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[morningbus]

I'm confident that James isn't sexist and that his distaste for the upcoming Ghostbusters movie comes from a place of nerdiness rather than misogyny. It's hard to tell the difference, though, and requires nuance, especially now, as MRAs and GamerGaters often co-opt these situations to push their agendas.

But there's problems with the kind of blanket denial he gives out in the video, too. Announcing that you won't see a movie, even if it is great because of reasons, turns it into a political message. You're now taking a stand against something.

And honestly, this Ghostbusters movie just isn't worth that. It should have come and gone with little fuss, like the other movies rebooting nostalgic things from your childhood. But why is it this movie is suddenly worse, or more offensive than the Ninja Turtles movies, or the Transformers movies, or the G.I. Joe movies. Where's the video saying you won't watch these things because it tarnishes their histories?

Creating morals around this builds the movie up higher than it has any right to be. If James had tweeted out that he wasn't particularly interested in the reboot and didn't find the trailers funny, we wouldn't even be talking about this. Instead, he made a relatively lengthy video trying to apply emotion to something that doesn't require it, which is now being passed around by the usual cadre of internet misogynists and people who make a living catering to those types. Add to it that he also released a few videos with a very vocal and polarizing supporter of those types and it's just the worst time, worst way, and worst reasons to relay this message.

I have absolutely no stakes in this, either. I don't think the movie looks funny and, as it stands, I probably won't even watch it when it's up on Netflix. We live in an era with so much choice and access that you're forgiven for not consuming every little thing out there. No one is suggesting you have to like this movie or even see it.

But you don't need to stand up to this movie, either. It's such a weird hill to choose to die on.

Which is to say nothing about the other weird thing surrounding this movie: the refusal to accept there is a lot of misogyny attached to criticism of the movie in general. Again, I firmly believe this isn't where James is coming from and I myself don't think the movie looks good, but I at least recognize that there seems to be a motive and agenda to the insane level of hate this movie is getting on the internet at the moment. It's just simply undeniable to me and makes me suspect when someone says they don't see that.

 

[Aldric]

He did make a touching video about the care that his daughter got from Shriner's, and I am happy for him and his family.

However, that doesn't make him clear of any open discussion about the videos that he himself submits, as well as Cinemassacre submits in general. He made a video about his opinion, and posted it online. That action allows discussion. If he didn't want to create a discussion, then he shouldn't have created the video and uploaded it.

As far as treating him as garbage, I haven't seen any personal attacks come his way from his Ghostbusters video, at least not from the individuals on this website.

I'm not talking about reactions on Neogaf, but some of the things posted on Twitter were kind of disgusting.

And honestly, this Ghostbusters movie just isn't worth that. It should have come and gone with little fuss, like the other movies rebooting nostalgic things from your childhood. But why is it this movie is suddenly worse, or more offensive than the Ninja Turtles movies, or the Transformers movies, or the G.I. Joe movies. Where's the video saying you won't watch these things because it tarnishes their histories?

He addresses that in his video, doesn't he? He says he doesn't like how the new movie ignores the original cast and doesn't pay homage to the old movies, essentially acting as if they never existed. He specifically says he'd have been fine with a new cast if the old one was there to pass the torch. As far as I know all the reboots you mentioned still had plenty of characters from the classic series.

It's actually perfectly in line with what Rolfe is all about, he's built an entire channel on nostalgia and the idea of preserving memories of old pop culture products. l can see how completely ignoring one of his favorite childhood movies would rub him the wrong way.

 

[shanafan]

I'm not talking about reactions on Neogaf, but some of the things posted on Twitter were kind of disgusting.

True. Twitter and YouTube comments are for the birds

 

[grim-tales]

I can tell this awful movie will be huge in the box office just because of all the controversy. Someone on the internet just saying they they don't want to see the movie leads to pages and pages of arguments.

Everyone should be watching and talking about the AVGN script videos instead. Those were hilarious and fascinating to hear more about his process in making videos.

Agreed, they were brilliant. Loved them

 

[grim-tales]

I suspect he'll end up reviewing Ghostbusters 2016 once it hits Blu-Ray since the video saying he's not going to watch it is going viral.

I'm sure he's going to be tempted to review it in-character as AVGN given the reaction.

