On the Lot - 28 May

[Liberal]

Gah, these judges are the friggin' Borg. On the very last movie, Marshall said something that was almost close to being nearly a dissent. Surely, they could find someone to tell these people how badly they edited or lit a scene. And surely, they could find judges who aren't sanctimonious and moralistic hand wringers. On account of that part of it, I actually voted for "Ghetta Rhoom". Twice. I think this is the first time I've ever voted on anything like this.

"Spaced Out" was good. "Lucky Penny" was ah-ight, but not edited very well.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

The production of this show is a mess. Tonight we get an abrupt change of format (for the worse) and a skipped episode (what happened to the one day/one page challenge?). Now it's American Idol all of a sudden, with a pointless live audience and a vapid host, and the judges are all Paula Abdul.

The shorts looked like a bunch of Superbowl commercials and Youtube clips. A few of them were amusing. I liked the one with the cops pulling over the alien spaceship for a DUI. "Replication theory" was pretty good, and the Canadian kid who pulled off the FX thing in the last episode and the Single shot, Rube Goldberg set-piece in this one really stands out to me as the early frontrunner. As for the field as a whole I was mostly unimpressed. The women, especially, all seem to be horrible. That Airport security stripper thing made no sense to me at all. I didn't get what the joke was supposed to be and I couldn't understand why the judges all praised it so much.

Is this how the format is going to be from now on? Are we going to see the contestants at work anymore or is it going to just be films and a result show from now on?

[Inner Stickler]

She saydreamed that the person in front of her was a cute guy and they started getting it on in the metal detector when he beeped and she woke up with the security wand poking her in the butt.

I came in late and only saw the last two. Some of the earlier ones looked funny and I wish I could have seen them. I agree with you on the judges. Farting isn't funny!? Come on people!

[ArizonaTeach]

And as much as I loathe Chelsea Handler, I prefer her to whatever hostess-bot they had today. I watched for thirty minutes before I realized I had something...anything...better to do with my time.

I'm out.

[Tangent]

Wow, I was really unimpressed with these comedic shorts, for the most part. In several of them, the central joke was not clear at all. Like the "To Screw In a Lightbulb" film. It had potential and looked like it was going to be a funny take on all those old jokes, but it turned into just a big mess.

And I agree with the judges in being disappointed that so many of the films involved farting (and pissing and barfing). If I were in such a high-stakes competition, the last thing I would do is make a film that was basically just a fart joke. Talk about unoriginal. However, I did think the very last one (Replication Theory) was well done and probably had the funniest punchline (It was me!).

I wish we could have been shown more of a 'behind the scenes' perspective on the directors making these shorts. Maybe as they narrow the field we'll get to see this.

[Gangster Octopus]

Oh man, I cannot stand Carrie Fischer on this show, what with the waving the hands and the dramatics. It's just painful. And how many times are the judges goingto say, "I know you are a very talented director"? I appreciated that Garry Marshal occasionally would mention how he liked how a scene was shot, otr some particular directorial decision that he liked. As for the directors, it is what I would expect. Some that showed some real talent, I liked "Spaced Out", "The Dancing Guy", "Replication Theory", and "Danger Zone". That cab ride one was absolutely horrible, as was the light bulb one. I think the guest judge nailed "Getta Rhoom" when he said he needed to direct the actor better, but I thought it wasn't as horrible as Fischer's histrionics seemed to make it. Clearly some director's were determined to show their directorial chops as opposed to putting together a coherent film.

I thik the real weakness is the judges, they are crap. The filmakers have the usual reality show variation to them, so that doens't bother me.

[mobo85]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

and a skipped episode (what happened to the one day/one page challenge?).

I haven't been watching, but there were two episodes last week. Did you miss one?

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Originally Posted by mobo85

I haven't been watching, but there were two episodes last week. Did you miss one?

No, they left off in the middle of a challenge after the 2nd episode. I think we missed the last round of eliminations too. They just jumped right to the finalists.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Myself, I liked it (although the change in format threw me a bit). I don't know why so many of them thought that Garry Marshal and Carrie Fisher would like bathroom humour, but whatever. I thought most of the shorts were pretty good. (My six year old thought the contest was over after the piano fell on the guy. "That's comedy!")

As far as the judges being overly-complimentary --- well, that's Hollywood. Any doofus on a reality show could be running a studion in a couple years, and you don't want him to hate you.

[Liberal]

I think the guy who did the trailer instead of a movie should be disqualified. First and foremost, I think, should be actually doing the task. At least the cab movie, bad as it was, was a movie. Hell, a trailer isn't even a story. You just have to show some cool disjointed highlights and voila! If he stays over anyone else, it will make the whole thing into a joke. Next time, when it's a two-minute drama, what if a guy shoots a documentary on the history of hot dogs. If he does it well, he'll have the same claim to kudos as the trailer maker.

[The Controvert]

But the cab movie was a trailer.

