JohnDoe
Bryn
Brenton
An Important Announcement from John Doe – A Change of Habit
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly comes to JDM Film Reviews
John Doe steps out of the darkness.
When John Doe first launched this site 4 years ago the primary intention was “Drawing attention to some of the lesser discussed gems that I love”. The concept was to excite the reader, like a marketing campaign centered purely around JD’s subjective opinion of what was “good”.
The philosophy being anyone can tear down and criticize; it is a lot harder to articulate what makes a film appealing especially in similar genres. (Eg: What made Narc rewarding without repeating the traits that made The French Connection a classic.) Plus, crap gets far more promotion than quality and as we know bad press is still free publicity.
Tragedy has struck recently and now real life has triggered a catastrophic decline in the amount of films being viewed. Before it used to be at least 14 or 15 films a week, now he is lucky to see 1.
Taking a long hard look in the mirror is never pleasant when you have a mutated noggin as unsightly as John Doe’s. After much introverted soul searching, carefully calculated algorithms and the flip of a coin he has decided that because of his restricted cinematic digestion that a more traditional approach to critiquing is appropriate in order to maintain volume.
Forrest Gump, a piece of trash - don't expect JD to be objective here, its still a matter of personal taste
John Doe would just like to take a moment to thank all those who click on his humble little blog and hopes that you enjoy the new format. Now on with the show, all feedback is welcome.
Horrorphile
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Screen Fanatic
20/20 Filmsight
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
One man's trash may well be another man's treasure.
Afterall you can't truly appreciate filet mignon until you've experienced mince.
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Great Hair Style Tips
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach
But Forrest Gump, a piece of trash?? Hmmmm...... I expect your site may be prone to much more controversy as a result of the change JD...... which will add to the fun factor as well. Looking forward to reading your stuff, as always.
Horrorphile
Film & TV on DVD
Bring it on I say ... The high art, the deep trash, and all the mediocrity in between. Well, perhaps some of the mediocrity in between.
A matter of necessity, but hopefully the cinematic abortions are still avoided...at least until someone starts sending me to screenings
Film & TV on DVD
Gump is one of the most painful and shallow films I have ever viewed...I can appreciate anything that achieves its goals (Eg: i can love Big Trouble in Little China as much as The Godfather), but that film just insulted its audience throughout.
Your right this will be "interesting"
Film & TV on DVD
Fortunately my movie radar seldom leaves me with absolute crap...just monumental disappointments from time to time.
Film & TV on DVD
I have no exterior forces working for my movie choices, so hopefully my tastes steer me clear of undiluted crapola....but it is sure to happen and expect bloodshed when it does
Film & TV on DVD
One man's trash may well be another man's treasure.
Afterall you can't truly appreciate filet mignon until you've experienced mince.
Hey I have always appreciated discerning trash...hell Bubba Ho Tep, Smokin Aces and Shoot Em Up are not high art but I dug em
Film & TV on DVD
Hi Deni,
I have always had an appreciation for my own sort of trash (eg: mars Attacks, black dynamite, many ninja based products) but they were always films i could endorse and get excited about. Now my reviews will not all be gushing but sometimes brutal instead...just like everyone else....
Hope my reviews trigger discussion
Film & TV on DVD
But Forrest Gump, a piece of trash?? Hmmmm...... I expect your site may be prone to much more controversy as a result of the change JD...... which will add to the fun factor as well. Looking forward to reading your stuff, as always.
Hi Journeywoman,
I love controversy, it breeds conversation.
I have occasionally dabbled in embracing my negative emotions towards certain films. A post titled 9 Movies That Piss Me Off actually outlined why i hate Gump.
From that post -
"Representing the modern-day dream of rewarding laziness, this is the story of a one dimensional, empty vessel who learns nothing and doesn’t appreciate anything that happens in his life. Insulting to the handicapped everywhere, read the book instead which shows that Forrest also has faults and unlike Tom Hanks has the ability to not always be likeable, just like a real life human being... see Hal Ashby’s Being There instead"
Hope that gives you a taste of future fun
As always great to see you reading.
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
I didn't care for Forest Gump either, you wrote:
I have occasionally dabbled in embracing my negative emotions towards certain films. A post titled 9 Movies That Piss Me Off actually outlined why i hate Gump.
From that post -
"Representing the modern-day dream of rewarding laziness, this is the story of a one dimensional, empty vessel who learns nothing and doesn’t appreciate anything that happens in his life. Insulting to the handicapped everywhere, read the book instead which shows that Forrest also has faults and unlike Tom Hanks has the ability to not always be likeable, just like a real life human being... see Hal Ashby’s Being There instead"
It's always interesting to me how people get different things - not surprising because well, everyone is different, but just interesting.
Not to start a conversation here but what I got was that he was there witnessing all these famous moments in history and influencing pop-culture. These things more or less have shaped or changed the lives of many people for good or for bad, however, he remained a simple man - none of it changed him. He stayed true to himself.
