Kevin Smith talks games in Yahoo interview

Helm · Sat 16/12/2006 23:18:48

Quote from: Jaws on Sat 16/12/2006 23:14:23
Oh come on .. thats a personal oppinion.

Yup. Sure is. Is there any other sort of oppinion?

QuoteYou can't discredit a director simply because you don't like his films.

Why is that? I'd say that's the best reason to discredit a director. What am I supposed to do, give him credit because other people like him? A lot of people buy Pussycat Dolls cds, am I supposed to see the merit in their work too?

QuoteI'm not much of a Tarantino fan, the rape in Pulp I thought was too much. But I apprechiate the guy as a good director even though I'm not a fan. I'll give you the donkey thing in Clerks 2 was over the top, but it was hillarious and had another director (say Tarantino) tried the same it would probably be more discusting then it was in Smith's movie.

You're putting Tarantino and Smith in two corners here but I find both to not be very appealing. At least Tarantino knows his cinematography, he can do good timing, inventive angles and use the relative strengths of the medium, unlike Smith, I guess. But still, it goes to show what kind of level we're talking about when there's people like Darren Aronofsky, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Chan-wook Park making movies and we're comparing Kevin Smith and Tarantino.

Jaws · Sat 16/12/2006 23:30:31

Ok you win.

I'm not really good at discussing movies or directors

I like what I like and ignore what I don't like.

Of course you don't give anyone credit for other peoples affection ... but I've never disliked a director for a film I don't like.... the experience goes further for me. The actors, the topic of the film, the actors, that to me is more important than the look of the film.

But sure Smith isn't a top director ... he makes the movies he wants to and has made a living out of it, and with his own words not sold out except for 'jersey girl' (which the calls the total sell-out movie).

Sure it's all based on personal oppinions and feelings in the end. But I feel it's wrong to rag on something simply because you don't have a taste for it. Accept it for what it is, and the people who like it. (Except for mainstream punk and rap.)

Man I suck at argumenting.

Helm · Sat 16/12/2006 23:38:52

yeah you're contradicting yourself a lot

Redwall · Sat 16/12/2006 23:40:08

QuoteBut I feel it's wrong to rag on something simply because you don't have a taste for it.

What would be a better reason to "rag" on it? Not having a taste for something is simple a matter of degrees from vehemently hating something, is it not? Is there a line, somewhere along there, where it stops being okay to criticize? You can say rap is bad, but not rock? (I know that was a joke, but your tone suggests the joke was "haha, those morons who like rap" and not "haha, and of course there would be a hypocritical exception that everyone is expected to agree with it". Don't get me wrong; I don't like rap. But that comment makes what comes before it seem exceedingly hollow and, well, hypocritical -- though perhaps I've simply misjudged your intent.)

Jaws · Sat 16/12/2006 23:58:23

Um ... What I'm trying to say is that ... well first of all ... I'm not saying that all rap is bad and all rock is good ..
I specified mainstream rap and punk wich I find to be watered down and commerical and way too based on trends.
All music styles have good elements and bad .. unfortunately the bad elements (in my mind) are liked by other peple.

I try to keep everyone happy and try to find good elements in everything... and not critisize people for their taste and or dislikes of my music\movies\books. I might not like everything but hey .. A movie with a plot that sucks and actors that can't act can still be enjoyed for the music and lighting.

Yet again I don't know where I'm going with this ... I can't even remember what I am debating for.

evenwolf · Sun 17/12/2006 01:22:37

Hey Jaws, its cool man. Don't worry about all this because ultimately you like what you like and you shouldn't bring in higher elements like other people's opinions or whatever.

Sorry I hijacked the thread. I just wanted to express distaste for his latest movie because it was, IMO, unremarkable. The focus on other movies was novel but will quickly be nothing more than a meaningless anachronism.

Like I said, I enjoy most of his movies: Clerks, Dogman, Chasing Amy, and probably one other.. maybe.

Jaws · Sun 17/12/2006 01:31:25

Hey, no worries man

If a thread originally started with the info that a filmmaker enjoys video games can't morf into a discussion of movies vs. general oppinions what has the world come to.

I had to start arguing

I take the blame.

I actually like Dogma better than Jay and Bob and Clerks 2. It's all good.

Anyone want to set up a thread remarking the recent thinness of Kirk Hammet's hair that can morf into a discussion of mainstream music's inpact on the worlds youth?

evenwolf · Sun 17/12/2006 01:33:58

I'd rather start a thread about a famous guy becoming a racist and then actually identify myself to the world that I, indeed, am a racist. (sarcastic smiley)

Jaws · Sun 17/12/2006 01:37:05

Eh, what?

A famous guy becoming racist ... then you revealing to the world that you are a racist?

Redwall · Sun 17/12/2006 01:50:08

QuoteI try to keep everyone happy

First mistake.

Jaws · Sun 17/12/2006 02:06:06

Hehe .. yeah I'm sure it is.

But what I mean with that is I rarely critisize someone for their music taste ... I try to find the good things in that genre or with that band, even if I don't like it.

As a musician I know that there is allways things in every genre that can be interpolated into my own preferred genres.
Get insiration from everything. Never disregard anything simply because you don't like it.

