You do understand that hipster was actually a word at the time and his use of the term is appropriate to the culture he was describing, right? It's sort of like you heard the word "hipster" and tuned out.grumpymooselion said:
The Big Picture: The Fall of Kevin Smith
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I loved Clerks and Dogma, and the Clerks animated series, but other than that I haven't seen many of his other films. I saw Jay and Silent bob Strike back, and wasn't too impressed. And I did see Mallrats, but it was a while ago and didn't leave much of an impression on me.
I was thinking nearly the same thing. MovieBob was what, twelve when Clerks came out?grumpymooselion said:
I have never liked Kevin Smith films, and I have never understood their allure. That said, I have a raging hard on for all things Quentin Tarantino. I think its that Smith's films are actually not very good. They are more about the cultural references than anything else. People like clerks because what it is, and not because its a good movie. And the more that became apparent with each subsequent film, the more everyone began to realize all of Smith's films were actually bad. The same is kind of true for Rodriguez.
While it's probably a bit much to call Clerks the Gen X's Easy Rider, there is something to be said about its rather unique place in cinema history.
See this is the problem with having the Game Overthinker crossover a while back. I can't take Bob's critique all that seriously when his own stuff (outside of TBP and ETTM) isn't particularly well shot or acted (or for that matter particularly clever). Still enjoy the show just wish I'd missed those episodes.
Was a Smith fan, Still am. Bob is entitled to his opinion, I get that... but hes wrong and I hate him (jk). This is where the hate mail starts rolling in... I like smith a hell of a lot more than Tarantino. I have actually never seen a Tarantino movie I liked (except Four Rooms but you cant really call that HIS movie) Smith is like Apatow to me, his movies dont always hit their mark but they are good at capturing a slice of everyday life, and I find that very refreshing... Tarantino seems to just surf TV/Movie tropes and mash them into overblown versions of themselves (Ive had people argue that that is the point... but that doesnt mean I have to like it) I guess I dont have much of a point other than "I disagree" and the "90 indi goldenboy" Tarantino I dont care for at all... OPINIONS!
They're different directors, with different films. I'm not a film critic but, while I can see Tarantino and Rodriguez's work being grouped together, adding Smith to the mix seems forced.Rabidkitten said:
I can't find his actual Date of birth, I'm sure someone can but well clerks came out in 1994, being a Gen X'er, the youngest bob could have been at the time is 20 (Gen X being 1960 to early 1980's) if he was 12 he'd be a Gen Y or Millennial.TripleDaddy said:
OT:
good to see he's tackling the issue and not just leaving it unsaid, I personally don't dislike Kevin Smith but became less fond of him because he often uses his films to relentlessly bash something he doesn't personally care for, instead of making a poignant quick joke and moving on.
I grew up loving Clerks. I spent a majority of my employed life in retail, and now, at 32, I rewatched Clerks about a month ago, and it just has the exact opposite outcome for me. Randall is one of the assholiest asshole clerks I've seen, and I've worked with a couple who did it just to piss off the customers. How he still has a job is beyond me. But that's beside the point. The movie didn't catch me any longer.
The problem isn't that you don't like his films or you expected more of him, its the tone and language you use when describing the PERSON. You come across like you would spit when you mention the man's name and look even if you hate his films he has never come across to me as someone pretentious or thinking his shit does not stink. He has taken on the chin, he is a big supporter of Gay rights he has a great dialogue with his fans, and a knack for forging his own way in film/podcasting. People are drawn to his personality as a guy we could hang with because, for me at least, I feel like I wouldn't be judged it would be a safe place.
The way you keep trotting him out as a whipping boy for Gen X without provocation talking about him as if he is a bad person for not living up to your expectations still makes you look petty. To get mad at KS because when he was asked about Batman V. Superman is dumb, he didn't ask to be asked. So whatever comes of this series of mini-reviews of his old films, it doesn't matter you can't justify to me your behaviour.
I like you, but this is not about what you think about his film making ability, this is the fact that as far as I'm concerned you've been a dick to a guy who has done nothing to you.
The way you keep trotting him out as a whipping boy for Gen X without provocation talking about him as if he is a bad person for not living up to your expectations still makes you look petty. To get mad at KS because when he was asked about Batman V. Superman is dumb, he didn't ask to be asked. So whatever comes of this series of mini-reviews of his old films, it doesn't matter you can't justify to me your behaviour.
I like you, but this is not about what you think about his film making ability, this is the fact that as far as I'm concerned you've been a dick to a guy who has done nothing to you.
Very well said. In last week's episode Bob rose to Michael Bay's defense in an attempt to be the voice of reason, but it all rings hollow when you consider his frequent potshots at people/movies/things he doesn't like or his self-pitying review on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and how "the movie broke him", among other things.Hunter Grant said:
I am simultaneously relieved and disappointed that we are not getting ten episodes to pick apart Kevin Smith. Still, this is pretty fascinating. I still believe that Clerks is legitimately hilarious, but I do agree that the scenarios are contrived. The dive bar punk rock analogy is perfect. What it lacks in skill is made up for in enthusiasm and speaking as a 22 year old guy who's only previous exposure to Smith was through the amazingly awful Red State and suprisingly uninteresting Zack & Miri Make A Porno, that was more than enough for me.
Damn i thought i was Gen X. I kind of had the loose thought it related to kids who hit their 20's in the 90's.
That said I still have time for the guy, sure his films have gone downhill gradually but he seems like a guy i could hang out with.
That said I still have time for the guy, sure his films have gone downhill gradually but he seems like a guy i could hang out with.
Welp, looks like the next few weeks are going to be dedicated to my own childhood, having grown up watching View Askew alongside my older brother. I'm already very familiar with all of these and it'll be interesting to hear Bob's take. I don't know exactly what the details were of Smith's downfall, but I do know that he's nowhere near as respected as he was and hasn't really done anything lately.
In Nashville, they regularly play "Head Like a Hole", "Hurt", and heavily edited versions of "I Wanna F&*k You Like an Animal" on the classic rock station (aka oldies for people who don't like pop music), along with AC/DC, Aerosmith when they were good, Zeppelin, and Metallica.WarHamster40K said:
I had just finished my freshman year in high school when this came out. We're old. It's ok.