I dont know about you but I cant wait for that

 

[maharg]

I'm confident that James isn't sexist and that his distaste for the upcoming Ghostbusters movie comes from a place of nerdiness rather than misogyny. It's hard to tell the difference, though, and requires nuance, especially now, as MRAs and GamerGaters often co-opt these situations to push their agendas.

But there's problems with the kind of blanket denial he gives out in the video, too. Announcing that you won't see a movie, even if it is great because of reasons, turns it into a political message. You're now taking a stand against something.

And honestly, this Ghostbusters movie just isn't worth that. It should have come and gone with little fuss, like the other movies rebooting nostalgic things from your childhood. But why is it this movie is suddenly worse, or more offensive than the Ninja Turtles movies, or the Transformers movies, or the G.I. Joe movies. Where's the video saying you won't watch these things because it tarnishes their histories?

Creating morals around this builds the movie up higher than it has any right to be. If James had tweeted out that he wasn't particularly interested in the reboot and didn't find the trailers funny, we wouldn't even be talking about this. Instead, he made a relatively lengthy video trying to apply emotion to something that doesn't require it, which is now being passed around by the usual cadre of internet misogynists and people who make a living catering to those types. Add to it that he also released a few videos with a very vocal and polarizing supporter of those types and it's just the worst time, worst way, and worst reasons to relay this message.

I have absolutely no stakes in this, either. I don't think the movie looks funny and, as it stands, I probably won't even watch it when it's up on Netflix. We live in an era with so much choice and access that you're forgiven for not consuming every little thing out there. No one is suggesting you have to like this movie or even see it.

But you don't need to stand up to this movie, either. It's such a weird hill to choose to die on.

Which is to say nothing about the other weird thing surrounding this movie: the refusal to accept there is a lot of misogyny attached to criticism of the movie in general. Again, I firmly believe this isn't where James is coming from and I myself don't think the movie looks good, but I at least recognize that there seems to be a motive and agenda to the insane level of hate this movie is getting on the internet at the moment. It's just simply undeniable to me and makes me suspect when someone says they don't see that.

This exactly.

 

[bjork]

I'm confident that James isn't sexist and that his distaste for the upcoming Ghostbusters movie comes from a place of nerdiness rather than misogyny. It's hard to tell the difference, though, and requires nuance, especially now, as MRAs and GamerGaters often co-opt these situations to push their agendas.

But there's problems with the kind of blanket denial he gives out in the video, too. Announcing that you won't see a movie, even if it is great because of reasons, turns it into a political message. You're now taking a stand against something.

And honestly, this Ghostbusters movie just isn't worth that. It should have come and gone with little fuss, like the other movies rebooting nostalgic things from your childhood. But why is it this movie is suddenly worse, or more offensive than the Ninja Turtles movies, or the Transformers movies, or the G.I. Joe movies. Where's the video saying you won't watch these things because it tarnishes their histories?

Creating morals around this builds the movie up higher than it has any right to be. If James had tweeted out that he wasn't particularly interested in the reboot and didn't find the trailers funny, we wouldn't even be talking about this. Instead, he made a relatively lengthy video trying to apply emotion to something that doesn't require it, which is now being passed around by the usual cadre of internet misogynists and people who make a living catering to those types. Add to it that he also released a few videos with a very vocal and polarizing supporter of those types and it's just the worst time, worst way, and worst reasons to relay this message.

I have absolutely no stakes in this, either. I don't think the movie looks funny and, as it stands, I probably won't even watch it when it's up on Netflix. We live in an era with so much choice and access that you're forgiven for not consuming every little thing out there. No one is suggesting you have to like this movie or even see it.

But you don't need to stand up to this movie, either. It's such a weird hill to choose to die on.

Which is to say nothing about the other weird thing surrounding this movie: the refusal to accept there is a lot of misogyny attached to criticism of the movie in general. Again, I firmly believe this isn't where James is coming from and I myself don't think the movie looks good, but I at least recognize that there seems to be a motive and agenda to the insane level of hate this movie is getting on the internet at the moment. It's just simply undeniable to me and makes me suspect when someone says they don't see that.

This is basically where I sit too, but this post is far more eloquent about it than I have the capacity to be.

 

[BassForever]

I mean James is the biggest ghostbusters fan I can think of he had to eventually comment on the new film since his silence was weird. Dude made three videos in a row talking about ghostbusters and it's various games and talked about the sequel game they made a few years ago. This is another correlation not causation thing since I'm sure James would have felt the same way I'd this was an all male remake of a mixed gender remake. It doesn't help he recently had a video with Alpha omega sin So this nonsense is "James secretly a gator" started right before he posted this.

