tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post3221927131435922669..comments2023-09-29T05:32:04.308-07:00Comments on StrangePegs: Mad Max: Fury Road (a movie review post)Andrew Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-59257326683530206402015-07-13T12:13:37.416-07:002015-07-13T12:13:37.416-07:00Rusty: Hoult was in Warm Bodies and is the Beast i...Rusty: Hoult was in Warm Bodies and is the Beast in early version of the X-Men in the movies.<br /><br />What I remember about the Max movies is that I thought Beyond Thunderdome was really bad. I know I saw the other two but, honestly, I don't really remember anything about them.<br />I suppose that says something in and of itself.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-73202796594447283552015-07-13T05:46:15.476-07:002015-07-13T05:46:15.476-07:00I saw this movie. And aside from Tom Hardy and Cha...I saw this movie. And aside from Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron I have no idea who anyone is that you mentioned. <br /><br />I thought the cultish behavior of the fans of this movie was bizarre. I was entertained mightily while watching and then mostly forgot about it before I made it back home from the theater. <br /><br />I remember that I liked the Road Warrior when I was a kid but I can't tell you why, or what that movie was about. I don't think I ever saw the first Mad Max or Beyond Thunderdome. This was just never up my nerd alley. Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-62226934110621175432015-07-12T21:23:40.625-07:002015-07-12T21:23:40.625-07:00Lee: It does have amazing visuals.
There's thi...Lee: It does have amazing visuals.<br />There's this thing with movies dealing with the coolness factor vs reality and when you can dump reality in favor of the coolness factor. So, for instance, the space battles in Star Wars are modeled after WWII dogfights, not something that would happen in space, but the coolness factor makes us say, "I don't care." The bandmobile almost hits that for me.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-68274651767999333152015-07-12T20:07:31.110-07:002015-07-12T20:07:31.110-07:00As a long time fan of the Mad Max franchise, I wil...As a long time fan of the Mad Max franchise, I will definitely be seeing this when it comes to Netflix. You gave an excellent review, but from what you said about the action and visuals this sounds like something I'd like.<br /><br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-6734095381355690442015-07-12T08:20:34.586-07:002015-07-12T08:20:34.586-07:00TAS: That's certainly true.TAS: That's certainly true.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-29217589763364705902015-07-12T03:43:18.143-07:002015-07-12T03:43:18.143-07:00Cult movie status is an enviable fate.Cult movie status is an enviable fate.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-40710185343823760892015-07-11T09:03:24.521-07:002015-07-11T09:03:24.521-07:00dolorah: I haven't seen any of those movies, b...dolorah: I haven't seen any of those movies, but I do agree with you. In fact, I really liked John Wick. It was a very simple revenge story which compelled a heck of a lot of action. It was kind of beautiful in its simplicity.<br />But it didn't also include a lot of blatantly stupid moments just because they looked cool.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-16044090503606847152015-07-10T21:59:25.595-07:002015-07-10T21:59:25.595-07:00Hmm, sometimes action for the sake of action has i...Hmm, sometimes action for the sake of action has its appeal. I sort of felt this way through the last couple Fast and Furious movies. I'll likely see this, but can wait for the video to come out. Lots of mixed reviews for this one.dolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-2934790725079532462015-07-10T21:09:16.503-07:002015-07-10T21:09:16.503-07:00Briane: Pop culture certainly has a very immediate...Briane: Pop culture certainly has a very immediate focus. It already seems so far away that it seems like Age of Ultron was some other year, not this one.<br /><br />For me, it was one of those movies that I knew I would have to see at some point, so I wanted to give it its best possible environment. Like, I was glad to see Independence Day in the theater even though I thought that was one of the dumbest movies ever made.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-87027357417947339882015-07-10T19:06:38.189-07:002015-07-10T19:06:38.189-07:00There was all this hype when it came out about how...There was all this hype when it came out about how great it was, and that made me want to watch it, and then the hype died down, so I forgot this movie even existed until right now. This post had a sort of time-capsule feeling for me, like reading a review of a movie I once remembered, which is weird a month after it came out. I guess that says something about pop culture? Or probably me and how things are right now.<br /><br />Anyway, I'll probably never see it. I heard a lot about it and the flame-thrower guitar sounded incredibly stupid, as does the 'bandmobile." The rest seems like more or less generic action-female stuff. Like if Ripley from Aliens had landed on Mad Max's world.Brianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01616494058636881575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-10794333397128725812015-07-10T15:21:21.902-07:002015-07-10T15:21:21.902-07:00Jeanne: No, that camera is entirely a male gaze, e...Jeanne: No, that camera is entirely a male gaze, especially when the wives are washing themselves. That was a gratuitous "music video" scene included just for tantalizing the male audience. There was no purpose for it other than that.<br />Additionally, the only potentially compelling female side character is killed almost immediately after meeting her. Nux becomes the only sympathetic character in the movie. The focus on the women tends to be on them complaining and/or cowering.