Is my dad too hard on movies?

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My dad almost always hates every movie he watches, cause he always finds plot holes and it bothers him.

SPOILERS FROM THE DARK KNIGHT AND DIE HARD

Like for example, he didn't like The Dark Knight, cause he said that all Harvey Dent had to was shoot the Joker in he hospital and he would have been hailed as Gotham's greatest hero, and people thought that he defended himself against the man who already made attempts on his life already.

He also said that the police and Batman were stupid, making several mistakes, such as Batman choosing to fire bullets through windows while riding his motorbike, when he could have just used those bullets to take out Joker's tires in the first place.

He didn't like Die Hard cause McClane told Christoff to drop his gun, and Christoff didn't, so McClane chose to get on top of Christoff and attempt to wrestle the gun out of his hands, when any cop would have shot Christoff, after Christoff, refused to obey the police order, he said.

Those are are just two examples, but basically anything like that and he throws the whole movie out the window and turns it off. I am wondering, do you think he is too hard on movies, or are plot holes important and need to be considered to that degree? What do you think out of curiosity?



Welcome to the human race...
Yeah, I'd say he's way too hard on these movies. Too often, what gets called a "plot hole" results from a viewer's lack of comprehension more than the filmmakers straight-up failing to do something right. Those examples you listed definitely come across that way - Harvey doesn't kill the Joker to become Gotham's hero because by that point he has been thoroughly traumatised by the events of the movie to the point where he doesn't even want to be Gotham's hero (and also the Joker going "I want you to do it" successfully convinces Harvey that killing the nothing-to-lose Joker wouldn't satisfy his urge for revenge, hence why he goes after the corrupt cops with something to lose). The same goes for trying to shoot-out tires as if those aren't really small and fast-moving targets that even Batman would have trouble shooting during a high-speed chase. Meanwhile, McClane's first instinct while holding an armed terrorist at point-blank range really shouldn't be shoot-to-kill (which is why he tries to non-fatally subdue Christof instead - also note the scene where he and Heinrich hold each other at gunpoint yelling at each other to put the guns down until Marco interrupts and forces a shoot-out to happen). I think that's the flip-side of a story asking us to invest in and sympathise/empathise with characters - instead of understanding the characters' psychologies and motivations for doing the things that they do, we start thinking the characters are "stupid" for not doing what we think should be done in the same circumstances despite the fact that we make these judgments from the idle comfort and safety of our homes or theatres instead of in the middle of intense life-or-death situations.

What movies does he like?
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Your dad shouldn't be watching movies if this is his attitude towards all of them.
you sound like movies defensive wife

People just have higher irritation points than others and when they perceive of something they think is a big flaw it ruins the whole experience, i think that's understandable to a degree certain thinks have happened in films that take me right out of the film, your dad sounds like he is at the extreme end of this though. Movies just might not be his thing, some people have a very hard time suspending disbelief. Kind of sounds like you take after your dad a little this way Ironpony going by your threads, except you usually try to figure out if there's explanations for these flaws which is a good thing.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
My only movie-related irritation is the censorship mosaic in Japanese pinku eiga films.
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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
Nah. You can argue it either way depending on your personal perspective. Give everyone a pass for what are perceived as mistakes or hold them accountable.

Honestly, I think the better argument would be to say don't get worked up over a movie. That's assuming there is no personal investment of any kind though, which is a thin line to straddle.

I tend to look at movies based on how the average level of character stupidity plays out. If a character is presented as reasonably competent throughout, then does something obviously less competent relative to their actions up to that point then yeah, I get annoyed. Especially if the result of that momentary shift in awareness leads to a major plot point.

Take it in stride. I would imagine that for as hard as he is, the few movies that do pass his judgments will be treasures to him. Find those, and share them together. I think that might be a meaningful exchange.



Well, so far, the movies you've listed could be thrown out the window since they are typical action blockbuster crowd pleasers, and not thought intensive masterpieces. What did your father think of Little Fauss and Big Halsey? Ask him.



Yes, Sarah, your father can be a bit tough on movies, but everybody loves reading what @mark f has to say, anyway.



