Jun 20 2007

You ain’t so bad, you ain’t so bad, you ain’t nothin’. C’mon, champ, hit me in the face! My mom hits harder than you!

Published by Fence under Musing, TV

I pity the fool who didn’t turn on Sky Two last night, cause that classic movie was on, Rocky III and really, who doesn’t love Rocky.

Okay, so I actually only watched the last 30 minutes of it. And I was also internetting at the same time, so maybe watching isn’t really the most accurate description. Nevertheless it was on the telly, and I was in the room at the time. Therefore, I watched it.

It isn’t a good film. Not like the first Rocky, or the last one, but you know, there is still something that is just appealing about these films. I’m not sure what.The plucky underdog story maybe? But is that really accurate when Rocky is the world champion? Whatever it is, it makes watching these films enjoyable.

And speaking of Stallone, Rambo: first blood was also on the telly recently. I’d seen it years ago but decided, sure it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. I could always switch over. It wasn’t as good as Rocky, but still, it was watchable. Even with the madness inherent in the plotline.

J.L. was talking about films and how the average person just wants a good story that entertains. And while I agree with most of his post about politics being just another part of life, I think I’d have to disagree with that statement. Sure a good story goes a long way to making a good film. But the average cinema goer is just as capable of appreciating the cinematography or the good acting. And you know, without those other aspects working well I don’t ever think that even a very good story could make a great film.

I’m sorta reminded of one of the morals of Dogville, that not expecting the best from the general population is merely a superiority complex. I don’t mean that everyone has to be a genius, or has to like and enjoy the same things, but just that the whole line of assuming that people just want a “simple” good story means that film makers, or producers more likely, are going to try and cater to the widest audience they can. Which of course leads to the “lowest common denominator” approach to film making. Which I think is a bad thing. Not only does it result in bad films, but it also encourages the viewer to expect bad films. I’m not saying that there isn’t a place for the silly light-hearted fluff pieces that are made. There is, and I’m a fan of some of them, like Bring it on and Demolition Man, but that doesn’t have to be the only sort of film, it shouldn’t be the only sort of film out there. Presuming that a film should only be entertainment is presuming that the average individual can’t appreciate other aspects of a film.

Of course that title is a line from Rocky III

Tags: Bring It On, Demolition Man, Dogville, expectations, fictional heroes, lowest common denominator, myth, Rambo, Rocky, Rocky III, Sky Two, Sylvester Stallone, telly

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5 responses so far

Feb 09 2007

Dude, seriously?

Published by Fence under Honk, Irishify, Sport

Irish fans make me laugh. They have no right to expect anything - they don’t support their own league, expect English clubs to take their youth and train them into footballers and (like Humphries) only think about football when the GAA isn’t on.

You mean all our talented players are poached by English clubs and then either turn into spoiled overpaid sports stars or sit on the bench, getting no game time and gaining no experience. Okay, so you have a small point, in that if there was more support at home the LoI and Irish soccer would be healthier. However, given that we have a population of around 4 million we could never have the money that the English game has, and so our players would still be paid more if they ended up over there. Hell, if the GAA went professional we couldn’t support that either.

Irish fans have no right to expect anything. What Ireland need is good English manager, preferably northern like McCarthy or Charlton, and a few English players like Aldridge and McAteer, and go back to the days when they were grateful for anything. It would at least be more honest.

I think you are mistaken. We don’t expect world beating scorelines. What we expect is for the Irish team to make an effort. To have some sort of desire to win. That is what we expect and we have every right to expect it.

“Gaelic Football is a dreadful game with no skill to speak of, contrived rules like the hand pass and the “no picking up” (why? why not pick up a ball?). It is a serious mis-judgement in a nation that so many go to watch Gaelic football and not hurling or soccer.

Why not pick up a ball, you mean like in soccer? Dear fucktard, it is a sport, of course the rules are made-up, what is your point? Why not let players goal hang in soccer, after all the offside rule is contrived, isn’t it? But thank you for letting us know that Gaelic football is a dreadful game, your wisdom over-fucking-whelms me, not to mention your generosity in sharing your wisdom.

Jack Charlton’s team once drew 0-0 with Lichenstein. Mick McCarthy’s struggled to beat Andorra 2-0 with late goals. So what, get over it.

Why? If English fans can complain about being beaten by Spain why can’t we moan about shocking displays. Fair enough if you don’t want to hear the moaning, don’t pay any attention.

And as to Ireland being a better place now. Well, I find Dublin today shallow, vile and smug. In the 80s it was poor, dreary and small. I prefer the latter, but that’s just my opinion. People were a lot more easily pleased in those days, which I think is a good thing. The levels of happiness in 88 and 90 were much greater than anything happening now (even if Ireland won the rugby World Cup)”

Ah the patronising wasn’t Ireland better when it was poor and expected nothing. Fucktard! I’m guessing that Wales was so much more passionate when the miners’ strikes were on, wasn’t that better than now? And wasn’t England so much more secure when the world map was covered in pink. And really, slavery was just great because then everyone knew their place and didn’t have to worry about what life would bring. Oh for those happy days of the past. Don’t you think we should all step back in time and never, ever hope to improve anything, just in case someone might think us smug.

You, sir fucktard, are a troll.

Tags: expectations, football, fucktard, GAA, Ireland, moan mode, patronising, patronising git, troll

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7 responses so far