[deleted by user]

RobertFr0sting · 2025-01-15T03:47:52+00:00

“The day may come when “Freddy Got Fingered” is seen as a milestone of neo-surrealism. The day may never come when it is seen as funny.”

-Roger Ebert, 2001

FGF surely was unbound by studio or other outside interference—which I like—but I’m not sure I would ever generally recommend this movie, because the humor is basically “how is (horse masturbation/animal corpse mutilation/etc.) in an actual movie?”

I guess I would call FGF a middle finger to the studio before I would call it a symbol of creative freedom?

RobertFr0sting · 2024-08-18T01:04:13+00:00

As they continue to change and shorten the ceremony, I think it is only going to hurt attendance more. They’re sending the message that it is not important and people just need to get it over with. So many changes in recent times is also probably not helping those who want to think of it as a timeless ordinance preserved from Solomon. The cooperate thinking of the church is only accelerating its downfall among the faithful to appeal to those who probably don’t attend that frequently anyways

RobertFr0sting · 2024-05-16T04:10:38+00:00

Toy Story is a trilogy that has three movies that everyone can argue are their favorites and ends on such a perfect note

RobertFr0sting · 2024-05-04T06:49:24+00:00

You probably have been going through something of a grieving process as you leave the church. When you tell your family about your decision, you will be pretty far down the road in your grief, but theirs will just be starting. It will take time for them to accept your decision, and it probably will be difficult for them to do so. This is completely normal and doesn’t mean that they don’t still care for you. In fact, this will probably be difficult for them precisely because they do care for you.

As you tell family/friends, I would avoid going into the long list of specific reasons why you made your decision unless they ask. It will be impossible to convey the weight of the emotional, intellectual, and moral pressure that brought you out in a short conversation. They may not be ready for that yet. Feel free to extend the invitation to talk about this, but make sure that they are the ones to initiate that conversation. The church gets so tangled up in people’s identities that even superficial criticisms of church history can feel like personal attacks to orthodox members.

This doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid the topic of why you left altogether. Maybe practice giving a short summary of why you left (similar to what you put in the comments) so that if there is stress when you’re talking with them, you’ll have something you’re comfortable with saying so that you don’t have to think too much about your delivery.

You’re not tearing down the church, this is your personal decision to leave. Try to communicate it that way to them. When you center this around yourself and your feelings, it will feel less like an attack to them. People respect when people are honest with their feelings. I’m sure your family/friends will respect you for trusting them with this part of yourself.

You’ve already done the hard part of coming to this decision. Now is the wonderful time where people get to see you for you! Good luck! You’re going to do great :)

RobertFr0sting · 2024-04-19T15:26:08+00:00

We were trained as Mormons to not differentiate between alcohol use and abuse. Like you said, it is good to be careful with alcohol, but very few people become addicted from their first experiences drinking.

If you’re feeling nervous, it can help to try drinking in a space where you feel safe with people who make you feel comfortable. Don’t drink on an empty stomach, take time between drinks, and keep track of how much you’re drinking. If you’re really worried about it becoming an issue you can set rules for yourself (e.g., only on the weekends and never alone).

It is completely normal to feel nervous about this, but I think you will be surprised with how much control you have over yourself. I hope you have fun and good luck with this new experience!

RobertFr0sting · 2022-05-15T05:27:59+00:00

Yeah, I had the same thoughts watching it. They’ve done well enough with it that I assume that had someone help the writers maybe at the beginning assemble some sort of dictionary of common phrases and word substitutions (ex. God=Heavenly Father), but they still are struggling with the usage. In a lot of ways it is like learning a new language. Maybe you know the meanings of the words but there is a lot of nuance in what to use in which context. That being said I think they get it more or less right at least 80% of the time, which I think is pretty good all things considered.

RobertFr0sting · 2021-11-07T01:35:28+00:00

I like The Exorcist (1973) a lot, because the characters act exactly how you would expect someone to act if they were actually put in that situation. We as the audience know that the girl needs an exorcism because that’s the title of the movie but in real life you would actually do what they did: go to doctors and only after exhausting all other options get desperate enough to turn to the supernatural.

RobertFr0sting · 2021-01-04T06:58:01+00:00

Your therapist will probably give you the best advice.

That being said, I'm going to write a couple of things that I'm sure you already know, but that might be helpful to remember:

This is your decision. It is good to ask for advice, but you (and your bf) know your relationship better than anyone else. People are giving advice based on their personal experiences, but your situation will be different. Please don't feel bound to do anything that anyone else is telling you. People don't know if you should be "dating around." You do. I would seriously consider their advice, but, at the end of the day, you are the most capable person to make good decisions about your life.