Oh, geeze, I saw the title and just assumed. Sorry about that. As you were.
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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra



Make your dad see The Last Jedi, tell us what he thinks of the movie.
That's like telling him to buy a loaded gun, any sane man would pull the trigger after seeing that abomination. Thankfully I live in Britain and we don't have guns over here so I just had to drink bleach. Hopefully I'll never see it again I don't think I'll survive the second viewing



Se correr o bicho pega. Se ficar o bicho come.
Nah. You can argue it either way depending on your personal perspective. Give everyone a pass for what are perceived as mistakes or hold them accountable.

Honestly, I think the better argument would be to say don't get worked up over a movie. That's assuming there is no personal investment of any kind though, which is a thin line to straddle.

I tend to look at movies based on how the average level of character stupidity plays out. If a character is presented as reasonably competent throughout, then does something obviously less competent relative to their actions up to that point then yeah, I get annoyed. Especially if the result of that momentary shift in awareness leads to a major plot point.

Take it in stride. I would imagine that for as hard as he is, the few movies that do pass his judgments will be treasures to him. Find those, and share them together. I think that might be a meaningful exchange.
Could you pin-point some movies that had that and made you irritated? *Last ones could do it.
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"Bate, bate, bate na porta do céu."



My dad almost always hates every movie he watches, cause he always finds plot holes and it bothers him...
It's your dad's life and his right to view movies anyway he wants. And I guarantee he won't hurt the movie by hating on it.

It could be that dad is more discerning than the average popcorn eating, 64 oz soda pop drinking, movie fan. Maybe what dad needs is to watch some intelligently made movies.(that's not a criticism of Dark Night and Die Hard per say, as I've never seen them, but you can't always expect brilliant intelligent scripts out of action block busters)



I think we should all put together a watch list for Iron's Dad
Like, 2 movies each... the best you can think of on the spot.


I'm immediately gonna throw out Se7en and Blade Runner 2049
Gonna cheat as well and throw out a third with the original Blade Runner as well if he hasn't seen it.



I think we should all put together a watch list for Iron's Dad
Like, 2 movies each... the best you can think of on the spot.


I'm immediately gonna throw out Se7en and Blade Runner 2049
Gonna cheat as well and throw out a third with the original Blade Runner as well if he hasn't seen it.
"I wanna meet that dad!"



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
Nah. You can argue it either way depending on your personal perspective. Give everyone a pass for what are perceived as mistakes or hold them accountable.

Honestly, I think the better argument would be to say don't get worked up over a movie. That's assuming there is no personal investment of any kind though, which is a thin line to straddle.

I tend to look at movies based on how the average level of character stupidity plays out. If a character is presented as reasonably competent throughout, then does something obviously less competent relative to their actions up to that point then yeah, I get annoyed. Especially if the result of that momentary shift in awareness leads to a major plot point.

Take it in stride. I would imagine that for as hard as he is, the few movies that do pass his judgments will be treasures to him. Find those, and share them together. I think that might be a meaningful exchange.
Could you pin-point some movies that had that and made you irritated? *Last ones could do it.
The comment was just for an approach to take. I don't dwell on it. If I had to pick one then maybe the last Star Wars flick. Jump over to that thread. I offered a few criticisms there.

If I catch a movie that bugs me like that I'll follow up.



Welcome to the human race...
I think we should all put together a watch list for Iron's Dad
Like, 2 movies each... the best you can think of on the spot.


I'm immediately gonna throw out Se7en and Blade Runner 2049
Gonna cheat as well and throw out a third with the original Blade Runner as well if he hasn't seen it.
Judging by what he said about Die Hard, he'd probably get pissed that Somerset doesn't go after the library records sooner or that they don't actually get to shoot John Doe at his apartment block or something. Blade Runner would not fare any better because of how useless Deckard is at fighting the replicants.



Welcome to the human race...
If his big complaint about Die Hard was McClane not shooting a guy straight away, then he's certainly not going to like Deckard not shooting any of the replicants straight away.