Your movie/tv show opposites. Where u go against the masses? (1 Viewer)

[GuruAskew]

"Family Guy" represents everything wrong with comedy today. It personifies laziness in writing, it's undeniably derivative of other shows in every way (most obviously, "The Simpsons"), the characters are undeveloped, unlikeable, obnoxious and irritating, the writers have absolutely no apparant knowledge of comedic timing, they constantly resort to cheap pop culture references for a quick laugh, the voice acting is atrocious, and animation is unappealing, boring and full of technical shortcomings, the jokes are predictable and worst of all, the show has the pathetic "look at how edgy and daring we are" attitude that absolutely kills comedy. You get a sense of confidence and effortlessness when you watch "South Park" and "The Simpsons" but watching "Family Guy" is like watching an attention-starved kid with ADD mangling jokes he overheard on late-night television. The fact of the matter is this: "The Simpsons" achieved icon status without resorting to the cheap toilet humor that "Family Guy" relies on and "South Park" can take it so much farther that they've made an art out of it. What place does "Family Guy" have in a world where the writers of "The Simpsons" still routinely come up with superior writing without lowering themselves to the level of "Family Guy" (and they could definitely get away with it, they're on the same network) and "South Park" gets away with material literally three or four times more offensive than anything Seth MacFarlane could ever dream of? The answer: in the eyes of people that don't have any understanding of comedy as a craft. A bit of advice to anyone who willingly volunteers their time and/or money to watch "Family Guy": anyone can write their brand of "comedy". Here's a simple formula:

thinly-disguised "Simpsons" ripoff character + reference to 80's video game/movie/tv show/commercial + bodily function = "Family Guy" joke.

 

[Kevin M]

Technically speaking Metropolis is astounding, richly deserving the praise it has received over the years....script wise it is cringe inducingly* cliched, melodramatic & outrageously heavy handed in it's final "moral". This & it's wildly histrionic acting (even for a silent film) resulted in a film that I have never been able to thoroughly enjoy on any level other than technical.




* (It's a word now)

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Charlie Chaplin always did kind of make me want to take a dive off the roof. I forgot all about him until he was brought up. Now, I am picturing him in my mind doing the movements. Thank god I still have Rum Runner mix left.

The Looney Tunes shorts were more entertaining than the Disney shorts. But, honestly I can enjoy both. It just depends on the short being shown.

I have watched Suzanne Somers sell food and cooking items on HSN.

I was one of the people to catch a QVC host drunk the night it aired live. Was on a Saturday. It was never brought up after ever again.

The Ropers spinoff episode (Where jack, Chrissy, & Janet show up) is one of my favorite episodes of Three's Company. Not the right show, I know. But, I was disappointed when it didn't make the Three's Campany DVD set as an extra.

The Shrek films were only one watch films for me. I would never be interested in watching them again.

Vivian Vance made more of an impression than Lucille Ball during I Love Lucy.

There are so many holiday horror films (almost everything you can think of), but I am surprised there are none about a killer Easter Bunny.

Betty Davis despised Joan Crawford. The beatings in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane were halfway real. I wouldn't doubt it.

A Different World left me cold, but I loved The Cosby Show.

Survivors Run is amazing. I thought it would have been gone by Season 3.

The Peeping Tom was more disturbing than Psycho.

 

[george kaplan]

Although some great westerns were made before and after, the sixties was by far the best decade for westerns, since it included the best of all-time, namely: The Magnificent Seven, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollare, For a Few Dollars More, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

 

[george kaplan]

This is admittedly, slightly off-topic, but here goes.

I just heard an interview with 83 year old Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.. He was talking about how much he loved music, and was asked what kind of music he listened to. His reply - "everything except rap".

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Inspector Clouseau was better as a supporting character in THE PINK PANTHER (1964) than he was as the lead in A SHOT IN THE DARK (1964), and the subsequent sequels. Also, the first film in the series was far funnier overall than A SHOT IN THE DARK (though I love that film, too).

PAYBACK (1999) is almost as good, in its own way, as the John Boorman/Lee Marvin classic, POINT BLANK (1967), and the Mel Gibson-mandated reshoots and "happy ending" were fine and valid (and yeah, sure, I'd love to see the original cut), choices that leave me entertained and satisfied.

