-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Napoleon Dynamite = Not fucking funny.
- Thread starter Matlock
- Start date
- Status
SystemShark
Member
My only problem with the DVD is that the commentary totally sucked. Kind of dissappointing.
Error Macro
Member
I just bought the movie this morning as a blind purchase, and I just finished watching it. I thought it was pretty sweet.
Legal Step
Member
Matlock said:
It's like you said what I was feeling...The movie is shit, but with good marketing.
Ford Prefect
GAAAAAAAAY
Definitely one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. The only problem with it is its incredible popularity. I was hoping this was to be another cult film to secretly enjoy with its limited fan base (much like my beloved Kung Pow), but the film exploded, which, I guess, is good in the sense that something so weird and stupid can survive on the market, which has got to count for something.
But it really is a bit too popular. The constant quoting of the movie at school and wherever really gets obnoxious, and Dennis Effing Quaid appeared on the Daily Show last week in a "Vote For Pedro" shirt. That's when you know things have gotten out of hand.
But it really is a bit too popular. The constant quoting of the movie at school and wherever really gets obnoxious, and Dennis Effing Quaid appeared on the Daily Show last week in a "Vote For Pedro" shirt. That's when you know things have gotten out of hand.
I saw it tonight. I didn't like it. Well, I really liked two points at the end. The skit was awesome, and the high-five just before it ended was cool [and almost out of place]. I laughed/smiled... I dunno... maybe seven times? The stealthy bitch-slap near the beginning was hilarious, Kip becoming a gangsta was funny, and Naploean had some good one-liners. Still, I was irritated more. Nearly every character was pathetic and never pathetic in any endearing way -- instead, I was genuinely annoyed. I mean, whenever Napolean did his angry "GOD!" I would wince. Pedro just made me sad. I recognized that they probably expected people to laugh at certain points with him, but I'd just stare blankly.
It's a pretty stupid movie. Maybe some people can enjoy something like that, but it just felt so freaking empty to me. 90 minutes for a few laughs? It should have been a fucking comedy short and nothing more. I trust that if everything was done differently, it could have been a great movie. Maybe I could have laughed at their incessant numbness or Rico's depressing anguish. Instead, it made ME numb. I fucking suffered. It shouldn't work like that.
-edit- A HA! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398259/
But: "I have seen Napolean Dynamite a good 6 times, and just finally saw "Peluca". Don't let the die-hards fool you - this thing is a mess. It shows promise and Hess is about as good as he is in "Dynamite", but the cinematography is awful, the "Gosh!" and "Idiot!"s are way overused.. I can't believe they got the green light to make a major motion picture based on this."
Maybe neither works then
It's a pretty stupid movie. Maybe some people can enjoy something like that, but it just felt so freaking empty to me. 90 minutes for a few laughs? It should have been a fucking comedy short and nothing more. I trust that if everything was done differently, it could have been a great movie. Maybe I could have laughed at their incessant numbness or Rico's depressing anguish. Instead, it made ME numb. I fucking suffered. It shouldn't work like that.
-edit- A HA! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398259/
But: "I have seen Napolean Dynamite a good 6 times, and just finally saw "Peluca". Don't let the die-hards fool you - this thing is a mess. It shows promise and Hess is about as good as he is in "Dynamite", but the cinematography is awful, the "Gosh!" and "Idiot!"s are way overused.. I can't believe they got the green light to make a major motion picture based on this."
Maybe neither works then
Loved it.
The people who hate it almost seem to be looking for the cheap 'hollywood comedy' frills.. I derive this from them only enjoying the mainstream funny parts (ie. football and camera, ramp and dancing). The beauty of it for me was definately the dialogue and the characters. I thought the acting performances were awesome, and tremendously difficult to pull off.
The people who hate it almost seem to be looking for the cheap 'hollywood comedy' frills.. I derive this from them only enjoying the mainstream funny parts (ie. football and camera, ramp and dancing). The beauty of it for me was definately the dialogue and the characters. I thought the acting performances were awesome, and tremendously difficult to pull off.
I watched the "film" tonight...and I can't say I really thought it was worth my time.
This is not a bad film. It has its funny moments. The dance scene was really cool, and I smiled at a few points, at a few characters.
The problem is that the film is not a film about nothing; it is a film that fails to actually be a film about something. It wants to be about something; it has all sorts of elements of your standard story of this sort. A quasi-love triangle, a big shining moment for the lead character in the beginning, generally conclusive moments for all of its characters. It may not have your normal three act structure, but some basics are there. And they're all bullshit.
Pedro is a funny character...the first time. Then, I stopped giving a shit. Kip and Rico were too periphery for me to even invest myself in. Nothing they said or did were really that hysterical; they just kind of did stupid ass stuff and I smiled on occasion. The character of Deb (And Pedro) were too deadpan and comotose to make me really care, and the hints at some form of love triangle ended up so awkward and idiotic that it failed to even register.
