9 votes

A.O Scott says goodbye to film criticism

12 comments

  1. [9]
    cloud_loud
    Link

    But I’m not a fan of modern fandom. This isn’t only because I’ve been swarmed on Twitter by angry devotees of Marvel and DC and (more recently) “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” It’s more that the behavior of these social media hordes represents an anti-democratic, anti-intellectual mind-set that is harmful to the cause of art and antithetical to the spirit of movies. Fan culture is rooted in conformity, obedience, group identity and mob behavior, and its rise mirrors and models the spread of intolerant, authoritarian, aggressive tendencies in our politics and our communal life.

    8 votes
    1. [7]
      Thrabalen
      Link Parent
      I've never gotten so much hate as the one time I dared to say that I didn't enjoy Dr Strangelove. It was inferred that I didn't understand its subtlety because I was intellectually deficient......

      I've never gotten so much hate as the one time I dared to say that I didn't enjoy Dr Strangelove. It was inferred that I didn't understand its subtlety because I was intellectually deficient... that is to say, it's not modern fandom he has a problem with, it's fandom. These behaviors aren't new, they're just more obvious because the internet has become an increasingly narrow set of echo chambers.

      10 votes
      1. [2]
        vord
        Link Parent
        lol Dr Strangelove is anything but subtle. I personlly remember loving it, but I doubt it hits the same way to an audience that doesn't have the fears of MAD perpetually in the forefront of their...

        lol Dr Strangelove is anything but subtle.

        I personlly remember loving it, but I doubt it hits the same way to an audience that doesn't have the fears of MAD perpetually in the forefront of their concious.

        A lot of satire does not age well...especially since too many people bite the onion.

        3 votes
        1. Thrabalen
          Link Parent
          I was an 80s teen, I know the impending doom vibe well!

          I was an 80s teen, I know the impending doom vibe well!

          1 vote
      2. smoontjes
        Link Parent
        I guess a critic is going to be on the receiving end of a lot of the negative parts of fandom - indeed more obvious because of social media. But I feel like the first rule of social media should...

        I guess a critic is going to be on the receiving end of a lot of the negative parts of fandom - indeed more obvious because of social media. But I feel like the first rule of social media should be: Do not take social media seriously. It is not the real world.

      3. [3]
        tomf
        Link Parent
        Mad Max: Fury Road is an awful film. No shame in not liking something that is popular. A lot of classics aren't as good as they're hyped up to be.

        Mad Max: Fury Road is an awful film. No shame in not liking something that is popular. A lot of classics aren't as good as they're hyped up to be.

        1. [2]
          vord
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          I would be very curious to know why you feel Fury Road is an awful film. In my mind its one of the best action films made in the last decade. It has great pacing, well done practicle effects, and...

          I would be very curious to know why you feel Fury Road is an awful film.

          In my mind its one of the best action films made in the last decade.

          It has great pacing, well done practicle effects, and no shoe-horned romance. This puts it in the top 10% right off the bat.

          Pacific Rim was great for similiar reasons.

          3 votes
          1. tomf
            Link Parent
            go there, go back, noise, blah blah -- who cares. Well, apparently everybody but me. Aesthetically its neat, but I just don't like it. I'd rather watch Sorcerer.

            go there, go back, noise, blah blah -- who cares. Well, apparently everybody but me.

            Aesthetically its neat, but I just don't like it. I'd rather watch Sorcerer.

    2. Akir
      Link Parent
      There is no words for the depth of my disdain and hatred of what fan culture has become. I suppose that it's always been like this, but the fact that it's so much bigger just exacerbates the...

      There is no words for the depth of my disdain and hatred of what fan culture has become. I suppose that it's always been like this, but the fact that it's so much bigger just exacerbates the problems with it. I hate the amount of vitriol there can be. But more than anything, I'm disappointed in people for investing their identity and personality in someone else's IP. It's fine and even natural to fall in love with a creative work. But there's a definite line between loving it and making it a part of your life.

      The thing I hate the most about Fan culture is the waste. The industry built around pandering to fans with licensed merch is sickening to me. Funko's entire business model is built around making disposable garbage - even their durable goods with utility, like mugs and clothing, aren't designed to last very long. And then there are countless stores in just about every mall that sell them. My local mall probably has at least half a dozen stores that sell Funko Pops. And the worst thing is that Funko is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to making disposable licensed trash.

      2 votes
  2. [3]
    cfabbro
    Link
    https://archive.is/GU9cv
    1. [2]
      cloud_loud
      Link Parent
      Speaking of which, I have the Firefox extension that is supposed to bypass paywalls but it doesn’t work with the NYT.

      Speaking of which, I have the Firefox extension that is supposed to bypass paywalls but it doesn’t work with the NYT.

      3 votes
      1. cfabbro
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        I don't use those kind of extensions because I like knowing when something is paywalled so I can provide ways around it for people. :) But yeah, soft paywalls are basically an totally pointless,...

        I don't use those kind of extensions because I like knowing when something is paywalled so I can provide ways around it for people. :)

        But yeah, soft paywalls are basically an totally pointless, super annoying, arms race. :(

        2 votes