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Your Entertainment Pet Peeves

Oct 1, 2010#1

ThatNickGuy

So, I'm curious about what people's pet peeves are in various mediums. Here's a few of mine, in each category that I can think of. Feel free to add your own.

TV
-The sappy ballad while all the actors look whistfully out windows, or walking aimlessly, etc. It's stupidly overdone and one of the reasons I stopped watching Flash Forward.

-A show that sets up a teaser for the next season, only to get cancelled. Except with Heroes, because no one was watching that anymore, anyway.

-Ridiculously overpriced TV box sets. I look at the Angel and Buffy sets for $20 a piece, then the Star Trek sets for triple or higher. Same amount of episodes and usually about the same amount of special features.

Movies
(some of this could apply to TV, as well)

-Action sequences that seem like they're filmed on the back of a rabid dog having a seizure. You go to all these lengths to do these great, mind-blowing action sequences or fight scenes, but then the camera work is all over the place that we can't even SEE what's going on. The majority of action movies are like this these days.

-Opening credits, especially long, drawn-out opening credits where it's just names flying at the screen. It's a waste of time and adds nothing to the plot. Plus, it's redundant, since we see all those names a second time at the end of the movie.

-"Oh, my God" is probably the most overused line in all of creation. Why not mix it up? "Great Googily Moogily" or "Sweet Merciful Jesus" or "Great Ceasar's Ghost"; they all work just fine.

-Double-dipped DVD's with less special features than the previous version. This especially falls into the cateogry of Blu-Rays.

-Remakes. Just...remakes. How about saving yourself millions of dollars, clean up the original movie and re-release that, instead? It worked for Star Wars.

-Bad wire work. I swear, when someone leaps twenty feet into the air, the actor doesn't look like they're even trying to look like they're leaping. No bending at the knees or anything.

Comics
-When a trade does not have the covers for each collected issue splitting each said issue. Those cliffhanger endings work better when you have to stop to flip the page or something, to get past the covers.

-Needless splash pages, especially two-page spreads. Geoff Johns is a really bad writer in this particular instance.

-Crossovers that force you to buy a billion other comics just to understand what's going on.

-Those ridiculous 6 or less issue hardcovers. There's so little for so high a price. Ain't worth it, which means I have to wait even LONGER for a softcover.

-Meaningless events, like deaths, costume changes, returns, etc.

Music

-Death metal. It's just noise. I can't even sing along to it because all I hear is "BLARGHDEY BLAAAAARGH!" I'm not even sure the people singing it know what they're saying.

Oct 1, 2010#2

Kitty Sinatra

It's not at all entertaining when my pet pees on the floor.

Oct 1, 2010#3

Philosopher B.

It's much more entertaining when Dave pees on a pet - OH WAIT. THAT WAS ALL AN ELABORATE DREAM-CRUSHING FABRICATION.

:'(

:waah:

Oct 1, 2010#4

checkeredhat

Releasing special features on Blu Ray only, leaving those of us left with DVD players in a Behind-The Scenesless wasteland of home entertainment!

And, I was just talking about this with my roommate earlier: People constantly cocking the hammer back on modern pistols, or pumping fully loaded, unfired shotguns. They do it to make the cool noise and for no other reason.

Oct 1, 2010#5

Ravenpoe

checkeredhat said:
Releasing special features on Blu Ray only, leaving those of us left with DVD players in a Behind-The Scenesless wasteland of home entertainment!

And, I was just talking about this with my roommate earlier: People constantly cocking the hammer back on modern pistols, or pumping fully loaded, unfired shotguns. They do it to make the cool noise and for no other reason.

But the noise is so cool!

*chk-chhkk*

Oct 1, 2010#6

AshburnerX

checkeredhat said:
And, I was just talking about this with my roommate earlier: People constantly cocking the hammer back on modern pistols, or pumping fully loaded, unfired shotguns. They do it to make the cool noise and for no other reason.

Oct 1, 2010#7

Hailey Knight

-"Oh, my God" is probably the most overused line in all of creation. Why not mix it up? "Great Googily Moogily" or "Sweet Merciful Jesus" or "Great Ceasar's Ghost"; they all work just fine.

They really don't.

One of mine is when a scene happens in the movie solely because it was one of the original ideas for the story, even if the overall plot, character development, setting, etc have across drafts drifted away that idea, and so now it sticks out or is part of a subplot that goes nowhere.

Oct 1, 2010#8

Steve

Laugh tracks. I won't watch a comedy if it has a laugh track. Completely ruins the show for me. It's like the producers know the show is so unfunny they have to trick your mind into thinking it's funny. CBS is the worst offender of this.

Oct 1, 2010#9

Hailey Knight

The worst thing about that is, I've seen people who seem to get conditioned to the laugh track, so they won't really laugh at a show unless prompted. It's fucking disturbing.

Oct 1, 2010#10

Ravenpoe

escushion said:
The worst thing about that is, I've seen people who seem to get conditioned to the laugh track, so they won't really laugh at a show unless prompted. It's fucking disturbing.

Pavlovian comedy?

Oct 1, 2010#11

checkeredhat

AshburnerX;441708][QUOTE=checkeredhat said:
And, I was just talking about this with my roommate earlier: People constantly cocking the hammer back on modern pistols, or pumping fully loaded, unfired shotguns. They do it to make the cool noise and for no other reason.

Uh... no. Cocking the hammer on a modern double action does make the trigger squeeze much easier for the next shot. You do it if you want a bit of extra accuracy on your next shot, as your not moving the gun quite so much when you pull the trigger. It's not necessary, but it can help. Also, it's about the psychological edge: Many police officers have reported that criminals have given up entirely upon hearing them cock a shotgun.

