Movie, TV, Web Series, and Music Hot Take(s).

[Casual Shinji]

I actually don't consider Predator schlock. I call that a damn good action horror movie. Sure, it's just a Sci-Fi version of Beowulf and The Most Dangerous Game. But it's a concept Shane Black made work. I know there's this inclination of most action movies are schlock, but I don't see that as the case all the time. Or the splitting hairs of what's good schlock and bad scholck. I feel it's been used too much as a defense buffer or for people to justify why they like something. A precursor to the whole I watch it or like it for "ironic" purposes. Because they're afraid others will treat them or judge them for liking something that's not the norm or outside the target audience. I'm not claiming that this is you, but it's something I've learned over the years.

Oh, I don't consider shlock bad by definition. I refer to it as shlock because, I mean, it's bunch of beefy americans in a jungle fighting an alien. It's silly, and it doesn't necessarily have anything thematically interesting to say. It's just a fun, very well made, shooty shooty bang bang thrill ride, with a proper internal logic and a very good understanding of itself. I actually enjoy using the term shlock now, it's very liberating to admit you unironically like big, stupid fun. -- Back in my 20's I was all about consuming meaningful and intelligent movies. I liked watching Magnolia and Todd Solonz movies and such; it was THAT phase. Trust me, when use the term shlock it's always in regards to a quality movie.

 

[Xprimentyl]

The reason why that particular Predator is in the city, due to being a younger and cockier hunter. The other one from the first movie was a seasoned hunter; older and wiser. The younger predator sought a bigger and grander challenge. You can tell by his body language, movements, his alternate use of hunting. The movie implies this, and the character is described in the original script.

The reason I didn't like Predator 2 was because it made the Predator less the ominous, horror threat he was in the first film and more a cheesy '80s-'90s thriller villain. Part of his threat in the first film was the human targets being relegated to only what they had on their person, stranded in a dense jungle and being hunted. The transition to the city with the presumably same premise just didn't fly with me as you lack the isolation of a remote jungle making the threat that much more than nominal.

...it's bunch of beefy americans in a jungle fighting an alien.

Can we address this issue? Has anyone every challenged Arnold to even attempt an American accent? Every movie he's in, he's got that thick, straight off the boat Austrian accent, but never are his origins addressed in the script! He was the governor of California, for Christ's sake; he couldn't pick up anything from the locals? Not saying it's a bad thing; my dad is from Panama, and apparently has an accent I can't hear, but when you put Arnold in metropolitan suburbia as a body-built "everyman" who contrarily sounds likes he's from thousands of miles away, let's at least incorporate that into the tale. Like, why would the Terminator have such thick accent? Was Skynet started in Vienna? I mean, you could say that, and I'd be on board, but say it before you expect me to believe the cyborg sent back in time that can imitate an American woman's accent perfectly normally speaks with a Viennese accent.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Can we address this issue? Has anyone every challenged Arnold to even attempt an American accent? Every movie he's in, he's got that thick, straight off the boat Austrian accent, but never are his origins addressed in the script! He was the governor of California, for Christ's sake; he couldn't pick up anything from the locals? Not saying it's a bad thing; my dad is from Panama, and apparently has an accent I can't hear, but when you put Arnold in metropolitan suburbia as a body-built "everyman" who contrarily sounds likes he's from thousands of miles away, let's at least incorporate that into the tale. Like, why would the Terminator have such thick accent? Was Skynet started in Vienna? I mean, you could say that, and I'd be on board, but say it before you expect me to believe the cyborg sent back in time that can imitate an American woman's accent perfectly normally speaks with a Viennese accent.

On the one hand it's really ridiculous that this was never a thing in any of his movies, on the other I'm glad they never tried to lampshade it in any way. It's kinda cool these movies got away with something so outlandish.

Also, Skynet was never too bright. I mean, look at how it designed the Terminator; A cyborg designed for infiltrating human settlements, made to look like a total beefcake in a world where every human is starving. Aced that one Skynet.

 

[BrawlMan]

The reason I didn't like Predator 2 was because it made the Predator less the ominous, horror threat he was in the first film and more a cheesy '80s-'90s thriller villain. Part of his threat in the first film was the human targets being relegated to only what they had on their person, stranded in a dense jungle and being hunted. The transition to the city with the presumably same premise just didn't fly with me as you lack the isolation of a remote jungle making the threat that much more than nominal.

I disagree big time. The Predator at no point to me felt less ominous back when I saw the movie at the age of 7, nor does that change now. This Predator in apperance is still other worldly, just more cocky. As a viewer, you can only partially comprehend what they've been doing and how long they've done hunts on Earth. When I saw that pistole the elder Predator give to Harrigan near the end. The pistole with 1771(?) on it. My reaction was "Who the hell are all of you?!" and "Why do you keep coming here?!".

