Escape to the Movies: Branded

[Rabidkitten]

So why didn't you review the Master, which I assume most people are far more interested in?

 

[Therumancer]

I have to say, even as a fat guy myself, that fat shaming in perfectly fine in many cases. Some people DO have excuses for becoming obese, most do not.

That said, tying the first world obesity epidemic to corperate manipulations is not exactly new, and has a lot of validity to it, in of itself. There are other reasons for it however including our access to all of this technology, and the resulting highly sedimentary jobs. To be honest the only way to counter this is to convince people to break specific patterns, and really shaming them is the only way to do it because the other aspects of society that could bring about changes have no vested interest in doing so. It's not a nice point, but a valid one I think.

I myself used to be pretty skinny, I bulked up a bit (well more than that) for work, then when my brain damage got to the point where I was forced to go on social security I started using a lot of drugs which not only contribute, but make me very tired. As a result my blubber/soft mass kind of exploded, and I have little energy for pretty much anything.

The point being that being there, there are reasons I will accept, heck there are even some cases where I'll accept overeating and such, but for the vast majority of people there really isn't any paticular excuse.

To an extent I DO blame things like plus size models, and the proliferation of hefty-size clothing stores and related services for sort of validating somethign most people should try and correct. I don't care if "Big and Tall" stores exist, but when you have smiling fatso models and present this kind of thing as okay and mainstream... well that's an issue.

I'll also point out that body mass does not always equate to fat either, which is something a lot of people seem to miss. Those who do powerlifting, as in actually increasing their strength to the limits, as opposed to body building (which is largely about sculpting muscles to look pretty), oftentimes look pretty fat and sloppy, but don't make the mistake of thinking these guys are actually fat. Most of the physically strongest guys I've known seemed pretty tubby if you didn't know better, they were also who I talked to when I built up my own strength a bit (even if it's now literally turned to liquid jelly).

 

[Lieju]

Define 'decent size'. I think a part of the problem is that the concept of 'overweight' can be totally twisted and unrealistic in Hollywood movies. I'm normal weight, but by movie-standards I'm a whale.

Normal weight I mean. Hell even slightly overweight is fine. Movie standards are just that, movie standards. We're not celebrities and everyday society doesn't expect us to be. Maybe the media and teenagers want to look like that but once you grow up you realize those standards mean shit.

It's not a matter of how you look, it's your health that must be looked at. Morbidly obese people are unhealthy, someone 10-30 pounds overweight isn't that bad off.

Yes, but we are talking about a movie here, and it's attitude towards fat people.

The problem with this discussion is that what is considered 'fat' is so different is movies than what it is in reality.
I totally agree that instead of weight, it's the quality of the diet that we should be worrying about.

But why should the movies be held to some totally different ideal? Why couldn't they look more normal and healthy?

 

[kickyourass]

How ironic is it that a movie which is all about evil advertisements has an incredibly dishonest ad campaign?

 

[Markunator]

According to the Spill Crew, Cosmopolis was, in fact, unbelievably pretentious:
http://www.spill.com/Audio/AudioPost.aspx?audioId=1278

I would very much like to see Bob talk about Cosmopolis; more specifically, about the criticisms against it, such as this review.

Also:

Pretentious with pointless overwrought CGI imagery and popular ironically? Too bad it doesn't have scantily clad chicks fighting giant robot samurai.
-_-

A lot of words could be used to describe Suckerpunch, but I don't see "pretentious" being one of them.

A lot of people would beg to differ on that one. The Spill Crew is actually among them ...

 

[Ashoten]

Making fat people feel bad about being fat........WTF?

Fat storage is an important mechanism for survival and served our ancestors well throughout much of life's history. The simple fact that our post industrial world has made it possible for 2% of the population to make 100% of the food has had the unfortunate side effect of allowing people with a highly evolved fat storage system to become too fat is not their fault. It is not the companies fault for providing a service that people want. Does this mean everyone is absolved of guilt? NO! but it also means that the obese need compassion not shame.

