Seriously Overrated Stuff

[Kuhns]

i actually sorta disagree with the Avatar thing...If ya want a story, read an effing book. Star Wars story sucked. And almost all movies with a good story were that way because they were pulled from a book or graphic novel of some-sort. Movies are eye candy, and not much else, and for this, Avatar was and always will be a great stepping stone in movie history.

Spirited Away had an amazing storyline, and it wasn't based on a book. Movies use pictures to tell a story the same way a book uses words. Saying that a movie's quality is based on visuals is the same as saying a book's quality is based on the covers and what kind of font the author decided to use. I saw nothing in Avatar that I hadn't seen in a video game before. I almost was expecting a 'skip scene' button to appear, and sadly it never did. Avatar is not a stepping stone in movie history (IMO) it's just an overinflated fad that proved that people can be easily wowed by lame storyline, flat characters and pretty graphics.

People complaining about Twilight. If you didn`t like it then you didn`t but no need to go on and on about it. It gets really really irritating. No offense to you dude!

Complaining about Twilight is fair game, as this is a rant thread...kinda. :B


*Note: Oops, accidentally deleted the next reply. >_>; Feel free to reply again L & S.

[chocobo]

i actually sorta disagree with the Avatar thing...If ya want a story, read an effing book. Star Wars story sucked. And almost all movies with a good story were that way because they were pulled from a book or graphic novel of some-sort. Movies are eye candy, and not much else, and for this, Avatar was and always will be a great stepping stone in movie history.

Spirited Away had an amazing storyline, and it wasn't based on a book. Movies use pictures to tell a story the same way a book uses words. Saying that a movie's quality is based on visuals is the same as saying a book's quality is based on the covers and what kind of font the author decided to use. I saw nothing in Avatar that I hadn't seen in a video game before. I almost was expecting a 'skip scene' button to appear, and sadly it never did. Avatar is not a stepping stone in movie history (IMO) it's just an overinflated fad that proved that people can be easily wowed by lame storyline, flat characters and pretty graphics.

There is so much truth to that, it's ridiculous. Movies are a visual representation of a story. To think you believe they are solely made to look good is completely absurd. So many classic films didn't "look great" but told amazing stories, had great actors, and amazing development. It's people who believe a movie's merit should be based on visuals that are killing films today. So many movies are being made to please the eye, so much that it'll draw from the other lacking components in the film. Transformers is a good example. The movies could have been good. However, Michael Bay focused way too much on explosions and pretty cgi to make up for the lack in acting ability, plot, dialogue, and characters overall.

[Lord and Savior]

i actually sorta disagree with the Avatar thing...If ya want a story, read an effing book. Star Wars story sucked. And almost all movies with a good story were that way because they were pulled from a book or graphic novel of some-sort. Movies are eye candy, and not much else, and for this, Avatar was and always will be a great stepping stone in movie history.

Spirited Away had an amazing storyline, and it wasn't based on a book. Movies use pictures to tell a story the same way a book uses words. Saying that a movie's quality is based on visuals is the same as saying a book's quality is based on the covers and what kind of font the author decided to use. I saw nothing in Avatar that I hadn't seen in a video game before. I almost was expecting a 'skip scene' button to appear, and sadly it never did. Avatar is not a stepping stone in movie history (IMO) it's just an overinflated fad that proved that people can be easily wowed by lame storyline, flat characters and pretty graphics.

There is so much truth to that, it's ridiculous. Movies are a visual representation of a story. To think you believe they are solely made to look good is completely absurd. So many classic films didn't "look great" but told amazing stories, had great actors, and amazing development. It's people who believe a movie's merit should be based on visuals that are killing films today. So many movies are being made to please the eye, so much that it'll draw from the other lacking components in the film. Transformers is a good example. The movies could have been good. However, Michael Bay focused way too much on explosions and pretty cgi to make up for the lack in acting ability, plot, dialogue, and characters overall.