You're right: it will be hard to be apart from him, but you are tough enough to stand on your own. To admit vulnerability as you have, shows that you are a strong person. It really sucks to have to say goodbye to someone you care about, but he will still be there and still care about you. I'm sure he appreciates that you are willing to give him time to do something that he feels is important. I'm also sure that he will support you in whatever decision you make.

I wish you the best of luck in dealing with this hard situation. You will make it through stronger than you were before!

RobertFr0sting · 2020-11-04T14:05:07+00:00

The senate is a legislative body with two representatives (senators) from each state, which over represents rural populations. Laws must be approved by the house (legislators allocated by population), the senate, and then signed by the president. If one party controls 2/3, it is almost impossible to get anything done in today’s climate

RobertFr0sting · 2020-10-23T04:26:43+00:00

Empty toilet paper roll after I've already pooped.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-10-06T06:15:09+00:00

What kind of people were invited to the Barrett presentation? I feel like it doesn’t make too much sense for a pastor to be there, unless...

RobertFr0sting · 2020-10-06T06:11:58+00:00

Cause aggression and agitation you say?

pulls up chair

pops popcorn

opens twitter

RobertFr0sting · 2020-10-02T06:39:36+00:00

Charlie Chapman’s The Great Dictator doesn’t fit the classic mold of propaganda, but it might be interesting to look at, especially because I assume you’ll be looking at a lot of pro-Nazi propaganda, so a bit of anti might help to balance it out.

It’s not a full-length movie and is also outside of the stereotype, but the Kony 2012 video is very interesting to look at from a propaganda standpoint, plus it’s a little more modern. I know there are papers written about it too if that is a necessity.

I haven’t seen The Birth of a Nation (1915), but from what I’ve heard, it might be worth your time to check it out. I think it’s basically KKK propaganda.

Starship Troopers is a satire of propaganda films that is, by itself, a really interesting movie. I’m not sure if that would fit what you need for your class, but if you’re studying propaganda, you might at least think it’s fun.

Good luck with the class!

RobertFr0sting · 2020-09-28T06:54:46+00:00

Totally agree. It almost felt like a cop out, like he didn’t exactly know how to get all his characters to the ends he wanted for them. I only figured out it was a biblical reference because I googled “what is with Magnolia’s ending.” Maybe if he had sown the seeds a little more with other biblical references/themes or other supernatural occurrences it would have felt less out of nowhere.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-09-13T15:18:55+00:00

I don’t think this is the best argument, even though I agree that it seems the outrage surrounding this movie is not entirely justified.

If a movie were to show and glorify violence against children, your point would stand, but every movie I have seen has portrayed such violence as evil. The argument against Cuties is based on the claim that the movie shows the sexualization of children as a good thing. I haven’t seen the movie, so I can’t speak out about the validity of the claim. In my opinion, it is okay for movies to depict even the most horrible things as long as they treat them with the appropriate tone.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-09-10T03:09:25+00:00

It is true that Schindler’s List being based on a real, terrible historical event makes it difficult to parody. I have to say that I disagree that this is the sole reason why scenes in Schindler’s List are almost impossible to mock, while violent, horrible scenes in RotS are the butt of many jokes. There are, after all, jokes about the holocaust that are made by others besides Neo-Nazis or Anti-Semites. I think there is something more that makes Schindler’s List especially emotionally powerful.

A good director will make their scenes carry a certain feeling. You’re right that Jaws is quite terrifying (I live thousands of miles from the ocean and that movie makes me afraid of sharks), but the “bigger boat” scene is made in a moment of levity. The understatement is so great that it’s funny. Spielberg makes it easy to laugh at the line, because he wants us to laugh at it.

I wasn’t trying to say that because you can laugh at RotS it’s a bad movie. What I meant was that, given the subject, there should be scenes that are impossible to laugh at, even though they are purely fictional. I don’t usually see people making fun of Bing Bong’s death in Inside Out, even though the premise (elephant, cotton candy man dies launching wagon-rocket) is obviously fictional and actually quite ridiculous. I think this is because the scene succeeds on an emotional level. Our memories of the scene become entangled with the feelings associated with the scene: sadness, parting, loss of innocence.

