Ethan

The way I just dgaf about the Oscar’s this year. My ass is not watching no train dreams or hamnet. This movie literally out mogs half the roster btw and will continue to have more cultural and socioeconomic impact. A true cinephile will understand <3 (I’m joking but I’m also not unfortunately)

Love link established…

I had to watch for French class and the prof linked this very critical article and I kinda agreed with it but no one else in the class did now I look pretentious. I think the goal was to see how France views race versus America but I call bullshit. France is no better than America with discrimination really. It’s just a different font. This movie is still very much green book esque. It’s safe and stereotypical and borderline racist. (Even tho they don’t “see race” in France smh)  Beautifully shot though.  It is perhaps a bold notion to remark Intouchables as a starkly racist film -- but in some ways I agree with Weissberg's criticisms of the film. I think the biggest peeve critics have is the Uncle Tom-esque filter that overlays films like Intouchables. I see mentions of Driving Miss Daisy and the more recent Green Book thrown around in discussions surrounding the film. All these films have a similar response: there is either a strong admiration or strong distaste. I can only chalk this up to the feel-good buddy movie tropes that are imposed upon these stories -- when in truth the reality and contexts of such scenarios are not a feel-good matter. Forceful positivity and a tad bit too much race relations fantasy are imbued into the plot and leaves those with a different lived experience with a negative reaction. I also think it is a vastly odd decision to change the Arab caretaker in real life to a black man in the movie. At that point it feels increasingly performative and pandering to sensitive racial movements and parading stereotypes for brownie points. However, I suppose the intentions are good. I must admit it is a feel good story; it has a lot of contagious joy. But does the saccharine plot outweigh the underlying commentary of racial/class divisions? Potentially. In France this may have slid by as progressive, but I think that American audiences (especially African American audiences) have a right to be cynical of such displays despite any good intentions behind the story. Lighthearted fun and humor can still be rooted in mockery.

I just can’t be bothered right now omg. Forgettable. Some funny gags here and there.