Movies were people miss the point

[wickednick]

Ok everyone has seen these movies were they pose some phlisophical question.But often I find people miss the point of these movies and think that they mean something completely diffrent than what they were intended, or they just don't understand them at all.
Examples are Signs,South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut,Planet of the Apes,and Final Fantasy the Spirits Within.
Can you think of any others?

[Fearless Freep]

I'm usually more amused with movies where the writer thinks he's making a big point and it's either an inane idea,  simplistically obvious, or or otherwise not nearly as clever as the writer wanted us to believe

[-=NiGHTS=-]

Good Burger.

This is actually a very complex movie.

[Fearless Freep]

Maybe "Pitch Black".

Really about the redemption of Riddick, as well as the pilot atoning for her own fears, and arguably about how the sacrifice of the pilot helped bring about the redemption of Riddick, but I don't see it mentioned much



Also "Dark Star" has to be about *something* but I'll be danged if I could figure it out so I guess maybe we all missed it

[KLOP2]

Jaws the Revenge, it was mostly just a dream. That's why it was so bluntly farfetched in plot.

[Evil Matt]

I'm pretty sure "Dark Star" was about a bunch of hippies.  In space.

[nshumate]

People miss the point of Planet of the Apes?  News to me.

(For that matter, people miss the point of Signs?  I don't think I did -- I just think the point was stupid.)

[AndyC]

Nick, instead of just listing the movies, I'd be interested in your take on what they are about, and how you think they've been misinterpreted.

[George]

Great point AndyC.  I mean, if a person is so intellectually superior as to "get" the movie when the masses miss it, I would love to know what I missed.  I think the whole point of the start of the string was to feel superior...a typical ploy of those who truly aren't.

[Grumpy Guy]

K, George.  I think you pretty much nailed down the point of your own post, there...

I actually think that discussing the possible "meanings" and "Philosophical questions" of each of the movies Nick listed is woth a thread in itself.  But, since that's not what this thread is about...

I always thought Contact asked some pretty big questions, and then proceeded to never answer them - not really.  Of course, for those paying attention, not answering the questions was the point - they (the questions) were there to make the viewer think, not to provide pat answers.  That's what makes Contact, IMHO, a very interesting (if a tad boring) film.

[dean]

i really don't see what there is to miss in signs, planet of the apes or final fantasy, why do you think that?

is it because people find these films annoying despite their good points?

one such example is signs and how many people get annoyed at it because the aliens seem really stupid and too easily killed, though thats not the point, and we are supposed to ignore that fact and just enjoy the damn film.

or am i missing the point here? :-P

[Grumpy Guy]

Wait - the Aliens in Signs were easy to kill and stupid?  I missed that.  Maybe that was the point Nick was talking about...

[AndyC]

George wrote:

> I think the whole point of the
> start of the string was to feel superior...a typical ploy of
> those who truly aren't.

I don't know about that, but it does make for a better discussion if people provide more than a list of movies. It's just a peeve of mine.

It's much easier to respond to a post if you have some idea where the poster is coming from. In this case, we're seeing an opinion presented as a fact, and it's taken for granted that we all understand what Nick means. I can't say for sure that I do. I need to see some support for Nick's position, just to know if I agree with him or not. I mean, I thought the message of these movies was abundantly clear, even overstated. What I don't know is whether Nick got the same message that I did.



Post Edited (10-27-03 11:22)

[The Burgomaster]

People often miss the point of DAWN OF THE DEAD, which draws parallels between zombies and how people walk "zombie-like" through our over-commercialized, capitalistic society.

[George]

I think that many times people look for a deeper meaning when it just doesn't exist.  I always reference the Gilligan's Island / seven deadly sins comparison.  I personally believe it was just entertainment.   But............maybe I'm just naive.
:-)