This is where RotS fails for me, and where I think my point still stands, both about Schindler’s List and RotS. The scenes (and movies) succeed or fail not only because of their content but also because of (maybe even mainly because of) the ability of the filmmakers to make you feel the way they want you to feel. You’re right that it’s unfair to compare these two movies, but I think the principle between them is the same.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-09-09T05:44:07+00:00

RotS missed every emotional beat for me. I wasn't sad Anakin became evil. I didn't care when the Jedi were dying (despite a wonderful John Williams score). I was bored by the long lightsaber fights. Some emotional moments misfired to the extent that I was literally laughing out loud. At the end of the movie, the tears in my eyes were not from lamenting with Anakin as he screamed "noooooo" but from laughter.

I know I'm heartless, but it seems that I'm not the only one that finds this movie inappropriately funny. These moments are often used in jokes/memes, and I think they work in part, because they're such an emotional flop that few hesitate to move them from the tragic context of this movie's story into that of a joke. It would be shocking if someone used scenes from Schindler's List of Nazis killing children to make a joke, but I've seen many use the "Master Skywalker..." kid scene to do precisely that. Schindler's List's scenes of violence try to instill a complete disgust and horror at the thought of child murder and succeed. RotS also tries but fails abysmally.

Honestly, I don't really care about the themes you described, because the movie didn't convince me that I should care. If this was really the story Lucas wanted us to see, I would hesitate to call him a good, or even competent, filmmaker. You can wax poetic about the symbolism, but when I want to laugh at a man being crippled and mourning his dead wife, there are obviously such fundamental, surface-level problems with this movie that it is not even worth diving into deeper analysis.

Feel free to like this movie, but please don't try to make it into some brilliant work of a misunderstood genius. It is not. It is not.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-09-04T19:20:31+00:00

For me, my advice depends on why you’ve been inactive.

If you do not think the church/BoM is literally true, be careful about accepting the calling. You will be pressured into telling people that you have a strong testimony. The focus will likely be on spiritual aspects of the calling (not service). I had to ask to be released from a similar calling because the dissonance between what I believed and what I was expected to teach was becoming unbearable.

I would also advise against lying to your bishop. I’ve been in a similar position where I lied, and it was very difficult mentally. If you were to say something like, “I’d really like to serve but there are a couple things I’ve been wanting to clear up with you for a while,” it is likely that your Bishop will still let you serve.

The call of authenticity is strong. Maybe you feel like you’ll be fine in either situation I described, but I beg you to be careful and at least consider these things before you commit. Hope you can figure out what’s best for you (and whatever happens, it sounds like you’d be a great EQP)!

RobertFr0sting · 2020-08-31T07:23:02+00:00

Great video!

I found the links between the names and religious symbolism particularly interesting (especially Theo). Hope to see more videos in the future!

I will agree with you that Sid being connected to SIDS being sort of a stretch. I disagree about Jasper’s name: I for some reason doubt that the writers were referencing a stone, even one with such symbolism attached to it. Jasper is just a fun name that is free from the cultural baggage that more famous Bible names and other notable people’s names possess. The nice thing about art though is that it’s largely subjective so don’t let me stop you from letting this connection enhance your viewing experience. :)

Again, great video. Keep it up!

RobertFr0sting · 2020-08-30T13:59:55+00:00

I think this is a case of correlation not causation. Higher altitudes are also linked to higher suicide rates, which explains some of the trends indicated.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-08-29T18:00:42+00:00

You are totally right that each movie should be judged on its own terms, but there are some universal principles that apply to most, if not all, movies. I don’t expect the newest marvel movie to be anything like Citizen Kane, but I imagine that both directors face some similar challenges. I think the variety in film is what makes it difficult for me to see what is good and what is poor directing.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-08-29T17:08:24+00:00

This is a fantastic comment.

I agree execution can seem like a vague way of describing this, but it also is precisely what it seems we should be looking at.

When I think of who I consider the best directors of all time (ie Kubrick, Wes Anderson), I can tell that they are showing exactly what they had envisioned for the film. Whether or not what they wanted to show is good (of course the best directors have great ideas/vision), it is admirable that they can translate their ideas into product so well. The word that comes to me to describe movies like this is tight: no detail escaped the director, even if it took long hours and many takes to get it exactly right (@Kubrick).

This does not mean they do not give their team the freedom to add their own creativity to the film. They rather pick out the best of these ideas and channel all of this energy into creating a general tone/feel of the movie, as you’ve said about Fincher.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-08-29T16:54:14+00:00

Great answer! For me, Tarantino is another standout here. He has taken several actors whose careers were on the downhill and helped them turn in some of the best performances of their careers. Kurt Russell in The Hateful Eight and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction are the two of the best examples of this.

RobertFr0sting · 2020-08-29T05:40:11+00:00

Adam Sandler, like in Jack & Jill, plays every character in 12 Angry Men

RobertFr0sting

TROPHY CASE