 

[Timu]

New Ghostbusters trailer just came out, he should react to that.

I'm also still surprised he and Mike doesn't strafe in these Doom games!

 

[morningbus]

And addresses that in his video, doesn't he? He says he doesn't like how the new movie ignores the original cast and doesn't pay homage to the old movies, essentially acting as if they never existed. He specifically says he'd have been fine with a new cast if the old one was there to pass the torch. As far as I know all the reboots you mentioned still had plenty of characters from the classic series.

It's actually perfectly in line with what Rolfe is all about, he's built an entire channel on nostalgia and the idea of preserving memories of old pop culture products. l can see how completely ignoring one of his favorite childhood movies would rub him the wrong way.

He doesn't mention the specific examples I chose, instead contrasting it with the new Star Trek and Star Wars movies. Those are interesting choices because they're two different ways of handling the situation:

The Star Wars way: keep continuity with previous movies, retain some of the original cast, introduce and focus the movie around the newcomers that will be the leads for the next few movies to come.

The Star Trek way: do not keep continuity and have a random cameo from a member of the original cast, playing the same character as before.

Those are fine and certainly good ways of doing it. However, to make his argument here he has to believe those are the only ways of doing it. And, hey, maybe it is or maybe it isn't and the new Ghostbusters movie will follow a third way that's also worked before:

The Thing, or the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or the Fly way: take the original idea and try to make your own original thing with it.

It's understandable to become defensive when it's something you love, but his point here is both so narrow in what "works" yet so broad with how it must be applied that it's just a poorly considered argument.

Regardless, his examples there don't really get to the heart of my original point either, that the Ninja Turtles or G.I. Joe movies are also that third way which doesn't really try to pander to the original fans yet they don't get the same kind of anger or hate that Ghostbusters is getting. Those movies didn't inspire him to make a video about how even if they were good he will refuse to watch them.

And the crazy thing is, even in his own video he admits that they got some of the original cast back for cameos... just not as the characters they originally played. Maybe. Who knows. Certainly not him because he's taken a principled stance to only support remakes of movies that recognize the continuity of the work being adapted in some way by featureing cast members from the original work specifically in the exact same role they played that must be evidenced entirely in trailers and promotional material for the new film.

There's no way he actually thinks that, of course, but when you decide to make it some kind of moral argument you start wading waist-deep into the absurd.

 

[Nekofrog]

I think at some point, especially if you have children of your own, it's time to give up the prideful stance of "i don't like it because it's not what i grew up with as a child/doesn't acknowledge X from the originals" etc.

I can't live my life being trapped by my own feelings of nostalgia. The world changes, new things come out, remakes of old things come out, etc. It's not going to stop because you put your fingers in your ears and say "la la la i don't care". If anything, take your daughter to the movie and let her experience what may be as impactful to her as the original was to you. or it's just a fun saturday popcorn movie that you can enjoy with her, whatever. It doesn't have to pay any homages, it doesn't owe anything to the originals. Just enjoy it for what it is.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

Its amazing how big that video went. Even here in germany a lot of movie enthusiast talk about James.

 

[BassForever]

I think at some point, especially if you have children of your own, it's time to give up the prideful stance of "i don't like it because it's not what i grew up with as a child/doesn't acknowledge X from the originals" etc.

I can't live my life being trapped by my own feelings of nostalgia. The world changes, new things come out, remakes of old things come out, etc. It's not going to stop because you put your fingers in your ears and say "la la la i don't care". If anything, take your daughter to the movie and let her experience what may be as impactful to her as the original was to you. or it's just a fun saturday popcorn movie that you can enjoy with her, whatever. It doesn't have to pay any homages, it doesn't owe anything to the originals. Just enjoy it for what it is.

Or he could just show her the original film and not take her to see the mediocre looking remake

 

[maharg]

...he's taken a principled stance to only support remakes of movies that recognize the continuity of the work being adapted in some way by featureing cast members from the original work specifically in the exact same role they played that must be evidenced entirely in trailers and promotional material for the new film.

This of course doesn't apply to, say, his beloved Universal Monster movies. How many versions of The Wolfman are there? The Mummy? Frankenstein?

