About Something; Or Why I Am Excited to Own The Complete Twilight Zone Series; Or Beating a Dead Horse

As our previous posts have been about how to judge films and television, I decided to a post to express my excitement toward watching all of the Twilight Zones and my lack of excitement for anything coming out that is new. These episodes normally fall into three categories. Ones which are specifically devoted to making its audience examine a moral question, ones which are specifically just "mindfucks," which are supposed to make one think differently or be surprised by it, and ones which are just very entertaining. It is this third one that strikes me as odd as I criticized Doc's choice of putting Jackass 3D among his best picture list. I do not think I can prove that this film is not entertaining. It must be; people watch it and people laugh.

So what is my problem? Is it that I am a snob and it is considered a lower form of entertainment to mostly watch people in physical pain and laugh? Possibly. However, I would like to submit another view. The idea of films or television shows being about something. Let's take a look at a Twilight Zone episode that fits into this third category. The episode entitled "The Man in the Bottle" is about a man who finds a genie in a bottle, makes some wishes, they all turn out bad (including one hilarious moment when he wishes to have power and ends up being Hitler). Essentially, I enjoy this episode because it is humorous to watch one man being tortured by having his wishes turn out bad. I am taking pleasure in his pain. Is there much difference between this and watching Jackass?

I am going to submit that there is a difference. Although I do believe that this could be argued further that there isn't. That difference is a division between a film or TV show being about something and being about nothing. Themes, questions and ideas that can be interestingly explored and the non-existence of this elsewhere. Indeed, the Twilight Zone episode described above is about something. Even thought its purpose is sheer entrainment, it has some ideas that are worthy of being explored. This, at least, being people who are trying desperately to change their life, when they should be happy in the moment without they have. Yes, this is a bit trite and, no, I will not walk away from this episode with a new lease on life. But, there is something that this is about.

I am very excited about watching all of the Twilight Zone episodes. For most of the episodes one does not have to make a stretch, as I did above, to show what they are about. They present challenging stories which can directly impact one's thinking about life in a sci-fi format. They also have some pulpy fun, such as the "To Serve Man" episode. Overall, they are fascinating testaments of a specific time and place and timeless lessons about the nature of man told in interesting and truthful ways. I have not seen many of these in a while, and some at all, so perhaps I will continue this post and examine specific episodes. However, and I am sure I am becoming redundant and boring at this point, they have to be better than beehive teetherball even though it came out in the late 1950s.

You know what? If this post was redundant I blame Doc. I think he should respond to my other post or just admit that I am right and suggest a new topic of discussion.

Suggested list of topics for Doc to change the subject quickly without having to admit he is wrong:

Best Twilight Zone Episode

Who has the best phone? Dos or Doc?

Best Care Bear

Best Smurf

Best Snork

Worst Job Possible

Best Sitcom

Best Sandwich

Vegetarianism vs Meat Eating

Dos's Best Feature

Whose entries are better Dos or Doc?

Should our blog be serious debates about art or silly arguments?

Who would win in a fight, Donald or Daffy Duck?

How come I can't get no tang around here?

Best specific simpson joke?

What is a better name, John Melancamp or John Cougar?

Best sketch Comedy show

Should Dos have ended this list by now?

Why do people sneeze differently?

Best muppet

Why do people drink tomato juice?

Best board game

Why is outdated slang so funny?

Best decade of pop culture

That last one is a good one, eh? I mean just because we live in the current decade does not mean that it has the best pop culture. Ugh, there I go again......

The difference between Dos and Doc

Doc has made several accusation towards my taste in films and I will react to this in the order they were given and then sum up, the differences between him and I and our taste in films. As usual, this post will not be funny. The only difference between this and my normal posts is that I will not try to be funny.

Argument Number1:

"First, how can a man who claims to have the best DVD collection in the world see only 9 movies in a year?! 2 of those movies were cartoons, 1 was based on a cartoon and 2 were based on children's novels. Fact: Dos's DVD collection is childish."