First off, Hiyo Miazaki is a god, and is in no way to be compared to any film maker EVER. Secondly, I'll say it again, if you want a story, READ A BOOK. Movie's, has you said, are a visual representation of a story, so my point is not that they should have no story, rather that they depend less on their story. Instead, movies rely on expressions, and imagry, has poetry utilizes diction and syntax.
    Story means very little, it's just there so you know how to feel, because the Entertainment buisness (music, movies, writting and arts etc.) are only to inspire emotions. How the emotions are inspired, depends on the form of entertainment. In a novel, it's important because there's very little else to go off of (not to say there is NOTHING else). In movies, my point is that the inspiration of choice emotions is derived MORE so from visuals and appearant tones.
     The characters in Avatar were exeplairy (misspelled probably haha). The steady decline and decay of mind and morals, expressed through Jake Soule could only be expressed through his "Video updates", his expressions, eyes, tone. The cinematography, the symbolism of the falling tree. The computer animation even, all support to the tone and feel of what little story is there, and that is what makes it such a great film.
     An example of how not to make a movie or show would be like, almost ALL ANIMES. Look at DeathNote, or Naruto. Both have pretty good story lines, still, the visuals are nothing more than enough to remind millions of nerdy-metal-monkeys that they're still "cool" by some standards. The lines are HORRIBLY WRITTEN, the facial expressions are no more than angry or confused, and the character developement and design (mental, not phsyical) is nothing more that immature. "but there's story", and NOTHING else. Story is just the surface value of the art, to be taken by shallow sharks, hungry for a reason to indulge in their taste.
     There's too much focus on story, to little on everything else. Story is just another aspect of entertainment, a little one, to keep you on track. Too much more story in that movie, and it would have easily been overkill.
      And if you don't believe it's "such a stepping stone", then just look at all the up-coming 3D films, filled identicly, and yet nowhere near the quality. That's what makes a stepping stone, when it's set a new bar, high and more diffecult to grasp. The visual effects are better than any in the past, that's what made Matrix and STAR WARS so great.

[chocobo]

I understand your reasoning and appreciate you taking the time to explain, but being such a fan of classic movies visuals were never anything too important to me. It was more of the qualities found elsewhere. The writing, the acting, the music, etc... I appreciated the cinematography in films before cgi. Not say I don't enjoy cgi, because I really do, I just felt movies were much more authentic before it came along. The filming industry is always going to be a bustling industry of advancements, especially in the age of the digital formats. More and more directors/cinematographers and converting to the digital format over film. As someone who appreciates film more than digital, it's hard to let go of resentment I have, if you can understand those feelings.

It just bothers me when I see films being praised solely on the fact that they have beautiful visuals. It almost makes a mockery of everything I've come to love about film. It's just that people are allowing themselves to be bought over with great graphics over the things that made classic films so wonderful. Again, don't get me wrong, I love to see the world advance and bring more technology to the industry I love so much, but I just wish new directors would go back to focusing on the roots of film. Every year I see a number of films. Most of them are bad, but I usually catch one or two (generally indie, but not always) that still impress me. Avatar was not one of those.

However, I can say that we agree on one thing with no exception, Hayao Miyazaki is definitely a God. There is no other director, artist, animator, story writer, etc... that is on the same caliber, nor do I think there ever will be. His films will live on to be the best animated work ever done not only in the anime genre, but in animation as a whole.

[Kuhns]

First off, Hiyo Miazaki is a god, and is in no way to be compared to any film maker EVER.

:B

Secondly, I'll say it again, if you want a story, READ A BOOK. Movie's, has you said, are a visual representation of a story, so my point is not that they should have no story, rather that they depend less on their story. Instead, movies rely on expressions, and imagry, has poetry utilizes diction and syntax.

I disagree, but can see where you are coming from. <:

Story means very little, it's just there so you know how to feel, because the Entertainment buisness (music, movies, writting and arts etc.) are only to inspire emotions.

....I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here. Without the story of something, there would be no something. It would just be...a string of pictures/words/whatever. And while I agree that the entertainment business is all about running with cheap thrills, a good story (doesn't matter if it's a book, movie or even a comic book) has the potential of inspiring thought, as well as emotion. However, thought has to come from a good story--a good set-up.

