Red Letter Media Reviews (Plinkett & Half in the Bag)

[crumbs 14,313]

Their output is still pretty consistently good but they haven't had a standout amazing video in years, which is a shame. I guess it ultimately depends on the quality of the films they watch. You're not going to strike gold with an Osteoporosis Dance every week! 

 

I've gone a little cold on them since their unabashed hatred of all things Disney Star Wars, which strikes me as pretty rich coming off their Star Wars prequel reviews. TFA was practically a love letter to that original Plinkett review, addressing basically every criticism Mike raised about why the prequels are flawed. And now they just shit on the Disney sequels regardless, because it's beating a dead horse. It kinda sums up the vocal minority of SW fandom; complaining endlessly about a film that just copies the originals, then complaining endlessly when a film tries to do something subvertive and outside the mould. 

 

Like, I get it, but don't let that get in the way of at least acknowledging the fact that Disney are trying their hardest to get things right. But it seems no matter what they do, fans will kick up a stink and complain endlessly. 

 

Maybe Lucas had it right. Star Wars is just a poisoned chalice. 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

2 minutes ago, crumbs said:

I've gone a little cold on them since their unabashed hatred of all things Disney Star Wars, which strikes me as pretty rich coming off their Star Wars prequel reviews. TFA was practically a love letter to that original Plinkett review, addressing basically every criticism Mike raised about why the prequels are flawed. And now they just shit on the Disney sequels regardless, because it's beating a dead horse. 

 

 

I wouldn't say they hate it out of principle or anything. They liked The Force Awakens overall, they just wanted to see something different than what had been before. Mostly what they attack aggressively is the fandom that's spread over the last ten years or so, with the advent of YouTube channels that earn their lifeblood pumping out inane 30 minute videos about a frame in one of the movies.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

9 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

This parody of that impact is a very enjoyable and succinct summation.

 

 

Mega64 is one of the few internet comedy channels that's actually gotten funnier over the years.  

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I don't think they're shitting on new Disney SW at all. Firstly they loved TFA, they were deeply firm in their criticisms of R1 that it veered too far to "nods" and fan pandering territory, and they were lukewarm on TLJ but not dismissive of it. I've found they direct their ire more towards their rival YT channels that do nothing but kiss Disney's arse in the hope of maintaining their free tickets to premieres and access to other insider perks.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

20 hours ago, Quintus said:

A nostalgic and probably long overdue look back on 80s action masterpiece:

 

 

 

Can't believe there wasn't a single mention of Silvestri's score.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

5 minutes ago, Muad'Dib said:

 

Can't believe there wasn't a single mention of Silvestri's score.

 

Like a lot of in-depth film critics/independent filmmakers, they seem to consider the music to be of secondary importance in the aspects of filmmaking, only discussing it if it has a certain angle (like how It Follows had a "retro" score).

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

RLM has seldom mentioned scores. I don't think they care.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

1 hour ago, Nick Parker said:

 

I wouldn't say they hate it out of principle or anything...Mostly what they attack aggressively is the fandom that's spread over the last ten years or so, with the advent of YouTube channels that earn their lifeblood pumping out inane 30 minute videos about a frame in one of the movies.

 

1 hour ago, Cherry Pie That'll Kill Ya said:

I don't think they're shitting on new Disney SW at all.... I've found they direct their ire more towards their rival YT channels that do nothing but kiss Disney's arse in the hope of maintaining their free tickets to premieres and access to other insider perks.

 

32 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

 

Like a lot of in-depth film critics/independent filmmakers, they seem to consider the music to be of secondary importance in the aspects of filmmaking, only discussing it if it has a certain angle (like how It Follows had a "retro" score).

 

22 minutes ago, Cherry Pie That'll Kill Ya said:

RLM has seldom mentioned scores. I don't think they care.

 

Whoa, this is some funky echo stuff going on. Let me test this out:

 

Independence Day, for whatever shield of being intentionally dumb and fun it can hide behind, is ultimately just too doltheaded and outrageous to be seen as anything other than infantile spectacle.

[John 2,032]

1 hour ago, crumbs said:

I've gone a little cold on them since their unabashed hatred of all things Disney Star Wars, which strikes me as pretty rich coming off their Star Wars prequel reviews. TFA was practically a love letter to that original Plinkett review, addressing basically every criticism Mike raised about why the prequels are flawed. And now they just shit on the Disney sequels regardless, because it's beating a dead horse. It kinda sums up the vocal minority of SW fandom; complaining endlessly about a film that just copies the originals, then complaining endlessly when a film tries to do something subvertive and outside the mould. 

 

Are you sure you’re talking about RLM here? They gave both TFA and TLJ very positive reviews. I recently rewatched their Half in the Bag episodes on the sequels, and the overall consensus seems to be that they’re very good films. 

 

It’s the spinoffs that they’ve been pretty hard on, which I would agree with them on. 

