The Big Picture: The Numbers

[redstranger]

a few things: i know a lot of people on here are saying Scott Pilgrim sucked but you have to remember it didn't suck for everyone. A good few people are saying the Expendables was a good film but the same is also true; it wasn't good for everyone. I saw both. I see nearly everything at the cinemas because good or bad, we need a mix to keep everyone happy. If you only go to see films you know you will like and don't try and branch out in your viewing eventually everyone else is screwed. And in the end so will you be as even you will reach your limit on how much a studio can pander to your tastes.
tl;dr
support everything, or we will get nothing

 

[triggrhappy94]

I think I'm going to cry.

I've written a 5 page essay on del Torro that involved analysing 4 of his movies for a film class (that I got an A on), and Lovecraft is one of my favorite writers...

 

[Logic 0]

The movie industry is unfortunately rated M for mediocre.

Because it's all about M for money.

 

[Timbydude]

Great video.

Crap, that Lovecraft movie would've been so cool. James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro? I would have absolutely loved it.

 

[Mumorpuger]

I thoroughly believe that Scott Pilgrim failed because America is sick of Michael Cera. Good riddance to him and any film he is in.

 

[Spinhorse]

Bob is mad, bro

Really liked this one.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

I didn't even know that was gonna happen. It's like learning about how awesome Santa is, and then learning he hasn't been alive in a hundred years. I loved the first part. I damn near cried for the second part. I was furious. Something that awesome being denied by that fucking piece of garbage? I still can't even believe I paid for that excrement. May it burn in the fierce volatile climes of hell!

And may Del Toro find someone to let him make it. The concept of that union has uplifted my soul. At the Mountains of Madness getting a film adaptation makes me feel elated.

 

[Jumplion]

If you hated Scott Pilgrim, whatever, that's your opinion. But you cannot deny that it is a unique movie

Actually, you can, or well, I can. It did nothing that Japanese, Korean and Chinese films haven't been doing for DECADES, stuff that Wright just lifted - and wasn't even the first to do the lifting - and put into the film. It filled plot and characterization with nodnodwinkwink juks at the audience and with insane amounts of re-hashed-retro-funnies that could never open up to an audience outside of the very, very small circles that eventually saw it.

I don't think that's quite fair to bring in another culture in here as we're primarily talking about the American side of the cinema. My point wasn't exactly "it hasn't been done before!" but that, in American (and somewhat European, as well) cinema, Scott Pilgrim was extremely unique and standout compared to The Expendables. It's like, yeah, sure, you can say that both Pilgrim and Expendables are wholly unoriginal, but at least we haven't seen something like Scott Pilgrim for a while. We see Expendables type movies all the time, every darn summer.

No the problem is, as others have said, Scott Pilgrim was a another mangeek romantic comedy loaded with too specific appeal (indie music, canadian hipsters, on lowincome having house parties and torn between two girls, after dating a third who is being ***** about it, they have no deep and respectful ties with) and video gamey special effects. I'm 30 and not that much in the dating scene. I am not in the emotional or personal tier of Scott and his "friends." Even when I rented it it just came off ... flat. Not Cera's fault, per se, but still I just wasn't into it and the film depends on you being into it, on a level (likely reliving or recognizing your own 18-20something romantic misadventures and how..uncool they were)

Firstly, if you're going to talk about Scott Pilgrim, quote the paragraph where I talked about Pilgrim, otherwise I don't know if you got my initial point my point.

Secondly, while I did enjoy Scott Pilgrim, I am admittedly pretty much on the same boat with you. I enjoyed it for what it was, and its appeal was geared to a very specific audience. I am nowhere near the fanboyness that Bob is with the movie, but I did like it a helluvah lot more than I did The Expendables.

But that's not exactly the point I wanted to make (at least, I didn't think I made it). You can easily analyze anything to where it's not "unique", "original", or "good". My main point, that upon retrospect was probably not clear enough, is that compared to The Expendables, and compared to many Expendable-esque movies, Scott Pilgrim deserved far more attention than it got because it's at least trying to stand out.