I could also bring up how the government forced health regulations on fast food chains that required them to use hydrogenated fat for cooking, as well as there obsession with teaching everyone that tons of carbs are good for you. Carbohydrates metabolizes into sugar so unless your training for the Olympics or have a rigorous work out schedule there is no reason to load up on them all the time.

Yes, being fat is your fault. It's not only your fault, but living in a post-indsutrial society does not absolve you from the fact that you're using your body the wrong way. Not only is it evident that your physical activity is pitiful, it's also showing that you have little criteria in what you ingest. You don't need to eat out everytime. Cook at home and take lunch to work it there's no healthy place near you. Oh, it takes time and effort? Well, it's better that time and effort than the persitent damage your organs and bones are suffering from being forced through overweight. Also, if you're going to throw out the biological argument for fat storage, you can't just forget your body was also made to move. I'm not saying anyone should try to look like models, with zero fat deposits (and all their metabolic disorders that carries), but it is everyone's duty -yes, I use that word, duty- to keep their own body within healthy boundries of weight. If you are now overweight, my question always is: why didn't you stop before you got to this point? If you're here, being complacent with your obesity and asking everyone to not offend your sensibilities won't bring you back to a healthy body. If I sound callous, so be it. More often than not, it's poor habits and terrible discipline and education that make people obese, not some genetic disorder that couldn't be avoided.

That sound just like some anti-gay speech. What business is it of yours how I use my body? If eating makes me feel better then I am entitled to that. There is no right way or perfect way to live for everyone. 2 individuals with the same eating habits and same activity can have drastically different weights. The cause of this CAN be linked to genetics. What is fine for one is not fine for another. I am active and I like to eat so I am overweight despite my activity. Every time I have lost significant weight it was only through intense training and dietary restrictions. It is hard to keep that kind of life style up indefinitely. Additionally I have joint pains and irritable bowl disease just to make things more challenging I guess. So I end up needing to eat lots of fatty protein and processed food that don't upset my digestion. I get intense steroid treatments for my bowl disease which also make me hungry all the time.

Don't Judge me bro

 

[Howling Din]

Y'know that's what they want, right? Your resentment, I mean. they want you to waste hours of your life and chunks of your emotional spectrum on their garbage. As soon as you have, they've won. This movie's intent is similar to what internet people call "trolling" only on a larger scale.

 

[Realitycrash]

Making fat people feel bad about being fat........WTF?

Fat storage is an important mechanism for survival and served our ancestors well throughout much of life's history. The simple fact that our post industrial world has made it possible for 2% of the population to make 100% of the food has had the unfortunate side effect of allowing people with a highly evolved fat storage system to become too fat is not their fault. It is not the companies fault for providing a service that people want. Does this mean everyone is absolved of guilt? NO! but it also means that the obese need compassion not shame.

I could also bring up how the government forced health regulations on fast food chains that required them to use hydrogenated fat for cooking, as well as there obsession with teaching everyone that tons of carbs are good for you. Carbohydrates metabolizes into sugar so unless your training for the Olympics or have a rigorous work out schedule there is no reason to load up on them all the time.

Yes, being fat is your fault. It's not only your fault, but living in a post-indsutrial society does not absolve you from the fact that you're using your body the wrong way. Not only is it evident that your physical activity is pitiful, it's also showing that you have little criteria in what you ingest. You don't need to eat out everytime. Cook at home and take lunch to work it there's no healthy place near you. Oh, it takes time and effort? Well, it's better that time and effort than the persitent damage your organs and bones are suffering from being forced through overweight. Also, if you're going to throw out the biological argument for fat storage, you can't just forget your body was also made to move. I'm not saying anyone should try to look like models, with zero fat deposits (and all their metabolic disorders that carries), but it is everyone's duty -yes, I use that word, duty- to keep their own body within healthy boundries of weight. If you are now overweight, my question always is: why didn't you stop before you got to this point? If you're here, being complacent with your obesity and asking everyone to not offend your sensibilities won't bring you back to a healthy body. If I sound callous, so be it. More often than not, it's poor habits and terrible discipline and education that make people obese, not some genetic disorder that couldn't be avoided.