How the emotions are inspired, depends on the form of entertainment. In a novel, it's important because there's very little else to go off of (not to say there is NOTHING else). In movies, my point is that the inspiration of choice emotions is derived MORE so from visuals and appearant tones.

Okay, I'm seeing where your coming from here...again.

     

The characters in Avatar were exeplairy (misspelled probably haha). The steady decline and decay of mind and morals, expressed through Jake Soule could only be expressed through his "Video updates", his expressions, eyes, tone.

Those video blogs were actually, in my opinion, cheap ways for the director to tell the audience what was going on rather than showing what was going on, as most of the visuals you were talking about earlier were wasted on the lush landscape of Pandora. ;P

The cinematography, the symbolism of the falling tree. The computer animation even, all support to the tone and feel of what little story is there, and that is what makes it such a great film.

Good graphics (and this applies to any visual media) cannot make up for a rotten storyline. I agree that movies have it easier setting up the tone and atmosphere, but without an equally as strong story to back it up, Avatar is simply an alien version of Planet Earth. All they need to do is cut the characters out and get some deep-voiced narrator to explain the rain cycles and already it would be a better 'film'.
     

An example of how not to make a movie or show would be like, almost ALL ANIMES. Look at DeathNote, or Naruto. Both have pretty good story lines, still, the visuals are nothing more than enough to remind millions of nerdy-metal-monkeys that they're still "cool" by some standards. The lines are HORRIBLY WRITTEN, the facial expressions are no more than angry or confused, and the character developement and design (mental, not phsyical) is nothing more that immature. "but there's story", and NOTHING else. Story is just the surface value of the art, to be taken by shallow sharks, hungry for a reason to indulge in their taste.

Can't say anything for Deathnote (never watched it), but your constant proposal that better graphics=better in general is shallow. Manga to Anime is the same as Book to Movie, its almost never as good as the original. You wanna talk about immature character development, then look at Avatar--oh wait, there is no character development. Everyone in that movie are either evil, gun-blazing tree killers, or kind, wiser-than-thou tree huggers who could do no wrong. Jake gets his legs back either way, no matter what evils he does everyone will always forgive him, and despite having no prior training, he goes in, learns their language, marries the tribal princess, uses rocks and sticks to defeat highly advanced technology and even gets to ride that...giant red dragon thingy (>_>). But, of course, that doesn't matter because everything looks pretty.

....

I'd also like to add that I am talking about good story lines, in general. Neither Avatar nor Naruto fit the bill on that one. Lots of pretty graphics and lots of storyline are both bad in my book, they both do the same thing for a story:bog it down.

There's too much focus on story, to little on everything else. Story is just another aspect of entertainment, a little one, to keep you on track. Too much more story in that movie, and it would have easily been overkill.
      And if you don't believe it's "such a stepping stone", then just look at all the up-coming 3D films, filled identicly, and yet nowhere near the quality. That's what makes a stepping stone, when it's set a new bar, high and more diffecult to grasp. The visual effects are better than any in the past, that's what made Matrix and STAR WARS so great.

Actually, there isn't enough focus on the story, the plot, the characters, why they are doing the things they do and/or why we should care. 3D films...so what? I'll say this as my final point, because I can see we'll never agree on this:

Good writing can save bad visuals. Good visuals cannot save bad writing. The only thing Avatar inspired in me was the irritating feeling that the makers of the film thought the audience were a bunch of idiots. You don't think, you're not surprised at any of the 'plot twists', you aren't left with any mind-numbing-stay-up-for-hours-thinking-about-it-thoughts. You simple sit there, soaking up the pretty graphics like a spoon-fed child, to dazzled to actually form a coherent thought other than 'more please'.

----

Mac computers are so freaking overrated. >:U Why do I have to use them for my computers and art class? *Smashes Mac*

[Kuhns]

First off, Hiyo Miazaki is a god, and is in no way to be compared to any film maker EVER.

