Unpopular Opinions

[Browncoat]

31 minutes ago, wallflower75 said:

hat and getting rid of Hayden Christiansen's Force ghost at the end.  Blech.

Oh, god, I'd forgotten about that piece of idiocy.  Blech indeed.

[Dandesun]

On 2/3/2018 at 5:14 AM, Browncoat said:

I'd love it if they re-released the real originals, and it has little to do with Greedo and Han.  All the extraneous CGI (including that atrocious scene with Han and Jabba) are what ruins the "Special" editions for me.  My UO about the originals is that I love the Ewoks and the Yub Nub song.

There are only a few things I like about the special editions. One, putting windows in Cloud City so when they're walking through the halls it does look like this ephemeral, elegant place. That's just minor aesthetic and doesn't change a damn thing about the story. Also, I did like that tracking shot of the X-Wings in A New Hope as they were headed towards the Death Star. I thought it looked cool. But there was a lot that I didn't care about at all. How about the extended song sequence at Jabba's Palace? Um... really? We're going to add more for the band because Lucas likes creatures? Whatever.

 

On 2/3/2018 at 2:31 PM, wallflower75 said:

I feel the same about the Ewoks' song.  That's why I'd be glad to have the originals re-released--well, that and getting rid of Hayden Christiansen's Force ghost at the end.  Blech.

Lego once again killed it when they did Droid Tales and we saw Lego Luke with all the Force Ghosts and he's all 'Ben! Master Yoda! Guy I've never seen before...' And Young Looking Ghost Anakin's all 'Luke, it's me, your father, Anakin!' 'Umm... you didn't look anything like that half an hour ago.'

I about died laughing.

[Blergh]

I don't know if it's an UO or Lucas couldn't care less re viewers opinions but what was Lucas thinking switching out the 'space invader' sized X-wing fighters zooming out of the Tikal pyramid for X-wing fighters each HALF THE SIZE of the pyramid? D'oh!

[Wiendish Fitch]

While I don't doubt he has talent and creativity, I really don't think George Lucas is this ingenious cinema auteur. Also, I gotta say, he seems like a sexist prick. I can't believe he thought 19-year-old Carrie Fisher needed to lose weight. She was 105 pounds, people!* Audrey Hepburn didn't weigh 105 pounds! Then there's that whole making Strange Magic as a "Star Wars for [his] daughters"... even though lots of girls like Star Wars and not all girls like cliched love stories with fairies (certainly not that one)!

 

*Carrie Fisher would later quip "To be fair, I carried about 50 of those pounds in my face."

Edited February 7, 2018 by Wiendish Fitch

[Dandesun]

Not to mention his edict that she couldn't wear a bra because there was no underwear in space.

Yeah. Dude. What the fuck.

[Spartan Girl]

27 minutes ago, Dandesun said:

Not to mention his edict that she couldn't wear a bra because there was no underwear in space.

Yeah. Dude. What the fuck.

And 20/30 years later he designed the Black Swan dominatrix dress for Padme to specifically wear when rejecting Anakin

[andromeda331]

On ‎2‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 11:18 AM, Dandesun said:

There are only a few things I like about the special editions. One, putting windows in Cloud City so when they're walking through the halls it does look like this ephemeral, elegant place. That's just minor aesthetic and doesn't change a damn thing about the story. Also, I did like that tracking shot of the X-Wings in A New Hope as they were headed towards the Death Star. I thought it looked cool. But there was a lot that I didn't care about at all. How about the extended song sequence at Jabba's Palace? Um... really? We're going to add more for the band because Lucas likes creatures? Whatever.

I liked additions like those. The windows, showing more of city and showing the different places celebrating at the end.  I don't mind Han and Jabba since it kind of ties into Han's storyline or redoing the scene with the Emperor. These scenes worked because they were mostly adding in small parts or showing the galaxy celebrating. Other parts like the song was just a waste. They weren't needed. The original trilogy was perfect the way it was.  

 

Quote

 

Lego once again killed it when they did Droid Tales and we saw Lego Luke with all the Force Ghosts and he's all 'Ben! Master Yoda! Guy I've never seen before...' And Young Looking Ghost Anakin's all 'Luke, it's me, your father, Anakin!' 'Umm... you didn't look anything like that half an hour ago.'

I about died laughing.

 

That's awesome!