I second the Box set thing though.[/QUOTE]

I get that (I don't imagine I would respond well to somebody pumping a shotgun in my face either), but those are not the type of instances that are my pet peeve. Allow me to elaborate on what I mean.

The hammer cock back in movies is always, ALWAYS done when the gun is being held point blank though, so I can't see how accuracy is the reason.

And the shotgun pump is usually done before the good guys even get TO the bad guys, usually after they utter something that solidifies them as being bad ass. So its again not for the interrogation. It's the equivalent of Horatio taking off his sunglasses to punctuate his pun

Both are also often done just for the sound it makes when the heroes are just grabbing their weapons and loading them up to head out.

It was the DotD remake that brought on our conversation, so for examples of what I'm talking about, just watch that.

---------- Post added at 03:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:38 AM ----------

Another one is CPR solving apparently just about ANY medical condition, up to and including death.

Oct 1, 2010#12

bhamv3

ThatNickGuy said:
-Action sequences that seem like they're filmed on the back of a rabid dog having a seizure. You go to all these lengths to do these great, mind-blowing action sequences or fight scenes, but then the camera work is all over the place that we can't even SEE what's going on. The majority of action movies are like this these days.

Agreed on this one. I guess they do it to give a sense of realism or immersion or something, but I don't really care about those things when I watch a movie fight scene, I just want to see the damn fight.

I don't like inspirational speeches that aren't inspirational at all. Sort of like,

*crowd hates person, jeering and booing him*
*person says something bland to crowd*
*crowd suddenly starts cheering*

And I'm going, wow, easy crowd there.

Oct 2, 2010#13

Adammon

ThatNickGuy said:
-Opening credits, especially long, drawn-out opening credits where it's just names flying at the screen. It's a waste of time and adds nothing to the plot. Plus, it's redundant, since we see all those names a second time at the end of the movie.

Blasphemer!

Oct 2, 2010#14

Hailey Knight

If it's a good opening sequence, I like a good credits, but in a lot of cases, it's sometimes better just to roll the opening credits while the beginning of the movie happens.

Although John Carpenter sometimes makes it work even if it's just white letters on black title cards for four straight minutes solely by music setting up the atmosphere.

The Superman opening credits are fucking epic though.

Oct 2, 2010#15

ThatNickGuy

There ARE some exceptions to the rule.

Oct 2, 2010#16

Espy

Man I LOVE a good credits sequence. Hellboy and the original Dead Zone rush to mind.

Oct 2, 2010#17

David

The "useless time travel episode" that every single scifi TV show ever has at least one of. Much Drama is had, people get shot and killed... then somebody screws with a temporal anomaly, mulliganing the whole damn episode. Nobody remembers what happened. The story didn't move forward. The characters didn't develop. The entire episode was just rendered pointless.

Oct 2, 2010#18

HCGLNS

I don't like those suspiciously vague commercials that grab your attention, but don't explain what the product is right away, and you put down your sandwich for just a second to pay closer attention; then WHAM! nagging yeast infection medicine!

Oct 2, 2010#19

David

To be fair, I'm not sure there's a great way to get people to keep paying attention by OPENING with nagging yeast infections.

Oct 2, 2010#20

checkeredhat

David said:
The "useless time travel episode" that every single scifi TV show ever has at least one of. Much Drama is had, people get shot and killed... then somebody screws with a temporal anomaly, mulliganing the whole damn episode. Nobody remembers what happened. The story didn't move forward. The characters didn't develop. The entire episode was just rendered pointless.

Oct 2, 2010#21

MindDetective

checkeredhat;441805][QUOTE=David said:
The "useless time travel episode" that every single scifi TV show ever has at least one of. Much Drama is had, people get shot and killed... then somebody screws with a temporal anomaly, mulliganing the whole damn episode. Nobody remembers what happened. The story didn't move forward. The characters didn't develop. The entire episode was just rendered pointless.

Firefly didn't.
And I'd argue that the ones in Futurama were done to further the overall plot and moved the story forward. Except for arguably the Bender's Big Score movie.

I'm sure I could think of more, if I watched Sci Fi TV, but most of it is just too cheesy for me.[/QUOTE]

I was going to say Futurama too, but the forward time traveling episode of the newest season might qualify.

Oct 2, 2010#22

checkeredhat

I'd argue that it was used to further Fry and Leela's relationship. But I wouldn't be able to argue against you if you said that it didn't actually change any aspect of their relationship, and simply pointing out that they ARE IN a relationship isn't really advancing anything anymore.
I really hadn't even considered the newest season.

Oct 2, 2010#23

MindDetective

Hey, at least that episode was written differently than other time traveling episodes. The people that may or may not have been injured or killed during the episode stayed that way!

Oct 2, 2010#24

checkeredhat

Oh, I loved the episode. You don't need to convince me.
Original topic: Zombies sold out.
Honestly, I LOVE Zombies. I've got a veritable zombie library that's ever growing, and really its thanks to Max Brooks that I even read anything other than graphic novels anymore. But that being said, the oversaturation of zombies in media now is getting on my nerves. It used to be kind of a niche, and now its done pretty much everywhere, and its losing the Romero political message, and even the horror and camp value. There's more great zombie stuff being produced now, yes. Like I said, my library is growing (And I'm really looking forward to the Walking Dead TV show too). But there's also a lot of "we'd sell more copies if we threw zombies in" for no reason at all.
I'm talking about you, Red Dead Redemption's strange new zombie add-on. They couldn't have made a more anachronistic add-on if they added spaceships.

Oct 2, 2010#25

HCGLNS

Just thought of another one; I really dislike Heidi incidents. Oooh I hates them!

Oct 2, 2010#26

checkeredhat

HCGLNS said:
Just thought of another one; I really dislike Heidi incidents. Oooh I hates them!

Stupid question:
What's that?

