Camo's 2018 Movie Log

This is a very interesting nomination, i had no idea it existed. Wasn't crazy about it but i didn't dislike it either; good cast who were all performing well and it was a short and easy watch.

I initially liked that it didn't take sides; Zach was a gross, aggressive racist but the gang were being very condescending and smug and just as close minded except in a more socially acceptable way. It was a good portrayal of a liberal bubble being burst; liberal group think being challenged by someone they see as beneath them. Also Paxton was great, he actually managed to solicit some sympathy from me initially when his faith was being sneered at then he quickly turned it up to 11 coming across really unsettling and bigoted, yet he was still on an equal footing with the rest in terms of likeablity probably due to the non-serious and almost surreal vibe i got from the scene. I thought that was a very good start.

My problem is it just kept repeating itself and even though it was the intention i came to really hate the gang and just wanted to stop watching them. Not even because they were unlikeable or because of their actions, they were just exhausting to watch and listen to after a while. Ramping up their self-righteousness and making their reasons for killing increasingly flimsier becoming as intolerant as those they are against was a good idea, it just wasn't that interesting to watch for me. Every Conservative introduced was a caricature, so were the gang but we spent all our time with them and the conservatives only had a scene each so in the end they ended up frustrating to watch for me at least. Also i think nearly every guest was better and more interesting than the regulars which played into that.

I understand why people could love this: the humour, but i didn't find it all that funny. It was similar to Clueless in that i recognized lines as funny or clever but i didn't actually find them as such because it was just too "written". I dunno nothing felt natural, barely any lines or situations felt like they came from real people at least at the frequency they were delivered. That's not really a criticism of the movie because there's nothing wrong with that and i can enjoy it at times plus it obviously wasn't supposed to be a realistic feeling story, but it can also kill my immersement and that's what happened here. I was aware at all times i was watching a movie, or more accurately i was listening to a script being read.

Courtney B Vance was the best of the gang IMO. His calm delivery of everything was so great: "I say we just bury the cracker then finish eating our meal" . The others all did a pretty good job too, think this is the best performance i've seen from Cameron Diaz which speaks more to what i think of her as an actress. I did like how 90's this was: the music, the hair, clothes, even the cast: George Constanza and the dude whose only other film i know of is Drop Dead Fred . The film really fits into a specific era (Audiovisually i mean, its main points are timeless i guess) and i really like that sort of thing.

Thanks for nominating this Siddon. Even though i wasn't crazy about it i doubt i would have ever been aware of its existence if you hadn't and it's an interesting film. The Ascent next for me then i'll finish with Orlando.