Movie: Dont look up

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sportage

Lifer
Feb 1, 2008
11,492
3,163
136
There's something missing in movies these days. This is a Netflix production, and that latest I Love Lucy docudrama "Being The Recardos" is from Amazon, and all have a great cast yet the final product flopped. Nothing nears what the final product should have been considering the talent invested. Could be the writing, the directing, or maybe the cast and their lack of interest? I doubt the cast is getting the really big bucks for these streaming service productions. It's probably more of a case of OH NETFLIX, I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR NETFLIX, or OH AMAZON, I HAVE TO SOMETHING FOR AMAZON.

It's probably not so much the money involved with the stars but instead the stars feeling the need to be part of the Netflix or Hulu or Amazon niche. MGM, Paramount, and Warner Bros have for the most part been replace by streaming services and I'm guessing this is because Hollywood can no longer afford to take the financial risks. Netflix and Hulu have all the money in today's world of entertainment, but lacking the skills of the big Hollywood production companies like MGM and Paramount. So we get movies like Being The Recardos and Don't Look Up. All could have been better, should have been great considering the cast, and yet just a big let down in the end. I judge movies on whether or not I would want to watch it again, but for most of these streaming service films once is plenty enough.
 
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TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136
Just watched it. It's too ridiculous to work either as comedy or as good social satire. Humor has to be a little closer to the real world than this to be funny. And social commentary doesn't come across when it's too absurd to be taken seriously.

Kind of a wasted opportunity. A good premise and good cast. I agree with McKay's ideas but this wasn't the best vehicle for them.
Is it really that absurd tho? I mean it's obnoxiously obvious, sure, and not cleverly subtle.. But "don't look up" isn't any more ridiculous than "stop the steal" or "covid is a hoax."

Sure, covid is unlikely to actually end life on planet Earth, but if you've been working in a hospital the past year it can certainly feel that way.

As a poster above said, Dr Strangelove this is not. It's not even McKays best, or second best, but I don't think it's that ridiculous, and that's what's scary.
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
26,727
16,016
136
Ideocracy flopped hard at launch.
And now its gospel.
The meteor as I read it, is not covid, its our selves, heading to destroy ourselves, the comet slamming the earth is end of life as we know it. The experiment is over. It was a dud. Whatever comes after western democracies is anyones guess.
I watched that movie sad.
 
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TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136
And now its gospel.
The meteor as I read it, is not covid, its our selves, heading to destroy ourselves, the comet slamming the earth is end of life as we know it. The experiment is over. It was a dud. Whatever comes after western democracies is anyones guess.
I watched that movie sad.
I'm not sure the meteor needs to literally or figuratively represent anything, moreso a display of a uniquely American response.
 
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MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
26,346
24,585
136
Is it really that absurd tho? I mean it's obnoxiously obvious, sure, and not cleverly subtle.. But "don't look up" isn't any more ridiculous than "stop the steal" or "covid is a hoax."

Sure, covid is unlikely to actually end life on planet Earth, but if you've been working in a hospital the past year it can certainly feel that way.

As a poster above said, Dr Strangelove this is not. It's not even McKays best, or second best, but I don't think it's that ridiculous, and that's what's scary.
I think some of the movie is predicated on global warming being called a hoax. But yes, it should translate to a lot of the insanity of the right
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
39,811
33,428
136
YAWN. Oh my, another Hollywood production, featuring Hollywood political activists, slamming conservatives. I am stunned.
YAWN, yet another criticism of something you failed to either read or watch. I understand more your allergy to facts and truth.
 

GodisanAtheist

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2006
8,493
9,921
136
Dr. Strangelove it's not, but I enjoyed it for the change of pace it brought to my daily routine.

Shhhhh if you say "that" movie's name three times someone is gonna fuck it up with a remake or "sequel".

Keep that brilliance on the downlow.

Also, see you at the Illuminati meeting tonight, but don't forget your vaccine card like last time. Topic is Jewish Space Lasers and When to Fire Them.
 

pauldun170

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2011
9,541
5,771
136
Walked into it without reading reviews or hearing anyone else's opinion of it which is something I need to do more often.
It was alright. Didn't feel like it was wasted time.
Jonah Hills character was too over the top and it seemed to get worse as the movie went on. They have real world examples of "the type" of character he is supposed to be and Jonah Hill kinda defaulted to his douchey Jonah Hillish character better suited to other types of characters.
I felt they missed an opportunity to subtlety sneak the secondary commentary in. Felt like a screenplay run through a checklist with a lot of studio execs in the room.
Cate Blanchett stood out most from an acting perspective. That women knows how to effortlessly own a scene.
Mark Rylance did a great job on his character.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,242
14,245
136
Walked into it without reading reviews or hearing anyone else's opinion of it which is something I need to do more often.
It was alright. Didn't feel like it was wasted time.
Jonah Hills character was too over the top and it seemed to get worse as the movie went on. They have real world examples of "the type" of character he is supposed to be and Jonah Hill kinda defaulted to his douchey Jonah Hillish character better suited to other types of characters.

