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Argylle on Apple is a laughably bad movie. I watched it all just because I had to know. literally laughed at plot turns at the end.
2 months ago
@breakfast_champion I don't recall that part making a lasting impression on me, so I enjoyed the whole thing. · 2 months ago
@M0xee Last one. The 3 Body Problem is a new streaming series adapted from a Chinese science fiction novel. In the original story, men were the heroes and women were not. This was seen as sexist. The new adaptation centers the action in London and features a very diverse cast, and has placed women in significant positions.
But here's where it goes wrong: there's an early scene in a bar where a hapless man flirts with our two women scientsts, who then proceed to humiliate him for no real reason. I'm homosexual and have no skin in the heterosexual game, but it seemed a very petty and nasty way of "correcting" sexism.
I finished the show on fast forward. · 2 months ago
@m0xee Andor is a Star Wars streaming series that is remarkably good. It proves that professionals can (a) write for a franchise in an interesting way, and (b) be inclusive without berating the existing fanbase. Andor is very diverse but I do not recall conservative critics complaining about it being too "woke" or too diverse. The film features a Mexican actor playing a character living a clandestine life. It was a great opportunity for someone to sneak in jabs at their MAGA hat wearing enemies. But it never happened.
So culture war antaogonism is BS, but not because it has no real basis. The way out is good wring that is respectful of the material and the audience. · 2 months ago
@m0xee About the culture war. There is a real problem with corporations hiring writers (especially) who care more about berating the existing fanbase than caring for the IP. It's not just that certain hot button topics are touched upon, it's the attitude that sneers at everything that came before. Take Star Trek for instance. It has a long history of breaking progressive ground. Then look at that short about the tribbles, which stages this weird gender conflict that concludes with humiliating the man. It's not just about new ideas. It's about turning a show into a nasty insult for no good reason, and in a way that breaks with existing canon. An important counter example: Andor. · 2 months ago
@m0xee A list of reasons why things are going south.
1. The few remaining post-merger studios left are so big they've become dysfunctional. (Disney)
2. Almost everything is a franchise, a sequel, or a reboot.
3. Streaming split our attention, but rarely delivers, and doesn't know how to make money.
4. Youth are focused on short form video; film is turning into radio: a dying art for old people.
5. Midbudget films can't get financed, unless they're on streaming, then they're almost like a straight-to-DVD release.
6. Theaters haven't recovered from COVID.
7. The culture war brings out a lot of negativity, and makes it hard to enjoy anything. · 2 months ago
@breakfast_champion , I agree!
What makes it worse is that left and right wingers keep fighting whether touching acutely social topics made the movies better or if it ruined them. But in fact it nothing of it even matters — the movies and shows are just bad irregardless of all that. Games too!
No good plot, no good setting — it's all the same ideas, often poorly carried out, regurgitated again and again. Any show or a movie that would be just decent two decades ago, feels like a gem. The visual side is generally good — you're right about that, but there are exceptions, it's surprising how underwhelming some big budget movies are 😩 · 2 months ago
It's surprising how terrbile film and TV have gotten in the past 10 years. The special effects almost always look good, but the writing is terrible across the board, with few exceptions. Even during a good show I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like, "When is this going to jump the shark?" Movies are bad. Streaming series which are supposed to be these great vehicles for telling long-form stories, take weak ideas and stretch them out over hours and hours. Everything feels like filler. I feel no excitement about anything coming out. I'd rather watch pornography. At least there's a plot. · 2 months ago