[Kel Varnsen]

On 2/6/2018 at 1:18 PM, Dandesun said:

Lego once again killed it when they did Droid Tales and we saw Lego Luke with all the Force Ghosts and he's all 'Ben! Master Yoda! Guy I've never seen before...' And Young Looking Ghost Anakin's all 'Luke, it's me, your father, Anakin!' 'Umm... you didn't look anything like that half an hour ago.'

I wonder if there is some sort of middle ground they could come up with for that scene. Because the old dude they had at the end doesn't really make sense either. Sure it doesn't really make sense that he would be younger, but at the same time does it make sense that being a force ghost can give you back your legs, your arm, and hair you never actually had?

[Dandesun]

[Shannon L.]

I just saw Call Me By Your Name and I honestly think it's time for me to give up on the artsy, film festival movies.  I didn't hate it and I can see whyTimothee got a nomination, but I didn't think it was all that.  I also learned later that  Armie's character was 24.  While I don't consider  a 17 year old being with a 24 year old statutory rape, I think Armie looked so much older than 24 and I thought Timothee looked younger than 17, so that caused me to not enjoy it as much.  Also, in regards to artsy films, I knew what I'd be getting when I saw the previews:

• Beautiful scenery
• Soft focus
• Thoughtful faces
• Quiet moments
• Longing looks

Meh.  

[NutMeg]

On 2/9/2018 at 1:43 AM, Shannon L. said:

• Beautiful scenery
• Soft focus
• Thoughtful faces
• Quiet moments
• Longing looks

Hey, this could describe Sarah Moon pictures!

[slf]

I hate Legally Blonde. That she doesn't get in on merit, the bend-and-snap, the whole 'judging a ditzy rich girl, who skates through life on money and looks, to be just a dumb blonde is mean' thing, that it's considered an "empowering" movie for women. Her "arguments" relied on stereotypes and statements like "people who exercise are happy and happy people don't kill their husbands." Haaate.

Edited February 11, 2018 by slf

[HunterHunted]

I hate Love Actually. It's a series of dudes grossly lusting after women, refusing to have actual conversations with said women, and some how ending up in relationships with these women instead of being told to go away because they are creepers. Almost all of the lusted after women are bland ciphers who don't really have personalities and the only women with personalities essentially get crapped on by the men in their lives. I don't know how this became a holiday and romantic comedy favorite because it's terrible and depressingly retrograde.

[WritinMan]

On 2/7/2018 at 5:43 PM, Spartan Girl said:

And 20/30 years later he designed the Black Swan dominatrix dress for Padme to specifically wear when rejecting Anakin

I've always thought that scene was hilarious.

[Wiendish Fitch]

11 hours ago, slf said:

I hate Legally Blonde. That she doesn't get in on merit, the bend-and-snap, the whole 'judging a ditzy rich girl, who skates through life on money and looks, to be just a dumb blonde is mean' thing, that it's considered an "empowering" movie for women. Her "arguments" relied on stereotypes and statements like "people who exercise are happy and happy people don't kill their husbands." Haaate.

 

Legally Blonde is still a guilty pleasure of mine, but you make good arguments, so I won't dispute you. I will say, though, that I don't like how all the women who antagonize Elle are brunette, because that's indulging the "hair of gold, heart of gold" trope/stereotype. As a brunette, I do get weary of how "brunette" is code for "evil", or "boring", or "don't be surprised if she's dumped for a blonde". It may not happen all the time, but just often enough to annoy.

[Blergh]

Even though this was brought up in the Old Shows Better Than Remembered thread, since this is about a movie, I'm putting it here. As much as I liked The Monkees TV show and songs, with the exception of Davy Jones's music hall tribute "Daddy's Song" that phenomenally showcased his singing and dancing skills (as well as the editorial skills of the filmmakers to perfectly match footage of oppositely dressed performers performing identical moves), I LOATHE the movie Head ! Pretentious, confusing, depressing and utterly trashing to the band itself as well as the audience with virtually no humor whatsoever. Even Micky Dolenz's attempt at humor re the Coke machine in the desert fell flat in that it was SO dragged out that even the dimmest viewers worked out what was supposed to be the 'payoff' long before the execution.  Oh and even the "Porpoise Song" was a complete bummer, IMO. Sorry, but that movie epitomized some of the worst excesses of the era with none of its virtues (and I don't think it's because they were too 'deep' and the audience was too simple at the time to 'get it').