Also, these scenes still gives me shivers:

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Oh, I don't consider shlock bad by definition. I refer to it as shlock because, I mean, it's bunch of beefy americans in a jungle fighting an alien. It's silly, and it doesn't necessarily have anything thematically interesting to say. It's just a fun, very well made, shooty shooty bang bang thrill ride, with a proper internal logic and a very good understanding of itself. I actually enjoy using the term schlock now, it's very liberating to admit you unironically like big, stupid fun. --

Okay then. While I did not mind smart and intelligent movies, even in my teens, 20s, and now I'll always enjoy a fun movie when I can. I was never too insecure about what I liked or watched most of the time. The first movie that got me really thinking was Princess Mononoke.

 

[BrawlMan]

Also, Skynet was never too bright. I mean, look at how it designed the Terminator; A cyborg designed for infiltrating human settlements, made to look like a total beefcake in a world where every human is starving. Aced that one Skynet.

There's a fan theory that Skynet based the T800 models after John Matrix, Dutch Schaffer, or both. The theory being that those two guys are the same person, and either name is an alias. Something to connect Predator, Alien, and Commando in the same universe.

 

[BrawlMan]

The originals are miles better but I kinda like Robocop 2 and Predator 2. Might be nostalgia though, haven't seen them in a while.

Watch Predator 2; the movie holds up great! Robocop 2....proceed with high caution.

 

[Gordon_4]

Watch Predator 2; the movie holds up great! Robocop 2....proceed with high caution.

Lots and lots of caution.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

My parents have been watching a lot of comedy shows from "their times", such as Friends and MASH. While sometimes they are funny, I can't help but notice much of the humor revolves around the main characters just being assholes. It's a little more subtle in Friends, but in MASH, hoooo boy. I'm much more used to shows like Parks and Rec and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where generally characters are just good people with flaws.

 

[BrawlMan]

My parents have been watching a lot of comedy shows from "their times", such as Friends and MASH. While sometimes they are funny, I can't help but notice much of the humor revolves around the main characters just being assholes. It's a little more subtle in Friends, but in MASH, hoooo boy. I'm much more used to shows like Parks and Rec and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where generally characters are just good people with flaws.

Friends was never good. Living Single > Friends.

Living Single had actual characters and not just shallow or boring assholes. Full House and Friends are the worst sitcoms of the 90s for me. Full House had nothing interesting and not that many character arcs to speak of. The show overall was just one Kodak moment after another. I can't speak for MASH as I really never watched the show.

If you go back and watch a lot of 90s sitcoms you realize that many, thought not all, had some asshole(s) you are supposed to like or find endearing. This only got worse in to the 2000s.

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[Gordon_4]

My parents have been watching a lot of comedy shows from "their times", such as Friends and MASH. While sometimes they are funny, I can't help but notice much of the humor revolves around the main characters just being assholes. It's a little more subtle in Friends, but in MASH, hoooo boy. I'm much more used to shows like Parks and Rec and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where generally characters are just good people with flaws.

MASH....has aged well in some respects; and aged awfully in others. When the show is on, its on but when its off? Oi vey. Honestly once your core cast is soldified as Hawkeye, BJ, Hot Lips, Charles Emmerson Winchester the Third, Col. Potter, Father Mulcahey, and Klinger (who has stopped cross dressing) the show is basically as bearable as its gonna get for a modern audience. And even then there's hits and misses.

And if you think the characters in the show are complete shits, the movie and God help you the book, will make all of them seem like angels.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Can we address this issue? Has anyone every challenged Arnold to even attempt an American accent? Every movie he's in, he's got that thick, straight off the boat Austrian accent, but never are his origins addressed in the script! He was the governor of California, for Christ's sake; he couldn't pick up anything from the locals? Not saying it's a bad thing; my dad is from Panama, and apparently has an accent I can't hear, but when you put Arnold in metropolitan suburbia as a body-built "everyman" who contrarily sounds likes he's from thousands of miles away, let's at least incorporate that into the tale. Like, why would the Terminator have such thick accent? Was Skynet started in Vienna? I mean, you could say that, and I'd be on board, but say it before you expect me to believe the cyborg sent back in time that can imitate an American woman's accent perfectly normally speaks with a Viennese accent.

William Candy

Chief Master Sergeant William Candy is a member of the United States Air Force's Combat Control career field, a special operations career tasked with Air Traffic Control duties in austere and non-permissive environments as well as Close Air Support for other SOF teams. Sgt. Candy was selected by...

terminator.fandom.com

The article says the scene was deleted, but I saw it in the version of T3 on tv.