Oct 2, 2010#27

HCGLNS

A Heidi incident is the interruption of live broadcasts (normally sports) before their conclusion. In their place something pre-programmed is offered. As you are Canadian, you could describe the firing of Dave Hodge as such an incident. Where instead of going to overtime, HNIC cut to regional news.

Oct 2, 2010#28

Cheesy1

Cheesy, laying some education on y'all! (Origin story of the term):
Heidi Game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oct 2, 2010#29

checkeredhat

Wow. That must have sucked.

---------- Post added at 05:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:33 PM ----------

Didn't NBC do that this year with the Olympics' closing ceremony as well? Cutting to the wedding referee or Marriage ref or whatever that show's called?

Oct 2, 2010#30

phil

I hate the pointless deaths of background characters. Sci-fi shows do this a lot, and I'm mostly thinking of Stargate. Many an SG team have been taken out just to show that death could happen out there in space!

Oct 2, 2010#31

Silver Jelly

checkeredhat said:
I'm talking about you, Red Dead Redemption's strange new zombie add-on. They couldn't have made a more anachronistic add-on if they added spaceships.

Oct 2, 2010#32

Null

Back to the hammer-click on guns, they do the sound effect even when the pistol in question doesn't have a hammer to cock and use the shotgun pump-sound for side-by-side break-action (not pump-action) shotguns. In addition, racking the slide. Now, sometimes that's forgivable - when we see the character slide a magazine into the pistol and the rack the slide, they're making sure there's one in the chamber. Other times, it may be that they're checking to see there's a round in the chamber - pulling it back halfway, though most pistols have a loaded chamber indicator so you don't have to do that and risk a misfeed. But very often, we'll see a character rack the slide as a way of looking badass - I think in one movie you even seen a cartridge go flying out.

Oct 2, 2010#33

fade

There's not enough e-paper for my pet peeve list. I think pretty much every post I make is a pet peeve I have re: something. Which irritates people like Crone to no end.

The gun cock scene that really stands out in my memory was the original Stargate. The motion picture, not the show(s). When the soldiers are "stealthily" walking through the dark pyramid after coming through the gate, they much cock their guns every second.

Oct 2, 2010#34

AshburnerX

Silver Jelly;441821][QUOTE=checkeredhat said:
I'm talking about you, Red Dead Redemption's strange new zombie add-on. They couldn't have made a more anachronistic add-on if they added spaceships.

Well, there was a mith of some kind of zombie summoning cerimony in the old west, even if I don't remember exactly how the things were called or the ritual exactly went. I think it involved putting some alcohol or tobacco on the summoned corpse's tombstone as an offer?

I don't know, I read about it too many years ago.[/QUOTE]

There were often tales of things like Ghouls (fleshing eatting monsters) and Wendigos (Monsters made by men consuming the flesh of others) flying around in some areas of the west, not to mention talk of the vengeful spirits of the dead who would sometimes haunt those who killed them unjustly. That's not even including stuff like Voodoo along the Mississippi river. Really, the supernatural and the Wild West go hand in hand, especially if Indians are involved. Just look at Deadlands or Jonah Hex if you want some more examples.

Oct 2, 2010#35

Silver Jelly

AshburnerX;441833][QUOTE=Silver Jelly;441821][QUOTE=checkeredhat said:
I'm talking about you, Red Dead Redemption's strange new zombie add-on. They couldn't have made a more anachronistic add-on if they added spaceships.

Oct 3, 2010#36

The Lovely Boehner

Dude: No, no way, you're kidding, I am never, EVER doing that. No way, I am not gonna do that in any form or fashion, ANYTHING but that!
*smash cut to Dude doing exactly that*

Oct 3, 2010#37

Hailey Knight

Fine said:
Dude: No, no way, you're kidding, I am never, EVER doing that. No way, I am not gonna do that in any form or fashion, ANYTHING but that!
*smash cut to Dude doing exactly that*

I think I turned off the last movie I saw that pulled that one.

Oct 3, 2010#38

AshburnerX

Oh, here's something I really hate: "Very Special" episodes. I get it, the world is a scary and dangerous place... that really doesn't excuse you wasting an episode to give the viewer some ham fisted lectures about ANYTHING, let alone REALLY serious shit like abortion or abuse.

Oct 3, 2010#39

wana10

AshburnerX said:
Oh, here's something I really hate: "Very Special" episodes. I get it, the world is a scary and dangerous place... that really doesn't excuse you wasting an episode to give the viewer some ham fisted lectures about ANYTHING, let alone REALLY serious shit like abortion or abuse.

and yet i know of a series that is entirely made up of "very special" episodes and it's awesome

Oct 3, 2010#40

CynicismKills

Mind swap / body swap episodes. See them all the time in scifi/fantasy shows and movies and they're always following the same idea.

"BWA HA HA JOHN Q. BADGUY IS IN BILLY H. GOODBOY'S BODY, GONNA MAKE PEOPLE THINK HE'S A JERK"

"No guys it's me in the badguy's body don't listen"

etc etc

Oct 3, 2010#41

SpecialKO

CynicismKills said:
Mind swap / body swap episodes. See them all the time in scifi/fantasy shows and movies and they're always following the same idea.

"BWA HA HA JOHN Q. BADGUY IS IN BILLY H. GOODBOY'S BODY, GONNA MAKE PEOPLE THINK HE'S A JERK"

"No guys it's me in the badguy's body don't listen"

etc etc

The Farscape episode that made fun of this was epic.

They did have later plot elements, like Harvey, that worked with this idea, but it was less "OMG, THEY SWITCHED BODIES!!" and more "If Crichton loses control at the long moment and Scorpius takes over, we might have to kill him" tension.

