Megamind: Such a Pleasant Film

Megamind isn’t going to win any awards for best picture, and it shouldn’t by any means.  It isn’t a culturally significant film, it doesn’t change the way people look at the world, it doesn’t examine society in a way that sheds some light onto new truths, and it doesn’t have visuals set to inspire a new generation of filmmakers.  But it is an incredibly pleasant film that has led to one of my more joyful film-watching experiences in a while.

I’ve always blasted people for liking stupid movies.  When someone tells me that their favorite movie is something where the attractive but overworked girl ends up getting the nerdy but charismatic guy, or the popular guy gets the nerdy but secretly hot because she’s a Hollywood actress girl, I usually insult their intelligence.  But sometimes the people making an easy-to-watch, little-thought-needed film get it right, which is the case with Megamind.

5 Worst Community Characters

It's hard to find many flaws with Community, which happens to be my favorite comedy on television right now.  However, there are a handful of characters I can do without (and one I hate with a passion).  So here it is, the 5 worst characters from Community

#5  Bill/Student #1/Dude #1/Young Guy/Condom Water Balloon Man/Football Player (Bill Parks)

(pictures on the left)

 One of the many reoccurring characters on the show, but perhaps the one with the least personality that has been in six episodes.  He seems to be just some random person with minimal personality that they inserted into 6 episodes because it was easier to just keep him around than to find someone else who could provide the show with another humorous or interesting character.  He isn’t even credited with an actual name until his 6^th episode, and even then they just take his real first name.  And in that episode, he isn’t even referred to as “Bill”, but is instead called “Red Haired Guy” by Abed.

Failures in The Dark Knight Rises' Plot and Political Message

(SPOILERS)

Going into watching The Dark Knight Rises, I was thrilled to see Christopher Nolan’s final film in his Batman trilogy.  It was the opposite of going in to see The Dark Knight, a movie I had low expectations for.  I hadn’t been a big fan of Batman Begins, seeing it as just another superhero movie, but The Dark Knight completely blew my mind, providing incredible characters, thrilling action, philosophical themes, and a fresh storyline.  Coming out of The Dark Knight Rises, I could say that all of those things were provided again, but I still walked out of the theatre disappointed.  I still enjoyed watching the film, and appreciate how Christopher Nolan created a well-made smart summer blockbuster, but couldn’t shake the feeling that this film was significantly more flawed than its predecessor.

Why The Shawshank Redemption is Overrated

(SPOILERS)

The Shawshank Redemption is an incredibly overrated movie.  Before I watched it, all I heard about the film were glowing reviews.  It was constantly on top of the imdb list of the greatest films of all time.  In my freshman year high school study hall, the classroom had a full-sized movie theater poster serving as a shrine to its supposed greatness.  When I finally got around to seeing the film, however, I was left disappointed.  I gave the film a second chance though, seeing it again a few months later, seeing if my negative first impression was simply a case of the mood I was in, and once again I couldn’t enjoy the film nearly as much as other people seemed to.  I would often tell people about my dislike for the film, and every time I did so, I would be met with disbelief that anyone could hate the film.  Recently, I decided to try and explain why I had these negative feelings about the film, and rewatched the movie for a third time, this time taking care to analyze the film and take notes describing what exactly I felt were the problems with the film.  In this post, I will try to present the case for my dislike of the film, not with the intention of convincing other people that the film isn’t great, but to simply explain how it is possible to not like the film.