His character was directly representing something. The idiot child of a President given a job in the White House through nepotism. Hmm. Who could that be.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,735
6,611
126
His character was directly representing something. The idiot child of a President given a job in the White House through nepotism. Hmm. Who could that be.
Yeah I thought that was super obvious.

They even got into the whole "president doesn't give a shit about her son" too lol.
 
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pauldun170

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2011
9,541
5,771
136
His character was directly representing something. The idiot child of a President given a job in the White House through nepotism. Hmm. Who could that be.

My problem was that he didn't attempt to mock any of those specific real work examples. He just played a "Jonah Hill" archetype.
 

Pohemi

Lifer
Oct 2, 2004
10,941
17,104
146
I doubt the cast is getting the really big bucks for these streaming service productions. It's probably more of a case of OH NETFLIX, I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR NETFLIX, or OH AMAZON, I HAVE TO SOMETHING FOR AMAZON.

It's probably not so much the money involved with the stars but instead the stars feeling the need to be part of the Netflix or Hulu or Amazon niche. MGM, Paramount, and Warner Bros have for the most part been replace by streaming services and I'm guessing this is because Hollywood can no longer afford to take the financial risks. Netflix and Hulu have all the money in today's world of entertainment, but lacking the skills of the big Hollywood production companies like MGM and Paramount.
I'd like to know where you find the information to form these silly beliefs or opinions. Actors don't work for the payday any longer? You think they make Netflix movies for PR? Netflix and Amazon have all the money, but don't pay their actors as much as older studios? LOL.

Ridiculous notions imho.

Anywho, my thoughts on the film:

So many unsubtle parallels to current reality in the movie, that I didn't find it clever or cerebral.

It was sadly hilarious, mostly because it pointed out the ridiculous behavior of people in our country, from elected officials at the top of the ladder, to MSM, to everyday Joes at "political rallies".

I found it funny as hell...for all the wrong reasons. I think that was kind of the point, though...

And yeah...don't skip the credits scenes. lol
 
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Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,839
2,625
136
Both my wife and I were greatly disappointed in it. Great cast, great director but but the satire was so patently obvious and clumsy that it was more of a chore to watch it than entertainment. I can't imagine any of the Trumpites/Q types to be the least bit persuaded by this, or even someone sitting on the fence (if such a person exists re Trump).

Maybe Trump was too recent (and the threat of him regaining power too great) for me to take this, but I only made it halfway through it before giving up.

Compare this to Mel Brook's "The Producers" or Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" and it comes up way, way short.
 
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TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136
Both my wife and I were greatly disappointed in it. Great cast, great director but but the satire was so patently obvious and clumsy that it was more of a chore to watch it than entertainment. I can't imagine any of the Trumpites/Q types to be the least bit persuaded by this, or even someone sitting on the fence (if such a person exists re Trump).

Maybe Trump was too recent (and the threat of him regaining power too great) for me to take this, but I only made it halfway through it before giving up.

Compare this to Mel Brook's "The Producers" or Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" and it comes up way, way short.

I think being obnoxiously not subtle was the point, although perhaps that's giving them too much credit.
 
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GodisanAtheist

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2006
8,493
9,921
136
Pulling off true meta level satire on the screen is basically god tier writing/acting/directing and in this age of everything having to have no subtlety otherwise you'll enrage one twitter mob or another I doubt well get that any time soon (or even ever again).

Netflix is also (somewhat desperately now) in the business of making more money, and you can see the suits there making all the same mistake old network television people did (always assume your audience consists 90% of idiots and make sure your shows are understandable by basically everyone). I've been a bit more impressed by the complexity (if not always the quality) of original shows on something like Amazon Prime of all places, while Netflix continues its slow slide into mass market gruel.

I haven't watched it, but from the sounds of what some people are saying I might feel like the movie is insulting my intelligence by being so on the nose.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,735
6,611
126
Both my wife and I were greatly disappointed in it. Great cast, great director but but the satire was so patently obvious and clumsy that it was more of a chore to watch it than entertainment. I can't imagine any of the Trumpites/Q types to be the least bit persuaded by this, or even someone sitting on the fence (if such a person exists re Trump).

Maybe Trump was too recent (and the threat of him regaining power too great) for me to take this, but I only made it halfway through it before giving up.

Compare this to Mel Brook's "The Producers" or Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" and it comes up way, way short.
You can't really say you're disappointed with the movie if you turned it off halfway. The movie just gets better and better probably starting right at the halfway point. I nearly turned it off myself like 30 mins in because I was like WTF is this shit? Then I slowly realized what it was getting at cause i had no clue it was doing what it was doing, prior to watching it. And by the end I was flat out LOL'ing at stuff.