Interesting responce to Ebert

[Aragorn]

Ebert was a great film critic. But that was another life!

I still like him. I enjoyed Siskel & Ebert and Ebert & Roeper. Sometimes Ebert went out on a limb to support movies us geeks would like despite most of the other critics being against them, like The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Transformers, the Tomb Raider movies (though he does have a bias for Angelina Jolie's chest) and Anaconda (though he does have a bias for Jennifer Lopez's chest).

And regardless of whether or not he liked the movie, Ebert usually wrote his reviews in such a way so that YOU could tell if you'd like the movie or not.

But lately he does tend to fixate on little things and tries to jam round pegs into square holes to justify his negative review. His Spider-Man review was all about the CGI Spidey. His War of the Worlds review was all about the tripods. He often gets facts wrong, like calling John Harriman a young Picard in Star Trek: Generations.

 

[Saul]

Well, there are people who don't think this is a very good movie. Not all of them are devoted TOS fans or annoyed artistic types, some of them are just folks who like movies.

No.. They are just annoyed TOS fans.

What a black and white view of the world you have.

 

[KimMH]

Better than some, certainly - but not all.

That his quibbles with the movie are shared by some other posters on these boards notwithstanding.

 

[number6]

Well, there are people who don't think this is a very good movie. Not all of them are devoted TOS fans or annoyed artistic types, some of them are just folks who like movies.

No.. They are just annoyed TOS fans.

What a black and white view of the world you have.

My world is as technicolor as years of hallucinogens will allow.

It is an undeniable fact (at least around these parts) that the people who don't like this film are annoyed TOSsers.

 

[dkehler]

No.. They are just annoyed TOS fans.

What a black and white view of the world you have.

My world is as technicolor as years of hallucinogens will allow.

It is an undeniable fact (at least around these parts) that the people who don't like this film are annoyed TOSsers.

I deny it. The parts of the film that I didn't like have to do with writing choices that caused me to be unable to suspend my disbelief. Had nothing to do with contradicting canon or anything like that.

 

[Gary Sebben]

I think there is a certain amount of fanboyism dead set on loving this movie, just like there has been for every Trek outing (I mean, some people still insist Enterprise was good).

And what makes it worse is that this is Trek's return, and the goodness of this movie assures more Trek in the future. It's hard to not say, please leave it alone.

But this movie is deeply flawed. Its character moments are sublime, but its plot is pure shite. Nero is such a monkey out of nowhere. His origin and motivations are explained in like 30 seconds. Kirk becomes a captain directly from (non)Graduating. The Enterprise saves itself from a black hole with explosions? Time travel AGAIN? Come on! A clean reboot would have been much better, especially since Spock Prime's moments were kind of crammed in. And Scotty's chase through the water pipes looks like it belongs in a Pet Detective movie. Unwatchable.

But the performances were spectacular, the characterizations were dead on. Spock's backstory and romance are terrific. I'm a die hard TOS fan and I love these new characters. I hope that now that we have the origin stuff out of the way we'll get a good, meaty story next time worthy of the characters.

 

[indranee]

I went WTF on the science screed in his review. But otherwise the criticism was fair, I thought. Going from my memory of his review, I just think the bottom line is he didn't find the movie that stimulating. I mean, again, if memory serves me, at the end of his review he seemed glad the characters were back and all, but he wanted to see them face more interesting challenges. In other words, he is looking forward to a sequel. A weird thing for a movie you don't like.

in that, I completely agree with him. I'm looking forward to the sequel being "better".

that said, I did enjoy this movie. and in no way am I basing that on my prior lack (or not) of enjoyment of Nemesis.

 

[indranee]

No.. They are just annoyed TOS fans.

What a black and white view of the world you have.

My world is as technicolor as years of hallucinogens will allow.

It is an undeniable fact (at least around these parts) that the people who don't like this film are annoyed TOSsers.

Tossers. hehe.

 

[mredom]

Off topic, but just curious...what defines a "TOSser"?

I have watched all the permutations of Trek, but I admit I only OWN TOS. After all is said and done, I find the original 79 episodes the best that there is. That having been said-I love this movie, and I, II, III, IV, VI, VII, and VIII. V was bordering on unwatchable and IX and X made my head hurt.

If that makes me a TOSser-it's a badge I'll wear proudly!

 

[number6]

Off topic, but just curious...what defines a "TOSser"?

I have watched all the permutations of Trek, but I admit I only OWN TOS. After all is said and done, I find the original 79 episodes the best that there is. That having been said-I love this movie, and I, II, III, IV, VI, VII, and VIII. V was bordering on unwatchable and IX and X made my head hurt.

If that makes me a TOSser-it's a badge I'll wear proudly!

TOSser=Fans of the original 79 to the exclusion (and usually total ridicule) of all else.

 

[DarthAkuma]

The more I read from Ebert the more I get the sense he doesn't know what Trek is really about.

 

[stonester1]

the Tomb Raider movies (though he does have a bias for Angelina Jolie's chest) and Anaconda (though he does have a bias for Jennifer Lopez's chest).

And why not?

 

[scottydog]

the Tomb Raider movies (though he does have a bias for Angelina Jolie's chest) and Anaconda (though he does have a bias for Jennifer Lopez's chest).

And why not?

Because that would make Ebert a chestist. Chestism, in any form, is unacceptable.

 

[stonester1]

If chestism is wrong, I don't want to be right.

 

[scottydog]

Maybe if Chris Pine-as-Kirk loses his shirt in the next flic, Ebert's chesticism will coax a favorable review out of him!

 

[stonester1]

Cept he doesn't have the requisite chesticles, but you never know.