Aside from THE ADDAMS FAMILY, the best TV sitcoms from the 1960s were LOST IN SPACE and DRAGNET.

William, Frawley, as "Fred Mertz", was the only funny member of the regular I LOVE LUCY cast.

The Muppets were never better than in their pre-1970s TV appearances, when a greater percentage their humor was darker. Kermit getting swallowed whole by a monster, and a proto-version of the Cookie Monster discovering he's eaten a talking high-explosive device, both as seen on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, are funny. Fozzy Bear's ineptitude and Miss Piggy's egomania aren't funny.

The original STAR TREK would've been a far better TV show with Jeffrey Hunter's "Captain Pike", than with William Shatner's "Captain Kirk".

 

[Kevin M]

Here's one I'm not so sure about, but here it goes...

I actually think Jason Mewes is pretty funny even though he is basically a one note joke & had he not given into the weed and actually tried to grow as an actor he would have been very good character actor if not comedy lead....no more view askew, no more Jason.

On a similar note, as the years go by, the more I see that the self indulgent in-jokes in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back are extremely painful and unfunny...I still like the film but the whole forced "we are our own cult hit because we say we are" thing get's on my nerves more than it did when I originally saw it.



....although, having said that I have to admit:

 

[george kaplan]

Nazis make the best movie villians.

All of the slasher films since Psycho have gotten more graphic in the slashing, and less cinematic in the telling, and almost all of them are bad movies. Certainly none is the great movie that Psycho is.

 

[Kain_C]

Independence Day is a terrible film; unoriginal, overmade, boring, and the work of a group of filmmakers that couldn't make a good video game.

The 'Metal Gear Solid' video game series has better plots in their individual entries than most Hollywood movies.

Anyone who equates box office success to quality isn't very bright. And vice versa.

Spielberg's best works was in the mid 70's to mid 80's. As his experience as a director increased, the childlike wonder of his direction melted away and was replaced by a mature and efficient approach to filmmaking. 'Hook' is the evidence of this transistion and his failure when he attempted to reconnect with his former sensibilities.

John Williams isn't only the greatest film composer of all time, he's also one of the greatest music composers of all time.

 

[george kaplan]

Not only was Elia Kazan a gutless ratfink, he also made films that were uniformly bad melodramatic messes.

 

[MatthewA]

Michael Moore should not be allowed near a camera, behind or in front of it.

Barbra Streisand hasn't made a good movie since "What's Up Doc?"

The concept behind the Razzie Awards is dumb: to "award" mediocrity, when it should just be allowed to fester in oblivion without any recognition.

Anyone who goes into making a film with the intent of having "something to say" and nothing else (a good story, interesting characters) is a hack.

"The Cat in the Hat" is still the worst movie ever, and probably always will be (at least I hope so. It is theoretically possible, given the climate in today's Hollywood, to make a worse film. But let's not give anyone any ideas).

 

[Joe Karlosi]

(edited)

 

[Eric Peterson]

Where to begin??

• David Spade & Rob Schneider should not only be allowed to never make another film, they should be banished to Devil's Island.
• Potty humor is funny, but not when an entire movie is structured around it.
• Steven Spielberg has only made half a handful of good movies, and Duel is his best.
• "Finding Nemo" is Pixar's worst movie, by a considerable margin.
• "Notorious" is far from being one of Hitchcock's great films
• I have watched less than 30 minutes of reality television
• "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is the best film of the past five years.
• "Spaceballs" is not very funny
• "Kiss Me Stupid" is not only one of Billy Wilder's funniest movies, it's one of the funniest movies ever!
• A series of car chases, crashs, & explosions does not a movie make!

 

[george kaplan]

Unpopular opinions about remakes, spoofs, etc. :

Airplane! is better than any airplane disaster movie.

Blazing Saddles is better than any other western.

What’s Up, Doc? is as good as (though not better than) Bringing Up Baby.

Dr. Dolittle 2 is better than either Doctor Dolittle or Dr. Dolittle.

Steve Martin’s Father of the Bride movies are better than the Spencer Tracy originals.

A Fistful of Dollars is better than Yojimbo.

Young Frankenstein is better than any Frankenstein movie.