But you know, if Boris Karloff wasn't involved it's not even worth thinking about.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

This of course doesn't apply to, say, his beloved Universal Monster movies. How many versions of The Wolfman are there? The Mummy? Frankenstein?

But you know, if Boris Karloff wasn't involved it's not even worth thinking about.

I remember that he wasnt very fond of the last batch of Classic Monster remakes, too.

 

[maharg]

I remember that he wasnt very fond of the last batch of Classic Monster remakes, too.

Did he make a 7 minute video about how he wasn't going to watch them?

A lot of this is just fundamentally that what could have been done in a tweet came as an announcement on the primary platform with a video longer than many non-meta videos he's done.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

Did he make a 7 minute video about how he wasn't going to watch them?

A lot of this is just fundamentally that what could have been done in a tweet came as an announcement on the primary platform with a video longer than many non-meta videos he's done.

Well, he is making a series about all this Ghostbusters stuff. Next video is about the canceled Ghostbusters 3, so I am fine with that.

 

[maharg]

Well, he is making a series about all this Ghostbusters stuff. Next video is about the canceled Ghostbusters 3, so I am fine with that.

That would have been a great place to put a sidebar about his lack of interest in the new Ghostbusters without giving it the weight of a sledgehammer in a conversation that's already heavily loaded.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

That would have been a great place to put a sidebar about his lack of interest in the new Ghostbusters without giving it the weight of a sledgehammer in a conversation that's already heavily loaded.

I just watched and I dont see how he gives the weight of a sledgehammer in that video.
Only time I rolled with my eyes where when he said its stupid that he has now to say 1984 Ghostbusters instead of Ghostbuster.
Its laughable how big this stuff was made.

 

[Lothar]

l thought his video explaining the reasoning behind the charity and his little girl's problems at birth was really touching.

Yeah, it's so sad that this Not-Interested-In-Ghostbusters video already has more views than those genuine touching videos. Not just a little but by a lot.

Mike was even endearing in the script videos talking about how how uncomfortable he was in front of the camera starting and that he didn't want to be shown without a mask because he didn't know what people think of him.

But more time should be spent on whether or not James is wrong for not wanting to see a shitty remake.

 

[maharg]

I just watched and I dont see how he gives the weight of a sledgehammer in that video.
Only time I rolled with my eyes where when he said its stupid that he has now to say 1984 Ghostbusters instead of Ghostbuster.
Its laughable how big this stuff was made.

If you refuse to understand why people find it a big deal, understanding will obviously elude you.

Read this post again: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=204005208&postcount=10249

 

[Nekofrog]

Or he could just show her the original film and not take her to see the mediocre looking remake

Why not let her decide which movie she likes for herself?

This is bordering on "no kid of mine is gonna play video games without playing the NES first like I did".

 

[Lothar]

This is bordering on "no kid of mine is gonna play video games without playing the NES first like I did".

There's nothing wrong with that.

If you refuse to understand why people find it a big deal, understanding will obviously elude you.

Read this post again: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=204005208&postcount=10249

I read that post and laughed. It's hard to tell if distaste is coming from nerdiness or misogyny. Lmao. Said about an extremely awful unfunny trailer that seems to be made by people that didn't get or care about what people liked in the original. It's hard to watch that trailer without thinking its shitting all over the original. The part about Tranformers and G I Joe was really ridiculous. Maybe James cares about Ghostbusters more than he does Transformers or G I Joe.

 

[BassForever]

Why not let her decide which movie she likes for herself?

This is bordering on "no kid of mine is gonna play video games without playing the NES first like I did".

Yes I'm sure his 2.5 year old daughter is very upset her father isn't going to see the new ghostbuster film and isn't planning to take her.

 

[Nekofrog]

Yes I'm sure his 2.5 year old daughter is very upset her father isn't going to see the new ghostbuster film and isn't planning to take her.

Give her a few years, show her both and let her decide what she likes more. It's not a difficult thing to do.

Alternatively, if she shows no interest in seeing either that's fine too. I don't get the nerd conditioning to like what their mom or dad likes in nerd culture these days.

 

[BassForever]

Give her a few years, show her both and let her decide what she likes more. It's not a difficult thing to do.

Alternatively, if she shows no interest in seeing either that's fine too. I don't get the nerd conditioning to like what their mom or dad likes in nerd culture these days.