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

46 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

 

Like a lot of in-depth film critics/independent filmmakers, they seem to consider the music to be of secondary importance in the aspects of filmmaking, only discussing it if it has a certain angle (like how It Follows had a "retro" score).

 

But Predator's score is so up-front and mixed so in your face! How can anyone not mention it?

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

"Predator is one outrageous score!"

 

"It's totally in my face!"

[Quintus 5,399]

3 hours ago, Muad'Dib said:

 

Can't believe there wasn't a single mention of Silvestri's score.

 

To be honest I thought it was crappy and lightweight critique from both participants. Some of it seemed like stuff regurgitated from what they'd read about the movie online over the years.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Kinda like how everyone critiques Ghostbusters II. It's obviously someone else's opinion from the internet because it doesn't add up. Like claiming Bill Murray isn't funny in it when he's hilarious and the scene where he photographs Vigo is one of the funniest things ever.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I've worked with better, but not many. Thank you.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Ooh! You're scaring me! Ooh!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Red Letter Media has always sucked and AVGN has always sucked.

 

Thus ends today's devotion.  God be with you.

[John 2,032]

 

It is here. 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

2 minutes ago, John said:

 

It is here. 

Any mentions of the score?  Probably won't watch because I'm all The Last Jedied out

[crumbs 14,313]

Well that was unexpectedly fast! Only an hour long, too.

 

I guess we've just become spoiled over time as Plinkett reviews have ballooned out to bloated King Kong proportions. I look forward to watching this tomorrow, although I hope he's not outright negative about what the film set out to achieve.

 

After all, they complained endlessly about Disney just regurgitating the same stuff over and over, relying on the iconography of the series to keep it afloat. Seems hypocritical to complain when they take that criticism onboard and do the opposite!

[John 2,032]

Just finished watching the review. Well-made and concise with a few solid gags, and I agree with many of the criticisms he brought up. It’s far from a perfect movie, and I understand how some may dislike it, but I still enjoy it. Overall, I felt Plinkett mostly liked the film, at least more so than the prequels and R1. 

 

1 hour ago, Not Mr. Big said:

Any mentions of the score?  Probably won't watch because I'm all The Last Jedied out

 

He never brought up TLJ’s score, but he did briefly mention the score for ESB, praising it for setting the somber tone towards the end of the film. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

It has Titanic and Star Trek references. I think that's why I typically enjoy RLM videos.

[crocodile 8,012]

It's an entertaining review. But they do make some errors. The First Order clearly discovered the location of the Resistance base in the previous film. Also, I always assumed the whole bombing plan was in place in order to ensure they can escape. But they managed to evacuate in time so there was no point risking more lives. But yeah, it doesn't make sense they don't jump into lightspeed right away.

 

I don't see the point criticising bad humour in a SW film, honestly. It just doesn't make sense.

 

Also why do they assume the Resistance had no previous contact with Maz?

 

And why do they confuse inhering the Force sensitivity with being a Jedi or Sith?

 

One criticism I don't get at all is why would a senior officer tell unreliable and demoted individual what their plan is? That's not how the army works!

 

Karol

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

You guys overanalyze this stuff way too much. I don't think the issue is the stupidity of the script, because these are popcorn space movies for children and don't exactly require an intelligent complex script, although people will always make it seem more complex than it is.

 

I think it's how the "subverted expectations" and people subsequently claiming that it's some brilliant piece of writing ("Because it's not what you expected!") when it obviously isn't inspires criticism. That's basically what the RLM review is doing. It's less about nitpicking what these shitty characters were doing in this boring movie and more about criticizing the way Disney is handling the SW franchise. But Disney themselves have owned up to it simply by bringing back JJ Abrams for the next one and canceling the spinoff movies.

 

I miss George. They never canceled the Ewok movies.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Why didn't they make more Ewok movies? This time with CG eyes...

[Will 2,215]

 

Just when I was thinking this review would never come!

[crocodile 8,012]

19 minutes ago, Will said:

 

Just when I was thinking this review would never come!

It's a bit of a letdown really. Biggest disappointment since my son!

 

Karol

[Will 2,215]

Just finished watching. Imho it's not as entertaining as his TFA review, but I think it's probably more incisive in its criticism. Plinkett manages to put into words many of the things in this film that left me deeply uneasy. 

[Arpy 4,145]

It's something I've addressed in the Hostility Absorption Thread but I fear much of the audience for RedLetterMedia is made up of a bunch of the demographic that detested The Last Jedi. Negativity and bad word-of-mouth absolutely destroyed that film's reputation and you end up with crazies (far worse than Mattris) that hold an irrational grudge against it. It's the type of herd mentality I absolutely despise: the 'I hate it, so should you!' crowd. I agree with @crumbs that RLM have a become a bit hard to swallow since their Anti-Disney crusade. 

