Escape to the Movies: Machete

Tarrou

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Oct 18, 2009
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White people are bad, Republicans all deserve to die, minority power, functional director.....yawn.

This isn't political, it's an exercise in appealing to the idiocy of people who mistake racism* for political debate and need their "politics" to be summed up in a ______ = EVIL statement. In other words, right up the average film critic's alley, and the majority of this site, I'd warrant. Enjoy it.




* and as another poster already noted, if you're wondering whether a picture is racist or not, just reverse all the races in the film, see if that helps.
 

zelda2fanboy

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Tarrou said:
* and as another poster already noted, if you're wondering whether a picture is racist or not, just reverse all the races in the film, see if that helps.
See for example The Wild Bunch, a movie about a group of white guy outlaws who murder hundreds of Mexicans in slow motion for the last hour. It's widely considered a classic of American cinema. Anyone regularly call that one out for being racist? How about Big Trouble in Little China, where a white guy kills a bunch of Asian guys who all know kung fu? Then of course there's the cinematic milestone of Birth of a Nation, where the KKK heroically triumphs over the primitive black man. Or what about the dozens of video games where white people kill middle eastern terrorists?

Sorry, but these types of genre pieces are going to be about killing someone and that someone is going to be of an ethnicity. The fact that ONE movie comes out that shows brown people killing white people and it throws a bunch of pundits into a tizzy shows a little bit of oversensitivity. Get over yourselves white people.
 

zelda2fanboy

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RDubayoo said:
Wonderful, I think I get the gist of this movie already. If you oppose illegal immigration and believe that the laws of the United States should be enforced, LUL YUR A RACIZT. Wonderful! Meanwhile, lives are being destroyed in Arizona and elsewhere by the very illegal immigrants Rodriguez wants us to feel sorry for.

Kiss my ass Rodriguez. And for that matter, anyone who adopts the easy, "Oh, just show compassion and let them stream in" attitude which will only result in disaster can kiss my ass, too. You're naive, stupid, and guess what? YOU are the racist for favoring these illegal immigrants over legal citizens just because the former happens to be a little browner.
This isn't about favoring anyone over anyone else. You are wasting your money trying to keep anyone out. And by not "showing compassion" you put thousands of people into the status of criminal. This means that they cannot work regular jobs and have to be paid under the table. That way, you get paid less than minimum wage and your boss blackmails you into working for free. Plus, you don't pay taxes because you don't have a social security number. This screws up the police and public schools because there's less taxable income. Because you can't make any money worth a damn, your kids get hungry. Then your kids start stealing so they aren't as hungry. This is how slums are born White people would do this just as easily when put into a similar situation and they did, like when the Irish and Italian immigrants got treated like garbage. This is how the mafia was born.

By adopting the attitude of "I hate you because you're different," or "I'm scared because those people are different" you're only repeating history. Putting immigrants out of work and / or deporting them makes life worse for all of us.
 

Antacid

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Apr 10, 2010
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"best pure action film of the year"

Urrgh, get out. You are such an industry toady, Moviebob.
 

GrinningManiac

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MovieBob said:
GrinningManiac said:
The Border problem in America is "one of the biggest debates in modern culture?"

Huh, I just thought it was the US version of the "Polish Problem" in Britain: Polish are coming over to make a living by willingly doing REALLY crap jobs REALLY cheaply because NONE of the British want to do those jobs, and yet the locals still complain that the Polish are "stealing Jobs" and "Not Being English"

Strikes me that there isn't a lot of argument for the USA side. Mexicans are being repressed and slightly discriminated, simple as, I think. Of course, if anyone in that area knows more about the problem, I'd be glad to hear it.
I hadn't heard of the "Polish Problem," but it sounds like pretty much the same idea, yes - though here in the US the issue is "supercharged" by the additional elements of race and class divide.

The way it's broken down is, a few decades ago essentially ALL menial/service jobs "Unionized" to one degree or another, which forced most employers to pay a certain base-level of wages and provide certain insurances. Because businesses started to make less money when they were no longer allowed to screw their employees over, an increasing number of businesses started to delegate more jobs off to "under the table" employees who weren't "on the books" and thus could be paid lower wages. And since what Americans would call "low" pay is actually quite a bit of money in Mexico and other South American and/or Latin American nations, you quickly had a HUGE rise in people crossing the border illegally to do these jobs. And since what was good for the businesses was good for their political allies, the government and law-enforcement just largely "looked the other way" on illegal immigration for DECADES.