Film & TV on DVD
Hi Deni,
Can't resist expanding a little.
For me Gump was painted as so one dimensional that he was incapable of change, understanding or any kind of real humanity.His infantile brain never has tantrums, gets frustrated or even tries to process the world around him, something even a three year old-15year old does. Admittedly I'm slanted because every handicapped person I have met, no matter how severely afflicted still displays a level of comprehension and curiosity.
Much like Benji or Lassie, how animals are used in films to provoke sympathy and project an untainted innocence, I feel Gump was cartoon figure in real events, a cardboard cut out designed to represent a social promoted view.:All handicapped people are innately innocent and do no wrong - in other words they are not human.
Great soundtrack though!
Have you seen Being There?
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
There are many poets of old who comment on the tragedy of when we become adults and lose the ability to see the world though the eyes of a child. If you take a kid and put him in front of Martin Luther King Jr., Elvis Pressly, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, etc. he could care less about who these people are. I think that's the point of Forest Gump. I don't think it was that he was slow or dimwitted I think the movie interpreted him that way to show an adult who retained his childhood innocent as he grew into adult hood.
The only thing children process is love and that's all that Forest processed because that's all the mattered to him. His love for his mother, his love for Jenny, his love for Bubba, and his love for his son.
The movie parallel's his life to Jenny's life. While Forest's mother protected him from life's cruelties and kept him innocent and blessedly ignorant - Jenny's father, on the other hand, tragically took her innocence away and through out their lives you see the major effects that both of their parents had on them as they moved in opposite directions. Forest continuing his simply outlook and Jenny on a reckless path to destruction.
I'm not quite sure it had anything to do portraying the handicapped in a certain way
Well that's my take on it anyhow.
I never saw "Being There". I'll see if I can find it.
Cheers,
Deni
Film & TV on DVD
I guess I just don't see the Gump as a child metaphor...again because of his lack of curiosity and again because he never got frustrated or misbehaved...A child may not know who Elvis is but he would still see how others react and ask questions to try and comprehend. They may lose interest quickly but unless even as infants it still registers, children are far more aware of the world than many like to give credit,...the main gift of a child is the sense of wonderment. Everything is new. They are sponges, Learning about the world, curiosity leading to growth...which Gump never does nor possesses...
But i must admit it was more about the events in his life than the famous faces he comes across that piss me off.
As for the handicapped thing, the film drives home the point this is our real world by using authentic footage whenever possible. And in our world Gump is certainly disabled, what they would have called in the 60's retarded.
But still an interesting theory..that may have been the makers intention but never came across for me.
Fun chatting sorry for dragging it out!
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
I only saw it one time and have no desire to see it again. There were some funny moments. I remember coming out of the theater feeling kinda empty. I didn't see the point and wondered what all the hype was. I had to sit and think about it. It might have helped if I read the book.
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
Sorry life had been treating you unfairly. I went through a bad period about a year and a half ago. Believe it or not, Orble was one of the constants that helped me get back on track so, hang in there!!!!
Film & TV on DVD
Sorry life had been treating you unfairly. I went through a bad period about a year and a half ago. Believe it or not, Orble was one of the constants that helped me get back on track so, hang in there!!!!
Hi James,
I certainly have had no shortage of crap come through my cinema halls over the years. Personally i find it very easy to spot a films faults and express them...its a lot harder to express why I love a film despite its shortcomings.
Life is actually fantastic for me at the moment. Moved to a new city and am looking for work. But it is so busy that my movie watching habits have had to be majorly curtailed....this is the catastrophic tragedy, my volume of screenings has reduced
I really appreciate the positive words and advice my friend. Thank you.
No Myth Fitness
Movie Roar
Kidding aside, I look forward to your work. I like your style and you know your stuff.
psychocinemapath
Still, some of the best critical writing I've read has been negative reviews. Seeing a bad movie is an opportunity to cut loose as a reviewer, to vent your spleen in a fun and clever way.
As for your current situation, I hope it gets better. Let me leave you with some sage advice from my parents that I always think of when I'm at a low point:
"Don't let the bastards grind you down!"
God bless.
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
I find that is completely true. I think I enjoy reviewing bad films the most.
I hope you enjoy reviewing a few baddies too!
Film & TV on DVD
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Hi Psychocinemapath,
I'm a fan of "Lifeforce" too, good guilty fun...I have always reviewed my guilty pleasures on this site, but I am looking forward to ripping out the spleen of some titles
Thanks for the "sage" advice!
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Hi Morgan,
As a drunken Clint Eastwood once said ""You can rob me. You can starve me and you can beat me and you can kill me. Just don't bore me!"
Horrorphile
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
welcome to the gaping cinematic maw of the intellectually and artistically challenged.
Swill deeply from their stupefying bathtub gin soaked lobes, and laugh giddily!!!
cheers
fog