Nobody's going to mention the gratuitous five-minute Ariana Grande plug in the middle of the film? Not even a nod to the direct channeling of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Reid Scott from Veep by Meryl Streep and Jonah Hill in this film?
Sorry. I forgot to mention that the funniest joke in the film is Elon Musk's deadpan comment in the last scene: 'I think it's called a Brontaroc.'
As a scientist, I found it hilarious and sad at every turn. Why? Because I’ve said a lot of the same things as DiCaprio/JLaw in my 30 years as a scientist. I can’t tell you how many times the business folks just ignore you and demand the impossible - all because it doesn’t fit their desires.
At the core, I found it an indictment of the population as a whole. They are decadent, self-absorbed, selfish. At the end, they get what they deserved - believing they know more than the people who spent their lives studying said issue, and completely believe the con artists who just tell them what they want to hear - regardless of how stupid those statements are (Don’t look up).
This is insane. I wrote my M.A. thesis on Mailer’s failed (really failed) campaign for mayor of NYC. “Armies of the Night” and similar earlier essays demonstrated his talents and flaws but his voice was a voice of the times and worthy of attention, if not necessarily agreement. Yes, his best novel was probably written when he was 25 and it was a masterpiece. None later eclipsed it, but that is why regression to the mean has relevance in statistics.
Irrespective to his personal, literary, or other flaws, it’s depressing to see attempts to “cancel” him because of this nonsense. It just helps the far right would be book burners light another touch to lead their cult to the bonfires.
Listened to you guys identify a ton of good things about 'Don't Look Up' and then you gave it 3 thumbs down! Sure, it wasn't a great movie, but it was a satire - it's supposed to be stupid, imbecilic, and overacted. I thought it was funny in a lot of places - most of which you talked about and then said it wasn't that funny. I have to agree that the impending doom from a comet in 6 months isn't the greatest metaphor for global warming, but it's a great metaphor for a bunch of other potential catastrophes including the actual reality of a possible comet/asteroid strike. The messages and satirical elements are all still applicable. The concept of successfully escaping earth, landing on a goldilocks planet 22,000 years later, and immediately getting eaten was a hilarious ending (I hope Elon has seen the movie). Anyway, crack team, another great review on your part!
you guys have totally missed the point of this movie. it is not about climate change. it is all about the idiots who are elected to run your country and the unwillingness to do the right thing in the highest levels of your government. it is a farce, just like the USA has become to the rest of the world.
This is why I highlighted Kevin Williamson's essay on the film; I think it's the best possible case for it. (That said, the cast and crew have been very explicit about what they INTENDED the movie to mean. Whether they succeeded ... well, that's an issue I may address at a later date.)
you guys have totally missed the point of this movie. it is not about climate change. it is all about the idiots who are elected to run your country and the unwillingness to do the right thing in the highest levels of your government. it is a farce, just like the USA has become to the rest of the world.
Don't Look Up was: Overwrought, entertaining and mildly relevant to reality. Ironically it was non-serious enough that it matched the non-seriousness of the politics it was attempting to push.
Mailer is not too offensive. He is just boring. He is a turgid writer. When I was in grad school 50 years ago there were a few profs who thought Mailer was the greatest contemporary writer--the main Mailer cultist was Richard Poirier--but most of Mailer's books are unreadable,. The exception is "The Naked and the Dead."
I got into him this year, but I loved Prisoner of Sex, the ali-frazier books is great, so is Naked and The Dead. I agree with you about his Oswald book and Armies of The Night is overrated, but if you give me three books I love I'm with you.
I did like parts of "Armies of the Night." I could not read the Prisoner of Sex. I never tried to read the Ali-Frazier book. The last book I read by him was "The American Dream."
Nobody's going to mention the gratuitous five-minute Ariana Grande plug in the middle of the film? Not even a nod to the direct channeling of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Reid Scott from Veep by Meryl Streep and Jonah Hill in this film?
Sorry. I forgot to mention that the funniest joke in the film is Elon Musk's deadpan comment in the last scene: 'I think it's called a Brontaroc.'
As a scientist, I found it hilarious and sad at every turn. Why? Because I’ve said a lot of the same things as DiCaprio/JLaw in my 30 years as a scientist. I can’t tell you how many times the business folks just ignore you and demand the impossible - all because it doesn’t fit their desires.
At the core, I found it an indictment of the population as a whole. They are decadent, self-absorbed, selfish. At the end, they get what they deserved - believing they know more than the people who spent their lives studying said issue, and completely believe the con artists who just tell them what they want to hear - regardless of how stupid those statements are (Don’t look up).
I imagine JVL would agree.
This is insane. I wrote my M.A. thesis on Mailer’s failed (really failed) campaign for mayor of NYC. “Armies of the Night” and similar earlier essays demonstrated his talents and flaws but his voice was a voice of the times and worthy of attention, if not necessarily agreement. Yes, his best novel was probably written when he was 25 and it was a masterpiece. None later eclipsed it, but that is why regression to the mean has relevance in statistics.
Irrespective to his personal, literary, or other flaws, it’s depressing to see attempts to “cancel” him because of this nonsense. It just helps the far right would be book burners light another touch to lead their cult to the bonfires.
I love your podcast. wouldn't miss it!!!!
Listened to you guys identify a ton of good things about 'Don't Look Up' and then you gave it 3 thumbs down! Sure, it wasn't a great movie, but it was a satire - it's supposed to be stupid, imbecilic, and overacted. I thought it was funny in a lot of places - most of which you talked about and then said it wasn't that funny. I have to agree that the impending doom from a comet in 6 months isn't the greatest metaphor for global warming, but it's a great metaphor for a bunch of other potential catastrophes including the actual reality of a possible comet/asteroid strike. The messages and satirical elements are all still applicable. The concept of successfully escaping earth, landing on a goldilocks planet 22,000 years later, and immediately getting eaten was a hilarious ending (I hope Elon has seen the movie). Anyway, crack team, another great review on your part!
Imagine if all those funny things were condensed into 100 minutes! It'd be a real winner!
you guys have totally missed the point of this movie. it is not about climate change. it is all about the idiots who are elected to run your country and the unwillingness to do the right thing in the highest levels of your government. it is a farce, just like the USA has become to the rest of the world.
This is why I highlighted Kevin Williamson's essay on the film; I think it's the best possible case for it. (That said, the cast and crew have been very explicit about what they INTENDED the movie to mean. Whether they succeeded ... well, that's an issue I may address at a later date.)
you guys have totally missed the point of this movie. it is not about climate change. it is all about the idiots who are elected to run your country and the unwillingness to do the right thing in the highest levels of your government. it is a farce, just like the USA has become to the rest of the world.
Don't Look Up was: Overwrought, entertaining and mildly relevant to reality. Ironically it was non-serious enough that it matched the non-seriousness of the politics it was attempting to push.
Mailer is not too offensive. He is just boring. He is a turgid writer. When I was in grad school 50 years ago there were a few profs who thought Mailer was the greatest contemporary writer--the main Mailer cultist was Richard Poirier--but most of Mailer's books are unreadable,. The exception is "The Naked and the Dead."
I got into him this year, but I loved Prisoner of Sex, the ali-frazier books is great, so is Naked and The Dead. I agree with you about his Oswald book and Armies of The Night is overrated, but if you give me three books I love I'm with you.
I did like parts of "Armies of the Night." I could not read the Prisoner of Sex. I never tried to read the Ali-Frazier book. The last book I read by him was "The American Dream."