[proserpina65]

On ‎02‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 9:07 PM, HunterHunted said:

I hate Love Actually. It's a series of dudes grossly lusting after women, refusing to have actual conversations with said women, and some how ending up in relationships with these women instead of being told to go away because they are creepers. Almost all of the lusted after women are bland ciphers who don't really have personalities and the only women with personalities essentially get crapped on by the men in their lives. I don't know how this became a holiday and romantic comedy favorite because it's terrible and depressingly retrograde.

I don't agree with this characterization of the movie, but I do hate it.  Primarily because the stories mostly sickening sweet.

[Lazlo]

On 2/11/2018 at 2:07 AM, HunterHunted said:

I hate Love Actually. It's a series of dudes grossly lusting after women, refusing to have actual conversations with said women, and some how ending up in relationships with these women instead of being told to go away because they are creepers. Almost all of the lusted after women are bland ciphers who don't really have personalities and the only women with personalities essentially get crapped on by the men in their lives. I don't know how this became a holiday and romantic comedy favorite because it's terrible and depressingly retrograde.

I can get hating the film but that... just doesn't seem to describe it well. Of the ten different storylines maybe three fit that pattern and with all of them you have to squint - the Keira Knightley/Andrew Lincoln one (which to be fair does fit that, except he doesn't end up with her), Kris Marshall and the American girls (which is clearly an over the top parody) and Liam Neeson teaches his grieving pre-teen son to talk to a girl he likes.

The other storylines are either mutual instant attraction (Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon or Colin Firth and Sienna Guillory), a three way marriage crisis storyline (Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman), a woman lusting after a man (Laura Linney) or completely platonic (Bill Nighy and his manager.)

[HunterHunted]

19 hours ago, Lazlo said:

I can get hating the film but that... just doesn't seem to describe it well. Of the ten different storylines maybe three fit that pattern and with all of them you have to squint - the Keira Knightley/Andrew Lincoln one (which to be fair does fit that, except he doesn't end up with her), Kris Marshall and the American girls (which is clearly an over the top parody) and Liam Neeson teaches his grieving pre-teen son to talk to a girl he likes.

The other storylines are either mutual instant attraction (Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon or Colin Firth and Sienna Guillory), a three way marriage crisis storyline (Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman), a woman lusting after a man (Laura Linney) or completely platonic (Bill Nighy and his manager.)

That's your opinion and you're entitled to it. I think the Hugh Grant one fits the pattern I've described too. He has some superficial conversations with the woman on his staff. He flips after the American president hits on/harasses her. He then reassigns her because he's so into her that he can't do his job when she's there, which WTF how completely unprofessional. Later he realizes that his feelings are serious and searches her out based on the barest info (because he doesn't really know anything about her). Colin Firth and his housekeeper might be attracted to each other, but he literally never has a conversation with her because she speaks Portuguese and he does not. And at no point does he really try to find an English to Portuguese translation book, course, or CD while in France and in close proximity to his housekeeper. He waits until he gets back to England to make any affirmative steps to wooing her by trying to learn Portuguese. He then goes back to France to declare his love to a woman he's never had a conversation with.

While Emma Thompson and Laura Linney fit with what I've described as the women with personalities who are crapped on. Thompson has a cheating husband. Linney has a needy mentally brother who thwarts her hookup with her co-worker. Said guy never gives her the time of day after the failed hookup.

Edited February 15, 2018 by HunterHunted

[methodwriter85]

I feel like I'm the only 1994 Little Women fan that DOESN'T want Teddy and Jo together. Christian Bale was dreamy, but Teddy was so clearly wrong for Jo. I loved that Bhaer brought out Jo's better qualities and challenged her to be better, and I absolutely loved Jo's proposal to him at the end of the movie.

[Dandesun]

14 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I feel like I'm the only 1994 Little Women fan that DOESN'T want Teddy and Jo together. Christian Bale was dreamy, but Teddy was so clearly wrong for Jo. I loved that Bhaer brought out Jo's better qualities and challenged her to be better, and I absolutely loved Jo's proposal to him at the end of the movie.

Also, you know, Gabriel Byrne. 

