TGWTG "Nostalgia Critic" / Doug Walker, Rob Walker, Mike Michaud, Mike Ellis, Holly Christine Brown, et al - The Incompetent Predator-Protecting Upper Management of Channel Awesome, Doug Still Not That Funny

[Random Internet Person]

Man, I am NOT looking forward to the rest of Doug's Spider-Man month reviews. As if his horrendous Matrix month wasn't bad enough.

Really though, it seems that he feels that these sorts of superhero movies need to be erased of any kinds of camp, if they are to be taken seriously by adults like him. Like, while he does acknowledge that the first Spider-Man is like a comic book, to him, being like a 50s or 60s comic book is outdated. Hence why he feels that movies such as The Dark Knight are the way to go, as they push the envelope on what these sorts of films can be like. Basically, that the films should strive to be more mature and sophisticated because they can, not necessarily because they should.

Heck, it's why he felt that the Venom film was a slap in the face to the character, as he saw it as basically making a mockery out of a potentially serious idea, and pointed out that settling for it was like settling for Batman and Robin over Joker 2019. There's so much wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin, but to save time, Venom wasn't being mocked by that film's campy tone. In fact, it was very much doing the character justice, as the comics the film pulled from were quite campy and silly.

I'm beginning to think that Batman and Robin has forever tainted his view of what a comic book film should or should not be.

Doug really really hates camp. Unless it's in his children's cartoons, then it's fine. He once whined about Moulin Rouge of all things being too campy. He very much thinks if it's not all dark and gritty then it can't be mature and serious.

How in the literal fuck do you come to think the only metric of good is "dark and gritty"? Did Doug hang out at Hot Topic a lot before doing videos?

That movie ruined comic book movies, like it's a good movie and all but all the stupid ass executives and dumb audiences took out of it was "dark and gritty = good" and we got a ton of cynical CB movies because of it.

I'd say that's more DC/WB than the industry at large, especially after 2013. The MCU meanwhile, has humor. DC is always serious. Marvel can be colorful, DC is either gray or has colors that are very muted. Marvel can make money hand over fist with a space team featuring a talking racoon and a tree that only says three words, DC only has Batman, Wonder Woman, and a Superman they try to bring down to Earth and have kill because...he can't be Richard Donner or Grant Morrison, it has to be done by Zach Snyder. Marvel has tons of characters make snarky quips and lets another studio make an R rated Deadpool, DC is so serious that there are rumors of a "no jokes" policy that persist for years and when they do bring humor in, it's a very dated humor soaked in a Hot Topic and My Space aesthetic that died out for a reason.

Is it weird that I think in many ways the first two Ramie Spiderman movies are are generally better than the Dark Knight batman movies?

How?

 

[Jetman]

You know you fucked up when MOVIEBOB, of all people, calls you out for your bullshit.

 

[Random Internet Person]

You know you fucked up when MOVIEBOB, of all people, calls you out for your bullshit.

Is this Doug's life now? Taking shots at stuff people know and love and then having people take the piss out of him?

 

[ProfLayton45]

Doug Walker shoud've just quit the internet

 

[ghostscream]

How?

Just about every way.

 

[TV's Adam West]

I don't even get it, though - isn't method acting where you actually channel your inner psyche to produce near-authentic emotion? That sounds like something to be striven for, if anything.

Why is it that every thread you're in, you have to bring your inane faggotry to it?

 

[DDBCAE CBAADCBE]

How?

Christian Bale just wasn't a very good for starters. As Bruce he seemed to lack the charisma and general range of expressiveness to properly play the character. Meanwhile his Batman not only looked goofy but sounded horrible and borderline cartoonish at best. It was hard for me to buy him as Batman as opposed to just some guy playing Batman. That sentiment goes for most of the acting in all three movies with the caveat that it ramps up the ham factor with each new installment while continuing to pretend it's a serious film. It doesn't help that all of the gadgets, vehicles, and even the Batsuit have this weird uncanny valley sort of look to them that makes them stand out unnaturally against everything else almost as though it were all CGI even when CGI isn't being used.

The whole trilogy for me is kind of a mess of different issues chief of which is it simply being a dumb series of Batman movies made for the easily impressed that takes itself way too seriously.


Meanwhile, the Sam Ramie Spiderman movies are dumb fun and they know it. Well, at least the first two. I'm not saying they're masterpieces or anything but for all intents and purposes they feel like proper movies based on a comic book. Are they hammy? Yes, but they acknowledge and celebrate that because the source material was just as silly and contrived. The Batman trilogy is just as silly but unwilling to acknowledge that leaving itself dull and soulless.

Also the Joker in Dark Knight was way hammier than Green Goblin could've ever hoped to be. Stop pretending his performance was anything short of a hacky cry for help. It was terrible and you should feel terrible.

