I just wanted to go on the record before the Academy Award nominations are announced in the morning and say that two movies that are likely going to be nominated for a bunch of awards weren't very good.
Those movies are: "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Illusionist".
They just weren't very good and I don't know why people seem to think they were.
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30 comments:
Little Miss Sunshine was good. Maybe you just don't "get it."
I didn't feel like there was anything to get. It was all shallow and un-interesting. And I didn't find it all that terribly funny either.
Maybe there is something to get, but it felt tired and like a parody of what a "Sundance" movie should be.
It just didn't work for me.
And I did see it under less than ideal circumstances.
Not all movies can have light-sabers Bryan.
Maybe lightsabers could have added the humour to Little Miss Sunshine that it lacked.
Bryan,
I am convinced now more than ever that you generally like crappy movies and only occassionally pretend to like things that aren't so crappy so everyone doesn't think you are a fool.
Rocky Balboa sucked a hot pile of steamy crap! Ninja Turtles will suck a hot pile of steamy crap too one day. Star Wars flicks shot on HD are terrible in almost every way!
You know I'm one of your most vocal fans and have been for quite some time now. But you really haven't made a point when it comes to Little Miss Sunshine and The Illusionist, have you? You haven't really said a single thing about either of these movies other than they weren't very good and that Little Miss Sunshine felt like a parode of what a Sundance film should be.
Little Miss Sunshine certainly wasn't a perfect movie but it kicked ass just the same. And that's what makes it kick so much ass!
People who have seen it know gernerally why it kickes so much ass. I could go into specifics here but I won't. I would however like to know why specifically you think the film is bad and also when we can expect you to make a film of superior quality.
Still your pal (but a little annoyed at your blatant arrogance towards a fine film that was made desite that fact that it had no plans to market crappy toys to be sold in McDonald's Happy Meals.)
Duckie Butters
Here's my original review from August and I think that my points are both lucid and valid. The film was okay, but not great. Hence, "OVERRATED" Also, when someone gives me $8 million to make a movie, it will be better spent than the $8 million on Little Miss Sunshine:
The one word review? Meh.
I tried holding it up to the standard of Noah Baumbachs amazing "The Squid and the Whale" (I would describe the films as "in the same league" as far as comparable budget, cast and intended audience) but the characters and situations were just paper thin and too focused on being edgy. The two high points of the film are Steve Carrell and Alan Arkin, but they're underused and it's sort of annoying. The plot revolves around a "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant and it really feels like a structure forced upon the characters. I would have much rather seen a movie about Alan Arkin (a grandfather kicked out of a nursing home for being a porn-addled drug fiend) and Steve Carrell (A suicidal homosexual scholar) coming home to live with Greg Kinnear (a dickhead of a motivational speaker) and his family. All of those scenes with that dynamic worked really well, the problem was that there were only three scenes in the picture with that dynamic.
At the end of the day, I didn't feel like I got to know any of the characters and I didn't learn anything about myself or other people by watching the film (something that did happen with "The Squid and the Whale.")
There was also the most obnoxious jackass sitting right behind me in the theatre, so that may have contributed to my distaste for the film as well. He laughed (loudly) at every joke, whether it was funny or not (mostly not), clapped (loudly) every time there was an actually funny joke (perhaps five or six times through the picture), loudly repeated funny one-liners for all in the cinema to hear and also tried predicting what was going to happen next (sometimes he was right, mostly he was wrong.) He also repeatedly kicked my seat and kept his feet up on the chair next to me. Nothing ruins a movie faster than having to watch it with an obnoxious asshole.
These people should be banned from the cinema.
OK Bryan, You have cleared some things up as to why specifically YOU don't care for the film. I can't argue with what your respnse was to the film.
I had a much different response however.
Just because you would rather had seen a film about a gay professor or a porn addicted old man kicked out of a rest home doesn't mean that film followed the "wrong" line of action. It simply means that the writer created interesting characters to come along for the ride.
As far as your comment that "The plot revolves around a "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant and it really feels like a structure forced upon the characters."
I think that was precisely the artist's intent, to force THAT specific structure upon THOSE specific characters. I loved the simplicity of that structure! The pagent is how we get all of those characters to be in the tiny bus for the entire second act. Brillant! I loved it!
Bryan, will you please stop with the Squid and the Whale comparisons. They ARE NOT VALID. The Squid and the Whale is a different film trying to artistically accomplish different goals. You dind't like the film. Fine, but don't hold up another film to explain why you didn't like Little Miss Sunshine.
As for your "when someone gives me $8 million to make a movie, it will be better spent than the $8 million on Little Miss Sunshine:" comment
It doesn't take 8 million to write a brilliant script. Go write one and post it online for us to read and see how much more brilliant you are than Michael Arndt's Little Miss Sunshine.
Still your pal,
Duckie Butters
PS
When does Ninja Turtles hit the big screen and do you think that it will make you learn anything about yourself or other people by watching it? (something that did happen to you with "The Squid and the Whale.")
First off, Ninja Turtles is a guilty pleasure. We all know this.
Second, I think I was comparing Squid and the Whale to Little Miss Sunshine becuase I thought that they were of the same area of filmmaking. I thought one was a superior example to the other.
Little Miss Sunshine wasn't terrible and it wasn't without hints of merit. What I'm saying is this: It's certainly overrated and there were far more deserving pictures for a best picture nomination (Children of Men anyone?)
As far as a screenplay, posting one up on the internet isn't exactly something I'm comfortable with. If you really want to see one, email me and I'll see what we can do. I'd be happy to have you read something, Duckie. And I'm positive you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I really liked "Little Miss Sunshine".
