The Big Picture: You Are Wrong About Sucker Punch, Part Two

[Wolcik]

Great deep analyse - I cought most of it at first viewing, and since I didn't watch it the second time I didn't get as much out of it though. Honestly after watching Sucker Punch I wanted to watch it again, but skip all the dream dancing sequences since they didn't bring anything to the story, and were the part that people attack for being exploting woman while some argued that self awerenes cleanes the quilt.
It's a porblem of "having your cake and eating it too", which isn't illogical, but stupid. The subject that was critiqed was shown with just a commentary and a whole movie when just a bit at the end serves the message is eating too much of that god damn cake. If it was racism, not sexism that was shown than people wouldn't sit through the whole movie to get the message.

Anyway, I love all of your showns, MovieBob, keep it up

 

[Joriss]

I didn't really care much for the first stuff as it seemed that bob was just looking way too far into the movie, finding ways to defend it. The second part now however seems to make more sense (kinda), the only main problem is that despite it's intentions, the message didn't came through to many viewers. The movie is just too much of a mess to the simple man to handle. A sucker punch yeah, but one where people act on like "hey! why did you do that?!" then "Oooh, damn that hurt my face! This punch will be with me for the rest of my days..."
Anyways, nice try from bob but I don't know if it made a lot of people think differently about the movie in a more positive view. It didn't for me anyway...

 

[Daria.Morgendorffer]

As much as I disagree with Bob a lot of the time, stuff like this is the reason I'm still watching his stuff.

For one thing, I didn't find this movie particularly deep, or feminist, but I did like the fact that the movie diverts from doing something "sexy" exploitative to "battle scene" exploitative.

To say nothing of the fact that my interpretation was Baby Doll was Sweet Pea's Tyler Durden. (Both have sisters they tried to protect, both were sane but put in the asylum because of said sister, but like in Fight Club, in the end, the "imaginary" Tyler had to go, and they both invented the character to be the person that they felt they needed to be in order to get things done.)

In that regard, to me, the movie was inventive. Sloppy, but inventive.

So, as a chick, I liked the movie. Just don't go calling it feminist at me. But even if it does have "chicks in sexy outfits", it doesn't have to make some sort of feminist statement.

 

[templar1138a]

I haven't watched these two episodes.

I never saw Sucker Punch. I wasn't at all interested when it came out. When you posted the episode last week, I didn't remember what it was. You know why? That movie came out two years ago.

Seriously, Bob, why are you addressing other people's views on your opinion of it now? I would guess that the people who would still hold that against you are butt-hurts who are looking for any excuse to rail against you and aren't worth your time.

I hope next week you do one of those rare episodes where you cover something of relevance.

Off-topic: These ad-quiz captchas need to die. Whichever product removes "3x more soap scum" can kiss my ass.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

If I'm in a certain mood I really did this kind of deep analysis of movies. Hunting for metaphors and hidden meanings can be fun. Its hard to know where to stop though. For example its probably safe to assume the curtain call thing at the beginning was put there for a reason. On the other hand, last week MovieBob included the advertising for the film as part of the film's message, and I'm not sure that moviemakers always artistic direction over their posters and trailers.

Marketing, more often then not, is handled outside of the studio and are, again more often then not, detached from the intended meaning of the film. But in the end, the film was targeting the people who would generally see "that" type of film, so its possible no shits were given about the formulaic presentation of the adverts.

That said... the typical movie goer who picks his films based on how flashy the poster is, would likely not see the subliminal side to a film.

(More on topic): I guess its also why it was criticised so harshly. Anyone who went to see the movie expected some brainless action/porn, and due to the somewhat failed delivery, left feeling that it was exactly that but with a bad aftertaste (the part of their brain that sort of knew something was off). Unfortunately, very few people, even critics, step back and survey the entire piece before writing it off, since when you see one brainless action movie, you've practically seen them all.

Thematically, bobs view of the film fits and it makes sense. I find it surprising that so few people "got" this film. Even I misjudged it (though I still won't rave about it even with this new perspective). I think this a result of indulging in so much garbage in recent rears it has actually stupefied me.

4 years of film studies (partly, wasn't the focus of my course) and I can't even read into a film that was so strongly themed. I feel bad now.

 

[shadowmagus]

Or it really did just suck and this is Bob's way of justifying it.

Not saying that is the case mind you, just throwing the possibility out there.

 

[Sutter Cane]

You Are Wrong About Sucker Punch, Part Two

Spoilers abound in this week's finale to Bob's retrospective on Sucker Punch.

Watch Video

The two most misunderstood satires in quasi-mainstream movies in a long time: this one, and Moulin Rouge.

Moulin Rouge satirizes the whole "love conquers all" motif behind so many garbage movies and songs... and far too many people missed that point, hailing the movie as being oh-so-romantic-I-love-the-music! Basically, the movie makes fun of the very people who like it, and they still like it.