Oct 3, 2010#42

AshburnerX

wana10;441961][QUOTE=AshburnerX said:
Oh, here's something I really hate: "Very Special" episodes. I get it, the world is a scary and dangerous place... that really doesn't excuse you wasting an episode to give the viewer some ham fisted lectures about ANYTHING, let alone REALLY serious shit like abortion or abuse.

and yet i know of a series that is entirely made up of "very special" episodes and it's awesome[/QUOTE]

I'm guessing your talking about Morel Orel? I'm pretty sure it doesn't count as a "Very Special Episode" when the entire series parodies the concept of such things and points out how heavy handed/false some of them can be.

Oct 3, 2010#43

wana10

Clone high actually but same idea

And on the topic of body-switching, anyone else remember the Justice League ep. where Flash and Lex Luthor switched bodies? I love that one.

Oct 3, 2010#44

filmfanatic

wana10 said:
Clone high actually but same idea

And on the topic of body-switching, anyone else remember the Justice League ep. where Flash and Lex Luthor switched bodies? I love that one.

I do and that was an awesome episode.

"Aren't you gonna wash your hands?"

"No...'cause I'm evil."

Oct 3, 2010#45

phil

I like when he unmasks himself only to realize he has no idea who this guy is.

Oct 3, 2010#46

Hailey Knight

I guess clip show episodes are a given.

Oct 3, 2010#47

AshburnerX

escushion said:
I guess clip show episodes are a given.

Especially clip show episodes in the first season of a show. I'm looking at YOU, Highschool of the Dead.

Oct 3, 2010#48

Hailey Knight

AshburnerX;442025][QUOTE=escushion said:
I guess clip show episodes are a given.

Oct 4, 2010#49

CynicismKills

escushion;442034][QUOTE=AshburnerX;442025][QUOTE=escushion said:
I guess clip show episodes are a given.

Especially clip show episodes in the first season of a show. I'm looking at YOU, Highschool of the Dead.[/QUOTE]

With an exception for the Clerks clip episode, which was the second episode of the series.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, Clerks Animated did a pretty solid job of ridiculing a lot of stupid sitcom/tv stereotypes. I really wish it had lasted longer.

Oct 4, 2010#50

checkeredhat

Reality TV.

Oct 4, 2010#51

sixpackshaker

A&E Family of Channels especially Bio.

5 minutes of documentary, 1 minute of preview, commercial, 1 minute of recap, 4 min of documentary, 1 minute of preview, commercial... etc.

They pad a good 15 minutes of their shows with what will happen, and what has just happened.

Oct 4, 2010#52

Espy

checkeredhat said:
Reality TV.

I'm with you, except I still love Hells Kitchen. Something about Ramsey screaming obscenities at stupid people that I just enjoy...

Oct 4, 2010#53

Chazwozel

I HATE Deus Ex Machina anywhere, but especially at the end of novels. This is why reading "The Road" makes me very angry.

Oct 4, 2010#54

phil

that family had been following them though. He kind of hints at it in a few places. Unless you mean the family also happening to be the only other non cannibals for 100 miles

I can't watch the Harry potter movies after seeing shit like a flying car come in to rescue them from spiders at the last minute or oh hey here's a sword all of a sudden and btw this animals tears will heal that animals poison. What luck!

Speaking of things like that, it always bugs me when the chosen one sucks at being the chosen one. Harry Potter is a brat and besides blowing up the first death star Luke skywalker only managed to suck and almost die a bunch. At least neo stopped the last humans from getting killed.

Oct 4, 2010#55

CynicismKills

Luke grows exponentially between Empire and Jedi. He's pretty much a bitch up until then, though. In the canon books he's 110% badass, though, he's mastered both the Light and Dark side without being corrupted.

Oct 4, 2010#56

fade

Honestly, I thought that's what Lucas was trying to say all along. Luke was the real Chosen One because he had feelings. He didn't give into them, but he didn't eschew them either. He brought balance within himself. Because how is destroying the badguys balancing anything?

Oct 4, 2010#57

Disconnected

checkeredhat said:
And, I was just talking about this with my roommate earlier: People constantly cocking the hammer back on modern pistols, or pumping fully loaded, unfired shotguns. They do it to make the cool noise and for no other reason.

one of the lost dvd seasons had a nice little segment about the 'inappropriate cock'. Sitting in a scene, gun in your hand, nothing to do... time for... 'inappropriate cock.'

Oct 4, 2010#58

sixpackshaker

fade said:
Honestly, I thought that's what Lucas was trying to say all along. Luke was the real Chosen One because he had feelings. He didn't give into them, but he didn't eschew them either. He brought balance within himself. Because how is destroying the badguys balancing anything?

I thought Darth was the chosen one, because he brought balance to the force. There were 2 Jedi and 2 Sith left at the end of Episode III. Now THAT is balance.

Oct 4, 2010#59

phil

I haven't read any books. I've read some stuff about them and how Luke is supposed to defeat like the ghost of the most powerful sith ever or something. His power isn't really conveyed in the movies that much though. In new hope he gets his lucky shot which is cool. Empire gives him an epic beat down. Jedi let's him kick some ass but it's still vader who kills the emperor.

Similar to guns, what about all the noise swords make? Swing and shtick and all that.

Oct 4, 2010#60

sixpackshaker

Worse than the inappropriate cock, when someone points a gun and it makes a cocking sound even though no one got near the slide.

Oct 4, 2010#61

MindDetective

phil said:
Similar to guns, what about all the noise swords make? Swing and shtick and all that.

Or the cartoonish "punch!" noise when people are hit with a fist?

Oct 4, 2010#62

fade

sixpackshaker said:
Worse than the inappropriate cock, when someone points a gun and it makes a cocking sound even though no one got near the slide.

Snicker.

Oct 4, 2010#63

Adammon

phil said:
Similar to guns, what about all the noise swords make? Swing and shtick and all that.

