Comments on: Film Junk Podcast Episode #215: Observe and Report

By: Alicia

Alicia — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:12:23 +0000

I know that it’s not necessary but I just thought I’d give a female opinion from a gal that’s seen the movie…and enjoyed it. I found the movie as a whole entertaining and twisted. I did not feel offended at all by the date rape. The concern that guys will get ideas about how to act in society from a comedy, that they will think because a character in a movie is date raping a girl it is okay for them to do so, is ridiculous. If someone is that easy influenced, then they are the kind of stupid that would probably do it with or without a movie to inspire it.

By: Stefan

Stefan — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:25:45 +0000

The thing with something like the topic of date rape or other “offensive” things in comedies is that it simultaneously pays attention to a PROBLEM in society. Indeed, most people will hate it for that, as you said, but all people also — even if it is unconciously — recognize that this kind of problem really exists and that it has to be discusses.

A German writer once said that “Irony is supposed to go anywhere!” and he is right, because its only purpose is not only to make fun of it but to bring it to people’es attention.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:56:31 +0000

I have to sort of respond to the comment that adventureland is “supposed to be a comedy.” and i realize, sean, that you didn’t have this problem with it, but i’m responding to that mentality about movies in general, which i’ve experienced. i heard someone say that the movie wasn’t funny enough and was too often “boring.”

i hate that mentality of supposition. movies are only what they are, not what someone “supposes” them to be.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:20:03 +0000

Responding to that montage where the coke and heroin comes out really unexpectedly, I couldn’t help but think of a scene in Wet Hot American Summer that is really really similar, and funnier.

That aside, Observe and Report was really awesome.

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:36:27 +0000

Nice, good call on Rilo Kiley.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:33:22 +0000

I don’t know if you can count former actors, but the Rilo Kiley has two former actors.
Jenny Lewis, who’s the lead singer in Rilo Kiley, was in a bunch of stuff when she was young, including The Wizard, Foxfire, Pleasantville (barely), Troop Beverly Hills, and on and on.
Blake Sennett, who is the lead guitarist/sometime vocalist (or Soper) was in the awesome tv show Salute Your Shorts, as well as Boy Meets World, and on and on.

Oh, and Rilo Kiley is awesome. But mostly their first couple of albums. Jenny Lewis also has solo albums released in her name, which are great. For that matter, Blake is the lead singer/main songwriter in the band The Elected.

By: rus in chicago

rus in chicago — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:19:16 +0000

Just throwing it out there. We’ll see if I’m alone. It’s all part of the bigger issue of were men stand in this age of female empowerment and what we as men will hang on to. I remember a comedian putting it this way. “Men just don’t know were we stand with women these days. You stand to close its sexual harassment, you stand to far back its stalking!”

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:13:05 +0000

Yeah, call me crazy but I think you might be reaching a bit there Rus. And to think, you were the one begging Liz not to leave the site!

By: Wintle

Wintle — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:04:09 +0000

I think for the sake of what remains of my sanity I’m going to have to stop reading all the comments that come into Film Junk.

By: Rusty James

Rusty James — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:57:37 +0000

Oh god. You’re right Sylvia proves that women hate jokes. No one would ever point to Family Circus and Garfield as shining examples of male humor. But lets evaluate a gender based on Sylvia.

There are a lot of humorless women in the world. But Rus From Chicago is using that fact to excuse some ugly misogeny.

By: rus in chicago

rus in chicago — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:38:24 +0000

I just realized something listening to the podcast and hearing your take on Observe and Report â€“ the majority of women have no sense of humor and hate men for theirs. I guess because Iâ€™m drawn to women with a sense of humor I didnâ€™t realize they are the exception and not the rule. The majority of women have this inability to separate any comedy from real life and enjoy it for what it is and likewise want to ruin it for men. They seem to not have the ability to understand that comedy can be a way of dealing with touchy issues just as early myths were a way for people to deal with mysteries of the cosmos. I feel men are wired to NEED humor as an outlet to help them deal with stress and have a cathartic experience. I also believe that women have the NEED to share and have deep emotional connections with friends. And somehow, in our great society, we allowed women to shit all over comedy yet comment on a womanâ€™s need to talk and talk over issues in her life without any forward motion and we are labeled insensitive bastards. BOTH ARE VALID! Women want to ruin comedy for men so we have nothing left but hunting and sports. In the words of the Beastie Boys, we have got to fight for our right to party! If you need evidence of women not having a sense of humor I give you the only true mainstream female based comic strip I know of, Sylvia:

http://www.gocomics.com/sylvia/2009/04/09/

(use the Previous Day button at right to see more entries)

I defy any person to explain to me how this strip meets traditional views of what is comedic.

By: swarez

swarez — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:13:40 +0000

Greg’s podcast could be about hockey films and movies about rock bands.