I disliked the overuse of the cliche "beginning, middle, and end". I thought the shorts were funny for the most part (11 out of 18 got a chuckle from me). The show greatly benefits from timeshifting... just fast forward past the judges.

I like the special effects whiz the best and hope he wins. I tried voting online, but the "window" had closed. For the most part, the women directors were clueless and awful. I think the airport security short was funny and well made.

The best shorts made you think and look at the world differently. I think Replication Theory did that best.

[Judith Prietht]

Check Out, the airport security short looked like a European commercial. I did think it was well done and at least relatable. The shorts that stood out to me were:

Danger Zone (the safe lab)
Check Out
Spaced Out (drunk aliens)
Replication Theory (farting throughout the ages)

I'm surprised by how pedestrian and amateurish the female filmmakers' pieces were, on the whole. The pregnant woman taking the phone call short was just embarrassing. One of the most hysterical things to me is the reaction shots from the other contestants when the Danger Zone guy gets up there. I think everyone wants to kill him.

[Talon Karrde]

I'm disappointed with Carrie Fisher in this. I'd heard that she was an intelligent, witty person, but she doesn't show it here.

I thought the worst one was the taxi one. The editing was awful.

And I agree with Judith Prietht's list.

[kingpengvin]

Danger Zone was done as a single shot!!! That is so damned impressive that I think if he can prove he can work with actors and do a drama, without gimmicks, he's got it locked.

[Gangster Octopus]

Originally Posted by Liberal

I think the guy who did the trailer instead of a movie should be disqualified. First and foremost, I think, should be actually doing the task. At least the cab movie, bad as it was, was a movie. Hell, a trailer isn't even a story. You just have to show some cool disjointed highlights and voila! If he stays over anyone else, it will make the whole thing into a joke. Next time, when it's a two-minute drama, what if a guy shoots a documentary on the history of hot dogs. If he does it well, he'll have the same claim to kudos as the trailer maker.

My wife said to me, 'I'd go see that movie." to which I replied, "Maybe, but it was a TRAILER! That's cheating!" I don't know if it is disqualifiable, per se, but it certainly shouldn't get any votes. If I were the King of the World, the three I would eliminate would be:

Taxi Cab Nonsense
Light Bulb Nonsense
Stupid cop-out, maybe-not-cheating, but damn cheap Trailer nonsense

[Liberal]

Ha! Ghetta Rhoom was top three! It was fun watching the offended Carrie Fisher squirm.

[Hostile Dialect]

If you guys like this stuff, there might be a 24 hour film contest in your area you can attend. There's one in San Diego at BestFest for high school and college students.

[Gangster Octopus]

Originally Posted by Gangster Octopus

My wife said to me, 'I'd go see that movie." to which I replied, "Maybe, but it was a TRAILER! That's cheating!" I don't know if it is disqualifiable, per se, but it certainly shouldn't get any votes. If I were the King of the World, the three I would eliminate would be:

Taxi Cab Nonsense
Light Bulb Nonsense
Stupid cop-out, maybe-not-cheating, but damn cheap Trailer nonsense

Well how 'bout that, I got the three worst runner-ups in each group. Not really too upset about it though, the three who went were mediocre at best anyway.

The hostess is so bad it is ridiculous. Yeah, she's good looking to be sure, but man her hand gestures and her voice and her demeanor all just annoy the hell out of me.

[Judith Prietht]

The hostess totally went to spokesmodel school. Every word is punctuated by a hand gesture. And I dislike her immensely.

I cannot fricking believe Ghetta Rhoom made the top three.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

I kind of liked Getta Rhoom. I honestly think the director had no idea that the character would be perceived as "special." I think the actor was just too broad. The piece was well structured with a good punchline and if the character had been more obviously established as a "nerd" rather than a DD person, there would have been no problem with the film. True the director should have done a better job directing the actor (and he could have established nerd credentials simply by showing him reading LOTR or a technical computer manuel or something) but I don't think the possibility that the audience would think the dude was retarded was even on his radar.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

I kind of liked Getta Rhoom. I honestly think the director had no idea that the character would be perceived as "special." I think the actor was just too broad. The piece was well structured with a good punchline and if the character had been more obviously established as a "nerd" rather than a DD person, there would have been no problem with the film. True the director should have done a better job directing the actor (and he could have established nerd credentials simply by showing him reading LOTR or a technical computer manuel or something) but I don't think the possibility that the audience would think the dude was retarded was even on his radar.

I agree, and I have a feeling that the movie ended up in the top three because so many people in the TV audience were shocked by the judges' reaction and didn't want to see the guy sent home because of it.

[Gangster Octopus]

I went to the On the Lot website to read the message boards there and the hostess is getting hammered! Poster after poster is getting on there basicalyy saying, "Normally I wouldn't post online about naything, but I just had to come on here and say that she has got to go!!!!!!"

[foolsguinea]

I posted an entire thread on the results show by myself.

I really liked Claudia's "Blind Date" movie.