Haha, that drives me crazy. Are they pulling the swords out of sharpeners? It always makes a metallic "Shhhhing" when pulled out of a scabbard, even if the scabbard is wood. And then swords being pulled through the air makes the same sound! The regular whistle of a good sword going through the air is awesome enough!

Oct 4, 2010#64

sixpackshaker

Wilhelm scream - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kinda cute, but it is in everything now.

Oct 4, 2010#65

checkeredhat

sixpackshaker said:
Wilhelm scream - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kinda cute, but it is in everything now.

You have a PROBLEM with the Wilhelm scream?! I effing LOVE the Wilhelm scream!

How about that sound that bald eagles make in movies, but is a recording of a red-tailed hawk, that is also used anytime the characters are in a desert, or just whenever they want to make a character seem cool? It's perhaps as common as the Wilhelm Scream, and even easier to spot.

Actually I don't have a problem with that one either. I just laugh whenever I hear it.

Oct 4, 2010#66

Chazwozel

phil said:
that family had been following them though. He kind of hints at it in a few places. Unless you mean the family also happening to be the only other non cannibals for 100 miles

I can't watch the Harry potter movies after seeing shit like a flying car come in to rescue them from spiders at the last minute or oh hey here's a sword all of a sudden and btw this animals tears will heal that animals poison. What luck!

Speaking of things like that, it always bugs me when the chosen one sucks at being the chosen one. Harry Potter is a brat and besides blowing up the first death star Luke skywalker only managed to suck and almost die a bunch. At least neo stopped the last humans from getting killed.

Yeah there are hints, but good lord.

---------- Post added at 08:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:41 PM ----------

fade said:
Honestly, I thought that's what Lucas was trying to say all along. Luke was the real Chosen One because he had feelings. He didn't give into them, but he didn't eschew them either. He brought balance within himself. Because how is destroying the badguys balancing anything?

I agree. Isn't Luke supposed to be like a Buddha or something? He finds the right balance...

Oct 4, 2010#67

CynicismKills

fade;442200][QUOTE=sixpackshaker said:
Worse than the inappropriate cock, when someone points a gun and it makes a cocking sound even though no one got near the slide.

Snicker.[/QUOTE]

hehehehe.

Also yeah, that stupid generic punch noise. I was just watching something recently that used it for every hit, and it totally took me out of what was otherwise a really good fight scene.

Oct 4, 2010#68

fade

Why can't they make a strong female character who isn't a bitch? Strong ≠ irritating, writers. Or, if you're going to make her a bitch, make her interesting and/or likable. Otherwise, it's insulting to women and hard to empathize with.

Oct 4, 2010#69

The Lovely Boehner

fade said:
Why can't they make a strong female character who isn't a bitch? Strong ≠ irritating, writers. Or, if you're going to make her a bitch, make her interesting and/or likable. Otherwise, it's insulting to women and hard to empathize with.

I don't find Ripley very irritating. Or Angelina Jolie in Changeling. Or Marge in Fargo. Or Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs. Or Meryl Streep in Deer Hunter.

Oct 4, 2010#70

ThatNickGuy

The little girl in Pan's Labyrinth, Elastic Girl from Incredibles kinds counts. Yeah, there's no shortage of strong, well-written female characters. They're just not the norm. Especially in action flicks.

Oct 4, 2010#71

Ravenpoe

fade said:
Why can't they make a strong female character who isn't a bitch? Strong ≠ irritating, writers. Or, if you're going to make her a bitch, make her interesting and/or likable. Otherwise, it's insulting to women and hard to empathize with.

I just started playing a (super awesome) video game that has brought up a similar discussion with a friend. -If- you have a female lead who is strong and independent, not a bitch, but also sexy, does that immediately make it sexist?

Oct 4, 2010#72

Covar

Fully Automatic M16A2s.

Improper US Military uniforms. Seriously a 5 minute google search can show you what the uniforms look like and the proper way to wear them.

Oct 5, 2010#73

AshburnerX

fade said:
Why can't they make a strong female character who isn't a bitch? Strong ≠ irritating, writers. Or, if you're going to make her a bitch, make her interesting and/or likable. Otherwise, it's insulting to women and hard to empathize with.

How about Jade from Beyond Good and Evil? She was strong, independent, and clever... yet she still pulled off a Team Mom vibe anytime she was around the kids. No bitchiness, just a strong sense of justice with a small bit of sass.

Ravenpoe said:
I just started playing a (super awesome) video game that has brought up a similar discussion with a friend. -If- you have a female lead who is strong and independent, not a bitch, but also sexy, does that immediately make it sexist?

I think it really depends upon how they treat her sexuality. Bayonetta is in many ways a step forward, if you can believe it.

- Her limbs are exaggerated, but the rest of her is in proportion (and she actually has HIPS). She is slender, but also defined (I.E. her legs look powerful without turning in Chun-Li). She even has a more mature look, like someone in their mid-30's. Most developers are shy to break out of the mid-lower 20's.
- She doesn't move like a sultry stripper... but rather like a graceful dancer, showing off some surprising power.
- She drips sexuality, but she is THE MASTER of it, as opposed to having her sexuality defined by what she can do for others. I think the lollipop imagery shows this best: Most games would have given her large, phallic ones to play to the obvious. Instead, she has tiny, dum dum style lollipops... and STILL makes it look sexy.
- NONE of her relationships with the male characters revolve around romance or sex, but she is able to do this WITHOUT coming off as a frigid ice queen, which is often used in other stories to prevent reducing women into objects or tools... by completely removing their sexuality. She comes off as more bemused by Cheshire's antics: She acknowledges and even toys with his male sexuality, but doesn't use it to genuinely hurt him.
- There are few, if any, lesbian overtones to make up for the lack of male/female relationship, despite having a reoccurring female nemesis. This helps keep her from falling into the exploitation zone.