Stallone, Li, etc just goofing around on camera and having a badass unrepetant action movie sounds REALLY REALLY REALLY awesome. Like Snakes on a Plane awesome, only ya know it worked, somehow.

I won't lie and say that doesn't sound awesome. It does. It's just...well...it's been done, ya know? We get these kinds of movies every summer, and while I'm all for the occasional 'splosion fest, enjoy the pretty lights, kind of movies, it gets kind of old after a while, doesn't it?

Scott Pilgrim is Twilight for 20-30 something manboys.

Eh, wouldn't go quite that far.

 

[ezeroast]

very very sad to see what the general public like and moan for. Utter garbage is all they want...

 

[Nurb]

As much as I didn't want Del Toro anywhere near the Hobbit after the hellboy sequel, I think he'd have been good for this movie.

Good for him for sticking to his guns, even if it did cost him the movie, because a kiddy friendly Lovecraft movie would have been shit anyway.

This is also why I'm not paying to see a movie in the theater anymore. Though there might be exceptions depending on what it is.

 

[Optimystic]

Bob's a bear? I had no idea! The voice threw me off completely.

(hey there handsome)

 

[crimson sickle2]

I actually wasn't able to see Scott Pilgrim in the theaters due to a lack of a ride and to much school, but if I knew this was going to happen I would've walked the distance to my closest theater. Space-time continuum, I'm sorry!

 

[Dana22]

Now you got me cinema-depressed. Hopefuly 20th Century Fox will take Del Toro under its wings.

 

[Ashoten]

I understand your frustration Bob. I would love to see The Mountains of Madness movie. Unfortunately like you said this is not a perfect world and it shouldn't be surprising that the biggest pop culture cash cows get more attention. I guess its worth talking about but I don't think its ever going to change. Not just for movies but anything that's marketable really.

 

[pdgeorge]

You see, I think this also has another thing.

Piracy.

The geek market is the market most likely to be cheapskates and pirate anything they want to see because they just don't want to pay the cost to go to the cinemas. (plus most of my geek friends don't like bothering to see movies and more because it's more fun to watch them on DVD, or more precisely "Just sitting at home" maybe even just with the option of having your mobile on, or being able to have facebook/msn messenger/etc. on in the background)

How many people who are geeks etc. honestly go to movies still to see movies? versus how many people out there wait for a pirated version of it and just download that.

If only there could be a way for people to pay money to see the movie, but without all the negative things about going to cinemas (for example: other people being idiots, over priced food/drink, ticket prices, etc. and yes I know already all the reasons why those things are expensive but that doesn't stop me from not wanting to go because it's expensive)

 

[plainlake]

Yeah, arent the geeks the ones who rule the world now Bob? Anyway, there is alot of people with my little pony images on their profile now.. Damn.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

This is one of the reasons gaming is going down the toilet also. Hurray for the lowest common denominator.

 

[moosek]

There is a way to have both. Suda51 (head of Grasshopper studio) makes the weirdest, but still fun and artsy games that stretch the meaning of the medium. He also makes cheap, high profit Dynasty Warriors clones that totally suck.

 

[deckai]

Is it just me or was this whole episode a wide open door that was just kicked in?
More like a rant really. I understand where it comes from, but in his capacity as a movie-critic, Bob should try and focus on the movies that do come out. i understand it can be frustrating, but I doubt most viewers watch his reviews to hear him whine some more...

Well, since this is "The Big Picture" and NOT "Escape to the Movies" he is free to rant about he want.


I'm incredible disappointed that Mountains of Madness was canned... I pretty much enjoyed every single Lovecraft inspired movie I saw. And combining a already good story with fantastic visuals(by del Toro) sounded like gold to me.


On the whole Scott Pilgrim debate: There are several reasons why the movie bombed at the box-office, a mix between bad marketing, too much hate for Michael Cera, "small" demographic, bad timing, limited and delayed release outside the states ......out of 4 local theaters only one screened it, 6 months after the release in the states.. for only two evenings...