6 ms·

In an odd paradox, it seems to me that some of the best Marvel things are the ones that really lean into older tropes. Eg. Winter Soldier ('70s style conspiracy

by Joeboy 5y ago

In an odd paradox, it seems to me that some of the best Marvel things are the ones that really lean into older tropes. Eg. Winter Soldier ('70s style conspiracy thriller), Logan (Classic western), Guardians of the Galaxy (jukebox musical).

mhh__ 5y ago
Is that because those tropes are better or because the ones without recognizable tropes are just plain boring?
- Joeboy 5y ago
  I suppose they're tried and tested formulas, that have become sufficiently unfamiliar that they stand out from their contemporaries. In 30 years maybe you could do the same with films about superheroes discovering their true inner strength and having a big CGI fight at the end.
  - WalterBright 5y ago
    > having a big CGI fight at the end Before CGI, it was always the "climactic fight in the darkened warehouse" finale. It would go on and on, the machinery would get turned on at some point, the bad guy would have to be killed several times, etc. Oh, for a movie where people don't keep fighting after massive blows to their head, or are little affected by a shot in the shoulder, etc.
    - Joeboy 5y ago
      Free Fire is basically a whole film of that. To be honest it's great.
- WalterBright 5y ago
  I've wondered that myself. But I have found some commonalities: 1. I like movies with witty dialog 2. I like movies with characters that are ambiguously good and bad, not good vs bad 3. I don't like movies that push an agenda, message, morals or propaganda 4. I don't want to sit through a movie about someone dying of some horrible disease
  - mhh__ 5y ago
    The good Vs bad thing is a point that I can't seem to get across to my friends who enjoy a certain type of movies. I want to be challenged and choose what is good or evil (preferably neither, reality is rarely so absolute) not just be dictated to. Same with video games, in Fallout New Vegas you march into the bad guys (they are objectively bad people regardless) camp expecting some boss fight but if you listen he will make a reasoned and historically contextualised argument against democracy and liberalism. Compare and contrast with a call of duty game where I run around in an "apolitical" simulation (read: simulacra) of war shooting anything that moves.
    - WalterBright 5y ago
      Much of my enjoyment of "Breaking Bad" and "The Shield" came from the moral ambiguity of the characters.
      - kcartlidge 5y ago
        Upvoted for mentioning "The Shield" in this context.

by Joeboy 5y ago

mhh__ 5y ago

Is that because those tropes are better or because the ones without recognizable tropes are just plain boring?

Joeboy 5y ago
I suppose they're tried and tested formulas, that have become sufficiently unfamiliar that they stand out from their contemporaries. In 30 years maybe you could do the same with films about superheroes discovering their true inner strength and having a big CGI fight at the end.
- WalterBright 5y ago
  > having a big CGI fight at the end Before CGI, it was always the "climactic fight in the darkened warehouse" finale. It would go on and on, the machinery would get turned on at some point, the bad guy would have to be killed several times, etc. Oh, for a movie where people don't keep fighting after massive blows to their head, or are little affected by a shot in the shoulder, etc.
  - Joeboy 5y ago
    Free Fire is basically a whole film of that. To be honest it's great.
WalterBright 5y ago
I've wondered that myself. But I have found some commonalities: 1. I like movies with witty dialog 2. I like movies with characters that are ambiguously good and bad, not good vs bad 3. I don't like movies that push an agenda, message, morals or propaganda 4. I don't want to sit through a movie about someone dying of some horrible disease
- mhh__ 5y ago
  The good Vs bad thing is a point that I can't seem to get across to my friends who enjoy a certain type of movies. I want to be challenged and choose what is good or evil (preferably neither, reality is rarely so absolute) not just be dictated to. Same with video games, in Fallout New Vegas you march into the bad guys (they are objectively bad people regardless) camp expecting some boss fight but if you listen he will make a reasoned and historically contextualised argument against democracy and liberalism. Compare and contrast with a call of duty game where I run around in an "apolitical" simulation (read: simulacra) of war shooting anything that moves.
  - WalterBright 5y ago
    Much of my enjoyment of "Breaking Bad" and "The Shield" came from the moral ambiguity of the characters.
    - kcartlidge 5y ago
      Upvoted for mentioning "The Shield" in this context.