I mean really... Bayonetta may have lots of skin and imagery, but it was actually pretty mature about it. It could have been a lot worse.

Covar said:
Improper US Military uniforms. Seriously a 5 minute google search can show you what the uniforms look like and the proper way to wear them.

This is the reason why the Boy Scouts of America rarely, if ever, let Hollywood use their uniforms or name. They are pretty serious about how the uniform needs to look and if it doesn't look perfect, they pull their support. That's why you have groups like the Junior Woodchucks in Duck Tales.

Oct 5, 2010#74

Silver Jelly

AshburnerX said:
I think the lollipop imagery shows this best: Most games would have given her large, phallic ones to play to the obvious. Instead, she has tiny, dum dum style lollipops... and STILL makes it look sexy.

That's the kind of lollipop I want to see a girl licking :awesome:

Oct 5, 2010#75

fade

Those are good examples, but for every 1 of those, there are 100 Olivia Bensons (never wrong, no balancing character flaws, practically openly man-hating).

---------- Post added at 02:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:31 PM ----------

Urg, that was to Charlie. I hate the reply button under the post. It implies that you're replying to that post. I fall for it subconsciously all the time.

---------- Post added at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:32 PM ----------

Also, I count Ripley in the first movie. In the sequels, esp. the one with Winona Ryder, she starts trending to Olivia Benson territory.
And it's not like the Law and Order conglomerate doesn't know how to write balanced characters. Most of the males are. Goren was the best they wrote. He was nearly always right, too, but saved by having character flaws, like being practically insane. (I'm forced to watch Law & Order because my wife is a cop)

Oct 5, 2010#76

sixpackshaker

I may need Olivia Benson explained. I've only seen 5 or so episodes, and she seemed like an OK character. Any character can get on your bad side after 250 episodes.

Oct 5, 2010#77

AshburnerX

Yeah, I think Olivia has just been derailed as of late (namely, ever since that time she was nearly raped). Her partner is just as bad, as he hovers around full-on corrupt cop nearly 90% of the time now.

Oct 5, 2010#78

SpecialKO

If there was ever a show where the characters became outright parodies of themselves, despite having previously been paragons of interesting writing, it's SVU.

Oct 5, 2010#79

The Lovely Boehner

SpecialKO said:
If there was ever a show where the characters became outright parodies of themselves, despite having previously been paragons of interesting writing, it's SVU.

Weeds did it in half the time.

Oct 5, 2010#80

fade

Yeah, I agree. She started out well, but quickly went downhill. They toy every now and then with her being wrong (like the most recent episode where Desmond from Lost was the villain), but then she never is.

Oct 5, 2010#81

AshburnerX

fade said:
Yeah, I agree. She started out well, but quickly went downhill. They toy every now and then with her being wrong (like the most recent episode where Desmond from Lost was the villain), but then she never is.

I call this Captain Janeway Syndrome: Essentially, the writers don't believe the viewers will respect and connect with a female authority figure unless she is infallible. If she's wrong even once, she loses her status as a driving force in a story.

Oct 8, 2010#82

Philosopher B.

Pet peeve: TV shows with fat slob-men who are married to skinny women. Damn you, Jackie Gleason.

Oct 8, 2010#83

AshburnerX

Philosopher B. said:
Pet peeve: TV shows with fat slob-men who are married to skinny women. Damn you, Jackie Gleason.

I'll do you one better: TV Shows where the husband/male lead is never allowed to be right and the wife/Female lead is ALWAYS right, even if she gets to be horrible about it. I'm looking at you, EVERY SITCOM SINCE THE 80's.

Oct 8, 2010#84

fade

YES. It's true in television commercials, too. Seems approximately half the tv ads out there are of the stupid husband/boyfriend variety.

Oct 9, 2010#85

figmentPez

David said:
The "useless time travel episode" that every single scifi TV show ever has at least one of. Much Drama is had, people get shot and killed... then somebody screws with a temporal anomaly, mulliganing the whole damn episode. Nobody remembers what happened. The story didn't move forward. The characters didn't develop. The entire episode was just rendered pointless.

Eureka has had zero usless time travel episodes. Every singe incident of time travel has had lasting repercussions in the world. Certainly, only two people remembered the season one finale's alternate future, but that lingering memory remains a central part of Henry Deacon's character, especially his relationship with Jack Carter. Also, even though Jack later had his memory wiped, he still partially remembers, and that's shaped his relationship with Henry and with Allison.

The next time travel episode, with Jack living a Groundhog Day like time-loop, ended up with a major character dying.

Then there's the current season, which started with time travel altering the past and that change has yet to be undone. Five characters remember the alternate present, and have to live with the, sometimes difficult, changes.

Exception to the rule, and I happen to like even pointless time travel episodes, but I love Eureka for being brave enough to shake things up.

Oct 9, 2010#86

AshburnerX

figmentPez said:
Then there's the current season, which started with time travel altering the past and that change has yet to be undone. Five characters remember the alternate present, and have to live with the, sometimes difficult, changes.

It's more like 4 now. We're unlikely to ever see the guy from the past again, as they've written him off the show. Kinda like how they wrote off the IMMORTAL at the end of the previous season.

Oct 9, 2010#87

figmentPez

AshburnerX said:
[

It's more like 4 now. We're unlikely to ever see the guy from the past again, as they've written him off the show. Kinda like how they wrote off the IMMORTAL at the end of the previous season.

I stand by my headcount.

Jack, Allison, Henry, Jo and Fargo. Five. I already wasn't counting Dr. Old Spice because he never lived in the original present, and has left as well.

Oct 9, 2010#88

AshburnerX

figmentPez;443488][QUOTE=AshburnerX said:
[

It's more like 4 now. We're unlikely to ever see the guy from the past again, as they've written him off the show. Kinda like how they wrote off the IMMORTAL at the end of the previous season.