[ribboninthesky1]

I never read the books, and somehow managed to largely avoid the films.  I've caught bits and pieces of the 3rd one on TV over the years.  However, due to a free trial, I recently watched the Harry Potter film series on HBO.  And...the special effects are great.  But little about the series resonated with me.  I found it pretty repetitive: Harry being fawned over by everyone outside his uncle's family, the trio getting caught up in one thing or another, Harry being in danger and having to defeat it alone. Most of the emotional beats didn't hit me in the feels.  There were series plot points that were presumably from the book but didn't make much sense in the films.

By the time I got to the Deathly Hallows (which should have been one film), I was just ready for it to END.  Dear God, eight films, damn near 20 hours long in total.  Ron was annoying and mostly useless after the first film, I often questioned why he and Harry were friends, and I was utterly confused why Hermione liked him.  Hermione was the most skilled of the trio, and at various times I wondered why she wasn't the special one.  For me, all of the "chosen one," special snowflake stuff would have been buttressed by actual study and competence that Hermione exhibited. I liked Harry well enough, but the films weren't that persuasive in my view. Heck, even he admitted that a lot of it was luck.    

All in all, I found the films largely forgettable.  I don't feel I missed much by not watching at the height of popularity.           

Edited February 21, 2018 by ribboninthesky1

[Ambrosefolly]

@ribboninthesky1, Part of the reason that Harry was friends with Ron was because he really liked his large, warm family (that paid better attention to Harry than their youngest son, Ron). While Hermione was always the best student in the book, they totally Mary Sued her in movies and removed the few  flaws she had in the books and gave all of Ron's good lines to her, stuff showed him to be the most knowledgable of the wizarding culture because he grew up in it, unlike Harry & Hermione. 

Edited February 22, 2018 by Ambrosefolly

[cpcathy]

On ‎2‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 8:29 PM, methodwriter85 said:

I feel like I'm the only 1994 Little Women fan that DOESN'T want Teddy and Jo together. Christian Bale was dreamy, but Teddy was so clearly wrong for Jo. I loved that Bhaer brought out Jo's better qualities and challenged her to be better, and I absolutely loved Jo's proposal to him at the end of the movie.

I HATE all version of Jo. She's awful. I will always root for Teddy and Amy, especially if Amy is played by blonde Elizabeth Taylor. Who would not choose her over June Allyson?

[HunterHunted]

Honestly, @ribboninthesky1 you'll find that some of your opinions aren't that unpopular. You should venture over to the Harry Potter movie thread.

Edited February 22, 2018 by HunterHunted

[Wiendish Fitch]

1 hour ago, cpcathy said:

I HATE all version of Jo. She's awful. I will always root for Teddy and Amy, especially if Amy is played by blonde Elizabeth Taylor. Who would not choose her over June Allyson?

Don't you all mean Laurie?

Also, I thought Elizabeth Taylor looked like wet garbage as a blonde; her natural raven tresses suited her much better, IMO.

[slf]

4 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

Don't you all mean Laurie?

I think Teddy was a nickname for him just like Laurie was; his full name was Theodore Laurence.

Over the past 25-30 it's largely been maintained that western European movies were It, the very best the world has to offer. I couldn't disagree more. I think East Asia has had the best run. The most original and creative horror movies, action movies, some of the most lavish period pieces I've ever seen, some of the most sensual dramas and romances, and their scifi is top-notch. In my opinion, East Asian cinema is overall far more diverse than what western Europe has offered.

[Spartan Girl]

While I know Disney had no business putting its family friendly spin on Victor Hugo, I do have a soft spot for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. As a lonely kid that felt ugly and different, it really struck a cord with me.

[Constant Viewer]

6 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

While I know Disney had no business putting its family friendly spin on Victor Hugo, I do have a soft spot for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. As a lonely kid that felt ugly and different, it really struck a cord with me.

I like some of the music and the animation is gorgeous. Those damn gargoyles though.

[Blergh]

On 2/15/2018 at 10:29 PM, methodwriter85 said:

I feel like I'm the only 1994 Little Women fan that DOESN'T want Teddy and Jo together. Christian Bale was dreamy, but Teddy was so clearly wrong for Jo. I loved that Bhaer brought out Jo's better qualities and challenged her to be better, and I absolutely loved Jo's proposal to him at the end of the movie.