It was kind of on par with "We Don't Live Here Anymore" or "Donnie Darko". Not GREAT SUPER BRILLIANT films, but still really good.
Hey Bryan, What software do you use to write screenplays with?
Final Draft 7
Have you ever tried celtx? It's free and is quite good.
I've not tried it. I have heard that it's good though.
Yes it's fantanstic! I've been using it to write my next blockbuster titled "Not Tonight".
It's a thriller about about this guy who is on a quest to find a hot tub that is open so he can settle down and relax because the telemarketers have been driving him crazy with all of these unsolicitated phone calls. So he goes from motel to motel trying to find one that has a hot tub, jacuzzi, or even whirlpool bath. But he keeps getting doors slammed in his face until at the end of the story he finds a hot tub that is open and he gets to finally relax.
I haven't figured this part out yet but I want a lot of flashbacks and a lot of shots with mirrors.
I'll send you a copy when I'm done.
My favorite films of the year were Shortbus and Little Miss Sunshine. I didn't expect to like The Illusionist, but I thought it was okay, not great. I thought I'd really like The Prestige, but I was bored out of my mind. The Squid and the Whale was an awful, pretentious film that I hated.
Why is no one talking about Shortbus? They're afraid of the sex, I guess. :P
I haven't talked of Shortbus merely because I didn't see it.
And I am led to believe that if you liked Little Miss Sunshine but not Squid and the Whale that we just have two completely different senses of humour. Because I thought the exact opposite.
Son Of Stenar, of course I saw it. Cuz I"m queer.
But how can you be a gay man's son? Biological? Or is he just "your daddy"?
Duckie, even though I'm flattered, it sounds like you'll be going no where with that "Not Tonight" screen play.
So I guess it's just same-old same-old with you.
STEVEN
When I went to see Shortbus at the Tower the audience was pretty much full of straight people except my boyfriend and me. I never thought of it as a gay movie at all, until another gay reviewer mentioned how they liked the fact that it was a gay movie without the usual gay stereotypes and gay topics like AIDS or coming out. But then, hmmm... the main character of the film is straight. Maybe that's why it's not a gay movie. DUH. Yes, it has gay characters in it, but it also has a whole lot of straight ones.
I never really thought of John Cameron Mitchell's previous film, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, as a queer or transsexual film, either, although the main character is a transsexual. It's just a very good film.
Steven, gay men can have biological children. Although this "son of stenar" is more like the spawn of Satan.
Oh, Bryan... I didn't mean to criticize or ask why you specifically weren't talking about Shortbus, per se. I just meant the general filmgoing world, critics, awards lists, etc. I've only seen Shortbus on one critic's list of best films of the year. It should really be on a lot more. It was an amazing film. I left the film feeling very elated and optimistic. It has a very positive message. I personally don't generally like films with a lot of sex in them, but this film despite the sex had such a great message, beautiful cinematography, and wonderful characters that I loved every minute of it.
Stenar and Steve, I have read your posts here before but this is the first that I have heard that you were both homo. When did this all happen? And who took that photo of you to being all gay?
Todd... this all happened for me nearly 30 years ago. You know, around the time I was born. As for Steve, I think he was joking. And as for the photo, can't you tell that is an obvious photoshop fake by some spawn of Satan? Of course, you're probably just dickie, I mean duckie pretending to be Todd... pretending to care.
Stenar,
It sounds like you are still all "chippy" about that heterosexual dog name deal I was razzing you about a while back. A male dog should have a manly name. There is nothing wrong with that. Get over it.
FYI, I am not the joker posting stuff as son of stenar nor am I this todd person.
You however have accused me of this and in addition have called me "dickie."
If my name were Steven Greenstreet, I of course would say to you: "Get the sand out of your vagina!"
But my name is Duckshire J. Butters and I will not say such things.
Have a nice day!
Duckie Butters
Duckie,
you're ok in my book! However, sorry to break it to you, but we explored your "Not Tonight" storyline and it's pretty weak. It would make a very funny short! At least it would be funny to the other shoe shine boys from the set of "Beyond"
best!
Well, dickie, all of the various anonymous characters with wild names commenting on this blog all seem to post in a very similar tone of writing... very similar to yours... so... What is one to think?
Stenar, or shall I say "POOP STAINER?",
So you've dusted off your Nancy Drew Mystery Novels and put on your smartest bouse along with a fresh application of lip gloss and now you think you're a teenage super slueth?
Maybe if you would have spent more time reading the Hardy Boys instead of Nancy Drew, you wouldn't be so confused. Then again perhaps the Hardy Boys ARE to blame.
In any case, don't blame me if others have followed my lead in pointing out the comedy on this blog.
Stainer, Life's too short to go around like some pissy, wimpering, weenie with a chip on his shoulder. So lighten up and quit being such a boob!
Duckie, it seems like you're being quite a boob 'cause I may have criticized you.
FYI: Just because I'm gay does not mean I am even remotely interested in wearing blouses or lip gloss or being a woman. I am a man. I'm also not interested in any men who dress or act like women. If I wanted a woman, I'd get the real thing. What is a bouse, by the way?
Señor Poop Stainer,
A "bouse" or what is more commonly refered to as a BLOUSE is what you were wearing on that dreadful day when your creepy uncle dressed you up in girls clothes and touched you in an inapropriate manner.
I've never been molested by my uncle, unlike you.
Next time you intend to say I wear a blouse, spell it BLOUSE and NOT BOUSE.
Good one Stenar!
Drivel.
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