Unpopular Opinion Thread

[eabaker]

The flashback sequence in Casablanca is totally unnecessary, and in fact detrimental to the movie. We've already gathered the full emotional context of Rick and Ilsa's relationship by this point in the movie; the specifics are basically irrelevant to the story, the flashback disrupts the flow of the narrative and the unity of time and place, and robs the audience of the opportunity to fill in those details for themselves.

[Jetty_Jags]

The flashback sequence in Casablanca is totally unnecessary, and in fact detrimental to the movie. We've already gathered the full emotional context of Rick and Ilsa's relationship by this point in the movie; the specifics are basically irrelevant to the story, the flashback disrupts the flow of the narrative and the unity of time and place, and robs the audience of the opportunity to fill in those details for themselves.

I'm definitely going to be paying more attention to this on subsequent viewings, I'm not sure I'm fully on board, but I'm willing to keep an open mind.

[eabaker]

The flashback sequence in Casablanca is totally unnecessary, and in fact detrimental to the movie. We've already gathered the full emotional context of Rick and Ilsa's relationship by this point in the movie; the specifics are basically irrelevant to the story, the flashback disrupts the flow of the narrative and the unity of time and place, and robs the audience of the opportunity to fill in those details for themselves.

I'm definitely going to be paying more attention to this on subsequent viewings, I'm not sure I'm fully on board, but I'm willing to keep an open mind.

Among people who have opinions on this subject, I'd say mine is solidly in the "unpopular" camp, so I certainly won't be offended if you disagree. Very few people share my, "Don't give me any more information than is strictly necessary!" stance.

[godjacob]

Honestly just happy a topic like Casablanca appears on a form like this. Adds good variety in discussion.

[Major sssspielberg!]

I think the flashback helps the 'feel' of the narrative. If I remember correctly, Rick gets sloshed and gets lost thinking of Ilsa and his time in Paris.
As the audience, we experience his drunken reminiscing. We see what he had, what he lost, and come back to him slumped in a pile of bottles (again, if I remember correctly.) It helps strengthen the connection of what the audience feels and what Rick feels.
I'm a big proponent of the idea that the written story isn't as important as the way the film makes you feel, because imo that's the biggest unique strength of the medium. All that Eisenstein, collision of images stuff.

[eabaker]

I think the flashback helps the 'feel' of the narrative. If I remember correctly, Rick gets sloshed and gets lost thinking of Ilsa and his time in Paris.
As the audience, we experience his drunken reminiscing. We see what he had, what he lost, and come back to him slumped in a pile of bottles (again, if I remember correctly.) It helps strengthen the connection of what the audience feels and what Rick feels.
I'm a big proponent of the idea that the written story isn't as important as the way the film makes you feel, because imo that's the biggest unique strength of the medium. All that Eisenstein, collision of images stuff.

This is exactly the counter-argument I anticipated, and I don't completely disagree. I was taught that you should never do a "flashback," you should only ever "flash present" into the character's mental/emotional state, and that's exactly what this sequence does, so I can see why it works for most people.

[LuckyDragon54]

I think All Monsters Attack is a good movie

[Voyager]

I think All Monsters Attack is a good movie

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25573

[Kaltes-Herzeleid]

Since fan communities are all off on Star Wars again I'll say: The constant wanking of Darth Vader in all the newer material as this implacable badass who must ALWAYS look cool to satisfy fanboy power fantasies is insufferable. And I say this as someone who likes Vader.

[shadowgigan]

I mean Vader is awesome but I can see it getting a tad redundant.

[Mechagigan]

I'm not really a fan of the Disney characterization of Vader either. I see what they're going for, I think they wanna make him seem more like Anakin - more violent, a little less omnipresent - but I dunno, that's just not who the character is to me. Maybe it's different to kids who've always dug the prequels.

[Kaltes-Herzeleid]

I'm not really a fan of the Disney characterization of Vader either. I see what they're going for, I think they wanna make him seem more like Anakin - more violent, a little less omnipresent - but I dunno, that's just not who the character is to me. Maybe it's different to kids who've always dug the prequels.

Ironically enough I recall one of the usual complaints from the subset of the fandom that hated the prequels was that Anakin wasn't cool enough and "too whiny" and that it "ruined" Vader's image for them.

[Mechagigan]

I'm not really a fan of the Disney characterization of Vader either. I see what they're going for, I think they wanna make him seem more like Anakin - more violent, a little less omnipresent - but I dunno, that's just not who the character is to me. Maybe it's different to kids who've always dug the prequels.

Ironically enough I recall one of the usual complaints from the subset of the fandom that hated the prequels was that Anakin wasn't cool enough and "too whiny" and that it "ruined" Vader's image for them.

I feel like that's sort of carried over into the new Vader - just, of course, less whiny, probably because Vader didn't emote much in the first place. He seems a lot less like a scary regal leader, and more like an angsty thug. They've given him more edge at the cost of making him look a bit immature, I guess. In a way they've definitely managed to retroactively tie the Anakin and Vader characters together, but yeah, as someone who's not into the prequels that much I feel like it's added too much personality to a character I saw as intentionally a bit stoic.

[godjacob]

Terminator>Terminator 2.

The franchise has never really captured the same atmosphere of utter dread from a Terminator no matter how more advanced future ones kept becoming.

[Spuro]

Terminator>Terminator 2.

You're god damn right.

[eabaker]

Terminator>Terminator 2.

You're god damn right.

Easily.

T2 is a really mediocre movie with some groundbreaking special effects.

[UltramanGoji]

Terminator>Terminator 2.

The franchise has never really captured the same atmosphere of utter dread from a Terminator no matter how more advanced future ones kept becoming.

Fully agreed. It's really strange how James Cameron was able to not once but twice take a horror-adjacent antagonist and completely neuter their inherently frightening elements in two obnoxiously action-oriented sequels.

[LegendZilla]

It would've been interesting if Inglorious Basterds focused only on Sgt. Donny Donowitz.

I think that the main reason many people would go easier on JP3 over JP2 is because their expectations weren't as high prior seeing the latter.

I'm tired of zombies everywhere in the media.

[ShinGojira14]

I'm tired of zombies everywhere in the media.

This. Zombies are overdone, stupid and uninteresting.

Let’s see other monsters dominate the post-apocalypse genre.

[Voyager]

I'm tired of zombies everywhere in the media.

This. Zombies are overdone, stupid and uninteresting.

Let’s see other monsters dominate the post-apocalypse genre.

Same with Rogue AI.

I’d honestly love to see more ghosts or stuff like ogres.