Some of you may be aware that Roger Ebert does a Q&A column for the Chicago Sun-Times. Well in the latest one he says some pretty neat things about the South Park movie. You can read it online at: http://www.suntimes.com/output/answ-man/ebert29.html
Lest you be confused, you have to scroll down to about the middle of the page or so to find the South Park question & answer. Pretty kewl, eh?
In article ,
http://www.suntimes.com/output/answ-man/ebert29.html
Wow---that was quite a 180 from the review I heard him give on his show. In fact, he was quite rude to the (I think) San Francisco reviewer who was "filling in" for Siskel. As I recall, every time the guest reviewer was trying to make a point about why this movie was so friggin' BRILLIANT, Ebert would cut him off. EVERY time. The SF reviewer was getting a bit exasperated but still tried to make his point---but Ebert just wouldn't listen to him, "dismissing" him and his comments before he could really even get them out of his mouth! Before you knew it, Ebert just went on and introduced the next movie up for review. You just KNOW that the SF reviewer was sitting there, unable to finish a thought (much less a sentence), thinking, "What an asshole!" But now, to read his recent words, Ebert must have taken quite a bit of critizism himself for not seeing the sheer brilliance of this movie--- and, of course, has now backtracked to save face. To me, that's even worse than him not "getting it" from the very beginning!!
Jaycey
Then you're being much harder on him than he was on the movie!! He gave it a marginal thumbs down for the meanness, not because he didn't get what the movie had to say! Indeed, the meanness ruined it for him, for a while, and his thumb would surely have been way up if the meanness weren't there. As it is, he gives it a thumbs-up now because he got over the meanness.
I wonder if it was because of the meanness.
<< the meanness ruined it for him>>
I am always perplexed by people who talk about SP's "meanness" or "cynicism".
I always find SP, either the show or the movie, to be relentlessly positive, upbeat, and sweet to the point of being sentimental.
Personally, I think that the problem is that they can't get past the language and the total lack of PC. Calling the show mean or cynical is the last refuge of the pompous and clueless, IMO.
Yes! Yes! Someone else gets it! Something that I found amazing about the show is how it can be satirical and controversial without being negative..there's always that sweetness and underlying moral. I also hate the articles that call the boys themselves mean-spirited. One of them has sacrificed for the greater good 3 fucking times, for crying out loud, and *all* of them with Cartman as an exception are smarter and more mature than the adults. And..that is my over-analytic rant of the day, thank you and good night. ^^;;
-Kim "Obsessive Freaks Hotline, we're not obsessed, we're healthily preoccupied. We are currently celebrating our one year anniversary, how may I help you?"-Me
"Hm..lowfat SPAM has less grease but more meat, which would make the better lube?"-Me
Cheryl and Kim --
I know I'm a bit late with this, but...
I always find SP, either the show or the movie, to be relentlessly positive, upbeat, and sweet to the point of being sentimental.
Absolutely, totally, and without question. From the first moment I really SAW the show [about episode 4] I was struck by its positiveness and sweetness. How can anybody with more than two brain cells watch this show and NOT get all the optimistic, upbeat messages? I nearly wept [but was laughing too hard] at Kyle's Christmas song, amazed at that early point that Matt and Trey could so brilliantly balance the crisply witty and the poignantly sentimental!
This was long before I knew anything about Matt and Trey, of course -- having read so many interviews/articles, in which they talk so honestly about their motives and opinions, the show makes even more sense. The guys are crap-free, and so is the show, and the kids. It is THE most balanced, sane, informative and entertaining concept ever produced on the screen. And anybody who doesn't get that, well, they probably don't deserve to.
and the total lack of PC. Calling the show mean or cynical is the last refuge of the pompous and clueless, IMO.
True -- but what really perplexes me is, some people who you'd expect to get it, don't. But it's funny how you can usually predict who will and who won't.
Dude, isn't it great to know we're not alone??
underlying moral.
Matt and Trey themselves have said SO many times, that the show has 'heart', and they do this deliberately. Yeah, they undercut the sentimentality with wit and humor and social commentary, but the heart and soul is always there. You *have* to care about the kids or the show means nothing. Every damned time Kenny dies, I have like three seconds of sadness! And they've also said repeatedly that they carefully consider the content of each show, and the 'message', and that their comedy *does* have a conscience, and they are proud of it.
Isn't this THE most anal, blinkered attitude? It just screams that they don't remember their own childhoods, and/or that they were probably little bastards themselves and don't want to admit it.
out loud, and *all* of them with Cartman as an exception are smarter and more mature than the adults.
The scene in the movie when Kenny sacrifices himself is practically a Messianic thing! I almost expected the other boys to say, 'thanks for dying for our sins, Kenny!' but instead they just did the simple, 'thanks for going back to hell for us, dude'...simple gratitude, no stupid adult misperceptions. And almost every episode deals somehow with one of the boys in trouble, and needing help or advice, and either Chef or the others give it. How can THIS message be a negative one?
Damn -- well, that's MY rant!
--Wendy