Rebuttal Number 1:

The amount of movies someone sees in a year has nothing to do with the quality of their DVD collection. Perhaps a person does not enjoy going to the movies, or perhaps they had a hard year in getting to the movies, or perhaps there was no movie in that year that struck his fancy. At any rate, I really do believe that these two facts are unrelated. Now, some of the movies I saw were cartoons or fall into the genre of children films and both of these genres are well represented in my DVD collection. This is true. Furthermore, I find nothing wrong with this. Just because a film is animated or was intended for younger viewers does not mean it is a bad film or one which is not worthy of being seen. Like other genres, all they are is types of film and there are good and bad ones. Doc does not mention his affinity for the Ninja Turtle Movies or superhero cartoons which would put him in the same boat as me. This is beyond the fact that there are some undeniably amazing cartoons/children films out there. No one would deny the greatness of The Muppet Movie or Fantasia or The Lion King, just to cite a few. His argument is insulting to anybody who enjoys a good film which was also suitable for children.

Argument Number 2:

"Perhaps if it were 1984 he would have a pretty impressive collection. But this is 2011 Dos! They still make movies and as someone who claims to like movies and have an impressive collection of his own you gotta take the time to go see some new stuff. 2010 was pretty weak movie wise, I will give him that. But to only see 9 movies and half being kid fluff is unacceptable."

Rebuttal Number 2:

I do not know what the 1984 comment means as there are plenty of films and TV shows in my collection made after this date. I would submit that the bulk fit into this latter category. Also, Doc agrees that 2010 was a weak year for movies. Why should I waste my time and see a movie that I have no interest in or is poor just because it is new? There are plenty of older films out there to be discovered which may be more meaning full than ones that just happen to come in the year that it happens to be. As far as the "kid fluff" comment, please see my above argument and I will contest that none of the animated films which I thoroughly enjoyed were "just fluff."

Argument Number 3:

"The Fighter. Which he had no interest in when I spoke to him about it and now he does? C'mon man."

Rebuttal Number 3:

As I told Doc, and he chose not to include here, the idea of The Fighter did bore me. This was because it seemed like just another boxing movie. Then I learned that the director was David O. Russell, whose previous films have all been excellent and I have seen every one. Once I learned this, I did develop an interest in seeing the film. If I am guilty of anything it is being bored of boxing films and not actively looking up who directed this one.

Argument Number 4:

"Dos will argue that he sees the classics and rare films. Well, I lent him a classic. Has he watched it yet? No, no he has not. I let him borrow The Honeymooners and he cant take 20 minutes out of his busy day to watch one episode. I watched a lot of his crap (Labyrinth) in the hopes that he would make good on his promise and watch the Honeymooners. So when he comes back saying he watches mostly classics we will all know he is a dirty liar."

Rebuttal Number 4:

Yeah, I do see classic and rare films. I enjoy them and find them interesting. The Honeymooners is not a film. Furthermore, I never asked Doc to watch labyrinth. I told him he would hate it and he said that he wanted to see it anyway. Labyrinth is not a great film, it is a film that I enjoyed when I was younger and like watching it due to its oddness and my own memories. Oh yeah, and Doc's argument about me not enjoying classics because I like the Honeymooners makes no sense.

Argument Number 5:

"Another thing, Jackass 3D was very funny. "

Rebuttal Number 5 and Conclusion on the Differences between Dos and Doc:

I am sure that Jackass would make me laugh if I saw it and I have seen enough of the previous Jackass movies to "know that it is about." However, it is very hard to say that this is a great movie. It is what it is, a bunch of people doing ridiculous pranks to make you laugh. Yes, you will laugh. However, it is not a great movie. I defy Doc to find it on the top of any legitimate critic's list of the best movies of 2010. It won't be because it can't be a great movie based on the nature of what it is. I am all for non-linear films and some of my favorites qualify as this, however, these are filled with ideas and not disgusting pranks. Finally there is a difference between Doc and I which underscores this whole post. Doc just takes whatever he is given in the entertainment world and filters out what he enjoys. There is a lot more out there that must be searched for and read about. The most fascinating and enjoyable films I saw in 2010 were not in the theaters. They were works of art that were challenging and I had to actively seek out. I apologize Doc for not being one of the sheep who will go to the movies and pay their money no matter what is playing. There is much more enjoyable, fascinating and challenging films out there in the world that did not rank among the big money makers of 2010.