Then, Napoleon. I like the character, but it's not hysterical. I smiled at some of his antics, but he's a geek. He does stupid ass stuff, has stupid ideas, and might well be one of the stupider characters in awhile...and yet I didn't find that funny. So sue me for that. I loved his dancing scene, but its purpose in the film eludes me. Is it a big character moment for him? Not really, all he did was dance, and "get the girl" with his killer moves.
I ended up not caring about these characters because they were just there for 90 minutes. They didn't do anything special, change who they were, or say anything I found REALLY hysterical the entire time. I hate to be some sort of cynical critic (I once scolded a friend for seeing Christmas in the Kranks, and was berated for being too much of a critic), but the film had no progression. If you find the characters funny, you'll love it. I didn't particularly find every word coming out of their mouths hysterical, so I chuckled at a few parts and came out feeling like I had watching a frustrating attempt at filmmaking.
This outgrossing Garden State in last year's battle of the small Indie features that could is a crime.
This is not a bad film. It has its funny moments. The dance scene was really cool, and I smiled at a few points, at a few characters.
The problem is that the film is not a film about nothing; it is a film that fails to actually be a film about something. It wants to be about something; it has all sorts of elements of your standard story of this sort. A quasi-love triangle, a big shining moment for the lead character in the beginning, generally conclusive moments for all of its characters. It may not have your normal three act structure, but some basics are there. And they're all bullshit.
Pedro is a funny character...the first time. Then, I stopped giving a shit. Kip and Rico were too periphery for me to even invest myself in. Nothing they said or did were really that hysterical; they just kind of did stupid ass stuff and I smiled on occasion. The character of Deb (And Pedro) were too deadpan and comotose to make me really care, and the hints at some form of love triangle ended up so awkward and idiotic that it failed to even register.
Then, Napoleon. I like the character, but it's not hysterical. I smiled at some of his antics, but he's a geek. He does stupid ass stuff, has stupid ideas, and might well be one of the stupider characters in awhile...and yet I didn't find that funny. So sue me for that. I loved his dancing scene, but its purpose in the film eludes me. Is it a big character moment for him? Not really, all he did was dance, and "get the girl" with his killer moves.
I ended up not caring about these characters because they were just there for 90 minutes. They didn't do anything special, change who they were, or say anything I found REALLY hysterical the entire time. I hate to be some sort of cynical critic (I once scolded a friend for seeing Christmas in the Kranks, and was berated for being too much of a critic), but the film had no progression. If you find the characters funny, you'll love it. I didn't particularly find every word coming out of their mouths hysterical, so I chuckled at a few parts and came out feeling like I had watching a frustrating attempt at filmmaking.
This outgrossing Garden State in last year's battle of the small Indie features that could is a crime.
From my experience, and reading/hearing others [that didn't like the film], it has absolutely nothing to do with "mainstream funny" or "hollywood comedy". And by suggesting that people are looking for a particular kind of humour, you're suggesting that what doesn't qualify should have any freaking value. I think Memles did a excellent job of explaining why there was little of it.pestul said:
I thought the acting was [unusually] simple. Each character is a caricature. What's so difficult about that?
Ninja Scooter
Member
Memles said:
not to derail this thread, but can anyone explain to me the concept of having to "care" about characters, not just in movies but books, tv, even videogames, came from? I consider myself a pretty big fan of movies, and i can honestly say i can't remember actually "caring" about any character in the history of movies. So long as i am entertained for 2 hours, the movie got the job done. I don't need to care about them. I don't need "character development". Seems like something movie critics invented to make themselves feel important.
wow. when you care about characters that means the story has sucked you in. you want to know what happens next, how the situation will resolve. you feel the events and emotions with them... you've never experienced this?Ninja Scooter said:
saying you don't need character development is just silly, it's practically equivalent to saying you don't need a story.
Foreign Jackass
Member
Ninja Scooter said:
Poor guy, I'd really hate being you.
I watched this movie last night after all the hype I've read everywhere and the pressure from some of my friends and family, and well I'm pretty torn.
On one hand this is a terrible movie. Completely stupid humor and it was just a pointless hour and a half. But on the other hand I laughed a lot.
You really have to leave your brain at the door for this flick. But it just kinda seems that i could just drive somewhere where they encourage inbreeding (Saskatchewan) and just troll the high schools looking for the biggest freak and then film them over a period of time.
So in conclusion: it's a really bad, incredibly stupid movie that made me laugh.
On one hand this is a terrible movie. Completely stupid humor and it was just a pointless hour and a half. But on the other hand I laughed a lot.
You really have to leave your brain at the door for this flick. But it just kinda seems that i could just drive somewhere where they encourage inbreeding (Saskatchewan) and just troll the high schools looking for the biggest freak and then film them over a period of time.
So in conclusion: it's a really bad, incredibly stupid movie that made me laugh.
Schmo Florez
Member
I wanted to scratch my eyes out the first time I saw it. But it's weird...the more I talk about it with people the more I like it and want to watch it again. Damn I'm such a conformist.
- Status