While I actually agree that Bauer was better for Jo than Laurie, my UO re Little Women is that I'd like to see a movie that stayed with Miss Alcott's original vision of having Jo staying single! When the book was first being written, it was in serial form via a literary magazine and when Jo turned down Laurie's proposal stating that her goal was to be a self-supporting single woman her entire life, the outcry from readers got the publishers to demand  Jo not do that. 

[theredhead77]

I have several UOs:

Jurassic World - I don't care that Claire was running around in heels nor do I think Owen was there to save the damsel in distress. They both brought strengths and Claire is the one who brought out Rexie to save the day.

Transformers - I didn't watch the cartoon for storylines and I'm certainly not watching the movies for storylines. 

[Spartan Girl]

I can't get behind Phantom Thread or The Shape of Water. They're being lauded as these big romantic films, but I don't see it.

The couple in Phantom Thread is so fucked up they make the Gone Girl pair look like a boring married couple. I mean,

she POISONS him, and he's okay with it because him being weak brings them closer together?! What the actual blue dilly 

FUCK?!

. I don't care how how pretty the costumes are compared to that.

As for Shape of Water, I like a good beauty and the beast story as much as any, but not this. It's not the fact that he's a fish mutant that bothers me, it's the fact that he

kills and eats her friend's cats! And don't say "they were just cats" because any pet lover knows that's bull. How would you feel if your friend talked you into hiding something that kills your cat or dog?! I get that he still helped her because she was his friend and all, but I don't think I'd be so forgiving.

[magicdog]

Quote

I'd love it if they re-released the real originals [Star Wars Trilogy]

There would be a line around the block 3 times for every showing if they did!  I'd run back to see an unadulterated version of the first film for sure!!

 

On 2/12/2018 at 6:56 AM, Blergh said:

As much as I liked The Monkees TV show and songs, with the exception of Davy Jones's music hall tribute "Daddy's Song" that phenomenally showcased his singing and dancing skills (as well as the editorial skills of the filmmakers to perfectly match footage of oppositely dressed performers performing identical moves), I LOATHE the movie Head ! Pretentious, confusing, depressing and utterly trashing to the band itself as well as the audience with virtually no humor whatsoever. Even Micky Dolenz's attempt at humor re the Coke machine in the desert fell flat in that it was SO dragged out that even the dimmest viewers worked out what was supposed to be the 'payoff' long before the execution.  Oh and even the "Porpoise Song" was a complete bummer, IMO. Sorry, but that movie epitomized some of the worst excesses of the era with none of its virtues (and I don't think it's because they were too 'deep' and the audience was too simple at the time to 'get it').

I'm with you on this one!  Before the film was available legally, I had a bootleg on VHS.  I couldn't wait to see this much praised film (I think it wasn't until the early 70s when critics started praising it as an example of 60s rebellion).  I was left feeling stunned and confused.  I even found the guys unlikable for the most part! 

IMO, I think the Monkees were sabotaged (sabotooged?) by Raybert.  If the band had a successful film, then that meant they'd be saddled with them for either another season of the show or 2 or three more films and they wanted to get out and join their peers in the world of "New Hollywood".  That meant making a film that would alienate fans and non fans alike.  

[Blergh]

On 2/24/2018 at 12:33 AM, Constant Viewer said:

I like some of the music and the animation is gorgeous. Those damn gargoyles though.

One of the animated Hunchback of Notre Dame's gargoyles was voiced by the  late marvelous performer Mary Wickes in her very last role at 85 so I had a soft spot for the movie despite the fact that it somewhat bowlderized Mr. Hugo's intentions.

[UYI]

On 2/11/2018 at 7:51 AM, Wiendish Fitch said:

 

Legally Blonde is still a guilty pleasure of mine, but you make good arguments, so I won't dispute you. I will say, though, that I don't like how all the women who antagonize Elle are brunette, because that's indulging the "hair of gold, heart of gold" trope/stereotype. As a brunette, I do get weary of how "brunette" is code for "evil", or "boring", or "don't be surprised if she's dumped for a blonde". It may not happen all the time, but just often enough to annoy.

