Bartwald's reviews

[eldude]

I think "off the chest" is the right category for the following:

Because I have only good things to say about Mr. B's review of The Passion, maybe I should write to Bartwald in private - lest everyone should think I'm either a compuslive brownnoser or simply plain gayissimo. But no - I decided to get it off my chest and say it in public: although as far as I know, I'm definitely not gay, Bartwald deserves high praise for the lines about Gibson's movie. I haven't seen it yet, and the review made me wanna rent it. Not because it said it's a great movie even for heavy metal horror fans (cos I've read dozens of glowing reviews about the movie and somehow I don't trust them), but because the review anticipated all serious misgivings people might have about the movie and reassured me that there's no reason to worry.

Some reviewers are cranky assholes who demolish all movies except maybe for sacred cows like Fellini's work. Others, like Jesus, love everything and praise scheiss which you go and watch and then go like "what the shit..."
Bartwald's review is simply substantial. It should be published officially someplace special. ok. enough brown-nosing for one day

Okay, now some bile - Bartwald also praised "My Humongous-Ass Obese Sucky Greek Wedding" which was among the worst things I've seen. Dialogs which pretend to be funny but are as clever as John Kerry and simply make your stomach turn - with that Northern Exposure Chris dude who's not even a good actor. Sheeeat..., I have no idea what came over Bartwald when he told me to go watch it. And he still sticks to his guns...

This last paragraph looks like I'm trying to cover up the gay praise with some obligatory non-gay criticism. But I really feel the Passion review is a masterpiece, and the Greek crap is an example of how low even great reviewers can plummet. Sorry if I'm over-enthusiastic and sick-bitter at the same time. But Batwald likes it that way.

[ZapRowsdower]

I loved My Big Fat Greek Wedding... but my family is European, so I found the jokes to be a lot funnier.

And yes, the Passion is an excellent film.

[eldude]

Okay, classy ruler - humor might be a question of taste (but how I hate to admit it... I believe taste is the least relevant indication of quality of anything). But since I can't state objectively why the jokes in the wedding aren't funny, I'll just ...

hm... no. . wait! I have one example - the scene where the Greek chick object of John Corbett's infatuation is sitting in her tourist office, and he, in front of the window, does the crane-walk - it's supposed to be funny but it's a scene taken from a third-rate TV series for teenagers. And I think all the scenes in the movie are at about the level.

But re the Passion, yes, it probably kicks ass - I'll have to go watch it.

[ZapRowsdower]

Well, not the entire movie. I like Nia Vardalos' take on the European family. Being of a European family myself, I can tell you that she exaggerates, but not much.

[eldude]

What did Vardalos say? I don't remember. That European families are pretty fertile? (cos, if that's the case, it's definitely not accurate any longer -- though I can't say if it was funny, because, as I said, I don't remember the scene)

[ZapRowsdower]

Actually, that's not one particular scene, the whole MOVIE was her take on the European family.

[eldude]

okay, but WHAT exactly is funny about it? The message (whatever it was) may be there, but I can't think of any jokes in it that were genuinely funny (for Europeans or anybody)

[ZapRowsdower]

Well, it's the whole attitude of the family. They must show the world that they're Greek. The odd remedies (specifically Windex), the fact that ANY word in English can be traced back to Greek. And there you go!

[eldude]

Dad the philologist WAS a cute old bastard, but I can't see anything side-splitting about him. This is a sort of college humor which is supposed to be intelligent and all, but whose effect is pretty limited. The laughs are not genuine. Okay, maybe it's just me.

[Bartwald]

Thanks for the praise, eldude, and for the bitterness as well; at least it's all clear now - we're not really a gay couple, me and the dude.

I'd like to comment on your arguments about all the jokes in Greek Wedding being misfires (thanks Jesus you at least called the Greek dad a 'cute old bastard'!), but unfortunately I don't remember it well enough. Don't worry, though: I already have the DVD and it's waiting for a good moment to enter my player. As soon as I have it refreshed, I'll get back to you - you may call me a lame chicken if I don't do it this month, OK?

Sure it may turn out to be a one-time-only comedy, I know I saw some of them in my life; but what I remember from my visit to the theatre - and what I wrote in the review, too - I laughed damn hard first time round!

Oh, and: '...the scene where the Greek chick object of John Corbett's infatuation is sitting in her tourist office, and he, in front of the window, does the crane-walk - it's supposed to be funny but it's a scene taken from a third-rate TV series for teenagers.' Hmm, I think it was supposed to be rather 'cute' than 'funny' but you're right - didn't work as either of them.

[ZapRowsdower]

I loved Greek Wedding, but Nia Vardalos' second movie was weak. You might want to skip Connie and Carla, unless you really like showtunes.