:B

Secondly, I'll say it again, if you want a story, READ A BOOK. Movie's, has you said, are a visual representation of a story, so my point is not that they should have no story, rather that they depend less on their story. Instead, movies rely on expressions, and imagry, has poetry utilizes diction and syntax.

I disagree, but can see where you are coming from. <:

Story means very little, it's just there so you know how to feel, because the Entertainment buisness (music, movies, writting and arts etc.) are only to inspire emotions.

....I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here. Without the story of something, there would be no something. It would just be...a string of pictures/words/whatever. And while I agree that the entertainment business is all about running with cheap thrills, a good story (doesn't matter if it's a book, movie or even a comic book) has the potential of inspiring thought, as well as emotion. However, thought has to come from a good story--a good set-up.

How the emotions are inspired, depends on the form of entertainment. In a novel, it's important because there's very little else to go off of (not to say there is NOTHING else). In movies, my point is that the inspiration of choice emotions is derived MORE so from visuals and appearant tones.

Okay, I'm seeing where your coming from here...again.

     

The characters in Avatar were exeplairy (misspelled probably haha). The steady decline and decay of mind and morals, expressed through Jake Soule could only be expressed through his "Video updates", his expressions, eyes, tone.

Those video blogs were actually, in my opinion, cheap ways for the director to tell the audience what was going on rather than showing what was going on, as most of the visuals you were talking about earlier were wasted on the lush landscape of Pandora. ;P

The cinematography, the symbolism of the falling tree. The computer animation even, all support to the tone and feel of what little story is there, and that is what makes it such a great film.

Good graphics (and this applies to any visual media) cannot make up for a rotten storyline. I agree that movies have it easier setting up the tone and atmosphere, but without an equally as strong story to back it up, Avatar is simply an alien version of Planet Earth. All they need to do is cut the characters out and get some deep-voiced narrator to explain the rain cycles and already it would be a better 'film'.
     

An example of how not to make a movie or show would be like, almost ALL ANIMES. Look at DeathNote, or Naruto. Both have pretty good story lines, still, the visuals are nothing more than enough to remind millions of nerdy-metal-monkeys that they're still "cool" by some standards. The lines are HORRIBLY WRITTEN, the facial expressions are no more than angry or confused, and the character developement and design (mental, not phsyical) is nothing more that immature. "but there's story", and NOTHING else. Story is just the surface value of the art, to be taken by shallow sharks, hungry for a reason to indulge in their taste.

Can't say anything for Deathnote (never watched it), but your constant proposal that better graphics=better in general is shallow. Manga to Anime is the same as Book to Movie, its almost never as good as the original. You wanna talk about immature character development, then look at Avatar--oh wait, there is no character development. Everyone in that movie are either evil, gun-blazing tree killers, or kind, wiser-than-thou tree huggers who could do no wrong. Jake gets his legs back either way, no matter what evils he does everyone will always forgive him, and despite having no prior training, he goes in, learns their language, marries the tribal princess, uses rocks and sticks to defeat highly advanced technology and even gets to ride that...giant red dragon thingy (>_>). But, of course, that doesn't matter because everything looks pretty.

....

I'd also like to add that I am talking about good story lines, in general. Neither Avatar nor Naruto fit the bill on that one. Lots of pretty graphics and lots of storyline are both bad in my book, they both do the same thing for a story:bog it down.

There's too much focus on story, to little on everything else. Story is just another aspect of entertainment, a little one, to keep you on track. Too much more story in that movie, and it would have easily been overkill.
      And if you don't believe it's "such a stepping stone", then just look at all the up-coming 3D films, filled identicly, and yet nowhere near the quality. That's what makes a stepping stone, when it's set a new bar, high and more diffecult to grasp. The visual effects are better than any in the past, that's what made Matrix and STAR WARS so great.