So now you've got people who've lived here "illegally" for several generations - who've started families and lived lives and who have children who are natural-born citizens - and a lot of them are starting to ask *Gasp!!* that they be treated like PEOPLE by a government that has benefited from their presence by ignoring it's own laws, and NOW suddenly it's a HUGE problem ;)

It's more complicated on either side, of course, but that's largely where the "anger" at the heart of this particular movie is coming from.
Wow, thanks for the reply

We're at the "Polish undercutting Union members" stage at the moment. However, the problem over here is less with the Polish wanting to be treated normally and more to do with the fact that the Polish have massed-emigrated here (mostly legally), bringing a whole new language and culture to Britian, which the Loud Majority of people aren't happy with. There's Polish restraunts and Polish-language newspapers and even Polish-language shops so the poor guys don't even have to try and get by in English. I've got nothing wrong with that, it's the way rapid immigration works. However, the more bigoted of my countryfolk are completley against the idea of foreigners on principle, and thus don't like being reminded that people NOT FROM ENGLAND are living here. Shock Horror, I know.

Now, when we get our first Polish Member of Parliament, that'd be interesting.

Y'know what's even funnier? The people who complain about foreign cultures "destroying British identity"? They eat kebabs and curries, like the rest of us.
 

Treblaine

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Jul 25, 2008
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Well if Mexicans get unlimited immigration to the USA... when what about Brits like me?

Case you didn't notice, parts of UK are hardly hot shit and loads would love to emigrate to the land "big gulp" and mysterious missing-U's

(but if all the ambitious people leave for USA... won't that just lead to a "brain drain" making the countries they come from even less appealing and then a positive feedback loop of more immigration as the contrast only increases)
 

Treblaine

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MovieBob said:
GrinningManiac said:
The Border problem in America is "one of the biggest debates in modern culture?"

Huh, I just thought it was the US version of the "Polish Problem" in Britain: Polish are coming over to make a living by willingly doing REALLY crap jobs REALLY cheaply because NONE of the British want to do those jobs, and yet the locals still complain that the Polish are "stealing Jobs" and "Not Being English"

Strikes me that there isn't a lot of argument for the USA side. Mexicans are being repressed and slightly discriminated, simple as, I think. Of course, if anyone in that area knows more about the problem, I'd be glad to hear it.
I hadn't heard of the "Polish Problem," but it sounds like pretty much the same idea, yes - though here in the US the issue is "supercharged" by the additional elements of race and class divide.

The way it's broken down is, a few decades ago essentially ALL menial/service jobs "Unionized" to one degree or another, which forced most employers to pay a certain base-level of wages and provide certain insurances. Because businesses started to make less money when they were no longer allowed to screw their employees over, an increasing number of businesses started to delegate more jobs off to "under the table" employees who weren't "on the books" and thus could be paid lower wages. And since what Americans would call "low" pay is actually quite a bit of money in Mexico and other South American and/or Latin American nations, you quickly had a HUGE rise in people crossing the border illegally to do these jobs. And since what was good for the businesses was good for their political allies, the government and law-enforcement just largely "looked the other way" on illegal immigration for DECADES.

So now you've got people who've lived here "illegally" for several generations - who've started families and lived lives and who have children who are natural-born citizens - and a lot of them are starting to ask *Gasp!!* that they be treated like PEOPLE by a government that has benefited from their presence by ignoring it's own laws, and NOW suddenly it's a HUGE problem ;)

It's more complicated on either side, of course, but that's largely where the "anger" at the heart of this particular movie is coming from.
So it was the unions... I KNEW IT!

(PS, if you're born in the USA then you're a citizen, right? All you need is a birth certificate to prove you were born in even a US territory like Puerto Rico or for John McCain, the Panama Canal. So isn't it impossible for a family to live illegally in a country for more than one generation. Then there is the "grandfather law" where if you live there for long enough you can become a citizen.)
 

370999

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So now you've got people who've lived here "illegally" for several generations - who've started families and lived lives and who have children who are natural-born citizens - and a lot of them are starting to ask *Gasp!!* that they be treated like PEOPLE by a government that has benefited from their presence by ignoring it's own laws, and NOW suddenly it's a HUGE problem ;)

It's more complicated on either side, of course, but that's largely where the "anger" at the heart of this particular movie is coming from.
I was very much on the pro Arizonna side in the recent debate on it's new laws but I see no reasonw hy the US can't have a clause that if you live in the US territory for say, ten years and you can show that you could have work, then you should be allowed to be calssified as a US citizen.

This isn't about favoring anyone over anyone else. You are wasting your money trying to keep anyone out. And by not "showing compassion" you put thousands of people into the status of criminal. This means that they cannot work regular jobs and have to be paid under the table. That way, you get paid less than minimum wage and your boss blackmails you into working for free. Plus, you don't pay taxes because you don't have a social security number. This screws up the police and public schools because there's less taxable income. Because you can't make any money worth a damn, your kids get hungry. Then your kids start stealing so they aren't as hungry. This is how slums are born White people would do this just as easily when put into a similar situation and they did, like when the Irish and Italian immigrants got treated like garbage. This is how the mafia was born.
This is more of an argument to stop illegal immigration then it is to have unlimited immigration.

