jesse Ortiz4 said:Equilibrium is basically a carbon copy, just different details (book -> vibe vs movies, books, music -> vibe)

🙂

maybe, but Equilibrium is a straight-up remake of THX 1138 from '71, which might have been influenced by either the book or the movie Fahrenheit 451. not totally sure. anyway, all three are worth checking out, though personally I think THX 1138 hits hardest because it’s colder and feels more grounded. I dig the direction and production better there...

Richard Howard2 said:Personally, the most fascinating thing about society—in discussions at every level—is how the phrase "there's no accounting for taste" is treated like holy scripture, while people barely know how to talk about anything else besides their own individual preferences.

I know exactly which movies satisfy me, ranging from Ghost Dog to I, Robot, all the way to Attack of the Clones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Shrek 2.

But can I ever actually convince someone that I don't want to talk about my tastes? Or stop starting topics and jumping into debates just to say what I love, what I hate, and how I feel about certain things?

It’s not even about taste. It’s about how some people (mostly you) complain about the "new wave" of films that are killing the industry, while simultaneously wanting to be part of that very movement. You get annoyed by Shrek Third but you're perfectly fine with Shrek 2 as if they're worlds apart, when they're basically the same caliber... or maybe just slightly different. You can't be against something if you're contributing to it. Basically, it's a "fight for peace" situation. Nobody is talking about taste here; if you think I am, please point out where I said that. 😉

That's a weak argument. I'm not talking about statistics; I'm talking about conceptual reach.

What you quoted isn't an argument, it's just the truth. A certain number of movies come out every year (don't want to throw out wrong numbers and look stupid 😛), and maybe only about 10 of them are in the same league as the films this thread started with—yet those are the ones you always land on. What else is there to say besides "that's your problem"? What's so incredible about sequel number two (Shrek 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Spider-Man 3 etc.) that makes sequel number three such a massive disappointment? If you can explain that, it must be a masterpiece... 🙂

If I said the whole world is connected by a global computer network today, would you tell me it's not because most people (third-world countries, tribes, developing nations, the poor...) still don't use computers (which is statistically true!)?

Of course I'd tell you that, because it's the truth. Saying "the whole world is connected via the internet" sounds like a fairy tale. It's like saying "dip your finger in the ocean and you're connected to the whole world." 🙄

How do they say it? No hard feelings... 😛

Richard Howard2 said:Modern cinema, much like our own lives, has become obsessed with copying patterns rather than creating them. The plot follows a pre-written script, while the style itself becomes the only thing that matters. It’s all about staying within the current trend, a fractal loop where every element just tries to mimic the last one more perfectly. Instead of breaking down barriers of expression—even though we technically could—we're just locking ourselves deeper into these rigid, formulaic cages.

Movies have hit a wall because every possible way to express an idea has already been exhausted. I don't mean physically making every idea happen, but the actual capacity to realize any vision...
The irony is that because we *can* make anything today, we choose to make nothing except what's already been mapped out.

You aren't digging deep enough to find stuff you actually like. You're missing the massive pile of great works sitting in the background from the fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, and nineties. You're too focused on whatever is currently "trending" (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Spider-Man 3, Shrek Third…). You’re worried because those massive hits are what's front and center, but you don't realize they're the exception, not the rule—and even their glow is fading. You say you're observing this phenomenon without being able to stop it (and yeah, I know, I'm speaking 🙂 symbolically). You called them "Trios": the killers of new generation cinema, but you know damn well that this "new generation" will only destroy things if people keep feeding it. If these blockbusters bother you that much, go find some folks on the movie exchange forums; they’ve got plenty of fresh, solid stuff to watch. Nothing happens unless you participate in it. Honestly, the people feeding the machine are the ones feeling the impact; the rest of us who don't care (like me, I doubt I'll be watching any more Pirates of the Caribbean[/I[ anyway) aren't really affected. Good movies have always existed outside the mainstream, and they always will. You just have to look for them.

Regarding your "futuristic" take: maybe computers will make movies one day, though I think we're at least 150-200 years away from that being a reality. But there will always be people 🙂out there who have the guts and the drive to create something with their own hands and minds. !>Satir<! has a point, but don't be such a doom-and-gloom pessimist. 😉

northerncrane4 said:Because there's really nothing to say about this thread, just like all the other ones Jango starts or jumps into. They're basically just there so Jango can try to look cool to everyone else, especially himself.