That sound just like some anti-gay speech. What business is it of yours how I use my body? If eating makes me feel better then I am entitled to that. There is no right way or perfect way to live for everyone. 2 individuals with the same eating habits and same activity can have drastically different weights. The cause of this CAN be linked to genetics. What is fine for one is not fine for another. I am active and I like to eat so I am overweight despite my activity. Every time I have lost significant weight it was only through intense training and dietary restrictions. It is hard to keep that kind of life style up indefinitely. Additionally I have joint pains and irritable bowl disease just to make things more challenging I guess. So I end up needing to eat lots of fatty protein and processed food that don't upset my digestion. I get intense steroid treatments for my bowl disease which also make me hungry all the time.

Don't Judge me bro

You can use your body however you want, but when people go and promote "fat acceptance", I get a bit irked. It's promoting an early death. If they want to be unhealthy (and I am talking fat here, not chubby or having a gut, but fat), that's fine, but don't promote it, because it's unhealthy.

 

[Varun Garuda Maharaj]

Looking at the trailer I called bullshit on this

 

[CosmicCommander]

You can use your body however you want, but when people go and promote "fat acceptance", I get a bit irked. It's promoting an early death. If they want to be unhealthy (and I am talking fat here, not chubby or having a gut, but fat), that's fine, but don't promote it, because it's unhealthy.

As a fatass myself, I feel inclined to comment. I'm not part of any "fat acceptance" movements, but I think I'd be qualified to say that you're conflating the idea of "fat acceptance" (that is, not being a dick to fatties) with the concept of encouraging people to be fat. I don't think any sane man would opt to be fat when if he were able to easily select his physique. Being fat is usually a fairly lucid choice people make; I'm aware I'm more likely to die of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc., and I've never met another overweight person who claimed otherwise. People have chosen to live a certain way, aware of the opportunity cost of their fitness and life expectancy. What fat asses like myself don't need or want is the media constantly shoving in our faces how unhealthy, unattractive, and how hedonistic we are, people constantly approaching me to say how bad for me my existence is, and the health Nazis who constantly push for taxing me for my existence or trying to force a change to my diet or shit.

I get it. I'm unhealthy. I don't want to make anyone else fat, I just want everyone to shut the fuck up. Is that something so unacceptable?

 

[SquidVicious]

Never even heard of this movie until now, but the videos Bob played throughout reminded me of another Russian movie, Nightwatch which sounded like a neat premise, but the execution was just a cavalcade of "how much acid do I need to take for this to start being good?" I definitely dislike it when people mishandle easy concepts like this, but considering how my town sucks so much we don't even get The Master, I doubt we'll be getting this any time soon.

Nightwatch is (very loosely) based on a book of the same name by Sergei Lukyanenko. The book is actually pretty awesome (even translated into English) and well worth a read if you like urban fantasy with a gothic feel.

Oh I've read Nightwatch and Daywatch and I've come to the conclusion that Russian literature just isn't for me, unless it's Nikolai Gogol, that guy is badass... and Vladimir Nabokov.

 

[planet.tyler]

So why didn't you review the Master, which I assume most people are far more interested in?

Well the master didn't personally offend him as this film clearly did. This was not a review, it's a tantrum masquerading as a review. You're better than this bob

 

[Zer0Saber]

I've talked to people about "The Stuff" and nobody knew about "The Stuff", but you know about "The Stuff" and now I know I'm not alone.

 

[Friendstastegood]

Bob. I'm disappointed in you. Indeed this movie sounds terrible, but why on earth would you compare it to Southland Tales (it's one of my all-time favourites)? They sound nothing alike at all. What is so bad about Southland Tales?

 

[theSteamSupported]

Regarding obesity, it's your choice for how to live, how to look and how to die. But, please, oh please, don't apply your unhealthy behaviour upon your children. Tim Minchin said it best.

<youtube=u_ElXYzFX_w>

 

[Lono Shrugged]

A movie so stupid that not even Max Von Sydow can save it!? Oh boy...

As awesome as Max Von Sydow is, he is well used to being stunt cast at this stage. (Judge Dredd, Conan etc.)