<br /><br />I don't really see Max treating Furiosa as an equal. It's more like he fell in love with her and didn't know how to deal with that. The only thing that counters it is the Han-like treatment of him that she gives him as they are going to make their attempt to cross the desert, "You can come with us. You're pretty good in a fight."<br /><br />But, hey, being a guy, maybe I'm wrong. It seems to me to be a movie mostly viewed by guys, though, so that doesn't say "feminist" to me. At all.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-13671526872129286032015-07-10T15:03:33.877-07:002015-07-10T15:03:33.877-07:00I have to very much disagree. It's an incredib...I have to very much disagree. It's an incredibly feminist film and it has nothing to do with having a strong female lead or even being "empowering" to women. It's focus is on females, there are many of them who interact with each other and are not there solely as male love interests, the camera is not focused with a male gaze even when the wives are washing themselves, and in a story with female sex slaves, there is no rape for drama. Furiosa and Max come to treat each other as equals. It's not about her being some superwoman with all the answers who can beat a man twice her size in a fight. It is an action movie like any other, but not through a male lens. THAT is what makes it feminist. And a woman being attacked by a man doesn't automatically negate that. J E Oneilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09780097298061829471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-68034413531856350002015-07-10T11:49:34.532-07:002015-07-10T11:49:34.532-07:00TAS: I think Titanic is probably good about once e...TAS: I think Titanic is probably good about once every 10 years or so. Maybe. I'm sure this film is going to have a huge cult following.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-89034702572856302612015-07-10T11:48:09.101-07:002015-07-10T11:48:09.101-07:00ABftS: I tried to shut off my brain, but things li...ABftS: I tried to shut off my brain, but things like the blood tube and the car wash scene got to me anyway.<br />And, like I said, I didn't dislike the movie -- it was certainly visually exciting -- it just didn't do anything for me.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-35824312910284970132015-07-10T11:45:14.710-07:002015-07-10T11:45:14.710-07:00L.G.: I don't think Theron did a bad job; I ju...L.G.: I don't think Theron did a bad job; I just don't think she really put anything into it. It was a... very cardboard role. Lots of staring intently. Nothing really Theron about it.<br />But, yes, it was good to have her as the protagonist. But unfortunate that she had to be "saved."Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-84690123604090138102015-07-10T11:40:21.254-07:002015-07-10T11:40:21.254-07:00Alex: I don't think I could sit through it twi...Alex: I don't think I could sit through it twice. At least not without a long gap in between. The visuals aren't enough to hold me.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-71104444789826491792015-07-10T10:05:22.538-07:002015-07-10T10:05:22.538-07:00The reviews have been good but you confirm my susp...The reviews have been good but you confirm my suspicion: great visuals, weak story. The truth is, such movies just don't hold up over time. See: Titanic.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-58503004308502913722015-07-10T09:03:16.639-07:002015-07-10T09:03:16.639-07:00I liked this movie. I didn't love it, but I li...I liked this movie. I didn't love it, but I liked it, and I made sure to tell myself prior to entering the theater that I was under clear instructions to shut off my brain. Otherwise, like you, it probably would have nagged me throughout the movie here and there for being ridiculous or dumb (like the guitar player).<br /><br />Also, I got into an argument with someone a while back over the whole feminist thing. They insisted it was a feminist movie. I said, well let's see, Max and Furiosa get into a fist fight and Max beats the living s**t out of her. He's going to steal her truck, but ultimately she's the only one who can drive it, so he reluctantly lets her come along. Also, even if Max is in the backseat for most of this, they ultimately need his help to accomplish their goal. He's even the one who suggests their end strategy, and after it's executed, he saves Furiosa's life. Then he leaves them. None of that strikes me as particularly feminist. Needless to say, the dude I was arguing with shut up pretty quickly.<br /><br />Furiosa is definitely a strong female character, which is great. But she's not exactly Superman, swooping in to save the day, and Max isn't exactly Lois Lane, relying helplessly on the hero(ine) for help.A Beer for the Showerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17029139745335325356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-29230786601627136982015-07-10T06:51:30.360-07:002015-07-10T06:51:30.360-07:00True, I wouldn't call it a feminist movie, but...True, I wouldn't call it a feminist movie, but I see precious few women cast as the one forcing the action in an action movie. Usually women are portrayed as victims or sidekicks--like the breeder wives. Furiosa was amazing to watch. Luanne G. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15762881276976395955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658526372996117205.post-28395340467553728002015-07-10T04:30:39.956-07:002015-07-10T04:30:39.956-07:00Fury Road is more in the style of Road Warrior tha...Fury Road is more in the style of Road Warrior than any of the others.<br />Max did take a bit of a back seat, but I had no problem with it.<br />The story was simple, but there was one. For this type of film, it didn't need to be anything more.<br />And you could also argue that Max and Nux shouldn't have survived the storm. But this is a Mad Max film and you know everything will be over the top.<br />Sorry, still the best film I've seen all year. Good enough that I went to see it twice, and I don't do that very often.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com