 

[Random Internet Person]

Meanwhile, the Sam Ramie Spiderman movies are dumb fun and they know it. Well, at least the first two. I'm not saying they're masterpieces or anything but for all intents and purposes they feel like proper movies based on a comic book. Are they hammy? Yes, but they acknowledge and celebrate that because the source material was just as silly and contrived. The Batman trilogy is just as silly but unwilling to acknowledge that leaving itself dull and soulless.

Also the Joker in Dark Knight was way hammier than Green Goblin could've ever hoped to be. Stop pretending his performance was anything short of a hacky cry for help. It was terrible and you should feel terrible.

You know, 2008 was the fork in the road. DC chose to be serious, and Marvel chose to be funny, even if the humor is very dry. As for Heath Ledger's joker, I never knew enough about the guy to know if his performance was a cry for help, but that idea "stop pretending it wasn't a cry for help" was something I've also heard about Linkin Park's first album, along with a decent amount of Chester Bennington's output.

 

[Notgoodwithusernames]

Doug really really hates camp. Unless it's in his children's cartoons, then it's fine. He once whined about Moulin Rouge of all things being too campy. He very much thinks if it's not all dark and gritty then it can't be mature and serious.

Kind of the opposite of Moviebob who derides things for being too dark yet puts too much stock in camp

 

[iafiv]

You know, 2008 was the fork in the road. DC chose to be serious, and Marvel chose to be funny, even if the humor is very dry. As for Heath Ledger's joker, I never knew enough about the guy to know if his performance was a cry for help, but that idea "stop pretending it wasn't a cry for help" was something I've also heard about Linkin Park's first album, along with a decent amount of Chester Bennington's output.

Its a bit more complicated initially ironically DC tried to copy the MCU model with Green Lantern which is basically Iron Man but with Ryan Reynolds.Unfortunately they screwed up but had Green Lantern worked and made a lot of money it would have launched the DC universe.Nolan was left to his own devices.After GL crashed and burned they went back and decided to copy the Nolan model but with what they assumed was a discount Nolan as in Zack Snyder.And we got Man of steel.
When DC started to become a punchline of 'dark' and 'pretentious' plus they weren't really reaching Avengers levels of box office they course corrected yet again.Say what you will about Marvel but its usually kept a consistent tone even in non-MCU properties like the X-Men series they kept a largely consistent tone.The lone exceptions like Logan were made i believe more as a desire to show that if Marvel trully wants to it can be far darker than DC while also being smart.Long story short DC has been meandering from one tone to another with no consistent idea of what it wants to be just an idea of who it wants to defeat ie Marvel.For my money that's the wrong approach to take when trying to build a series.

 

[AlmightyMagichan]

It's ok. After all, anyone who doesn't agree with Doug or like him is just a basement dwelling freak named Douchey.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

Is it weird that I think in many ways the first two Ramie Spiderman movies are are generally better than the Dark Knight batman movies?

I think they are. The Dark Knight is an awesome movie, and I love the first two acts of Batman Begins. The third act of Batman Begins is pretty weak, and The Dark Knight Rises is really entertaining, but dumb.

I love Spider-Man 1 and 2. They are my favorite comic book movies. And I would put Spider-Man 3 on the same level as The Dark Knight Rises.

All of that said, though ... There was certainly a director's vision for both trilogies, which is why I respect both trilogies. That's not something we see in big blockbusters anymore, it seems. We most certainly don't see any sort of director's vision with the Spider-Man movies that Doug is still salty about getting canned (because they sucked a big one).

 

[Angel Dust]

Kind of the opposite of Moviebob who derides things for being too dark yet puts too much stock in camp

Two halves of the same autism coin

 

[friedshrimp]

honestly, knowing Doug the only reason he likes the Andrew Garfield Spiderman films so much is because they're dark and gritty, therefore in his mind excellent. Because otherwise they're so generic and bland I don't see in them what else he could be into for them.

 

[BrunoMattei]

He would be a good pairing, but I see no indication they even know who he is though.

I think they might. They know who Doug Walker is and have mocked him.

 

[Somar]

You know, Doug's opinion towards the original and remake of IT can kinda be applied to the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield films. The latter might have more exciting action and even to an extent better writing (the first one at least, definitely not the second one), but they don't come anywhere close to having the same charm and personality of the Rami films.

 

[Banworld]

How in the literal fuck do you come to think the only metric of good is "dark and gritty"? Did Doug hang out at Hot Topic a lot before doing videos?

Considering Doug made a whole big scene, with a video to boot, about quitting his job to do the Nostalgia Critic, he's always had a soft spot for overdone edginess. I think he likes it because any other type of edginess might be a bit too nuanced for him. The Wall was edgy for its time, but the closest he got to paying respect to the historical aspect of the film was by referring to the 'Thatcher Administration.'

