Pretentiousness in Film

[criterionmaster]

Discuss pretentious movies here.

[nonfiction]

donnie darko

fuck that shit

[kiddo]

I think that some of the ones that constantly talk and think about things being pretentious, is pretentious. And I think that just plain stupid or superficial things are much worse than any pretentious. Pretentious films is often genuious for some, while stupid fucking shit-films destroy the imagination to those liking it, and have other negativ influences on the person.

I'm saying all this in danger of sounding pretentious. But that's basically how I feel at the moment. Changes may occur, though.

[The Anti-Snob]

While it's true that there's more low-brow trash on the market than pretentious trash, I don't think that the former is any more detrimental than the latter. At the very least, a weener and fart joke comedy knows that it's vapid and worthless. The pretentious art-films that that a lot of the shit-eaters I go school with watch to the exclusion of all else are vapid and devoid of meaning while thinking that they hold the key to the meaning of, to borrow a phrase from Douglass Adams, "life, the universe, and everything."

I don't think that either one, however, is detrimental to the viewer, if said viewer has any kind of decent head on his or her shoulders. They're just both really fucking annoying.

As for films that I think are pretentious? Actually, I'd list surprisingly few. Generally, I encounter more pretentious film fans than I do pretentious films. If I must list something, though, Pink Floyd's The Wall comes to mind, as much as I love the band.

-Dan

[Clark Nova]

you can't really define a pretentious movie, 'cuz that definition would vary from person to person. I personally find Donnie Darko and the films of Wes Anderson to be pretentious and stupid, but I can't exactly say why. Everybody's gonna have their own definition.

[kiddo]

Yes. I can, for example, see why people think Oldboy is pretentious, even though i do not think so myself. I tried to illustrate the same with "Pretentious films is often genuious for some"

[criterionmaster]

To me when something in a film feels forced or trying to do something, like being overly "cool." Or if a film tries to be overly artistic when it doesn't fit the subject matter at all, that would also qualify. That’s my definition, not set in stone, but basically the way I would define it.

Most films that are now called "indie" are just another word for "pretentious elements are going to be found in the film." Obviously there are exceptions, but not too many.

[lordofdance]

criterionmaster said:

Discuss pretentious movies here.

Man, I have a whole board for this on the forum I'm working on! ;D Eh, who cares.

[criterionmaster]

Yeah, lol. I realized you did have something like that and I posted comments on what I felt then next thing I know my comment was deleted along with the whole thread. So I decided to bring some of my thoughts over here.

[lordofdance]

criterionmaster said:

Yeah, lol. I realized you did have something like that and I posted comments on what I felt then next thing I know my comment was deleted along with the whole thread. So I decided to bring some of my thoughts over here.

I'm kind of experimenting right now. Consider yourself a test poster.

[subgirl]

What I hate are those movies that are trying to make a point and they hit you over the head with it.

People kept telling me John Q was sad. I felt absolutely resentful of the film, trying too hard to sell its point.

The second X-Man movie, trying to tell us racism is bad. Yeah we know its bad. But they were too obvious with their point, and spoiled the story.