Suckerpunch had the opposite problem -- the people the movie makes fun of don't like it for exactly the reason it was making fun of in the first place.

I'm glad to hear someone else come down in favor of this movie, and for the right reasons. Aaaand I guess if most people were self-aware enough to understand satirical content aimed at them, there wouldn't be much need for the satire in the first place, huh?

(Yeah, I'm in a bit of a mood today. Apologies.)

I was under the impression that Moulin Rouge was supposed to be a loving pastiche of the big bollywood musicals, and that while the shallowness s completely intentional on that film's part, its meant to celebrate those kinds of films rather than ridicule them.

 

[Inkidu]

Anyone else notice that the mindless action panderfest movies Bob hates just suck, and the ones he like are actually extensive deconstructions of said mindless etc etc?

Case in point, Transformers and Sucker Punch respectively.

Seriously, I have not doubt that there is some of that in the movie, I have no doubt it's calling certain elements of nerdom out, but honestly, I think most nerds are really just like normal people. They just like at least two esoteric things. Besides, if you don't stick the landing with the satire you have failed, Bob, you have failed.

They don't hand out gold medals to gymnasts who botch their landings. :\

 

[Lovesfool]

You know what? I am actually 100% with you on this one, MovieBob.

I remember going to the cinema expecting this movie to be more like a glorified Music Video Clip, expecting to see visually pleasing imagery and not much of a story.

I also remember leaving the cinema feeling a bit perplexed and overwhelmed with the actual story and it's metaphors within metaphors within metaphors.

I really liked the movie, but it was straining to try and follow everything that was happening.

It's not perfect. Not by a long shot. But it's not shallow, either. If anything, the problem is that the narrative goal it sets for itself is too much and it didn't manage to handle it properly.

Kinda like "the Cell", in my view, which was also marketed as a glorified Music Video Clip and was also a bit too ambitious and too convoluted for the audience to follow.

 

[Guffe]

I just watched the movie due to the cool action scenes and girls in short skirts...
Well not really but I seldom try to find any hidden layers in movies.
It's cool to listen to people telling theroies thou.

 

[Ramzal]

You Are Wrong About Sucker Punch, Part Two

Spoilers abound in this week's finale to Bob's retrospective on Sucker Punch.

Watch Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkWH8DB7b0

No, seriously. This is a frantic attempt to validate your poor, poor choice in a movie like.

 

[GameChanger]

I have to agree with Bob. if this film was supposed to deliver a message of some sort, then why did "nobody" get it? It was just poor delivery.

That is EXACTLY what Bob said in part one... -__-'

 

[Moeez]

"The Castle Siege segment which features the possibly deliberate symbolism of Babydoll having to kill a newborn dragon and its mother with her sword. In other words, destroying traditional feminine gender roles of child nurturing and motherhood itself by rendering herself symbolically masculine via her cartoonishly phallic katana sword."

Oh boy, how can I describe my feelings behind this hilariously pretentious interpretation to a movie that doesn't deserve that credit?

You Are Wrong About Sucker Punch, Part Two

Spoilers abound in this week's finale to Bob's retrospective on Sucker Punch.

Watch Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkWH8DB7b0

No, seriously. This is a frantic attempt to validate your poor, poor choice in a movie like.

Yeah, that video will do!

A satire of bad films while being a bad film is what you're saying Moviebob, then how are we wrong about the movie? We all think it's a bad film, not everyone hates the movie because it's sexist or whatever negative connotation but that it's just an awful, boring film with boring action setpieces, cringe-worthy dialogue, and cardboard characters. There are plenty of movies that are good that are considered "sexist" or "misogynist" and dealing with difficult subject matter, like take any film of Lars von Trier.

Another satire of bad films that is great along with Starship Troopers is Adaptation. You know why that movie isn't bad? Because it still has all the technical stuff right like great acting (double the Nick Cage!), narrative, cinematography, and character development. You don't skimp out on those details.

 

[impocalyptic]

I agree, Bob, and I'm honestly surprised that so many people don't. I thought this was all rather obvious.

Sarkeesian denounced this as misogyny dressed up as female empowerment. I thought she just didn't get it then and, thanks to Bob, I now have a good reason for believing so. Someone send these vids to her!

I have a better idea! Watch this: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/6264-Anita-Sarkeesian-The-Monster-Gamers-Created

Seen it. And I mentioned her because she blew up over this film as opposed to when she was talking about recurring tropes in games where she was quite calm.

 

[HBaskerville]

Another week wasted on this crappy movie.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Fair message, but too vague for most audience members.
I still don't want to see the film, if only because the kinect direction style annoys me (from the clips I have seen), and now I know that it's meant to be wagging its finger at me and condemning me for the crime of watching it.