The Freaky Friday remake is as good as (though not better than) the original.

The Fugitive movie is better than the tv show

Galaxy Quest is as good as any Star Trek movie.

The Great Locomotive Chase is better than The General.

In the Good Old Summertime and You’ve Got Mail are as good as (though not better than) The Shop Around the Corner.

The Italian Job remake is as good as (though not better than) the original.

The Magnificent Seven is better than Seven Samurai.

The Man Who Knew too Much (1956) is better than the 1934 version.

Eddie Murphy’s Nutty Professor is better than Jerry Lewis’.

The remake of the Out-of-Towners is as good as (though not better than) the original.

Scrooged is as good as any version of A Christmas Carol (and better than most).

The remake of the Thomas Crown Affair is as good as (though not better than) the original.

West Side Story is better than any other film version of Romeo & Juliet.

 

[Kevin M]

Edit: I thought I might edit this a little, some folks might think I was referring to them personally, though I am not, and it came off as a bit more harsh then I intended.

..it would be sad if it was just a game to see who can beat the rules by getting a response from naming the most controversial thing they can come up with.....wouldn't it?


.....anyway, the video game Silent Hill is more frightening than any horror offering from hollywood in the last 15 years.

Sarah Michelle Gellar isn't all that attractive IMO, at least not as much as the fan base seems to find her....in fact I personally think Alyson Hannigan is cuter.

..speaking of Willow, I think having the character come out of the closet out of the blue just a half year after Ellen got huge ratings for doing so was more than just a coincidence, IMO it was a transparent ratings grab, I have always felt that.

Carnival Of Souls isn't really that good of a film, it's ok considering the budget but....it ain't that good.

The Birds is more scary than Psycho.

French Connection II is just as good as The French Connection, different goals, but equal in quality.

Personally I liked most of Gallagher's showtime specials, they still make me laugh.

 

[MatthewA]

Here's one:

If you try really, really, REALLY, hard, you could make a better movie than Citizen Kane. It probably won't happen, but it's not unfeasible.

 

[DaveF]

Don't these reflect popular opinion?

In my opinion, most people don't know what the popular opinion is. Thinking they are the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, they often do agree with the masses. Including myself.

 

[george kaplan]

Well given the fact that comedies get no respect, and that Wrath of Khan seems to be highly thought of, I figured it was a minority opinion. But if most people agree that Galaxy Quest is great, then I'm very happy to be wrong about it being a minority opinion.

 

[DaveF]

(Didn't specifically mean single you or Matthew out, george...) Among my friends (largely scientists or technically oriented) I think they'd agree that GQ was a great spoof of ST and of equal, if different, quality.

But perhaps that is just a minority opinion.

 

[Mark Klaus]

Not all Hitchcock films are all that great, in fact, some are outright terrible including The Birds, The Lady Vanishes and Strangers on a Train. From a technical standpoint, Hitchcock had the worst "car ride" shots of any director I've ever seen.

Chariots of Fire and Hope and Glory, is it possible to stay awake for either?

I can't believe I ever watched The Six Million Dollar Man.

I'd love to see Steve Buscemi get leading man roles.

American Beauty is a great film and is well-deserving of its Best Picture Oscar. Ditto Annie Hall.

Lord knows I've tried because I love Kubrick, but I've never come close to staying awake for an entire viewing of 2001, and I did manage to stay awake for LOA.

LOTR trilogy blows away both Star Wars Trilogies combined.

Tim Burton is vastly overrated. Just being wierd does not a great film make.

Friends was worthless, but you Seinfeld bashers are just plain wrong. Ditto Simpsons bashers, although I haven't seen any episodes past Season 4.

American Idol is compelling TV.

The whole Maryann thing is a baseless attempt at being contrarian. Ginger rules.

The Rolling Stones are talentless hacks and collectively the ugliest Rock and Roll band of all time.

Pearl Harbor is far better than Titanic.

Paul Giamatti is right about Merlot.

QT is not overrated. Pulp Fiction is a top ten of all time movie.

Whoever mentioned the "code of silence" nailed it.

There's Something About Cameron Diaz that makes my skin crawl.

Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey are consistently funny and make good movies most of the time (Carrey 90%, Sandler 60%)