# A P O C A L Y P T O S U C K S **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764 "2007-05-19T22:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Matt\_Holck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Matt\_Holck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matt_Holck)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/21 "2007-05-20T08:26:34Z")
I haven’t watched Mel Gibson since crop circles ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/22 "2007-05-20T10:32:42Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] Why does justified torture make for a bad movie? [/QUOTE] I dunno, why does **lissener** like movies I find to be torture? I’m thinking that I really need to see _Apocalypto_ since it’s bothered **lissener** so much. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/23 "2007-05-20T20:51:00Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] Right, but it was a very subjective reaction. What you said in your OP was no better than if you said you hated the movie because macaroni is spelled without a Q. [/QUOTE] So, a subjective reaction to a movie is not allowed in CS? Still trying to figure out the rule here. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/24 "2007-05-20T23:43:37Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] So, a subjective reaction to a movie is not allowed in CS? Still trying to figure out the rule here. [/QUOTE] What rule? I don’t make any rules. You are always free to disobey me. What I said was that if you are going to make a thread attempting to explain why Apocalypto sucks, you should come up with something less subjective. At least that is what the OP looks like, an attempt to explain why Apocalypto sucks. If it is not, then just say so. Say it is only why _you_ don’t like the movie. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/25 "2007-05-21T00:59:23Z")
**Equipoise** : Please review [FAQ - Rules for Posting at the Straight Dope Message Boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384736) and note especially Post #11, from which I quote: [quote] Text inside [QUOTE] tags is sacrosanct. Normal editorial rules apply: that is, you may indicate omitted portions of a quote by the use of ellipses “…” and you may add text to clarify a word using square brackets (e.g., “her [the sister’s] friend”), but you may not add editorial comments or edit a quote so as to change the substantive meaning; nor may you substitute text such as “some blather” or “more nonsense” inside the > [@](#): > > tags. It also occurs to me that what you’re doing, in addition to misquoting another poster, is pretty much a personal insult: also not permitted. You know better than this. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/26 "2007-05-21T02:00:26Z")
when or what is the last Gibson movie that didnt involve torture? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/27 "2007-05-21T02:01:45Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] What I said was that if you are going to make a thread attempting to explain why Apocalypto sucks, you should come up with something less subjective. [/QUOTE] That’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/28 "2007-05-21T02:16:37Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] That’s ridiculous. [/QUOTE] I suppose it was asking for too much. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/29 "2007-05-21T02:21:45Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] That’s ridiculous. [/QUOTE] I’m going to have to come to **lissener** ’s defense here. He explained why he didn’t like the movie. He stated an opinion. About his taste (or distaste) of a movie. Agree or post your own opinion, but don’t tell someone their opinion doesn’t count WHEN IT’S A MATTER OF TASTE. Now that that’s out of the way … Did they torture any nekkid babes? Huh? Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/30 "2007-05-21T03:09:36Z")
His OP sounded too declarative for me, like he was trying to state a fact. He could have added an “I think” in there somewhere. Of course people should be able to post their opinions in CS, so I guess I made a mistake. Once again, carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/31 "2007-05-21T03:31:52Z")
When someone says something sucks, they are either talking about a vacuum cleaner or making a subjective statement. True, there are reasons why someone likes or dislikes a movie, and I think **lissener** made his reasons clear: he considers it to be torture porn that pretends not to be torture porn. It’s fair to ask him WHY he considers it to be torture porn, or WHY he thinks it’s pretending not to be torture porn, but criticizing him for a subjective evaluation of a movie is, as he correctly says, ridiculous. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/32 "2007-05-23T15:57:41Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] I liked it for what it was: a fast-paced chase movie through a gorgeously-photographed jungle. Watching it, I didn’t have any thoughts about the controversies in the filmmaker’s life, or how historically accurate it may have been. I was engrossed and entertained for 2-plus hours, and that’s all I can ask from a movie. [/QUOTE] I watched it last night and have similar feelings. Lots of chase scenes, gorgeous photography, stunning set and costume design. I have no idea what the point was supposed to be, but at least it was entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/33 "2007-05-23T16:11:33Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] **Equipoise** : Please review [FAQ - Rules for Posting at the Straight Dope Message Boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384736) and note especially Post #11, from which I quote: It also occurs to me that what you’re doing, in addition to misquoting another poster, is pretty much a personal insult: also not permitted. You know better than this. [/QUOTE] So is there a rule against all caps in a thread title? I know its disabled. Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/34 "2007-05-23T16:55:27Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] What I said was that if you are going to make a thread attempting to explain why Apocalypto sucks, you should come up with something less subjective. [/QUOTE] That’s… not actually possible. Any reaction to a work of art is going to be subjective. It’s the nature of art. Arguably, it’s the _purpose_ of art. Bogging down your prose with lots of “I think…” and “IMHO…” is just bad writing. Of course it’s an opinion. Everyone knows its an opinion. Starting every critique with, “This is just my opinion…” is redundant. Just say what you thought about the movie, and don’t worry about the qualifiers. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/35 "2007-05-23T23:03:11Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] So is there a rule against all caps in a thread title? I know its disabled. Just curious. [/QUOTE] The thread title is not in all caps. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/36 "2007-05-23T23:23:47Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] The thread title is not in all caps. [/QUOTE] Plus, it’s funny. I chuckle every time I see it. It ain’t often that someone can do a visual joke with just typed letters. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/37 "2007-05-23T23:36:49Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] That’s… not actually possible. Any reaction to a work of art is going to be subjective. It’s the nature of art. Arguably, it’s the _purpose_ of art. Bogging down your prose with lots of “I think…” and “IMHO…” is just bad writing. Of course it’s an opinion. Everyone knows its an opinion. Starting every critique with, “This is just my opinion…” is redundant. Just say what you thought about the movie, and don’t worry about the qualifiers. [/QUOTE] Plus, as I’ve discovered from my thousands of postings in this forum, you can alternate every clause with such a disclaimer and still get the same kind of response. So I’ve gone back to letting the obvious be obvious and, by and large, just ignoring the obvoius-oblivious. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/38 "2007-05-24T04:26:02Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] That’s… not actually possible. Any reaction to a work of art is going to be subjective. It’s the nature of art. Arguably, it’s the _purpose_ of art. Bogging down your prose with lots of “I think…” and “IMHO…” is just bad writing. Of course it’s an opinion. Everyone knows its an opinion. Starting every critique with, “This is just my opinion…” is redundant. Just say what you thought about the movie, and don’t worry about the qualifiers. [/QUOTE] I guess you are right. It’s just that I hear plenty of people denouncing movies because they are too violent, and I think “why does violence alone make a movie bad?” I guess that anyone can think a movie is bad for any reason and I would just have to deal with that. It’s still kind of depressing when people rank **When Harry Met Sally…** over **Pulp Fiction** simply because **Pulp Fiction** has blood. Thanks for addressing my point though. I just wish \*\*lissener \*\*could have said this from the start. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/39 "2007-05-24T05:03:04Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] I guess you are right. It’s just that I hear plenty of people denouncing movies because they are too violent, and I think “why does violence alone make a movie bad?” I guess that anyone can think a movie is bad for any reason and I would just have to deal with that. It’s still kind of depressing when people rank **When Harry Met Sally…** over **Pulp Fiction** simply because **Pulp Fiction** has blood. Thanks for addressing my point though. I just wish \*\*lissener \*\*could have said this from the start. [/QUOTE] Um, I did. I stated an opinion about a work of art. Just as Miller (and others) have explained. You agree with Miller, who is saying just that. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764/40 "2007-05-24T06:18:32Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Um, I did. I stated an opinion about a work of art. Just as Miller (and others) have explained. You agree with Miller, who is saying just that. [/QUOTE] Not that, I wish that you would have stated why you disagreed with me from the start. Instead, after all our arguments all I got was “that’s ridiculous”. Needless to say, I found Miller’s explanation more satisfying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-t-o-s-u-c-k-s/404764.md?page=3)