Anyway, to summarise, the guy they modelled the T800 (played by Arnie, with someone else's voice) on had a really annoying voice, so one of the designers (played by someone else, but with Arnie's voice) says they can fix it.

Apparently, Arnie had to work to maintain his trademark accent, living in the US started to make him too American sounding.

 

[Xprimentyl]

William Candy

Chief Master Sergeant William Candy is a member of the United States Air Force's Combat Control career field, a special operations career tasked with Air Traffic Control duties in austere and non-permissive environments as well as Close Air Support for other SOF teams. Sgt. Candy was selected by...

terminator.fandom.com

The article says the scene was deleted, but I saw it in the version of T3 on tv.

Anyway, to summarise, the guy they modelled the T800 (played by Arnie, with someone else's voice) on had a really annoying voice, so one of the designers (played by someone else, but with Arnie's voice) says they can fix it.

Apparently, Arnie had to work to maintain his trademark accent, living in the US started to make him too American sounding.

Ok, so Terminator gets a "pass," but what about Last Action Hero? Jingle All The Way? Twins? Predator? In no film wherein he's written as American (ostensibly by birth or by right) is he ever acknowledged to be an immigrant. Not saying it's a problem, just odd that no one ever wrote a script [that I'm aware of] that addresses his not-native status when his accent is about as iconic as his visage.

 

[Gordon_4]

Ok, so Terminator gets a "pass," but what about Last Action Hero? Jingle All The Way? Twins? Predator? In no film wherein he's written as American (ostensibly by birth or by right) is he ever acknowledged to be an immigrant. Not saying it's a problem, just odd that no one ever wrote a script [that I'm aware of] that addresses his not-native status when his accent is about as iconic as his visage.

Commando actually does wink at this; there’s a very quick and easy to miss lime when he’s talking to his daughter about living in East Germany with his father. Although I do wonder what the family name must have been that he could legitimately Anglicise it to ‘Matrix’.

 

[MrCalavera]

Commando actually does wink at this; there’s a very quick and easy to miss lime when he’s talking to his daughter about living in East Germany with his father. Although I do wonder what the family name must have been that he could legitimately Anglicise it to ‘Matrix’.

Here's my excuse for another re-watch.
I can't believe "Commando" of all movies
even attempts to explain his accent.
For me it was always just Arnold sounding like Arnold, and i never ever questioned it.

 

[Gordon_4]

"If The Emperor had a Text to Speech Device" is probably the best representation Warhammer 40k lore is ever going to get because without humour, its setting is impossible to get invested in. Solid as fuck visual aesthetics though.

 

[Chimpzy]

"If The Emperor had a Text to Speech Device" is probably the best representation Warhammer 40k lore is ever going to get because without humour, its setting is impossible to get invested in. Solid as fuck visual aesthetics though.

Agreed. 40K lore was at its best when the people at GW still treated 'grimdark' for the brutally silly shit it is. Also, if you like Emps TSS, you might also like Adeptus Ridiculous.

 

[BrawlMan]

Looking back, a lot of Butch Hartman's cartoons are not that good, or rely on everyone being jack asses to the protagonist(s). Fairly Odd Parents suffers heavily in later seasons from it, and Danny Phantom had this problem since the first season. Sam Mason is a bad love interest and is one of the most selfish characters in Western Animation history, and Danny deserves better.

 

[thebobmaster]

Looking back, alot of Butch Hartman's cartoons are not that good, or rely on everyone being jack asses to the protagonist(s). Fairly Odd Parents suffer heavily in later seasons from it, and Danny Phantom had this problem since the first season. Sam Mason is a bad love interest and is one of the most selfish characters in Western Animation history, and Danny deserves better.

Should have hooked up with Valerie. Danny and Val were the real pair, IMO. Sam was just kind of thrown in there because in Butch Hartman's world, you have to pair up the long-time friends.

 

[MrCalavera]

"If The Emperor had a Text to Speech Device" is probably the best representation Warhammer 40k lore is ever going to get because without humour, its setting is impossible to get invested in. Solid as fuck visual aesthetics though.

I find WH40K funny when straightfaced anyway.
Then again, "If the Emperor..." is brilliant.

 

[BrawlMan]

The Purge movies I would not call exactly underrated given the success of the franchise, but there are critics that don't give the appreciation the films are due. The Purge franchise is and was way ahead of the curb of the racial, social, and economical problems with America. I still don't like the first movie, but the series as a whole has aged like fine wine. I plan on seeing The Forever Purge see on Saturday.

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