Why are there so many American movies about scumbag murderers and criminals as stars - Serenity (2019) Discussion

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Did you see this movie?

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

Ahab and the great white tuna.
No, I have heard all about this, even right now on the radio ... it is just stupid, braindead and absurd.

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[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Edit, just read your response, sorry. You may want you actually watch it first...you may find your comment about reality off base.

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

I have just listened to Tim Sika movie critic talking about this movie at length and all the stupid things about it. I am not going to pay to prove him or you wrong ... you're kidding.

You can listen to the podcast when it comes out on the KGO radio 810 AM Pat Thurston show for Sunday January 27 6-7pm hour. They put enough out their to make their point. No thanks.

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[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Can't blame anyone for not paying for this one, I didn't really like it. My point was (WARNING SPOILERS BELOW)

Your comment about reality was off base because the characters weren't supposed to be real. They were characters in a video game created by a kid who was desperate to escape the nightmare of his stepfather who was abusive toward him and his mother. He created the fishing boat captain as a model of his real father who died serving his country and Anne Hathaway's character was modeled after his mother who was pleading with McConaughey's character to save them from the abuse.

I would've preferred it were just a straightforward movie about a woman trying to bribe a man to kill her husband.

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

The one-dimensional bad-guys that remove the complexity from human dramas.
A movie whose characters are not supposed to have any relationship or comment
about real life is not a movie worth thinking about though.

I just do not want to see or know about the projected or supposed inside mind of
a woman who would work to kill any one.

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[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Do you know the twist?

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[–] TandyMan (11096) 6 years ago

Well the Brits are pretty nuts for their crime dramas too.

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

That's true, but there is something about American movies that makes heroes of these criminals, that is not really so much true about British movies.

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[–] ccr1633 (1523) 6 years ago

You do speak some truth. A good example is Snake Plissken (Escape from New York). In his director commentary John Carpenter makes the point that Snake is a quintessential American in his individualism and penchant for cowboy violence, but with a certain reluctant heroism underlying the jaded facade. However, I think you exaggerate how much of a "hero" America makes of such characters, who incidentally are not altogether irredeemable sociopaths. It's more of an intrigue with characters who work outside the boundaries of the law and who are really good at their jobs, even if that main talent is for kicking ass. I'm not convinced that the violence in American cinema feeds back into the general psyche like you suggest. Similar arguments have been made about video games. Psychologists have studied the correlation and found little to no evidence for it. My instinct is that music plays more of a role in shaping one's self image and perception of how they fit into the world.

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

For me this trend became noticeable with the Woody Harrelson movie Natural Born Killers.
There were movies before this, such as "Bonnie and Clyde" but that was to some extent
a true story that may have a point to tell a story. Today we do not even notice it. We are
programmed in the media to accept lawbreakers.

For example, I just watched a series called Second Chance. It was kind of entertaining, but
it was about an old head-cracking sheriff who gets murdered and brought back to life by
some advanced technology. He proceeds to get the better of his son by breaking the law
to enforce the law ... it is like a joke. I just do not appreciate it.

This kind of stuff just promotes stupidity and violence.

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[–] ccr1633 (1523) 6 years ago

I can't disagree with you altogether because I haven't read any of the psychology literature exploring connections between cinema and video game violence with actual crime. Just based on intuition, I would agree that the glorification of violence and criminality (as well as the normalization of porn) makes us stupider and more antisocial in general.

It's not clear why you brought up Natural Born Killers, other than as a time marker. It's a brilliant parody of exactly the kind of violence glorification in film and media that you're talking about. It's an ugly movie to be sure, but I think it's clear that Oliver Stone went over the top on purpose in support of the parody. What can one do about morons who would actually take those characters seriously and consider them heroes of any sort?

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

Look at any of the main movies up now on MovieChat ... the new releases, they are just as much parodies, and have just as stupid characters and plots ... it has been normalized now. You should go back and watch some of the pre-Code and early Hollywood movies, from the 20's to the 50's. They have real stories with real relevance, and are totally missing the inclusion of violence, sex and product placement that we are stuck with today.

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[–] snepts (11123) 5 years ago

Unfortunately, there are enough individuals who see something that stirs something in them and take action. While it may be a very small % they can do great harm.
When I saw NBK, I was thrilled and horrified. It wasn't a comedy. It was very visceral. It was a great thrill ride of a movie (or at least it seemed at the time), but it seemed to make the stars sympathetic.

I've long thought that occasionally entertainment makes the Unthinkable very Thinkable, and people who might not want to cross that boundary might because - it's out there ! We can do something awful and atrocious because -- look at Natural Born Killers ! I'm naive but I feel like if we were surrounded by kittens and blankies and all things sugar and spice, we'd be better off.

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[–] ccr1633 (1523) 6 years ago

Ever seen any British cinema? You're effectively describing almost every movie by Guy Ritchie. There's no shortage from other directors as well (e.g. Layer Cake, Sexy Beast).

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[–] snepts (11123) 6 years ago

I think this is just some projection on your part, as if you expect Gary Cooper and Gregory Peck and The Duke to appear and make movies right again. I do have some thoughts about modeling behavior, but it's complicated and I don't want to try to explain that right here right now.

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[–] brux (14724) 6 years ago

There is a lot wrong about what you just said, and I would feel kind of insulted, except none of it makes sense, so it's just tour intent to be insulting that is insulting ... you don't know me.

First, since you don't know me your conjectures about my psychology are pointless and impeach your judgement and credibility by just saying it.

Second, Gary Cooper and Gregory Peck and The Duke - did not "make movies", they starred in them. The movies were made in a different process than they are today, for different reasons and with different rules. That's the problem, they aren't as good and they model assholish behavior and crime to the audience.

Instead of posting insulting nonsense maybe you should think about what you have to say. Are you too insecure to put your real thoughts out there.

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[–] Stratego (30497) 5 years ago

I didn't know they made a movie about you!

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