Unless she specifically asks to see the remake why would James show it to her? Will anybody give a shit about this remake in 5 years time?

 

[Nekofrog]

Because it could actually turn out to be a fun little action adventure comedy film that little girls could relate to? We won't know until it's out. Pre judging the movie based off of trailers that Sony have put out (a company notorious for awful trailers, even for movies that actually aren't bad) is the crux of the problem here. People are way too wrapped up in their own nostalgia and childhoods.

But if we disagree we disagree, that's fine

 

[BassForever]

Because it could actually turn out to be a fun little action adventure comedy film that little girls could relate to? We won't know until it's out. Pre judging the movie based off of trailers that Sony have put out (a company notorious for awful trailers, even for movies that actually aren't bad) is the crux of the problem here. People are way too wrapped up in their own nostalgia and childhoods.

But if we disagree we disagree, that's fine

And it could be a terrible film, you're making an assumption based upon an assumption based upon an assumption, what are we even discussing here? You're assuming

1) the new ghostbusters will actually turn out to be good

2) that james will stick to his guns to not see the film despite the films positive reception

3) that years from now his daughter will discover the 2016 reboot

4) that when she sees the poster/box/trailer/etc that it'll be a movie that interests her enough to want to see it

5) that at this point James will tell her no and only let her view the original

Obviously the film could turn out terrible and his daughter may still want to see it, heck it could turn out amazing and maybe she won't want to see it OR the original, but this conversation is irrelevant to the fact that James made a video saying he isn't planning to see the new film in theaters since it looks bad.

 

[Nekofrog]

I never said any of those things.

The major point of my posts was that to make a sweeping decree about a movie based off of two short trailers probably isn't the best idea, but he's within his right to do it.

 

[morningbus]

I read that post and laughed. It's hard to tell if distaste is coming from nerdiness or misogyny. Lmao. Said about an extremely awful unfunny trailer that seems to be made by people that didn't get or care about what people liked in the original. It's hard to watch that trailer without thinking its shitting all over the original. The part about Tranformers and G I Joe was really ridiculous. Maybe James cares about Ghostbusters more than he does Transformers or G I Joe.

At first I thought that maybe you didn't understand the full context of what I wrote, but then I saw you removed the Ninja Turtles from the list of other movies that didn't get this kind of reaction, which makes me think otherwise.

I'll explain it a bit more. With a lot of these nostalgia-based adaptations heavily leveraging properties that are revered in geeky circles, the line between where a person has an obsessive infatuation with a property and where a person just has a personal axe to grind can be hard to distinguish. Geeky or nerdy types (which I consider myself in certain things) tend to want an idealized version of something. They want that comic book character to look and sound exactly like the thing they have in their head and damn anything else to hell if it doesn't match that. People with a personal axe to grind just might be people who have weird politics or beliefs and will take any opportunity to make the conversation about it.

This conversation has been playing out a lot lately, not just with female Ghostbusters. A similar conversation occurred when it was suggested that a black actor could be cast for Spider-man or James Bond. Some are comfortable with that idea and some are not. Those that aren't can have many reasons, like the nerdy-I-need-my-ideal-version: Peter Parker is white in the comics so despite how well the actor's abilities may fit the role, he can't be Peter Parker; or the guy with the axe to grind: I'm not going to go see a movie staring a black man.

Everyone can see the difference between the two and one is obviously an awful thing to believe. But, ultimately, both beliefs get expressed as "I don't want a black Spider-man." The line between the two is now harder to distinguish.

We don't know how a reboot of Ghostbusters with an all-male cast would have been received. Maybe it would have been equally criticized and have garnered as much unprecedented hate. However, we can see the reaction from people to the Ghostbusters we're getting at the time when nothing else was known about it but the fact that it was starring women... and it isn't favorable. Those opinions weren't based off of quantifiable things like how funny a trailer is (because, as I've said repeatedly, I don't find the trailers funny either) but off of nothing more than knowing the gender of the people in it.

It's not the source of all of the criticism the movie is getting, but it absolutely cannot be discounted either.

Lastly, back to the Ninja Turtles example you decided to leave off. It's an interesting comparison because much of the early responses to that movie were negative as well. Yet, James didn't release a video saying how disrespectful it was to the cartoon, comic books, or previous movies he absolutely loves and how he wouldn't be reviewing it.