Actually, there isn't enough focus on the story, the plot, the characters, why they are doing the things they do and/or why we should care. 3D films...so what? I'll say this as my final point, because I can see we'll never agree on this:

Good writing can save bad visuals. Good visuals cannot save bad writing. The only thing Avatar inspired in me was the irritating feeling that the makers of the film thought the audience were a bunch of idiots. You don't think, you're not surprised at any of the 'plot twists', you aren't left with any mind-numbing-stay-up-for-hours-thinking-about-it-thoughts. You simple sit there, soaking up the pretty graphics like a spoon-fed child, too dazzled to actually form a coherent thought other than 'more please'.

----

Mac computers are so freaking overrated. >:U Why do I have to use them for my computers and art class? *Smashes Mac*

[Raikt]

Macs are overrated. :< I was forced to use them in a technical design class and I disliked their "Do it our way, or gtfo" design aspect.

I would comment on the Graphics v. Storyline debate, but you have pretty much summed up every reason that I love a good storyline, whether it be book, movie, or other form of media.

[Gammal]

Cant believe I have missed this thread. This is gonna be fun!
*cracks fingers and drinks some coffee*

First order of business; Legendary Pokémon.
Whats the deal? Why does everyone keep talking about these poorly designed, highly overrated failures of imagination?
Lets have a look shall we?


Whats this? A robot horse thats stuck in a golden fence thats also pregnant?
Its beyond me how anyone could say "This Pokemon looks cool" Without bursting out in laughter or take their own life when they realize how many faulty connections they must have in their brain to actually believe that to be true.



Alright, I can actually see the appeal of this poke. It has all the Ghost-type characteristics, and it kinda looks like it has a mantle, which is kinda cool I guess.
But look at the rest of it.
The head looks like a mash of pixels, it got the waste of a 2month old walking stick, it´s shoulder pads make it look like it´s wearing a dress, not to mention to lack of feet.



Yeah, we all love terminator! Wait what? This is Pokemon isnt it?
What the hell were they thinking.
Its red,green and black, thats like the worst mesh of colors I have ever seen.
And whats up with all the tubes in its belly? Is this a robot or a Pokemon?
Please die.



Ever seen dino riders?
Well... This looks like one of those Dinosaurs equipped with armor and guns, and its BLUE!?
It got the neck of a giraffe, the legs of an elephant and the body of a hippo.
The tail of a bird and the head that looks like arcseus. Do I need to say more?
This has to be the worst design I have ever seen. Or is it?



O.M.G I was wrong... This is much worse!
It has wings... 6legs... A robot head... Do I need to say more?




Its a bird... That looks like a mesh of a parrot and Ferrow.
I wont even bother.
Die



Its a whale... with wings as fins... And red markings... YEAH THATS COOL!



"I know... lets take a Dinosaur, make it bright red and put spikes on it! All the kids will love that!"




Ah good ol´ Palkia.
Its like... Even worse then its counterpart..
And its bright pink/purple! UGH!


Next order of business; The Pokemon Anime series.

Alright so I can confess I actually liked the first season, but thats only because I was so fooled by the opening that every time it came on television I actually thought "This time something cool will happen!"  But it never did. It just repeats the same poop over and over again.
Ash can never see through Team Rockets blatantly obvious disguises, and it pisses me off every time.
And why are every trainer so damn retarded?
"Oh he sent out a Charmander, GO BULBASAUR!"  WTF!?
And the one that has the advantage ALWAYS looses, unless he/she is fighting ash of course.


Third order business; Religion.

At the same time that Christians claim to worship God as an omnipotent, omnipresent, omni benevolent being, they make him out to be incompetent bumbler. Or worse. Simple forgiveness is beyond his capacities. God must "sacrifice himself to himself to change a rule he made himself!"

This is not only an absurdity, it is an essential absurdity. It is present in almost all forms of Christianity, and one can scarcely remove it and remain a Christian in anything but name. By definition, all Christians worship Christ - in some form - and most worship him as a saviour.

But what, exactly, is he saving us from? Though it varies from church to church, no matter what they call it, it's God himself. A hell created by God, a world fallen as a result of God's negligence, a separation from God imposed... by God.

