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

[TheMysteriousGX]

I kinda knew about it from hearing some people whine about it("X character had the WRONG LIGHTSABER COLOR!"), but it slid down the old memory hole until VIsions came out. The Red lightsabers came out in the one episode and then I kinda remembered something about Red being the Sith color or something. Apparently they're like mood rings or something where they detect your alignment. If you're a true neutral is it pure white? What if you're chaotic good? Does it turn Topaz?

Honestly, that short in Visions was the only one that actually broke what amounts to canon in the Star Wars universe and it did it in such a way that I want it to be the new canon. Like, if a Jedi didn't want to be immediately outed as a Jedi while using their laser sword, they'd have to fill their minds with hate and fear and such, while if a Sith wanted to be sneaky they'd have to do the opposite. Lightsaber colors shifting during a conflict to represent psychological changes in resolve, stresses, and damage. Lotta storytelling potential there.

Star Wars suffers from the Greedo Problem. See, Greedo was a bounty hunter who briefly held Han Solo at gunpoint. Therefore, every member of Greedo's race is a bounty Hunter in some fashion, on a broadly societal and religious level, regardless of actual profession. The entire race is fanatically devoted to bounties, to the point that they make bounty runs to grocery stores to pay bounties to farmers who supply a bounty of crops.

It's clearly stupid, but like, Obiwan and Anakin had blue lightsabers, Jedi Knight Luke had a green lightsaber, and Vader had a red lightsaber in the original trilogy, so obviously there were hard and fast rules for what that meant on an tangible immutable galactic level and it wasn't just a specific storytelling device.

Maybe that's what I remembering. I didn't think anything of it. Jedi Masters probably get to do what they want. Maybe that's why Anakin was so mad about not getting a spot on the council, because he wanted a purple saber too.

I mean, Maul had a double saber and Kylo Ren(?) had a saber with a cross guard made of sabers and....sure, why not? Apparently Blinging out the laser swords is a thing.

The Sith do love their over complicated lightsabers. It's more of a tell than the color, honestly. The instant you do anything other than a straight handled, single bladed design, look out

 

[Xprimentyl]

Here's a hot take: Star Wars only garnered its massive popularity because of Light Sabers and Darth Vader. Remove those two elements, and you've got uninteresting wizards, muppets and politics, all of which are done better in other media and none of which are worth all the cosplaying over the course of the past 40 years.

 

[BrawlMan]

• I never saw the big deal with The Big Lebowski. It's not bad, but I just find it uninteresting. I don't see how this film got such a big cult following.
• Drive (1997)>>>>>Rush Hour Trilogy. Mark Dacascos should have gotten more action roles after this masterpiece of action.
• The Warcraft movie is definitely one of the better video game to movie adaptations. One of the best, and definitely be in my top five. I have no idea what the critics were on about. I'm not a big fan of Warcraft, and I easily understood and comprehend what was going on in the story. It sucks there won't be a sequel, but with all the crap going on with Blizzard and Activision, it's not worth it.
• Bad Boys 3 is the best out of its trilogy. With that said, I'm not that big into the franchise. Especially the second movie.
• Titanic was the biggest waste of 3 hours of my life. Avatar (2009) is a terrible movie. Other than pushing the visual medium for 3D, motion capture and CGI, it has nothing else to stand on. It's your generic all humans are bastards and we're all idiots for abusing nature. I'm off for a healthier and Greener earth, but there are better ways to do your environmental messages, then talking down to your audience.
• I'll give credit to Illumination Studios for trying something a little different for their adaption of the Grinch, but it was an adaption that was not necessary.
• Man of Steel is the best live action Superman movie ever made.

 

[Xprimentyl]

• I never saw the big deal with The Big Lebowski. It's not bad, but I just find it uninteresting. I don't see how this film got such a big cult problem.

Same. I think it garnered most of its popularity for it's portrayal of stoner culture with "The Dude," like an inside joke pot heads "got," and "isn't it funny to relate." Outside of that, the movie is wholly unremarkable. Much like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, it's a movie that coasts on star power with very little substance.