The age of unlimited freedom of movement is sadly gone. Sucks I know but no Soverign State is a charity. The Us is prehaps one of the more better states in terms of ethics and such but it is still a nations tate and as such it's ultimate interest is maximisng it's power to better serve it's citizens.
 

lead sharp

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As this is the latest film reviewed and I'm not sure where to post this but I would be genuinely interested in bobs take on this...

http://redlettermedia.com/

The Star Trek review.
 

Dfskelleton

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I think I'll wait till it hits the dollar theater, but this definitely loks worth checking out. Plus, I always love comically over the top action.
 

world_of_dragons

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Just got back from seeing it after watching this review and here's what I think.

When I got to see movies, I have a tendency to sort of 'turn off' my brain so it was a little difficult keeping tabs of what happened story wise, but I always kept an eye on bits and pieces like the technical workings of the movie.

In a word, Machete is a movie that action fans really need to take a look.
 

voetballeeuw

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I saw this film yesterday and it was awesome. Fantastic action sequences and hilarious one liners. Any action fans really need to see this movie.
 

Herr Wozzeck

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Oct 23, 2009
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So I saw this movie for myself, and I have to say I found it immensely enjoyable.

But Bob was right about the bit that shows Rodriguez' anger towards the state of immigration laws in America. I remember the first fake campaign ad they showed of McLaughlin's senatorial campaign.

You know, that one with the insects where McLaughlin compares them to parasites killing the country?

I swear to God, I've never been more pissed off at something within a movie. First, I'm liberal, and that kind of shit doesn't fly with me. Second, I'm Hispanic (Cuban Hispanic, granted, which is completely different from Mexican Hispanic, but Hispanic nonetheless.) I actually almost walked out of the theater upon seeing it; the only reason I stayed was because it came in fairly early in the film's running time. The fact that Rodriguez is of Mexican descent didn't lessen my rage at all.

And somehow, it's more effective for that.

Other than that, it was a really fun movie.
 

Swifteye

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lead sharp said:
As this is the latest film reviewed and I'm not sure where to post this but I would be genuinely interested in bobs take on this...

http://redlettermedia.com/

The Star Trek review.
He reviewed that movie. It's in the archives wouldn't hurt to look ya know. But i'll save ya the five minutes. He was against it.
 

Battenbergcake

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Oct 4, 2009
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As a musician in a silly jacket once said "Viva la Vodka~"

We need more movies that point out how wrong things our while killing a neo-Nazi with a cork screw. :B
 

MercurySteam

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Apr 11, 2008
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I haven't heard of this movie before (yes I live in Australia). By the time it comes to cinemas over here, people will have been pirating it for a least a month.
 

Squeaksx

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AlexTaldren said:
Brockyman said:
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I would like to see what the "racist" Senator is like.

Is he a cartoon-ish villain that hates people only for their skin color
OR
Is the character a "left wing described" racist that wants border security, an end to illegal immigration and the problems it has caused.
(and in case you didn't notice, or are an extreme left-winger THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TOO)

The debate on illegal immigration has taken the such a dramatic turn that people who even consider sealing the border, and wanting people to immigrate legally and follow American law are call racists (keep in mind Mexican Immigration Law is 10x worse then the U.S.).

I have nothing against anyone of any skin color. All people are equal in the eyes of the law (and of God if your religious), but that means everyone must be TREATED EQUALLY UNDER THE LAW, therefore if your white, black, hipsanic, Indian, Arab, Asian, or come from Canada, Mexico, the UK, Iraq, China or Japan YOU NEED TO COME IN LEGALLY AND FOLLOW OUR LAWS, and SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.

EXAMPLE: If I ever intend on moving to another country to work, first thing I'm going to do is pick up Rosetta Stone and learn how to communicate and do business in that country. Just because your of Hispanic-origin, doesn't mean you should expect us to bend over backwards to communicate. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Now, if charities and churches want to offer English classes to help the poor people, that's great.

How in God's name is that view "racist"? If anything its the most "fair and equal" way to do things. Everyone is treated the same under the law.

Now, if the movie didn't have a message (like MovieBob was saying is a bad thing), then it could be pure fun, but if I have to be treated with lines like "we didn't cross the border, the border crossed us" (which is the biggest bunch of bull crap I've ever heard), then I can't enjoy it.
I feel the exact same way.
I am curious to be honest. I really want to see if they pull this 'message' off properly or coat it with icky layers of pretentious ooze in the way Hollywood writers have become notorious for. We'll see I suppose.