In fact, he did review it. Which is, of course, his choice. I don't want or need him to the see the new Ghostbusters (again, I'll probably never see it either), but it's an inconsistency of belief he creates for himself by making his refusal to see the movie a moral imperative. He doesn't need to do that. He doesn't need to justify why anymore than, "Eh, I'm not interested and I don't find the trailers funny."

 

[Orochinagis]

Wow, people really got upset about AVGN point of view

 

[Nekofrog]

Wow, people really got upset about AVGN point of view

It comes from a flawed (if understandable) perspective, so of course people will.

It's not mysoginistic, it's not hate filled, it's not ignorant. It's a flawed "my childhood" argument that is ironically childish in nature.

 

[Orochinagis]

Eh, I share his point of view, thats why I didnt pay attention to the new ninja turtle movies

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

All of the name-calling and people attacking James over this completely inoffensive video is just flat-out gross. And from famous people no less.

 

[Olly88]

It's utterly ridiculous and I don't understand it at all.

 

[Averon]

It's utterly ridiculous and I don't understand it at all.

All of the name-calling and people attacking James over this completely inoffensive video is just flat-out gross. And from famous people no less.

People have attached on to this movie their own agendas so tightly that they feel obligated to viciously attack it or viciously defend it at all costs. Add in the toxic nature of the internet, how fast and wide information travels, and James popularity, then it isn't surprising this is what happened.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

A lot of progressive people can't see the forest through the trees and resort to a lot of shit that is condemned by the same people (although not as extreme) sadly

 

[Lothar]

At first I thought that maybe you didn't understand the full context of what I wrote, but then I saw you removed the Ninja Turtles from the list of other movies that didn't get this kind of reaction, which makes me think otherwise.

I'll explain it a bit more. With a lot of these nostalgia-based adaptations heavily leveraging properties that are revered in geeky circles, the line between where a person has an obsessive infatuation with a property and where a person just has a personal axe to grind can be hard to distinguish. Geeky or nerdy types (which I consider myself in certain things) tend to want an idealized version of something. They want that comic book character to look and sound exactly like the thing they have in their head and damn anything else to hell if it doesn't match that. People with a personal axe to grind just might be people who have weird politics or beliefs and will take any opportunity to make the conversation about it.

This conversation has been playing out a lot lately, not just with female Ghostbusters. A similar conversation occurred when it was suggested that a black actor could be cast for Spider-man or James Bond. Some are comfortable with that idea and some are not. Those that aren't can have many reasons, like the nerdy-I-need-my-ideal-version: Peter Parker is white in the comics so despite how well the actor's abilities may fit the role, he can't be Peter Parker; or the guy with the axe to grind: I'm not going to go see a movie staring a black man.

Everyone can see the difference between the two and one is obviously an awful thing to believe. But, ultimately, both beliefs get expressed as "I don't want a black Spider-man." The line between the two is now harder to distinguish.

We don't know how a reboot of Ghostbusters with an all-male cast would have been received. Maybe it would have been equally criticized and have garnered as much unprecedented hate. However, we can see the reaction from people to the Ghostbusters we're getting at the time when nothing else was known about it but the fact that it was starring women... and it isn't favorable. Those opinions weren't based off of quantifiable things like how funny a trailer is (because, as I've said repeatedly, I don't find the trailers funny either) but off of nothing more than knowing the gender of the people in it.

It's not the source of all of the criticism the movie is getting, but it absolutely cannot be discounted either.

Lastly, back to the Ninja Turtles example you decided to leave off. It's an interesting comparison because much of the early responses to that movie were negative as well. Yet, James didn't release a video saying how disrespectful it was to the cartoon, comic books, or previous movies he absolutely loves and how he wouldn't be reviewing it.

In fact, he did review it. Which is, of course, his choice. I don't want or need him to the see the new Ghostbusters (again, I'll probably never see it either), but it's an inconsistency of belief he creates for himself by making his refusal to see the movie a moral imperative. He doesn't need to do that. He doesn't need to justify why anymore than, "Eh, I'm not interested and I don't find the trailers funny."

While I appreciate that you took time to explain, this is just a long post justifying witch hunting. These bad people like a movie. This person doesn’t like it either. Maybe he’s a part of that bad group too. Or it's ok for people to wonder if he's part of that bad group. It’s absurd. I hope James is smart enough to never take it seriously.