 

[BrawlMan]

Same. I think it garnered most of its popularity for it's portrayal of stoner culture with "The Dude," like an inside joke pot heads "got," and "isn't it funny to relate." Outside of that, the movie is wholly unremarkable. Much like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, it's a movie that coasts on star power with very little substance.

I find "The Dude" one of the least interesting characters in cinematic history. I dislike him more than the entire cast.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I find "The Dude" one of the least interesting characters in cinematic history. I dislike him more than the entire cast.

Didn't say I liked him, just that's why the film became as culturally popular as it is, because high people and their habits are apparently inexorably entertaining.

 

[BrawlMan]

Didn't say I liked him, just that's why the film became as culturally popular as it is, because high people and their habits are apparently inexorably entertaining.

I never implied that you did. I just wanted to state my dislike for the nothing character. It's why I'm glad I stayed away from stoner culture. Those guys and gals assume things on a whim where everyone is "supposed to get". And if you don't "get it", you're part of the problem or mindless sheep.

 

[MrCalavera]

Same. I think it garnered most of its popularity for it's portrayal of stoner culture with "The Dude," like an inside joke pot heads "got," and "isn't it funny to relate." Outside of that, the movie is wholly unremarkable. Much like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, it's a movie that coasts on star power with very little substance.

The movie is a great pastiche on film noir genre, with fun, well acted characters. Reducing it to a "stoner comedy" is laughable.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Keep seeing ppl refer to The Big Lebowski as a stoner comedy, and as someone who has watched more than their fair share of stoner comedies with massively varying quality from all the generations, it really doesn't match up as one, and if someone is going into it expecting one, they will be severely disappointed. There's a distinction to be made between the "stoner comedy" and a comedy who's main character sometimes smokes weed. The former relies heavily on jokes at the expense of the MJ, usually with plots revolving around the use of it too. Whereas not a single gag, joke or plotline in The Big Lebowski even mildly hints at weed. And the scenes involving the dude with spliff are very sparse and almost overly coy even bringing attention to it. It's all about the characters, it's a Coen Brothers comedy, which may not be to some people's tastes, but it is most certainly not a stoner comedy. Now I've said the word 'comedy' too many times and must drink this brief mind fuzz away before the voices get any louder!

 

[Xprimentyl]

The movie is a great pastiche on film noir genre, with fun, well acted characters. Reducing it to a "stoner comedy" is laughable.

Wasn't reducing it to a "stoner comedy" on par with the likes of Half Baked or Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle; simply stating that appreciably outside of that aspect (the aspect of The Dude,) it doesn't hold much water despite it being well-acted. The finest ingredients can't elevate a mediocre recipe. The movie was boring and pointless; if they were going for "boring and pointless," they did a great job, well done, 5 stars.

 

[MrCalavera]

Wasn't reducing it to a "stoner comedy" on par with the likes of Half Baked or Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle; simply stating that appreciably outside of that aspect (the aspect of The Dude,) it doesn't hold much water despite it being well-acted. The finest ingredients can't elevate a mediocre recipe. The movie was boring and pointless; if they were going for "boring and pointless," they did a great job, well done, 5 stars.

The point, like in a noir story, was solving a mystery. Which was solved.
And i disagree on "boring", although that one's entirely matter of taste. I found a critic and audience darlings like "The Gladiator" boring too.

Whereas not a single gag, joke or plotline in The Big Lebowski even mildly hints at weed.

There's one gag i can think of: When The Dude drops a doobie on his lap, and starts panicking. But even that gag could be recreated with a normal cigarette.
The White Russian is a much more memetic part of Dude's persona than weed.

 

[Xprimentyl]

The point, like in a noir story, was solving a mystery. Which was solved.

And all done in a gloriously uninteresting and unengaging way. Nothing about the film stands out to me; I can barely remember any of it, that's how disengaged I was. I could easily have missed something, but the point is I was so completely disinterested in what I do recall, I don't care to watch it again.