Shut the fuck up, Donny.

I notice Dos took a shot at my movie list in his "top" 10. Let me rebuttal. First, how can a man who claims to have the best DVD collection in the world see only 9 movies in a year?! 2 of those movies were cartoons, 1 was based on a cartoon and 2 were based on children's novels. Fact: Dos's DVD collection is childish. The movies he saw this year further proves that fact. Yes, I will admit he does own some classics. But I myself have had trouble finding them while looking through his collection due to the nonstop cartoon nonsense.

Perhaps if it were 1984 he would have a pretty impressive collection. But this is 2011 Dos! They still make movies and as someone who claims to like movies and have an impressive collection of his own you gotta take the time to go see some new stuff. 2010 was pretty weak movie wise, I will give him that. But to only see 9 movies and half being kid fluff is unacceptable.

I am sure you are all wondering what Dos can do to improve his DVD collection. I do not believe it is beyond saving. First, you gotta get out there and try some new stuff. You can't keep living in the past! Hollywood isn't what it used to be but there are some good flicks that sneak out every now and then. One being The Fighter. Which he had no interest in when I spoke to him about it and now he does? C'mon man.

Dos will argue that he sees the classics and rare films. Well, I lent him a classic. Has he watched it yet? No, no he has not. I let him borrow The Honeymooners and he cant take 20 minutes out of his busy day to watch one episode. I watched a lot of his crap (Labyrinth) in the hopes that he would make good on his promise and watch the Honeymooners. So when he comes back saying he watches mostly classics we will all know he is a dirty liar.

Another thing, Jackass 3D was very funny. Probably one of the funniest movies I saw this year. Since Dos did not even see it, his opinion does not matter. I will now end with a list of every movie I saw this year. It is fairly respectable. And proves that when it comes to movies, Dos will always come second to Doc.

Daybreakers, The Book of Eli, The Wolfman, Shutter Island, Brooklyn's Finest, Date Night, Iron Man 2, Toy Story 3, The Last Airbender, Inception, The Expendables, The Town, Jackass 3D, Due Date, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, The Fighter and True Grit.

I Saw 10 movies in 2010

...not entirely true because I technically saw the King's Speech in 2011, but whatever. Here is the list of my 2010 movies and I will note where I did not really like them, which was most of them.

10. The Last Airbender - Unwatchable and really hard on me as I was a fan of the show

9. Hot Tub Time Machine - Did not even capture the fun of crappy comedy movies I used to watch on channel 11 and still have an affinity for

8. Greenberg - Usually I enjoy such independent comedies, but this one was boring. Although OI did enjoy Stiller's performance

7. Alice in Wonderland - Starting out pretty ok, but then dissolved into a bizarre action film. The movie was forgettable at best.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - I alternated from bored to entertained with this one

5. Inception - I hate that the top was still spinning at the end as we know it is not a dream. However, I was entertained but do not think it is one of the greatest movies ever made.

4. Toy Story 3 - The worst of the 3 but I did get rather scared when I thought all of the toys were going to die. However, the true laughs were gone in this final installment.

3. Tangled - Surprisingly entertaining. While it is still not a movie that I loved, I did laugh and it was much more entertaining than I thought.

2. Waking Sleeping Beauty - Ah and we are finally at a movie that I enjoyed watching. This documentary on Disney's renaissance in the late 80s and 90s was fascinating. I really enjoyed learning about the stories behind the films as well as reminiscing some memories of seeing these animated films when I was younger. Interesting watch for anyone who likes to learn about movies.

1. The King's Speech - Another good film. I would not say this one was amazing but it was constantly witty, interesting and entertaining. Geoffry Rush's performance was superb and I could not picture anyone else but him playing the part.

Man, I guess 2010 was not the best year for movies. Maybe I just didn't see enough as I tend to watch older films. Maybe I just need to do a post reacting to Doc's list and to say how all those movies he selected seem bad to me. We shall see. I will give him that I want to see True Grit and the Fighter. But how can Jackass 3D really be in a list of the best anything?

Merry New Year!