As a blonde woman, I actually really appreciate this movie, while also admitting that it has its flaws. I sometimes worry that people automatically see me as dumb or stupid, or generic. Believe me when I say this: There ARE blonde women out there who sometimes wish we could be brunette or red-headed, because we worry that everyone sees us as less worthy because so many people see us as bimbos (and as someone who has big boobs/a short stature, there's an added layer of feeling like I suffer from what I call "wrong type of blonde syndrome", because I don't look like Taylor Swift--blonde with a thin frame, small boobs and long legs--or Margot Robbie--tall and thin with more cleavage). And I'm not going to lie: The idea that everyone sees blonde women as interchangeable hurts, especially as I just turned 29 but I'm still single. Hasn't done much for me. :(

At the same time, though, I know that I shouldn't have to apologize for my hair color, or dye my hair (nor would I--I wouldn't feel like myself if I weren't blonde), and that many of you like me anyway and think I'm smart, and will continue to, even if you know I'm blonde now (BTW: I HIGHLIGHT my hair, I DON'T bleach it--there IS a difference. And frankly, I have to--my natural color is pretty dull unless I highlight it; 'tis a curse of growing older as a natural blonde.).

Anyway, sorry. I am grateful, though, because now I can share what is a pretty big UO:

I DESPISE Harry Potter. I tried reading the book a long time ago, but never finished it, and once my sister started on them/the movies and became obsessed with them--combined that this was the heyday of HP's popularity--I wanted NOTHING to do with them, anyway. I was THRILLED when the series FINALLY reached its end (and distressed when these revivals started).

It feels good to get that out, even if I'm about to get shanked for it. 

[Wiendish Fitch]

4 hours ago, UYI said:

As a blonde woman, I actually really appreciate this movie, while also admitting that it has its flaws. I sometimes worry that people automatically see me as dumb or stupid, or generic. Believe me when I say this: There ARE blonde women out there who sometimes wish we could be brunette or red-headed, because we worry that everyone sees us as less worthy because so many people see us as bimbos (and as someone who has big boobs/a short stature, there's an added layer of feeling like I suffer from what I call "wrong type of blonde syndrome", because I don't look like Taylor Swift--blonde with a thin frame, small boobs and long legs--or Margot Robbie--tall and thin with more cleavage). And I'm not going to lie: The idea that everyone sees blonde women as interchangeable hurts, especially as I just turned 29 but I'm still single. Hasn't done much for me. :(

At the same time, though, I know that I shouldn't have to apologize for my hair color, or dye my hair (nor would I--I wouldn't feel like myself if I weren't blonde), and that many of you like me anyway and think I'm smart, and will continue to, even if you know I'm blonde now (BTW: I HIGHLIGHT my hair, I DON'T bleach it--there IS a difference. And frankly, I have to--my natural color is pretty dull unless I highlight it; 'tis a curse of growing older as a natural blonde.).

 

I'm sorry you have to deal with that, and I hope I didn't give the impression that I hate blondes or that they deserve to be discriminated against; I just don't like how dark hair is seen as unattractive ("too severe!" is the one I hear the most often) or is often used as a negative color code in fiction. I still bristle at that "I had a nightmare I was a brunette" shirt that was popular at Abercrombie and Fitch way back when. No one should have to apologize for their hair color... ever. 

Always remember, everyone: positive and negative stereotypes can be equally damaging.

[UYI]

1 hour ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

I'm sorry you have to deal with that, and I hope I didn't give the impression that I hate blondes or that they deserve to be discriminated against; I just don't like how dark hair is seen as unattractive ("too severe!" is the one I hear the most often) or is often used as a negative color code in fiction. I still bristle at that "I had a nightmare I was a brunette" shirt that was popular at Abercrombie and Fitch way back when. No one should have to apologize for their hair color... ever. 

Always remember, everyone: positive and negative stereotypes can be equally damaging.

Thanks. Most of it is probably in my head; I know better than to take this too seriously, especially given how many people face worse stereotypes/discrimination than I will ever know. At the same time, though, my #NotAllBlondeWomen feelings sometimes come to the forefront and overwhelm me. 

The idea of hiding my blonde hair and blue eyes with dark hair and brown colored contacts to appear "smarter" sometimes sounds like an interesting idea, but not enough where I would ever actually do it. My blonde hair and blue eyes, at the end of the day, make me who I am. :)

To stay on topic, here's a UO:

I think it is possible to have a hair color that looks better on you than the one you are born with, and I can think of two actresses right now who are prime examples: Amy Adams (natural blonde, dyes her hair red), and Sarah Michelle Gellar (natural brunette, dyes her hair blonde). 

