The Big Picture: Turtle Power - The Older, Better TMNT Movie

[TheDrunkNinja]

Okay, Bob. You don't like the horror and distraught that is caused by the menace that is "the Bias". So I want you to do something. Not for me, but for yourself since you seem pretty riled over this. Something very simple that you really shouldn't have any problem doing: Act like Greg Tito.

Yes, Escapist editor in chief Greg Tito. Act like him. Specifically, act like how he acted when he released his review for Dragon Age II back in 2011. A glowing review for a game that is most hated by nearly everyone on the Escapist. After he released that review, it became a running gag for Escapist members to bring it up as a representation of Greg's credibility whenever he wrote anything related to Bioware, RPGs in general, or even giving a slightly controversial opinion on a game.

Hell, for a while, anytime he wrote a review, it was guaranteed that there would be at least one person in the comments section that would write, "So is it better or worse than Dragon Age II?"

So... How did he address all this talk of bias and questionable judgement?

... He maintained his stance on the game and never talked about it otherwise. In fact, the only time he mentioned his opinion on Dragon Age II was when directly asked about it. And those smug people who constantly questioned his credibility as a reviewer and left snarky comments on all the content he contributed? They went away and did other things. You barely ever read "So is it better or worse than Dragon Age II?" on the Escapist anymore, save for perhaps a handful of the most persistent bastards.

Greg didn't take it personally that everyone disagreed with him and called him bias. He didn't make a crusade out of Dragon Age II, bringing it up nearly every goddamn time he posted content for the Escapist. He didn't constantly address his dissenters to tell them how much he just doesn't care about what they say to him. And those dissenters? They withered away with time. Only now seen as the most desperate of people who don't know how to let something go.

I mean, look at me. I wouldn't have even written this multi-paragraphed post if you hadn't made yet another reference to "the Bias".

I dunno, maybe being a video maker takes a higher level of ego compared to someone who only writes, and a larger ego is always more easily bruised. Maybe it's not your fault. But I fucking guarantee you won't hear about the Amazing Spider-man as much as you do now if you just stop bringing it up so goddamn much. Point is, once you stop caring, everyone will stop caring.

 

[Something Amyss]

As I said, I don't think Bob is biased. I've seen plenty of his videos where he's said he hated something he expected to love and loved something he expected to hate, which kind of goes against the definition of being biased.

I had a full reply typed up, and my computer decided to crash. So here's the short version.

"liking something I expected him to hate" isn't so much bias or lack of as it is surprising you. That doesn't particularly mean he's unbiased, it could simply mean you failed to call his bias. I can't honestly think of the last time Bob's opinion on something surprised me, does that mean I do get to call him biased? Hell, he's ignored facts or misrepresented them both on The Escapist and in his Game Overthinker series, something that would get other people crucified around these parts.

Now, to the meat: Bob is biased. I'm not sure what definition of "bias" would excuse him except for the internet/Fox News version of "people who disagree with me." He's biased, and that's okay. Because we're talking about shows where he offers his personal or critical opinion, and in both, one expects bias. He's not reporting on Gaza or Ferguson or Robin Williams, he's talking about movies and stuff he liked as a kid. The idea that a critic or a media personality should be unbiased is patently absurd. As such, the response to bias claims shouldn't be "no he isn't," but rather "so what?"

Spoiler: Old Jimquisition episode on bias which includes an example of an unbiased review

And to follow that up, a Jim Sterling review without bias:

http://www.destructoid.com/100-objective-review-final-fantasy-xiii-179178.phtml

He cranks it up to the absurd, but the point is, we want bias in reviews. Well, we want bias in our favour. That's the kind of bias we tend not to talk about. Bias happens all the time, but because people complain only when it's negative, we take a negative connotation to it and thus feel the need to rebuke claims of bias and defend the personalities we like as "unbiased."

Bias matters in news. It matters in consumer safety. It matters in technical specs. It doesn't matter in criticism (barring the aforementioned or similar) or opinion (also barring the aforementioned). Accusations of bias should meet scorn not because they're incorrect or bias is automatically evil, but because they're the equivalent of "well that's, like, your opinion, man!"

I'm hoping this is the last I have to say on bias for a while. I've said bias so often it feels as meaningless as whether people throw it around as a criticism within subjective commentary.

 

[GinraiPrime]

You know, I been wanting to get that film on DVD (it is that danm awesome) but it's not sold anywhere in the UK (without resorting to importing it). It something to due with the film being censor alot in the UK (Mike uses of his nun-chunck) which sucks alot!

Edit- As much as I hate to admit, it look like thanks to that film, they are actually going to release the blu ray and dvd of the classic film on 29 September!

I'm in the UK and the dvd was released over here quite some time ago.It wasn't censored at all and it shouldn't be too hard to find it still and even when it released it didn't cost too much. *Takes a look* ....okay, its shot up in price to 19.95 on amazon...I only paid about 7 quid when it came out back in 2005. Its pretty nice its getting a re-release though I remember when my older brother (16 years difference) rented this out on vhs back in the day and it was awesome! Still my fave out of the original 3 movies and it still kicks as much ass today as it did back then!

 

[Phuctifyno]

*rolls eyes* Because Bob was a kid when it came out so of course it's better.I'm not saying the new one is good but, heh, news flash the older movies were just as much junk food as the new one.

Nope. Sequels, sure, but not the original.

If that were the case, why doesn't anybody put the Power Rangers movie on the same pedestal? ...or Three Ninjas? ...or the Super Mario movie? ...or any other random shitty kids movie from the early 90's that we liked back then cuz we were dumb?

Nostalgia's not strong enough to hold any of those movies together, TMNT 1990 should be no exception... and it isn't, really, because nostalgia isn't the culprit. People still enjoy it because it's legit good. Too legit to quit.