One Minute Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the "feel bad movie of the season." But is it a bad movie? Or are the bad parts bad enough to make you stay away? Watch the OMR to find out.
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comments:
Anonymous
said...
I have a question: Why do you subject yourself to horribly disturbing films like _Black Swan_ and _Dragon Tattoo_ in the first place? I understand that you like to keep people informed, but I can easily look up a content guide and see for myself that films like these aren't worth watching. And it seems like you come out the worse for it, with this disturbing imagery now permanently stored on your mental hard-drive... so why do it?
I don't normally respond to anonymous comments, but I'll do it this time. Don't make me regret it.
I don't read reviews of any kind before I see a film. I see it based on the trailer, and based on whether there is enough buzz about it that people will want to see it. My hobby is film review, so I try to see movies that others will probably want to see. And I don't see anything that looks stupid. Neither of the films you mentioned qualify as stupid.
I find content guides reductionistic. They don't tell you anything. Context is critical to any act.
For instance, if I followed one of those guides I wouldn't see (as an example) "A History of Violence" which has two sex scenes as well as plenty of violence. But those actions serve the story in ways that are necessary, not only to the narrative but to the wider commentary on culture that the film is making.
I don't believe in the "permanent mental hard drive argument," for many reasons. Certainly that is pseudo-science, but worse it is fear-based. I am not afraid of any art. Jesus said that it is not that which goes into me which defiles me, it is what comes out of me. "Garbage in, garbage out" is bogus. It is what youth leaders say to scare teenagers from engaging with the world.
Beyond that, believe me when I say to you that the most disturbing things that I have ever encountered have nothing to do with film, they are all real life events.
I went into the film hoping that it would treat the sexual violence, and the other sexuality, with some degree of respect. Instead it went the porn route. That is my opinion. I was not drawn in, but rather repulsed.
Thanks for the question, I hope we can leave it with my answer.
4 comments:
I have a question: Why do you subject yourself to horribly disturbing films like _Black Swan_ and _Dragon Tattoo_ in the first place? I understand that you like to keep people informed, but I can easily look up a content guide and see for myself that films like these aren't worth watching. And it seems like you come out the worse for it, with this disturbing imagery now permanently stored on your mental hard-drive... so why do it?
I don't normally respond to anonymous comments, but I'll do it this time. Don't make me regret it.
I don't read reviews of any kind before I see a film. I see it based on the trailer, and based on whether there is enough buzz about it that people will want to see it. My hobby is film review, so I try to see movies that others will probably want to see. And I don't see anything that looks stupid. Neither of the films you mentioned qualify as stupid.
I find content guides reductionistic. They don't tell you anything. Context is critical to any act.
For instance, if I followed one of those guides I wouldn't see (as an example) "A History of Violence" which has two sex scenes as well as plenty of violence. But those actions serve the story in ways that are necessary, not only to the narrative but to the wider commentary on culture that the film is making.
I don't believe in the "permanent mental hard drive argument," for many reasons. Certainly that is pseudo-science, but worse it is fear-based. I am not afraid of any art. Jesus said that it is not that which goes into me which defiles me, it is what comes out of me. "Garbage in, garbage out" is bogus. It is what youth leaders say to scare teenagers from engaging with the world.
Beyond that, believe me when I say to you that the most disturbing things that I have ever encountered have nothing to do with film, they are all real life events.
I went into the film hoping that it would treat the sexual violence, and the other sexuality, with some degree of respect. Instead it went the porn route. That is my opinion. I was not drawn in, but rather repulsed.
Thanks for the question, I hope we can leave it with my answer.
Thanks. Your answer certainly tells me a lot.
Incidentally, this piece by Michael W. Smith might be of interest to you. He tends to agree with me:
http://gospelmusicchannel.edgesuite.net/assets/files/chapter3_mws.pdf
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