And i disagree on "boring", although that one's entirely matter of taste. I found a critic and audience darlings like "The Gladiator" boring too.

Absolutely a matter of taste... hence BrawlMan posting in the Hot Take thread and my agreeing with him. I'll even throw you a bone; I'm not particularly fond of Gladiator either.

 

[thebobmaster]

I'll admit that I haven't seen it in a while, and my tastes may have changed since then, but I only thought The Godfather was decent to pretty good. I felt the film dragged quite a bit when Michael went to Italy, and took its time picking back up. Overall, not a bad movie by any means, but I wouldn't even classify it as my favorite Mafia movie.

 

[Casual Shinji]

And all done in a gloriously uninteresting and unengaging way. Nothing about the film stands out to me; I can barely remember any of it, that's how disengaged I was. I could easily have missed something, but the point is I was so completely disinterested in what I do recall, I don't care to watch it again.

You know I had to, right? I mean, come on...

 

[BrawlMan]

I'll admit that I haven't seen it in a while, and my tastes may have changed since then, but I only thought The Godfather was decent to pretty good. I felt the film dragged quite a bit when Michael went to Italy, and took its time picking back up. Overall, not a bad movie by any means, but I wouldn't even classify it as my favorite Mafia movie.

​

 

[Xprimentyl]

View attachment 4836

You know I had to, right? I mean, come on...

I'm surprised it took anyone THIS long!

 

[Casual Shinji]

There's one gag i can think of: When The Dude drops a doobie on his lap, and starts panicking. But even that gag could be recreated with a normal cigarette.
The White Russian is a much more memetic part of Dude's persona than weed.

To be fair though, I think the whole thing with the Dude is that he's kinda perpetually stoned, or just worn out from the large amount of drugs he's taken in his lifetime. He's always a little bit zoned out except on the few occasions when he gets genuinely heated. Something Jeff Bridges rocks back and forth in and out of with great ease.

And it's certainly used for comedy, in that it shows what an unlikely participant he is in all this. On paper it's not too different from other stoner comedies, but because Jeff Bridges is a really good actor and the Coens are really good filmmakers it really doesn't come across to most people as just another stoner comedy.

I like the movie quite a lot, but I kinda sort of see how people might not. It can lean up right against the line where things get obnoxious, though to me it never goes over that. Something I feel the Coen's other popular comedy Oh Brother, Where Art Thou does cross into. Both comedies have pretty much the same sense of humor, but while one lands for me the other doesn't.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

There's one gag i can think of: When The Dude drops a doobie on his lap, and starts panicking. But even that gag could be recreated with a normal cigarette.
The White Russian is a much more memetic part of Dude's persona than weed.

Was thinking of that moment too, though it's actually just him lying down, accidentally taking a toke from the minimal roach the wrong way round and breathing in the cherry causing him to jump up in a panicked massive coughing fit The film did teach me about white Russians though! Oh wait, no there is the moment he tries throwing a roach out his car window but forgets to open it so it lands back in his lap, that is probably the moment you meant, sorry! But yeah, both slapstick gags interchangeable with any form of smokeable habits.

 

[MrCalavera]

I'll admit that I haven't seen it in a while, and my tastes may have changed since then, but I only thought The Godfather was decent to pretty good. I felt the film dragged quite a bit when Michael went to Italy, and took its time picking back up. Overall, not a bad movie by any means, but I wouldn't even classify it as my favorite Mafia movie.

Godfather is legitimately a great movie. Deservedly a classic.

Godfather II OTOH drags a bit too much at times, to deserve "The Greatest Sequel" title.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Godfather is legitimately a great movie. Deservedly a classic.

Godfather II OTOH drags a bit too much at times, to deserve "The Greatest Sequel" title.

Another hot take: I've never seen The Godfather; I hear cannolis are involved. I don't know why; I haven't actively avoided it or anything; it's just never come up in my line of sight whilst seeking cinematic entertainment. Dozens of people have looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears when I said I've not seen it. At this point, I might NEVER watch it. I'd say on principle, but I think I just like getting a rise out of people.