Christianity certainly isn't the first religion to promote appeasement of its gods, and if it were merely another supernatural protection racket, it would be bad enough. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. Christians elevate appeasement to the realm of "personal relationship", transforming their religion into a true monstrosity.
Cheap Springfield and Cheap Tunic . Cheap Burberry, Versace Dress For Women-Black . Discount Skirts and Energie.

This is the type of "relationship" that abused wives have with their husbands, that brainwashed hostages have with their captors. It is known in clinical circles as Stockholm Syndrome. Should it come as any surprise that the cries of the church, "The Bride of Christ" sound much like the cries of an abused wife attempting to protect her husband?

    "He must beat me."
    "I deserve it."
    "He has no choice."
    "It's for my own good."

These excuses don't work for human abusers, and they work even less well for God. For if God is omnipotent, he must have a choice. And if we are flawed, we are only flawed because that is the way he made us. (No excuses that we ruined his perfect creation. A truly perfect creation does not self-destruct.)

If the Christian God does exist - and I see no reason to believe that he does - he's not worthy of the name.

And that is the ultimate absurdity of Christianity.









 

[marijan2]

wow, you really took some time to just write this o.O
although i agree with you with the third part, first is ok i guess, but it is funny to watch pokemon anime, only thing that piss me off is F****** team rocket, i had days when i just skipped half of a episode just to dont see them, but really, 600+ episodes and they appear in every... oh yes, they weren't in only 1 episode, and that is 1st. i imagined things what i would do to them if they bother me as they bother twerps, and believe me, even /b/ oldfags would be terrified -.-*

[Lord and Savior]

Issues to address:

1: "Avatar": Storylines are like coffee shops in the morning; dweeby folks go for
                 the energy and taste, a foundation for the day, and stay because
                 it makes them look sophisticated. Point being, the only people who
                 "enjoy a good storyline", are those who lack the intellectual stability
                 to acknowledge quality beyond "what's going on"(sureface value).
                 Sin city: "Man wants to kill man who killed whore", pretty lame, but
                 the character developement and underlining motives, lines and imagry
                 are what drive the story.
                     So we can agree, Avatar had a #$&y story. What we can't agree
                 on is your blind bias taking hold of your arrogant and ignorant evasion
                 of pop culture, and shooting down a movie of merit for the pride of
                 knowing that in a sea of mediocre-half-asses, you're the only one
                 who wastes several hours of your life at a coffee shop. Ever true
                 lookin'for quality in Avatar, or does you're mental sight stop at "Good
                 storyline=good movie: bad storyline=bad movie (with justification
                 that  makes me start to thing you're never actually seen the
                 movie )"?

P.S!!!! Chocobo: thanks for being such a swell fella

2: Mac's are stupid! ya know that "coffee shop kid" analogy? Well they're the only
    one's dumb enough to buy those! A lot more flash for double the price

3: Gammal: hahahaha I enjoy that you took the time to list that I think I might
                disagree with you on religion though. Christians are ridiculous hypocrits
                but never do I think a faith or belief should be judged by the sad sacs
                who follow it. Plus, if the belief goes that there's a being higher than
                all things, with a knowledge that goes beyond all knowledge, who
                created us, our minds, and everything, even time and reason...then I
                wouldn't tackel what "does" or "doesn't" make sense I mean, no
                matter what you believe, it just seems kinda silly to try'n reason with
               

[shaina]

Yes,i agree with you the stuff is overrated.

[Stevedavis]

Hahaha. You know why twitter so popular? Because people find there lives more borin so they like to read others.

About the exams, its necessary. If we don't do test, than how are we suppose to know how smart or dumb we are? Also, doesn't everything revolves around remembering stuff? If we don't remember what 1+1 equals than how are we suppose to know what 2+2 equals?

Ugh, that's so true it's not even funny.

2+2 obviously =Google.com. Duh. 

i couldn't find the answer of 2+2 on Google but i will stick to what my teachers taught me they said its 4 but trust me i never trusted them lol!!!!!!!!1

and yes twilight is overrated!!!!!!!