[slf]

9 minutes ago, UYI said:

I think it is possible to have a hair color that looks better on you than the one you are born with, and I can think of two actresses right now who are prime examples: Amy Adams (natural blonde, dyes her hair red), and Sarah Michelle Gellar (natural brunette, dyes her hair blonde). 

That's certainly true. Emma Stone is naturally a blonde and so is Sophie Turner but I think they both look much better as redheads. Ditto Kate Winslet and Christina Hendricks. It just warms them up. Katie McGrath (Merlin, Supergirl, Dracula, etc.) is naturally a blonde too but looks much better with dark brown hair, it just suits her dramatic bone structure much better.

[Wiendish Fitch]

2 hours ago, slf said:

That's certainly true. Emma Stone is naturally a blonde and so is Sophie Turner but I think they both look much better as redheads. Ditto Kate Winslet and Christina Hendricks. It just warms them up. Katie McGrath (Merlin, Supergirl, Dracula, etc.) is naturally a blonde too but looks much better with dark brown hair, it just suits her dramatic bone structure much better.

Agreed, I will always fondly remember Kate Winslet's ginger days. Also, Mandy Moore is such a good brunette, even those old enough to remember her ingenue pop star days forget she's a natural blonde. 

Blonde hair is lovely, make no mistake, but not everyone can pull it off; in fact, I mentioned in a previous post how dreadful I thought Elizabeth Taylor looked as blonde Amy in Little Women.  I can also think of plenty of contemporary actresses who just can't carry off flaxen tresses (I'm especially looking at you, Allison Williams). 

Edited March 5, 2018 by Wiendish Fitch

[IWantCandy71]

I read Little Women when I was really young, and I didn't understand why Jo rejected Laurie. Yes, I do think as an adult, that they were too much alike and they both need someone the opposite of themselves for balance, in order to be their best. Jo and Laurie  would have been a very passionate romance that would have burned bright and likely ended in tragedy, but that's okay. Jo as a widow raising a few kids, never marrying again because she'd already had one great love and she knew it wouldn't be fair to remarry because no other man would ever measure up, is how I saw her when I read it. It's how I still see her, honestly. She's fiery and passionate about everything, and would never have settled for a "warm, secure" type love she'd get with Warner. I see Amy as a spoiled rotten child who needed a spanking even as a young adult-not someone who needed a husband who would cater to her every whim and make her a spoiled grown up. That's exactly what Laurie/Teddy would do, too. Give her everything and anything she wanted. She is kind of a "Scarlett O'Hara" type character, and she needed a Rhett Butler type. Someone who would carry her if she sprained her ankle, but would also promptly drop her in the mud if she acted ungrateful.  I think the reason I didn't care for the Jo/Bhaer pairing is that it was obvious to me even as a kid, that it felt out of nowhere and forced. Probably because as it was learned later, LMA  was forced into writing it.

 

As far as Shape of Water, Sally Hawkins is awesome and even though I'm never going to watch that movie, she totally deserved the best actress nom. If anyone here has ever watched Maudie or  A Brilliant Young Mind, then maybe you know what I mean. She's far better of a performer  than many American actresses who get far better roles and yet cannot evoke the heart and emotion SH can do in one single scene.

Edited March 5, 2018 by IWantCandy71

[JessePinkman]

I saw Red Sparrow last week.

I do not get Jennifer Lawrence. She's beautiful and carries herself well onscreen but she cannot emote for the life of her. She's great at crying and screaming in pain but literally nothing else. In the movie someone told her "You look nervous" and I was like HER EXPRESSION DID NOT CHANGE. 

[Athena]

4 hours ago, JessePinkman said:

I saw Red Sparrow last week.

I do not get Jennifer Lawrence. She's beautiful and carries herself well onscreen but she cannot emote for the life of her. She's great at crying and screaming in pain but literally nothing else. In the movie someone told her "You look nervous" and I was like HER EXPRESSION DID NOT CHANGE. 

Lawrence is good at the angst or what I call her raw acting. I saw her breakout role in Winter's Bone and she was great because the character had this unvarnished and human appeal. A lot of Lawrence's popularity ties back to that as well. She's basically seen as an actress many people want to be friends with. She's naturally funny and entertaining (see all her talk show interviews) and she is good looking but not in an otherworldly, unrelatable way. However, I think she has limited acting range because she doesn't really emote well or can do subtle acting. She's also had a few flops in choosing roles when she could conceivably have the pick of them. 