I left out TMNT because that example wasn’t as ridiculous as saying Transformers or GI Joe. At least there’s a debate there that he may possibly feel as strongly about TMNT as he does Ghostbusters. I can't buy that you're honestly confused as to why this would bother him more than G I Joe.

Did James say something about the TMNT trailer or are you just assuming he felt it was disrespectful to the cartoon, comic books, and movies? Because if not, then this comparison isn’t interesting. It’s meaningless. The TMNT trailer looked ok to me. The only bad thing was that the turtles looked ugly. It didn’t have jokes that made me cringe the whole way through. It didn’t come off like it was actually making fun of TMNT. I mean, god, the exorcist head turning reference followed by the “Power of christ compels you” line is porn parody dialogue quality. The whole GB trailer felt like one of those trash parody films like “Not Another Teen Movie”, “Disaster Movie”, “Epic Movie”, etc..

I think James should have taken it further and encouraged everyone to not see it. Instead he just said he wouldn't see it and gave reasons why. It's hilarious that anyone would have a problem with that.

 

[morningbus]

While it’s I appreciate that you took time to explain, this is just a long post justifying witch hunting. These bad people like a movie. This person doesn’t like it either. Maybe he’s a part of that bad group too. Or it's ok for people to wonder if he's part of that bad group. It’s absurd. I hope James is smart enough to never take it seriously.

That's just the thing, though, I'm not trying to justify or advocate anything.

Actually, I'm literally advocating doing nothing. By joining this weird hate-obsession the internet has over this specific piece of nostalgia-bait, he's hitched onto a wagon being pulled by a lot of weird people with axes to grind. If you check out the profiles of a lot of the people on Twitter involved in this you'll find disgusting MRA garbage abounds.

It's unprecedented for him and I think a lot of people just don't really understand why you'd go out of your way to do it, is all, when so much less would suffice.

 

[shanafan]

It's utterly ridiculous and I don't understand it at all.

To which argument? The fact that the video was made, or the fact that people have risen up against James?

Actually, I'm literally advocating doing nothing. By joining this weird hate-obsession the internet has over this specific piece of nostalgia-bait, he's hitched onto a wagon being pulled by a lot of weird people with axes to grind.

That's the key point. Why does he need to go out of his way to declare his side? For example, there are many AAA games that have come out, or coming out, that are not in my personal tastes. The trailers do not do much for me, nor the gameplay. But, I am not going to make a video declaring that I will not play the game because what purpose does it serve? I remember a long time on the Nintendo Voice Chat podcast that IGN does, there was a humorous argument about this. Let's say you don't like tuna. Usually, you just don't like it, and that's it. You move on. However, in this "hate-obsession culture" on the internet, people have to declare that tuna is the worst food ever, that tuna should never have been made and downvote any video on YouTube about tuna. It's outright silly.

Spoiler

I actually love tuna.

 

[Lothar]

That's just the thing, though, I'm not trying to justify or advocate anything.

Actually, I'm literally advocating doing nothing. By joining this weird hate-obsession the internet has over this specific piece of nostalgia-bait, he's hitched onto a wagon being pulled by a lot of weird people with axes to grind. If you check out the profiles of a lot of the people on Twitter involved in this you'll find disgusting MRA garbage abounds.

It's unprecedented for him and I think a lot of people just don't really understand why you'd go out of your way to do it, is all, when so much less would suffice.

So he shouldn't give an opinion on it? On a subject he's made videos about for years? A review from him on the new Ghostbusters was expected. If not a review of the film, then his thoughts on the trailer.

I'm sure he doesn't even know what a MRA is.

That's the key point. Why does he need to go out of his way to declare his side?

Why the hell not? This is kinda what he does.

For example, there are many AAA games that have come out, or coming out, that are not in my personal tastes. The trailers do not do much for me, nor the gameplay. But, I am not going to make a video declaring that I will not play the game because what purpose does it serve?

If people are interested in your opinions, then they'll be interested in why you're not playing it and what you didn't like about the trailer.

However, in this "hate-obsession culture" on the internet, people have to declare that tuna is the worst food ever, that tuna should never have been made and downvote any video on YouTube about tuna. It's outright silly.

It's not. I would downvote Tuna right now.

 

[morningbus]

So he shouldn't give an opinion on it? On a subject he's made videos about for years? A review from him on the new Ghostbusters was expected. If not a review of the film, then his thoughts on the trailer.

I'm sure he doesn't even know what a MRA is.

