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Mixed Feelings
Oct. 17th, 2004 11:29 amSo... I watched Team America last night. Parts of it were brilliantly funny, and parts of it were intensely racist, homophobic, and right wing in ways that weren't funny. All in all, I came away feeling sick that I'd given my money to them.
Before anyone gets on their high horse about how I just can't take a joke, let me say that I don't think this is the case. There were some parts that were attacks on the left that I could laugh at because they were charicatures of things we do, and it is quite possible to laugh with someone as opposed to laughing at them, and there were parts that were offensive to me but where still funny. On the other hand, there was a lot of it where they just ran things into the ground and made it clear they weren't laughing with us but at us and the hate beneath it was allowed to bubble up to the surface. It really killed parts of the film for me and overall ruined the funny parts. Apparently everyone on the left is stupid, secretly violent, gay, and happy to work for terrorists. While some of the terrorists were portrayed as having mildly redeeming values, the american liberals were portrayed in a completely hateful manner.
In addition, the original trailer had bits about Bush and Saddam Hussien. All traces of them have now been removed from the current trailer and the movie itself. So, I was a bit unhappy. Most of the film, I think everyone could laugh at but there was a lot of the film that could only be really enjoyed by conservative white middle america. It was very reminiscient of early Rush Limbaugh. So, it will make a ton of money and right wingers online will be quoting it for the next four years as though it were direct from the bible. Yay. :/
On the other hand, I may have to watch it again because there is something just on the edge of my consciousness that I can almost grasp and drag into focus. I've got little pieces of it but I can't put it together in a coherent way that anyone would understand. Basically it is some involuntary revulsive response to this film that awakened in me something that could be fresh and funny without making fun of anyone or taking a position right, left, or other. South Park, I think, is basically done. It's no longer fresh and there is room for the next fresh and original idea and it has to go in this direction. It's there, I've almost got it. I just need time to think. :/
Before anyone gets on their high horse about how I just can't take a joke, let me say that I don't think this is the case. There were some parts that were attacks on the left that I could laugh at because they were charicatures of things we do, and it is quite possible to laugh with someone as opposed to laughing at them, and there were parts that were offensive to me but where still funny. On the other hand, there was a lot of it where they just ran things into the ground and made it clear they weren't laughing with us but at us and the hate beneath it was allowed to bubble up to the surface. It really killed parts of the film for me and overall ruined the funny parts. Apparently everyone on the left is stupid, secretly violent, gay, and happy to work for terrorists. While some of the terrorists were portrayed as having mildly redeeming values, the american liberals were portrayed in a completely hateful manner.
In addition, the original trailer had bits about Bush and Saddam Hussien. All traces of them have now been removed from the current trailer and the movie itself. So, I was a bit unhappy. Most of the film, I think everyone could laugh at but there was a lot of the film that could only be really enjoyed by conservative white middle america. It was very reminiscient of early Rush Limbaugh. So, it will make a ton of money and right wingers online will be quoting it for the next four years as though it were direct from the bible. Yay. :/
On the other hand, I may have to watch it again because there is something just on the edge of my consciousness that I can almost grasp and drag into focus. I've got little pieces of it but I can't put it together in a coherent way that anyone would understand. Basically it is some involuntary revulsive response to this film that awakened in me something that could be fresh and funny without making fun of anyone or taking a position right, left, or other. South Park, I think, is basically done. It's no longer fresh and there is room for the next fresh and original idea and it has to go in this direction. It's there, I've almost got it. I just need time to think. :/
