picking apart movies

[Jill Hives]

I was thinking of this earlier when I posted in a different thread regarding this subject and just thought I would ask formally...how many of you find yourself picking apart movies as you watch them? When do you most often tend to do it?

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. It depends on the movie and the scene.

For instance, I notice that in a lot of movies when someone is at a bar ordering a drink (and they happen to be going for a beer) they usually just say "get me a beer".

Alright. A beer. Not that there aren't hundreds of different kinds of beers or anything. A lager? A stout? An IPA? And the waiter just scurries off as if they are telepathic and know exactly what kind of beer said character wants! Magical!

 

[DoveAlexa]

I start doing this the moment I hear the name of a film. I usually decide whether or not the writers are a bunch of twats before I even get 5 minutes in sometimes XD. I'm pretty picky, seeing as they spend so much on them, literally wasting money as far as I'm concerned, to do a half-assed job. I also like ripping apart "classics" for poor writing or just plain being boring. Like "cat on a hot tin roof". Man that was a boring movie, with ton and tons of behaviour you'd never see out of people.

Reminds me of commercials too, how much of the behaviour out of apparent families is utter BS. Like someone says something not even barely awkward, yet the people closest to this person get all super super awkward and just can't deal with some little thing happening. The point of this I understand is to poison minds and create fear in order to sell products based on self-conciousness, but its so blatant, stupid and unlikely it pisses me off, becuase I fear that many people believe this, and actually start being stupidly awkward over nothing to others because they think its suddenly appropriate.

 

[~jet]

I pick apart films that attempt to be semi-realistic and utterly fail, the most recent STAR TREK being a major offender. It's one thing if a movie quite specifically doesn't take itself too seriously, but when they do, I pay closer attention to the details. As a science buff, I get particularly into these aspects of what the movies do wrong, and can even get a little offended when, for example, they could have hired me for what to them seems like mere pennies to consult on astronomy or geology or basic physics; resulting in a more immersive setting AND better plot besides; again, reference STAR TREK'S MEGAFAIL. *sigh*

 

[~jet]

I mean, at the very least, I do think entertainment has a modest responsibility not to completely mislead an unsuspecting public. Maybe they shouldn't have to be forced to EDUCATE the public, but they shouldn't be MISEDUCATING the public, either.

 

[kita]

I do this too. I saw a scary movie I actually enjoyed a couple of weeks ago, but when asked my opinion of it, my first thought was how unrealistic it was for a brand new jar of peanut butter to be found empty the next morning. I find it hard to believe even a murdering psycho would eat an entire jar of peanut butter in one night. So silly.

 

[That Girl]

I watched Up! when it came out in theaters and the entire time I couldn't stop thinking about the fact you can't see the little boy on the porch when the house takes its first lift off. Where was he hiding? It wasn't a wrap around.

 

[Diana]

I do sometimes. Only if it's really obvious stuff like when someone opens a door but doesn't shut it. Or someone is holding something one minute, doesn't put it down, and isn't holding it the next minute.

 

[randomsomeone]

I analyze movies, too, but not all the time...definitely more on a second or more viewing. I am not critical by nature...often I notice things that were written, directed, lit, or shot very well. If I am critical, it is because of approaches that are obviously formulaic, and there's a lot of that these days.

If all goes well, I get caught up in the story just like the next person....analysis comes later. I am professionally trained in this stuff so the behind-the-scenes artistry always fascinates me. I have been involved for the past 30 years with producing/directing short form documentaries (and such) in which crew sizes are limited (appropriately), so the big productions can still wow me!

 

[Saru Inc]

I watched Up! when it came out in theaters and the entire time I couldn't stop thinking about the fact you can't see the little boy on the porch when the house takes its first lift off. Where was he hiding? It wasn't a wrap around.

Haha. Yea, I thought that as well, but I love the movie so much I let it go.


I am now waiting for @Melkor to come in and vindicate the following statement:


In a society where we place a correlation between a very observant analytical behavior, and a admirable intelligence, surely one wouldn't be quick to say they don't analyze movies heavily. Now that's not to say people on this forum don't heavily analyze, these are things INFJs (and INFPs ) do best, but still, no one is going to say "omg i dont pay attention to this stuff !" Despite the fact that, one can be highly intelligent and simply not notice that, or realize it is a movie and not to question things.

Also I've noticed people try to sound intellingent by saying things like "one," or "in a society..." still, that was unintentional PPPP


But yeah, I have to remind myself "its just a movie..." but this only takes place in very well done movies, where I am emotionally deposited. A "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! DONT DRINK IT" But that's not really what this topic is talking about.


I mean, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I know when a movie is a movie, so I don't pick apart something that is meant to be enjoyed, and well frankly, not picked apart. Though when it's those movies that are meant to be picked apart, and the meaning extrapolated I do enjoy them

 

[Kgal]

I always look for what I call "continuity" in a movie. Then the logical aspects. I'm forever talking to my (ex)spouse and he constantly reminds me "It's a MOVIE!!!"... sigh...

I'm in agreement with [MENTION=2443]DoveAlexa[/MENTION]. I read reviews and get opinions before I venture to spend my time watching a movie.

 

[magister343]

This reminded me of my 10th grade art class. We would watch a movie every Friday, and people would almost always get upset with me for how much I picked the films apart. One interestng exception was when we saw The Emperor's New Groove. This was the first time I saw the movie and I did my usual critique, but the film mocked itself for all the same things so people instead complained that I was giving away things early, falsely assuming I had seen and almost memorized it before.

 

[DoveAlexa]

This reminded me of my 10th grade art class. We would watch a movie every Friday, and people would almost always get upset with me for how much I picked the films apart. One interestng exception was when we saw The Emperor's New Groove. This was the first time I saw the movie and I did my usual critique, but the film mocked itself for all the same things so people instead complained that I was giving away things early, falsely assuming I had seen and almost memorized it before.

HAH! That's awesome. I tend to do that a bit in movies or games, spotting the "tricks" before they happen. We are just too genre savvy.