The same goes for movies, as i've tried but failed to express

I'm going to study the practical side of filmmaking next year, and i'm sure we'll have to watch a fair few movies during the year and I'm sure I won't like all of them ... but there are without question things that can be apprechiated and things to draw inspiration from none the less.

evenwolf · Sun 17/12/2006 02:14:23

Quotebut there are without question things that can be apprechiated and things to draw inspiration from none the less.

There are Jaws. For sure.

With music listening to everything never hurts. But usually you know after a couple songs (6-9 minutes). A person buys an $8 movie ticket and doesn't like it.... that's two hours of discomfort. However, I usually see bad movies as lessons just like you. Bloodrayne is the best lesson of them all!

Redwall · Sun 17/12/2006 02:18:40

QuoteGet inspiration from everything. Never disregard anything simply because you don't like it.

I agree. But there's a difference between disregarding something and criticizing it.

Jaws · Sun 17/12/2006 02:22:58

Which would mean what?

evenwolf:

Sure but that wouldn't work on me ... I've never seen a movie in the cinema that I didn't at least mildly enjoy.
If i'm unsure about a movie, I wait and loan the dvd. For 'the movies' I only go to see movies i know I will enjoy.

And it's more expensive here in norway. One ticket is allmost 16$ here.

Redwall · Sun 17/12/2006 02:38:11

You seem to have this idea that we should be nice to everything and everyone, and that criticisms are inherently a questioning of the worth of something. There is a tendency in today's world -- and perhaps there always has been, but I haven't been in any other world so I wouldn't really know -- to preach conflict-avoidance and appeasement and "everyone is special" and "all opinions are equal". This is what I see in your posts -- perhaps not directly or intentionally, but even the specter of that is enough to scare me, because I think that is some of the most dangerous thinking in the world: a celebration of stagnation and degradation.

You shouldn't be afraid of conflict -- besides the physical kind, anyway.

So, yes, one should consider all aspects of something and not dismiss it out of hand; but having considered, one has to be prepared to say it's crap when it is.

Or something. I realize this is worded about as well as your previous posts (which is to say, not very.)

Jaws · Sun 17/12/2006 02:47:12

Personal attacks now eh?

Sure if you haven't dismissed something outright in the end you can call everything you want crap.

And conflict shouldn't be avoided .. diversity and induvidualism should be encouraged

Question everything but don't critisize just to critisize.

evenwolf · Sun 17/12/2006 03:28:21

Optimism is still a pretty cool thing. It doesn't apply much to media when there are obvious examples of crap: Uwe Boll's movies and William Hung songs.....

but there are times when people witness an exciting marketing campaign and then experience a disappointing product. (For instance, they see a cool trailer or hear good word of mouth.) And then the movie just sucks.

But there is a trend on and off the internet to criticize everything. To sit above the subject and look down on it. And then preach about how bad it is. I would cite Harry Knowles as one of the first to throw his opinion around the internet and actually get a following.... AND furthermore encourage other people to spread their opinions around. And its sort of sad, and I'm guilty of the cynicism myself. But its good.

Its good because it opens a dialogue. And as long as the dialogue stays above the petty disputes of the individuals- its as close to anythign democratic that you'll ever get. Arguments form, people find people to like or hate. Special interest groups form..... there's a whole lot that stems from opinions, good or bad.

EagerMind · Sun 17/12/2006 07:32:59

Quote from: evenwolf on Sun 17/12/2006 02:14:23A person buys an $8 movie ticket and doesn't like it.... that's two hours of discomfort.

Unless you walk out. Anyone ever done that? I don't know, after paying $8+ for my ticket, plus popcorn and soda, I kind of feel determined to "enjoy" the movie come hell or high water.

Although I remember reading somewhere that, in more cases than not, if you walk out and complain to the theater, you'll actually get a refund or a credit to see another movie. I find it kind of hard to believe. But I guess you never know until you try.

evenwolf · Sun 17/12/2006 07:49:58

Quoteget a refund or a credit to see another movie. I find it kind of hard to believe.

Eager, definitely. Altho Ive never said that the movie's content was bad. The theatre is hardly responsible for that. Theaters have a responsibility for image quality and sound quality. They'll ask you for a reason in most cases. I watched "Walked the Line" and the screen went blurry a couple times. We told management afterward and got gift cards for another movie. It's pretty easy but you don't want to act like an ass to some poor employee who's getting minimum wage.

Ive gotten "money back" for bad reel changes, blurry image quality, bad audio.. and once every often - the movie stopping and never coming back on. One time I got to see three movies for free because a movie was late to arrive. I saw two Kurosawa and another one (May?) and I wasn't even there for Kurosawa. I had just overheard people were getting in for free. It was such a wonderful coincidence because I was introduced to Kurosawa who is still one of my favorite filmmakers.

So yes, theaters want you to enjoy yourself but only complain if they screw up technically. If people complain because the movie was "bad" there will be limits put on refunds.

Nikolas · Sun 17/12/2006 11:33:52

I've never walked out of a cinema. There's little reason to do that.

But I have walked out a couple of times in concerts (especially classical ones, where people get completly stunned! In the middlde of a piece. I have decided a couple of time that my times was much more precious than even waiting for a piece to finish, and I do pass over the message.), and a few more times in the theater, again not in a break, or interval, but in the middle of the show.

It's my way of saying that the concert/play/artists sucked soooo much that I HAD to leave right then!

I don't mind clerks (the first one), as it was quite witty, and it did reach some cult dimensions (which I usually don't enjoy...). All other films I've seen from Kevin, are really worst.