I think we keep trying to have different conversations with each other.

I've always said that he could have just said "Nah, not interested" and been done with with. But to make a 6 minute video with specious, emotional reasons for basically boycotting something is something else entirely.

I get that people probably expected a review from him, but literally a tweet or a post on the site saying, "This new Ghostbusters movie doesn't interest me, I don't find the trailers funny, and I won't be reviewing it" would be enough. No one would be jumping on his sack if he just did that.

 

[Averon]

Eh, I don't feel AVGN needs pay people that think attacking him and his wife because he made a benign video about why he will not watch a movie any mind. Those type of people are toxic and probably would have shat on him even if he just made a mere tweet saying so.

 

[Lothar]

I think we keep trying to have different conversations with each other.

I've always said that he could have just said "Nah, not interested" and been done with with. But to make a 6 minute video with specious, emotional reasons for basically boycotting something is something else entirely.

I get that people probably expected a review from him, but literally a tweet or a post on the site saying, "This new Ghostbusters movie doesn't interest me, I don't find the trailers funny, and I won't be reviewing it" would be enough. No one would be jumping on his sack if he just did that.

It would be enough if that's all he wanted to say, but that's not all he wanted to say. As a huge Ghostbusters fan, it annoyed him that the trailer was so shitty. That's what he wanted to get off his chest. There's nothing wrong with that.

He didn't even urge others to not see it. And I think he should have. Bad remakes need to end.

 

[NoFaceNico]

It comes from a flawed (if understandable) perspective, so of course people will.

It's not mysoginistic, it's not hate filled, it's not ignorant. It's a flawed "my childhood" argument that is ironically childish in nature.

Do us a favor and make a list of every single thing you were ever into as a kid. That way I can come up with a shopping list of all the movies you are obligated to watch. I hope Land Before Time isn't is on that list, because if it is there's like 17 fucking sequels you're going to have to marathon.

He's entitled to have his own opinion, even if that opinion is about a movie that isn't out and that he doesn't plan on seeing. As a fan, I appreciate that he felt it was worth his time to give us a detailed explanation rather than just flatly ignoring it. His points are valid because they're his own and his choice is his own, I don't recall him ever telling the fans to boycott the film.

And as far as his daughter goes all I have to say is shame on you, you're sticking your nose in a subject you have no fucking place in. However he manage his household is his own business. There are parents that are even more restrictive for entirely different reasons but as long as it's their household, they're entitled to run it as they see fit. Period.

 

[grim-tales]

I feel bad for James about what happened. People attacking him need to realise what he actually said instead of giving him shit. All he said was he didnt want to see the movie and gave his reasons, and the trailer looked terrible. Practically everyone on the internet was saying the same thing when it came out, why is James any different?

 

[bjork]

3) that years from now his daughter will discover the 2016 reboot

This isn't out of the realm of possibility. He was four when the first ghostbusters came out.

 

[Olly88]

To which argument? The fact that the video was made, or the fact that people have risen up against James?

The criticism of him and his video. First of all I don't even see what the problem with him making a video is in the first place. But if someone thinks it wasn't necessary for him to do so, that's fine, I just don't understand how it warrants anything more than, "Meh, I don't think he needed to do a video about it really".

Everyone making a huge deal out of it and insulting him just blows my mind. Articles have been written on sites about it, some calling him sexist FFS. I feel like I'm in The Twilight Zone.

It's such an innocuous video.

Edit: From TheCinemassacre subreddit

What. The. Fuck.

 

[BassForever]

The criticism of him and his video. First of all I don't even see what the problem with him making a video is in the first place. But if someone thinks it wasn't necessary for him to do so, that's fine, I just don't understand how it warrants anything more than, "Meh, I don't think he needed to do a video about it really".

Everyone making a huge deal out of it and insulting him just blows my mind. Articles have been written on sites about it, some calling him sexist FFS. I feel like I'm in The Twilight Zone.

It's such an innocuous video.

Edit: From TheCinemassacre subreddit



What. The. Fuck.

The internet was a mistake it's nothing but trash

 

[Kudo]

The internet was a mistake it's nothing but trash

Can't help but to second this.
Poor James, I genuinely feel bad for him, hopefully he doesn't care.

Warms my heart to see lots of support for James in the video comments though, even TotalBiscuit is there! I had no idea this was blown up so big until that picture.