I stand by my headcount.

Jack, Allison, Henry, Jo and Fargo. Five. I already wasn't counting Dr. Old Spice because he never lived in the original present, and has left as well.

[/QUOTE]

Oh Right... I stand corrected!

Oct 9, 2010#89

ThatNickGuy

Ohhh. AshBURNer!

Oct 26, 2010#90

Cog

Pet Peeve: Spanish Movie Titles.

The ghost and the Darkness = Garras (Claws)
Resident Evil = El huesped Maldito (The cursed guest)
What lies Beneath = Revelaciones (Revelations)
Ocean's Eleven = La gran estafa (The great scam)
Ocean's Twelve = La otra gran estafa (The other great scam)
White Noise = Mensajes del más allá (Messages from beyond)
Total Recall = El vengador del futuro (The avenger from the future)
The Italian Job = La estafa maestra (The master scam)
The longest yard = Golpe bajo (Low punch)
The Green Mile = Milagros Inesperados (Unexpected miracles)

Anyone know why they do that?

Oct 26, 2010#91

Silver Jelly

Cog said:
Pet Peeve: Spanish Movie Titles.

The ghost and the Darkness = Garras (Claws)
Resident Evil = El huesped Maldito (The cursed guest)
What lies Beneath = Revelaciones (Revelations)
Ocean's Eleven = La gran estafa (The great scam)
Ocean's Twelve = La otra gran estafa (The other great scam)
White Noise = Mensajes del más allá (Messages from beyond)
Total Recall = El vengador del futuro (The avenger from the future)
The Italian Job = La estafa maestra (The master scam)
The longest yard = Golpe bajo (Low punch)
The Green Mile = Milagros Inesperados (Unexpected miracles)

Anyone know why they do that?

Say it all. Latin american spanish movie titles!

of course, we have a lot of that in spain, but less and less each year.

(what has been done more is adding a subtitle. I still remember how angry I was as a little kid, when I knew enough english to understand the original title, because Toy Story was called Toy Story (juguetes).

Oct 26, 2010#92

checkeredhat

Cog said:
Pet Peeve: Spanish Movie Titles.

The ghost and the Darkness = Garras (Claws)
Resident Evil = El huesped Maldito (The cursed guest)
What lies Beneath = Revelaciones (Revelations)
Ocean's Eleven = La gran estafa (The great scam)
Ocean's Twelve = La otra gran estafa (The other great scam)
White Noise = Mensajes del más allá (Messages from beyond)
Total Recall = El vengador del futuro (The avenger from the future)
The Italian Job = La estafa maestra (The master scam)
The longest yard = Golpe bajo (Low punch)
The Green Mile = Milagros Inesperados (Unexpected miracles)

Anyone know why they do that?

Wasn't Shaun of the Dead called Zombie Party in Spain? I'm pretty sure that's the best English to Spanish movie title ever.

Oct 26, 2010#93

Bones

when a anime licenser says they wont be doing dubs anymore because they can "make more money" yep totally, considerin you are now offering the same product that the fansub groups offer for free. GOOD IDEA!

Oct 26, 2010#94

Jay

fade said:
Why can't they make a strong female character who isn't a bitch? Strong ≠ irritating, writers. Or, if you're going to make her a bitch, make her interesting and/or likable. Otherwise, it's insulting to women and hard to empathize with.

Carla Valenti was exceptionaly well written.

Too bad the ending of the game sucked.

Oct 26, 2010#95

Silver Jelly

checkeredhat;447208][QUOTE=Cog said:
Pet Peeve: Spanish Movie Titles.

The ghost and the Darkness = Garras (Claws)
Resident Evil = El huesped Maldito (The cursed guest)
What lies Beneath = Revelaciones (Revelations)
Ocean's Eleven = La gran estafa (The great scam)
Ocean's Twelve = La otra gran estafa (The other great scam)
White Noise = Mensajes del más allá (Messages from beyond)
Total Recall = El vengador del futuro (The avenger from the future)
The Italian Job = La estafa maestra (The master scam)
The longest yard = Golpe bajo (Low punch)
The Green Mile = Milagros Inesperados (Unexpected miracles)

Anyone know why they do that?

Wasn't Shaun of the Dead called Zombie Party in Spain? I'm pretty sure that's the best English to Spanish movie title ever.[/QUOTE]

That's what it says in my double Dvd pack of "Zombies Party" and "Arma Fatal"... But that's because Shawn de los muertos vivientes loses all it's pun and, for some reason, most comedy titles still HAVE to sound like fun. For a classic example, look up how Mel Brooks films are translated in spain. Most of them involve the word "locura".

Just like "Los caballeros de la mesa cuadrada y sus locos seguidores", AKA, "Monty Python and the holy grail".

Oct 26, 2010#96

Covar

Villians who get enraged when the hero fights back. Most recent example is in X-men Legacy where the villians are "trying" Rogue for murder because she killed some of their people while they were trying to exterminate all life on Earth. Issue was only redeemed because Mike Cary had Magneto call them out on their bullshit.

Oct 26, 2010#97

sixpackshaker

R2-D2's

Not the one in Star Wars, but all the imitators that followed. Just the needlessly added, cute, normally robotic, comedy relief, that will turn out not to be funny.

Bubo from Clash or the Titans.
Twiki from Buck Rogers.
7-Zark-7 from Battle of the Planets.

OK, it has bugged me for a long time. Since my examples are from the 70's-80's.

--The Tachikomas from Ghost in the Shell are close in character to this. I just think most odd tech in Anime falls into talk like a 7 year old girl.

Oct 26, 2010#98

Bones

sixpackshaker said:
--The Tachikomas from Ghost in the Shell are close in character to this. I just think most odd tech in Anime falls into talk like a 7 year old girl.