 

[leeallen01 2,136]

Glad he ripped the film apart and pointed out even more terrible things about it that I hadn't heard discussed before. 

 

I love the final quotes of the video. That Rian seems like a nice guy that was just trying to make something different and unexpected. But that he just happened to catestrophically fail in every aspect. A good summary of the film. 

[Quintus 5,399]

On 8/27/2018 at 3:59 AM, Horner's Dynamic Range said:

Kinda like how everyone critiques Ghostbusters II. It's obviously someone else's opinion from the internet because it doesn't add up. Like claiming Bill Murray isn't funny in it when he's hilarious and the scene where he photographs Vigo is one of the funniest things ever.

 

I recall folk criticised Ghostbusters 2 before the internet was invented. Ho ho, Justin and his revisionism.

 

14 hours ago, Horner's Dynamic Range said:

You guys overanalyze this stuff way too much. I don't think the issue is the stupidity of the script, because these are popcorn space movies for children and don't exactly require an intelligent complex script, although people will always make it seem more complex than it is.

 

I think it's how the "subverted expectations" and people subsequently claiming that it's some brilliant piece of writing ("Because it's not what you expected!") when it obviously isn't inspires criticism. That's basically what the RLM review is doing. It's less about nitpicking what these shitty characters were doing in this boring movie and more about criticizing the way Disney is handling the SW franchise. But Disney themselves have owned up to it simply by bringing back JJ Abrams for the next one and canceling the spinoff movies.

 

I miss George. They never canceled the Ewok movies.

 

So soooooo close to a Like. So close.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I gave him a trophy like.

[Pellaeon 593]

7 hours ago, Arpy said:

Negativity and bad word-of-mouth absolutely destroyed that film's reputation… It's the type of herd mentality I absolutely despise

 

Right. Anyone who disliked the movie is unable to think for himself, or is otherwise acting in bad faith (they probably wanted the movie to be bad), or has some sort of problem that prevented him from liking what is objectively a great movie. Anyway who cares, it’s just Star Wars, I’m not too serious about it, you’re too serious about it!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

13 minutes ago, Pellaeon said:

 

Right. Anyone who disliked the movie is unable to think for himself, or is otherwise acting in bad faith (they probably wanted the movie to be bad), or has some sort of problem that prevented him from liking what is objectively a great movie. Anyway who cares, it’s just Star Wars, I’m not too serious about it, you’re too serious about it!

 

It's much like the poisonous atmosphere of political issues today.  It's the trolls who really are acting in bad faith that make it so people on both sides of an issue end up assuming everyone who thinks differently is acting in bad faith.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

8 hours ago, Arpy said:

t's something I've addressed in the Hostility Absorption Thread....

 

You can always come back...it's always open...always beckoning....

 

 

 

[Pellaeon 593]

14 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

It's much like the poisonous atmosphere of political issues today.  It's the trolls who really are acting in bad faith that make it so people on both sides of an issue end up assuming everyone who thinks differently is acting in bad faith.

 

Is this assumption innocent? It seems to me people latch onto the trolls’ actions to delegitimize anyone on their “side”.

[A. A. Ron 1,742]

11 hours ago, Arpy said:

It's the type of herd mentality I absolutely despise: the 'I hate it, so should you!' crowd. I agree with @crumbs that RLM have a become a bit hard to swallow since their Anti-Disney crusade. 

 

This is absolutely ridiculous. The "herd" liked The Last Jedi.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I barely remember it.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

2 minutes ago, Muldoon said:

 

This is absolutely ridiculous. The "herd" liked The Last Jedi.

 

[crumbs 14,313]

 

Macaulay Culkin guest stars in for today's episode!

[John 2,032]

No, that’s Rich Evans in his Jay costume. 

[crumbs 14,313]

Don't you mean Susan?

[Nick Parker 3,040]

1 hour ago, John said:

No, that’s Rich Evans in his Jay costume. 

 

Oh god, who let YouTube commenters in JWFan?

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I love Macaulay, but we need some actual participation from him.

[John 2,032]

22 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

Oh god, who let YouTube commenters in JWFan?

 

I will not be generalized!

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Just now, John said:

 

I will not be generalized!

 

Don't you have some unaffiliated "highlight reel" videos of their individual quirks to make? 

[John 2,032]

 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Man, I'm starting to understand @Disco Stu now. Good lord can those dudes and their dry "bad" humor get obnoxious.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

They can still be funny now and then, but I'm pretty burned out on their inherent dismissal of any mainstream popcorn blockbuster. It just feels cynical for the sake of it.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

34 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

They can still be funny now and then, but I'm pretty burned out on their inherent dismissal of any mainstream popcorn blockbuster. It just feels cynical for the sake of it.

 

I dunno. Mike's liking for Independence Day: Resurgence was one of the most baffling reactions I'd seen from them.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Probably because they don't know who David Arnold is.