[Danny Franks]

5 hours ago, JessePinkman said:

I saw Red Sparrow last week.

I do not get Jennifer Lawrence. She's beautiful and carries herself well onscreen but she cannot emote for the life of her. She's great at crying and screaming in pain but literally nothing else. In the movie someone told her "You look nervous" and I was like HER EXPRESSION DID NOT CHANGE. 

Exactly how I've felt about her in everything I've seen her in. She is so flat, I cannot fathom why so many people are adamant she's a great actress. She seems nice enough, but I've been tired of her 'look at me, I'm so down-to-earth and zany. I drink and fall over and say all sorts of dumb things, hyuck hyuck' act for about five years. I don't care. I don't want to celebrate the idea that she's stupid (which may well be a total act, but that actually makes it worse).

She just strikes me as an actor that people in power have just decided to make, no matter what. She's certainly not the only actor who fits that description, but she's foremost amongst them.

Edited March 5, 2018 by Danny Franks

[UYI]

3 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

I don't want to celebrate the idea that she's stupid (which may well be a total act, but that actually makes it worse).

 

Her recent admission on 60 Minutes that she didn't even finish middle school (and that she doesn't even have a GED) explains SO much (and I'm someone who can take or leave her, depending on the day). 

[JessePinkman]

6 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

Exactly how I've felt about her in everything I've seen her in. She is so flat, I cannot fathom why so many people are adamant she's a great actress. She seems nice enough, but I've been tired of her 'look at me, I'm so down-to-earth and zany. I drink and fall over and say all sorts of dumb things, hyuck hyuck' act for about five years. I don't care. I don't want to celebrate the idea that she's stupid (which may well be a total act, but that actually makes it worse).

She just strikes me as an actor that people in power have just decided to make, no matter what. She's certainly not the only actor who fits that description, but she's foremost amongst them.

 

Her whole come up reminds me so much of the old school studio system. I'm sure she was good in Winter's Bone but was she that good? Good enough to be totally miscast in THG and X-Men movies? Good enough to star in nothing but Jennifer Lawrence Vehicles outside of those franchises? I really doubt it.

Speaking of undeserving fame, Armie Hammer really overestimated his star wattage last night by getting up with actual famous people like Gal Gadot and Lupita N'yongo and surprising that audience at the Oscars.

Edited March 6, 2018 by JessePinkman

[methodwriter85]

1 hour ago, JessePinkman said:

Speaking of undeserving fame, Armie Hammer really overestimated his star wattage last night by getting up with actual famous people like Gal Gadot and Lupita N'yongo and surprising that audience at the Oscars.

I think he went because of Ansel Elgort. I got the vibe that he, Ansel, and Timothee were kind of hanging out that night.

[Chas411]

Don't you have to be invited to big events like that? Despite who you're hanging out with?

[JustaPerson]

1 hour ago, Chas411 said:

Don't you have to be invited to big events like that? Despite who you're hanging out with?

I think @methodwriter85 was referring to when Jimmy Kimmel took a group of stars to surprise some people at a theater across the street. Armie Hammer def would have gotten an invite to the Oscars, given that he was in one of the films nominated for Best Picture. 

[Chas411]

Ohhh ok I stand corrected

[Athena]

12 hours ago, JessePinkman said:

Her whole come up reminds me so much of the old school studio system. I'm sure she was good in Winter's Bone but was she that good? Good enough to be totally miscast in THG and X-Men movies? Good enough to star in nothing but Jennifer Lawrence Vehicles outside of those franchises? I really doubt it.

Her Winter's Bone character is almost the same as Katniss in THG one so it worked for a time, but she lacked emotional depth there in the long run. X-Men has issues not only with her casting and TPTB keep making her character more important than necessary. Admittedly, I haven't watched a lot of her movies in the last couple of years because they sound boring, smug, or pretentious. I'm someone who watches pretentious movies, but her movies sound the worse kind of it. Even her attempts at being indie or art house (Mother) have received mixed or negative reviews. If you compare her career to her close friend Emma Stone, Stone has had flops, but there's a lot more versatility and openness to try different things. I do agree that Lawrence's roles and choice in them do feel manufactured. It's not that she lacks screen presence, but she doesn't have the range to really eclipse her bad roles.