US WEEKEND THREAD: Record 70.25 OW (highest grossing OW for an original horror)

[NCsoft]

1 hour ago, baumer said:

 Let's pretend that we live in an alternate universe and some other filmmaker made the exact same film that we saw on screen over the weekend, I don't believe it would get the same reactions that it's getting with Jordan peele's name attached to it.

I think 20 M OW with even more divisive reactions if not for Jordan Peele. This film does inspire discussion and does tend to linger. Usually a movie that I deem to be just OK, doesn't stay with me quite as long, that doesn't help my perception of the film though, the more I think about it, the more tonally inconsistent and narratively messy the film feels.  

[PDC1987]

Are we really still debating film quality with a guy who once said ID and MIB were masterpiece films? Let him say his piece and let it go, or at last save it for film review threads.

[Valonqar]

10 minutes ago, Alli said:

one more thing. can critics stop raving about some movies like they are the second coming/the first movie they saw in their life? always found that annoying.

This x 100000000000. stop setting unrealistic expectations. that doesn't help movies. quite the contrary, it invites "so overrated" comments. I get that critics want to boost their favorites success by exaggerating but c'mon. 

 

also, marketing for movies should stir clear of Best _____ Ever blurbs. It's one thing when someone puts it in their review that many people won't read. it's another when you put it in TV ads that millions will see. Automatic invitation to disagreement and disappointment. For example, Us would open this big without Best Horror Movie Ever bullshit but now more people have reason to say WTF, not even close, meh, etc. 

Edited March 24, 2019 by Valonqar

[baumer]

1 minute ago, The Panda said:

There are some cases where I can see “plot holes” and “logical inconsistencies” as being major detriments to movies, but they’re rarely the cases people harp on.

 

People seem to usually only bring up the “plot hole” argument when they don’t like a movie and feel like they need justification as to why they didn’t.

 

I watched the Red Balloon short film earlier this week, and I wasn’t big on it.  It’d be easy to harp on things like, “How was that balloon sentient at times and other times just a normal balloon?  Why was the child being locked in a room seen as normal? That doesn’t make sense and is dumb!”  Or I could not be obtuse and realize, those directional choices were intentional and were meant to get across a certain point by the director.  And I can realize that and still keep my opinion in not liking the short film.

 

Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but big glaring plot holes that would change the entire film, actually are one of the reasons for me not to enjoy a film.  If things don't make sense, for me personally, I have a hard time getting into it.  That's one of the things that really took me out of US.  

[Litio]

It is easier to say that the movie is a mess and has several plot holes instead of trying to understand it.

[That One Girl]

1 minute ago, PDC1987 said:

Are we really still debating film quality with a guy who once said ID and MIB were masterpiece films? Let him say his piece and let it go, or at last save it for film review threads.

 

To be fair, Men in Black is a masterpiece

[MrFanaticGuy34]

2 hours ago, diddykongracing128 said:

Lol at anyone believing Captain Marvel's numbers. waves of empty seats and no one here questions that?

 

Cannot wait for a real movie by the real captain marvel. Not some Mary Sue poser.

What a Rude Effortless Troublemaking Asinine Reckless Douchebag you are! 😠

[Jake Gittes]

8 minutes ago, Alli said:

one more thing. can critics stop raving about some movies like they are the second coming/the first movie they saw in their life? always found that annoying.

I don't know about that, but publications can stop taking on "critics" who are inexperienced and/or encouraging hyperbole, and you can definitely filter critics you pay attention to. A lot less annoyance that way.

[MOVIEGUY]

1 minute ago, PDC1987 said:

Are we really still debating film quality with a guy who once said ID and MIB were masterpiece films? Let him say his piece and let it go, or at last save it for film review threads.

What's wrong with Independence Day and Men in Black? I really like those films. I like higher-brow stuff too, no need to be a snob.

[The Panda]

15 minutes ago, baumer said:

 

Never once said people were being disingenuous.  If it came out that way I apologize.  Just saying that I think people wanted to like this and that helped them like it a lot.  

 

Anyway, I'm not going to argue with you guys.  You liked it and that's great.  I didn't, so oh well. 

If “wanting to like” meant going in with expectations, of course people go into a movie with expectations.

 

But I’d argue that would imply the opposite of your conclusion.  People had high expectations for Us because of the universal acclaim for Get Out.  It’s much harder to deliver and please people with high expectations.

[Jim Shorts]

 

[The Futurist]

That s why I mostly trust critics only for little social dramas and democrats approved political dramas.

 

Genre, weither it s horror, sci-fi, fantasy or funny book movies, you name it, they don't have a clue about how it works most of the time. 

Since genre has won in the current movie paradigm, they are a bit in dismay about things.

That's life tho.

Edited March 24, 2019 by The Futurist

[Valonqar]

3 minutes ago, Litio said:

It is easier to say that the movie is a mess and has several plot holes instead of trying to understand it.

how about both? most movies have plot holes. they are inevitable in storytelling. but if a movie engages, which is subjective, people won't be bothered by them or even notice them. OTOH, if the movie isn't engaging or is engaging but plot hole is such that it takes away from previous enjoyment, they'll get hung up on it. same goes for twists. many people enjoyed Us until certain twist and now are hung up on it cause it made the movie fall apart for them. Mind you, the movie that worked for them very fine until that moment. And yes, they understand and think it was a wrong decision on Peele's part. 