That’s between you two. I said what I said, end of story. Jango made an impression, and that's that. Me seeing one new thread doesn't change my mind about him. He made his mark early on, and I'm sticking to that. If you're seeing things differently now, that's your problem... I wasn't trying to "make an impression" or bait anyone into replying. I just said what was on my mind, whether people liked reading it or not.🙂

northerncrane4 said:Not exactly deep stuff. Jango will be proud of you...

really? 😢

and why didn't you say anything? 🧐

dustywolf said:Look, man, just tell me what’s actually bothering you about these movies. Would you rather they didn't exist at all, or would you prefer society was just on a different level—producing stuff that actually has some soul and intelligence?😁

Sorry for mixing up you two, but I think you totally misread him. It's not that he has an issue with "these" kinds of movies per se... he's just annoyed that they're constantly shoved in our faces. They get pushed on everyone when there are so many better, original films out there being ignored because of this garbage. He thinks everything's headed in the wrong direction, and honestly, I agree.

Am I wrong, Richard Howard2? 🙂
Let me know if I missed anything or if I need to write a whole novel to explain myself... 😁

Richard Howard2 said:The next generation—anyone born after, say, 2000—is going to be completely indifferent to any of this. They’ll basically be sponges, just soaking up whatever the current cultural code happens to be. There won't be any underlying system or set of principles to judge anything; everything will just be "good" by default, much like how there isn't a single bad product in an American commercial...

That's how it started, but we can't really predict where this is heading. (Obviously.)
I don't know if you guys ever caught Fahrenheit 451 (the movie based on the book I haven't actually read; 😢 it was on TV the other night; I've seen it a few times before 🥳). It deals with a similar vibe. Back then, people were terrified that TV would kill books, leading to this incredibly cold societal structure that's almost impossible to fight against. And that's pretty much what happened—not quite that extreme, but we're definitely heading down that path. TV effectively beat books to the punch. It shows what it should, but also all the junk it shouldn't, so the author kind of called it... We're sitting here debating whether this new wave of blockbusters will overshadow deep, quality cinema that wasn't just made for the paycheck. Honestly, I'm not too worried about our generation (like I said before). We'll always find some low-budget indie flick somewhere that's way more satisfying than the massive, overhyped studio releases...
I don't think we're looking at a total collapse because people will always pass along and champion stuff that actually matters.

Anyway, I'm rambling 🙂

Yeah, you're right, but it’s not just about losing a sense of what's good. It's deeper than that. We've lost the compass entirely—the actual regulatory system that lets us categorize things as good or bad in the first place. At this point, it isn't even about values anymore...

It’s wild how we’ve reached a stage where movies that basically insult your intelligence are praised just because they're "fun" or help you "unwind." Nowadays, turning your brain off is treated like a prescription, something legitimate and actually encouraged. That's why you can never tell the difference between entertainment and pure stupidity again...

BTW, my favorite thing on MTV is when they pay some random people a few pathetic bucks to do gross stuff, like eating a pile of raw fish eyes. Everyone acts like they're having the time of their lives, and it all looks totally logical. I guess it is... 😁

Honestly, I don't really care if the papers give a 4/5 or 5/5 to the new Pirate movie tomorrow. That internal compass used to judge quality in a broader sense never really existed anyway. Old saying: "one man's trash is another man's treasure," but I get what you're saying. It sucks that these movies get such high praise. Personally, I don't mind the hype, but looking at society as a whole, it’s definitely an issue... It’s not even really "praise," it's just media exposure and marketing for products where the priority is cash and clearing space for the next sequel, which will aim for the same goal. Money, money, money. That’s not even the biggest issue here. You, me, or anyone in our generation can always find a decent movie to watch if we don't just default to watching some massive blockbuster like Spider-Man III in theaters. But what about the younger generations? That's where the real problem lies. They need to find a way to break through the bubble being built around them, and those options are shrinking. To "them," these movies represent nothing more than a visual and auditory scam—a total fraud against the art of cinema. They're basically being spoon-fed what to watch, and it's incredibly easy to steer the masses in the wrong direction...

gentlecanyon92 said:😉

😳

gentlecanyon92 said:use multi-quote first—just hit that button on all the posts you want to rip, then hit reply. lets you quote a bunch of people at once...

tried it earlier🙄

click it and nothing happens😉

🤣

keep going Nighthawk, keep it up 🙂 because people actually enjoy reading this, and they say you're 🙂
...

Screw these debates. I’m done arguing about whether "trilogies" like Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, The Terminator, or The Lord of the Rings are just cash grabs or not. I'm guessing making bank was always the priority—especially for Spider-Man—but honestly, I couldn't care less about the back-and-forth. I'll watch if I feel like it, and if not, I won't.

btw, what's up with the whole "new generation" assassins thing? What even defines a new generation? 🙂