Which is dumb in and of itself because in Bongland we don't call them administrations, but also because the film has barely anything in the way of a political message beyond 'artists kind of get shat on by conservatives'.

 

[Random Internet Person]

Man, I am NOT looking forward to the rest of Doug's Spider-Man month reviews. As if his horrendous Matrix month wasn't bad enough.

Really though, it seems that he feels that these sorts of superhero movies need to be erased of any kinds of camp, if they are to be taken seriously by adults like him. Like, while he does acknowledge that the first Spider-Man is like a comic book, to him, being like a 50s or 60s comic book is outdated. Hence why he feels that movies such as The Dark Knight are the way to go, as they push the envelope on what these sorts of films can be like. Basically, that the films should strive to be more mature and sophisticated because they can, not necessarily because they should.

Heck, it's why he felt that the Venom film was a slap in the face to the character, as he saw it as basically making a mockery out of a potentially serious idea, and pointed out that settling for it was like settling for Batman and Robin over Joker 2019. There's so much wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin, but to save time, Venom wasn't being mocked by that film's campy tone. In fact, it was very much doing the character justice, as the comics the film pulled from were quite campy and silly.

I'm beginning to think that Batman and Robin has forever tainted his view of what a comic book film should or should not be.

Doug really really hates camp. Unless it's in his children's cartoons, then it's fine. He once whined about Moulin Rouge of all things being too campy. He very much thinks if it's not all dark and gritty then it can't be mature and serious.

You know, there were some solid campy moments in The Dark Knight as well! Like the stupid Batman voice, for example. I LOOOOVE The Dark Knight but there were definitely silly moments. It's comic books. Even gritty serious grandstands like Watchmen or The Killing Joke had the occasional offbeat moment.

View attachment 1174246

Fuck you, Doug.

Man, I am NOT looking forward to the rest of Doug's Spider-Man month reviews. As if his horrendous Matrix month wasn't bad enough.

Really though, it seems that he feels that these sorts of superhero movies need to be erased of any kinds of camp, if they are to be taken seriously by adults like him. Like, while he does acknowledge that the first Spider-Man is like a comic book, to him, being like a 50s or 60s comic book is outdated. Hence why he feels that movies such as The Dark Knight are the way to go, as they push the envelope on what these sorts of films can be like. Basically, that the films should strive to be more mature and sophisticated because they can, not necessarily because they should.

Heck, it's why he felt that the Venom film was a slap in the face to the character, as he saw it as basically making a mockery out of a potentially serious idea, and pointed out that settling for it was like settling for Batman and Robin over Joker 2019. There's so much wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin, but to save time, Venom wasn't being mocked by that film's campy tone. In fact, it was very much doing the character justice, as the comics the film pulled from were quite campy and silly.

I'm beginning to think that Batman and Robin has forever tainted his view of what a comic book film should or should not be.

It took me a while to realize this, but I think a lot of this is rooted in what Doug grew up with in terms of superheroes: Michael Keaton/Tim Burton Batman and Batman: The Animated Series. Both were pretty dark, but Burton has a certain sense of humor that appeals to the Hot Topic crowd (also Doug, isn’t he a huge Tim Burton fan)? and B:TAS is very serious, brooding, character driven and so iconic it seems everything Batman driven nowadays seems to derive from that...and Batman and Robin is that movie’s antithesis. Look at Mr. Freeze. One has him be this tragic villain with a motivation that almost anyone can understand and one has a pun making Ahnuld. To Doug, heroes (or at least Batman) have to be a certain mold, and if they don’t fit that mold, what he’s watching is garbage. Imagine what he’d say about something like The LEGO Batman Movie. All that’s left for him is to review 60’s Batman and call it an embarrassing dad/grandpa.

 

[Dom Cruise]

I don't really see anything erroneously wrong with his Spider-Man review, it is pretty goofy at times, the CGI was spotty even at the time and I was never too crazy about the Green Goblin simply being a dude in a mask.

He doesn't say it's terrible or anything and for the most part he's right, it's a pretty good if flawed movie, 2 was a pretty big improvement.

I think they might. They know who Doug Walker is and have mocked him.

I don't remember that.

 

[BrunoMattei]

I don't really see anything erroneously wrong with his Spider-Man review, it is pretty goofy at times, the CGI was spotty even at the time and I was never too crazy about the Green Goblin simply being a dude in a mask.

He doesn't say it's terrible or anything and for the most part he's right, it's a pretty good if flawed movie, 2 was a pretty big improvement.



I don't remember that.

r/RedLetterMedia - RIP Channel Awesome. Here's Jay roasting The Nostalgia Critic.

289 votes and 338 comments so far on Reddit

www.reddit.com

And in their first BTS video for Half in the Bag Jay slyly references Doug by saying that they want their show to be professional and not have a guy sitting down in front of a white wall with bad sound.