I ask politely, what should they sound like in your opinion?

Oct 26, 2010#99

IronBrig4

Infant Immortality - The kid never, EVER dies. The same thing goes for dogs. Space marines and big game hunters get killed almost without a fight but a little kid will always survive. Entire cities will be destroyed by nuclear explosions, killing many babies, but you will never actually see one die. I have found this cliche to be most prevalent in American movies for some reason. There are some exceptions, however. Good old John Carpenter.

Also, the good scientist who turns evil because of an experiment has been done so much that it's a worn cliche. As Brock Sampson once asked, "What is it with you dicks? The minute an experiment messes up you sell yourself a pair of tight pajamas and become a professional pain in my ass."

Oct 26, 2010#100

sixpackshaker

Bones;447275][QUOTE=sixpackshaker said:
--The Tachikomas from Ghost in the Shell are close in character to this. I just think most odd tech in Anime falls into talk like a 7 year old girl.

I ask politely, what should they sound like in your opinion?[/QUOTE]

It is just an irritant that Killing Machines talk like pre-pubescent girls.

Oct 26, 2010#101

Frankie Williamson

Bones;447275][QUOTE=sixpackshaker said:
--The Tachikomas from Ghost in the Shell are close in character to this. I just think most odd tech in Anime falls into talk like a 7 year old girl.

I ask politely, what should they sound like in your opinion?[/QUOTE]

Not children.

Oct 26, 2010#102

AshburnerX

Bones said:
when a anime licenser says they wont be doing dubs anymore because they can "make more money" yep totally, considerin you are now offering the same product that the fansub groups offer for free. GOOD IDEA!

Except this is explicitly the fault of the fansub groups: Most people who buy anime watch it with the Japanese voice track and subs, which is what they can get for FREE within a week of the air date of the show thanks to fansub groups. Most fans aren't willing to buy what they can get for free, unless they believe buying it will help it get broadcast (90% of anime will NEVER be broadcast in the US due to cultural mores). That means that it IS unprofitable to do a dub track unless your planning on selling the series to a network for broadcast, because most people aren't buying it for the dub and they can get the subs for free.

This is entirely a situation that anime fans have created themselves.

Oct 26, 2010#103

The Lovely Boehner

IronBrig4 said:
Infant Immortality - The kid never, EVER dies...

There are some exceptions, however. Good old John Carpenter.

Also: Uwe Boll.

Oct 26, 2010#104

Bones

AshburnerX said:
Except this is explicitly the fault of the fansub groups: Most people who buy anime watch it with the Japanese voice track and subs, which is what they can get for FREE within a week of the air date of the show thanks to fansub groups. Most fans aren't willing to buy what they can get for free, unless they believe buying it will help it get broadcast (90% of anime will NEVER be broadcast in the US due to cultural mores). That means that it IS unprofitable to do a dub track unless your planning on selling the series to a network for broadcast, because most people aren't buying it for the dub and they can get the subs for free.

that vast majority of buyers are actually buying for the dub, something not offered to them for free. the sub only crowd buyers are actually something like 10% of the market give or take. I don't have the reported stats in front of me but they are available for viewing on the internet. while piracy rates high on the reasons for sub only, there is also the issue that anime is no longer "en vogue" and dubs in general are really not profitable at all period. much like every other industry only the giants can afford to spring for the bells and whistle on their product. this is why the only real dubbing licenser left is funimation.

Oct 26, 2010#105

Covar

don't forget the fact that a large part of anime fans will just not buy shows at all, preferring to just download the fansubs licensed or not and make up whatever little excuse they need to justify it to themselves.

Oct 26, 2010#106

Bones

DAMN YOU COVAR! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH! so what do you call a anime fan that doesnt do that?

Oct 26, 2010#107

AshburnerX

Bones said:
DAMN YOU COVAR! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH! so what do you call a anime fan that doesnt do that?

A rich one?

Oct 26, 2010#108

Bones

I dont know, I am pretty middle class myself.

Oct 26, 2010#109

AshburnerX

Bones said:
I dont know, I am pretty middle class myself.

Oct 27, 2010#110

Covar

Bones said:
DAMN YOU COVAR! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH! so what do you call a anime fan that doesnt do that?

The exception

Oct 27, 2010#111

Bones

AshburnerX;447413][QUOTE=Bones said:
I dont know, I am pretty middle class myself.

How old are you? Most anime fans are ether too young for a job, too inexperienced to get more than a minimum wage one, or full/part time students in college. Not exactly the richest bunch of people... and then look at the average price for more than a few episodes on DVD.[/QUOTE]

im, 23, although i have no idea what that has to do with anything. as for cost of anime, most SERIES can now be picked up for under 50 dollars. I have been collecting since 2002, back when it was a few hundred dollars for a boxset, the cost of entertainment especially anime has dropped like a rock over the last decade. mind you before dvd's it was even worse. I know a few other collectors who have been collecting since the 80's and it sounds like we now pay a very small fraction of the price we would have payed in the late 80's early 90's. Just want you to think about the fact of how far down the cost of it has come.

Oct 27, 2010#112

SpecialKO

If it weren't for Netflix streaming, I wouldn't watch anime at all anymore.

Oct 27, 2010#113

Covar

Bones;447441][QUOTE=AshburnerX;447413][QUOTE=Bones said:
I dont know, I am pretty middle class myself.

Oct 27, 2010#114

Bones

toku? OH SNAP! yeah dawg, thats definitely an ouchy I would say.

Oct 27, 2010#115

AshburnerX

Yeah, the Toku fans have it worse than any of us. Especially considering just about every Toku series outside of Power Rangers/Super Sentai has flopped MISERABLY in the US, while Anime at least had a golden period here.

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