As terrible as this movie sounds I love bizarre Russian films and generally bad movies, I will certainly check this out some time in the future when my self esteem is low and I need to feel better about myself.

 

[Lionsfan]

Hey nobody get down on the cow sacrifice! It's in the best movies as often as it's in the worst.

You know, socially accepting or not accepting fat people doesn't make me want a hamburger any more or less.

Bathing in cow blood WHAT?

These are the only two posts that bring this up.

Either people haven't seen this movie, or everyone else is just kinda mulling over this fact....

 

[Realitycrash]

You can use your body however you want, but when people go and promote "fat acceptance", I get a bit irked. It's promoting an early death. If they want to be unhealthy (and I am talking fat here, not chubby or having a gut, but fat), that's fine, but don't promote it, because it's unhealthy.

As a fatass myself, I feel inclined to comment. I'm not part of any "fat acceptance" movements, but I think I'd be qualified to say that you're conflating the idea of "fat acceptance" (that is, not being a dick to fatties) with the concept of encouraging people to be fat. I don't think any sane man would opt to be fat when if he were able to easily select his physique. Being fat is usually a fairly lucid choice people make; I'm aware I'm more likely to die of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc., and I've never met another overweight person who claimed otherwise. People have chosen to live a certain way, aware of the opportunity cost of their fitness and life expectancy. What fat asses like myself don't need or want is the media constantly shoving in our faces how unhealthy, unattractive, and how hedonistic we are, people constantly approaching me to say how bad for me my existence is, and the health Nazis who constantly push for taxing me for my existence or trying to force a change to my diet or shit.

I get it. I'm unhealthy. I don't want to make anyone else fat, I just want everyone to shut the fuck up. Is that something so unacceptable?

The common idea seems to be that if media do NOT do this, then acceptance will grow, and people will become fatter and more unhealthy.
I am unsure if this is entirely true or not. I think it could be done in far more tasteful ways, however.

 

[Realitycrash]

Hey nobody get down on the cow sacrifice! It's in the best movies as often as it's in the worst.

You know, socially accepting or not accepting fat people doesn't make me want a hamburger any more or less.

Bathing in cow blood WHAT?

These are the only two posts that bring this up.

Either people haven't seen this movie, or everyone else is just kinda mulling over this fact....

It's an obvious satirical reference to the meat industry, and hamburgers in particular (since it's a big target in the movie). It isn't worth commenting on, so that's why.

 

[Sean Deli]

I don't think any sane man would opt to be fat when if he were able to easily select his physique. Being fat is usually a fairly lucid choice people make; I'm aware I'm more likely to die of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc., and I've never met another overweight person who claimed otherwise. What fat asses like myself don't need or want is the media constantly shoving in our faces how unhealthy, unattractive, and how hedonistic we are, people constantly approaching me to say how bad for me my existence is, and the health Nazis who constantly push for taxing me for my existence or trying to force a change to my diet or shit.

At first I wanted to flip this paragraph, substituting "overweight" with "IQ under 70" and "fat ass" with "idiot" to show resemblance between these two human parameters, but I couldn't make myself do it.

People have less control over their level of intellect and overall education, than they have over their weight. You are born into certain educational level - if your parents do not happen to have a certain level of income, you are SOL for life. And you can't just starve yourself to a high SAT score.

But hey, guess what: noone in their sane mind openly(!) advocates idiocy, or asks the media to "shut up about this whole education thing already", or make a "dumb-acceptance" movement. Such sentiments did exist a few centuries ago, when education was viewed as corrupting. But hey, maybe in just in few years we will see a Renaissance of dumb-acceptance movement.
There is nothing "inherent" or "universal" about society praising or shaming something. It is always the recent fad - we shame one thing and praise another, only to switch 180 degrees in under a century. But at no point in time people will ever be truly out other people's hair.

P.S. Regarding the whole "bullying will not help me get thinner" comment I've seen earlier - everybody understands that, and nobody cares. Bullying will not get a 300-pound guy to exercise, but it will instill enough dread into hundreds of 200 pound guys to go and buy jogging boots.
Shaming works like the state penitentiary system: the few are made an example off to guide the many.