Edited March 24, 2019 by Valonqar

[baumer]

Just now, The Panda said:

If “wanting to like” meant going in with expectations, of course people go into a movie with expectations.

 

But I’d argue that would imply the opposite of your conclusion.  People had high expectations for Us because of the universal acclaim for Get Out.  It’s much harder to deliver and please people with high expectations.

 

Do you remember what happened with The Phantom Menace when it came out in 1999?  The general population and the overall wom on it was very positive.  SW nerds claimed them loved it.  Then as the years went by more and more people had to admit that they didn't care for the film even if some of them saw it 15X in the theatre.  They tried to convince themselves that they loved it because they were in love with the originals.  

 

It's not like this has never happened before.  People love certain films and that can influence their opinion of another film by the same film maker or actor.  I did it with Rambo 3.  Told my buddies that I loved it and that it was  on par with the first and second.  But that isn't true and it took me years to admit it.

[TwoMisfits]

5 minutes ago, MOVIEGUY said:

What's wrong with Independence Day and Men in Black? I really like those films. I like higher-brow stuff too, no need to be a snob.

Independence Day has one of my favorite speeches (and since I love to use movies when teaching, I use it to teach teens how to give a great short speech - win/win:)...

 

I actually also love both films, although "masterpiece" might be a bit much - but a solid A-/B+ movie grade for each is not:),,,

 

 

[NCsoft]

26 minutes ago, That One Guy said:

 

Seriously getting real tired of people noticing a few small logical errors (especially in movies meant to not be realistic in any way) and acting as if this suddenly makes it a worse movie.  Every movie has "plot holes" if you look long and hard enough.  Just enjoy the fucking movie, jesus

You can't tell people to just do that, speaking as someone who suspend their disbelief very easily, I simply can't with this film. There's got to be a balance between creative premise and believability, and this film cross that barrier to a point that I can't buy it thematically because too many things don't make any sense.

 

It really doesn't help that the film tries to ground itself in reality and thus sort of inviting the audiences to explore logical inconsistencies, if it doesn't attempt to explain as much, I think it would have turned out for the better. If it comes to the point that in the process of trying to explain away 1 plot hole, I inevitably create 3 more gaping plot holes, I can't focus on the message and themes anymore. 

 

"Just try to have fun" is something you say for a Roland Emmerich movie, the thing is they never take themselves this seriously.

[TwoMisfits]

12 minutes ago, baumer said:

 

Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but big glaring plot holes that would change the entire film, actually are one of the reasons for me not to enjoy a film.  If things don't make sense, for me personally, I have a hard time getting into it.  That's one of the things that really took me out of US.  

Plot holes and nonsensical plots (that aren't straight comedies or kid fluff animateds) also ruin movies for me, so thanks for posting about them when you do (saves me $, b/c when I see it later at home, you are usually spot on for this point for me:)...

Edited March 24, 2019 by TwoMisfits

[baumer]

1 minute ago, NCsoft said:

You can't tell people to just do that, speaking as someone who suspend their disbelief very easily, I simply can't with this film. There's got to be a balance between creative premise and believability, and this film cross that barrier to a point that I can't buy it thematically because too many things don't make any sense.

 

It really doesn't help that the film tries to ground itself in reality and thus sort of inviting the audiences to explore logical inconsistencies, if it doesn't attempt to explain as much, I think it would have turned out for the better. If it comes to the point that in the process of trying to explain away 1 plot hole, I inevitably create 3 more gaping plot holes, I can't focus on the message and themes anymore. 

 

"Just try to have fun" is something you say for a Roland Emmerich movie, the thing is they never take themselves this seriously.

 

[harrisonisdead]

10 minutes ago, Litio said:

It is easier to say that the movie is a mess and has several plot holes instead of trying to understand it.

That's the thing. It's one thing to dislike a movie because of its ambiguity and its metaphors. But to ignore the existence of the very surface-level allegory that the film has (even ignoring whether or not anything else in the movie has a deeper meaning), and to be able to think hard enough about the film to come up with questions about it (incorrectly deemed plot-holes) while not thinking hard enough about the film to answer those questions with the material the movie provides is another thing. Though I understand why someone who dislikes a movie wouldn't want to think about it further and that's totally fair, that doesn't mean them claiming these things simply don't exist should be a thing.

 

Us is probably going to be a movie people over-analyze, because people think every single element and every single detail has a deeper meaning that contributes to the themes of the film. Some things in the movie are very likely only there to explain in-universe things and aren't a part of any sort of metaphor. But that doesn't mean that metaphors don't exist at all within the movie.

[baumer]

1 minute ago, TwoMisfits said:

Plot holes and nonsensical plots (that aren't straight comedies) also ruin movies for me, so thanks for posting about them when you do (saves me $, b/c when I see it later at home, you are usually spot on for this point for me:)...

 

You know I encourage people to see movies and damn other people's opinions.  If you like my opinions, then I say thank you.  But I do think this could be a film you may like, or you may hate.