I couldn't let the occasion of a new STAR WARS film go by without at least one more thinkpiece, this time over at Film School Rejects:
As the release of a new Star Wars film drew near, I began mulling over how I could contribute to the conversation. With many choice topics already spoken for, I settled on the idea of revisiting a divisive chapter of Star Wars history. It had been long enough since its release and I conceded that a rewatch might bring out hidden virtues.
I wasn’t deep into my viewing before I deeply regretted this assignment. It was almost agonizing to subject myself to the witless dialogue on screen, the far-too-for-its-own-good editing, and a general sense of arrogance that permeated every frame. How anyone could watch this and defend it is beyond me.
In short, I hate Red Letter Media and its avatar “Harry S. Plinkett” with every bone in my body.
You can find the whole post here.
As a guy who thinks the prequels suck, and as a guy who tries not to get sucked into the bottomless pit of humorously "scathing" movie shows online, I have to say I think RLM's reviews are super entertaining, and worth watching.
ReplyDeleteYes, they contribute to the echo chamber of the "1000 reasons why movies suck" subgenre, but at least there is something real in their commentary.
For example: st the end of the Phantom Menace review, Plinkett discusses how human and evocative film can be. How movies can be both an outlet a truly affecting medium. You won't find that in any Cinema Sins video.
Maybe you can blame RLM for opening the door to more groups that just rip apart movies, but no one else provides what RLM does, a sort of longing for the thing they love to be better. Their reviews may be negative, but what's expressed in them is not empty hate, but disappointment with a medium (and a franchise) that they hoped for more from.
Within the endless stupid pizza roll jokes and hour long diatribes about Sam Jackson, they're actually saying something. I think so anyway.
Either way, I think there's a lot to be said for your point of view. Also as a general film geek, I just love reading/watching/listening to people state their opinions about movies!