# Don’t look up. Netflix film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** netflix, movies\ **Created:** [December 27, 2021, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737 "2021-12-27T18:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/81 "2021-12-29T16:11:15Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > The president and her chief of staff had the same last name, implying nepotism of the type found in the Trump White House. > [@Babale](#): > > He’s specifically stated to be her son, which makes it hilarious when he sits there repeating “she’s coming back” while she leaves the planet just before the asteroid hits > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > That was funny. I couldn’t remember if he was her son or her brother. As her son, it is even closer to to reflecting Ivanka and Jared. > [@Procrustus](#): > > And he said something like “she’s smoking hot” and “if she wasn’t my mother.” > > More shades of Trump. I’m baffled that this wasn’t apparently as obvious a Trump reference to some as the film really made it out to be. They swapped some things around - the genders, and the direction of the creepy sexual obsession - but it’s pretty much an aggregate Trump children reference with bits of Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric combined in Jonah Hill’s character. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I think the point of the nudity at the end was to make it clear that the Adams and Eves weren’t chosen on physical merit any more than on intellectual merit. If you looked at the labels on the pods, they showed the names of the corporations the people were from. > [@Eonwe](#): > > But, after a while, it became clear to me that the greatness of this movie is that, other than some of the dialogue from the son/chief of staff, every character in it was not an exaggerated parody, but rather a fairly on point (if a slightly narrow read) portrayal of real people or real types. I agree. It _only_ works because in many ways reality has overtaken satire. > [@Eonwe](#): > > Also, I read it as a COVID-inspired film first before I settled in to the understanding that it literally was about climate change. Either way it works, but as someone noted above, the timeframe of the story and the timeframe of COVID map in a way that felt like I was just rewatching the last year of history in many ways. I don’t think it really matters which current global issue you map it too, because I don’t think the specifics of the threat were the point. The point is how we react to these threats, and the answer is that a lot of people act in deeply counterproductive ways for reasons that are stupid, selfish or both, and that this can result in Very Bad Things happening to humanity. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/82 "2021-12-29T16:16:35Z")
Yes, but the dust wouldn’t be spread evenly, with some places being perpetually overcast and others being mostly fine. What was the relative position of the Gulf of Mexico and NZ then? ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/83 "2021-12-29T16:22:20Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I don’t think it really matters which current global issue you map it too, because I don’t think the specifics of the threat were the point. The point is how we react to these threats, and the answer is that a lot of people act in deeply counterproductive ways for reasons that are stupid, selfish or both, and that this can result in Very Bad Things happening to humanity. Yeah, the COVID denial is just Climate Change denial played on fast forward. The fundamental issues are the same. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/84 "2021-12-29T17:21:30Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Yes, but the dust wouldn’t be spread evenly, with some places being perpetually overcast and others being mostly fine. No, if the dust was hanging in the atmosphere for literally hundreds of years, I don’t think any part of the planet would have been mostly fine. Pop culture tends to really DOWNPLAY just how bad the asteroid impact and its aftermath was. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/85 "2021-12-29T17:34:10Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > but it’s pretty much an aggregate Trump children reference with bits of Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric combined in Jonah Hill’s character. I somehow missed that he was supposed to be her son. It was only after he was calling out for “Mom” in the final scene that I looked to see if the characters shared a last name. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/86 "2021-12-29T17:42:37Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I somehow missed that he was supposed to be her son. It was only after he was calling out for “Mom” in the final scene that I looked to see if the characters shared a last name. There was a blink-your-ears-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in their first meeting with the President where the grad student, trying to figure out why this idiot was in the room, said, “I thought you were her son?”, and he blurts out, obviously annoyed, “I’m the Chief of Staff!” ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/87 "2021-12-29T17:49:44Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > What was the relative position of the Gulf of Mexico and NZ then? Opposite sides of the world. Which made NZ one of the worst-hit spots. One of the main modeled effects of the impact aren’t dust from the impact, but globs of molten rock thrown on sub-orbital trajectories in all directions, which hit the ground and started global forest fires. Evidence that this happened includes large amounts of ash at the katey boundary, topped by a large spike in fern spores, ferns being one of the first plants to reappear after a major forest fire. Here > This is a movie that shows the spread of wildfires that were generated by the Chicxulub impact event 65 million years ago when large numbers of plants and animals, including dinosaurs, were extinguished. The fires were generated after debris ejected from the crater was lofted far above the Earth’s atmosphere and then rained back down through the atmosphere. Like countless trillions of meteors, the debris heated the atmosphere and surface temperatures so high that vegetation on the ground was ignited. Impact debris racing through the atmosphere was concentrated above the impact site (now Mexico) and the opposite side of the Earth (now the Indian Ocean). The Earth rotated beneath the returning plume of impact ejecta, so that the first migrated to the west. Most of the fires were ignited in the first day after the impact, although material continued to fall back into the atmosphere for another 3 days. This movie is an outcome of a study by David A. Kring and Daniel D. Durda, 2002, Trajectories and distribution of material ejected from the Chicxulub impact crater: Implications for postimpact wildfires, Journal of Geophysical Research 107, 22p. Is the caption from an animated gif in this article: > **[Chicxulub Impact Event](https://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Chicxulub/global-effects/)** > > Chicxulub Impact Event Saying that there were non-avian dinosaurs still around a million years after the impact really does amount to a _highly_ extraordinary claim, and the claim (by the researchers, I’m not blaiming you) don’t have the necessary extraordinary evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/88 "2021-12-29T18:01:25Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > There was a blink-your-ears-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in their first meeting with the President where the grad student, trying to figure out why this idiot was in the room, said, “I thought you were her son?”, and he blurts out, obviously annoyed, “I’m the Chief of Staff!” I think I remember that moment now. I suppose I just assumed an implied “No, I am not her son, I am…” Sort of a jab thinking he was some random kid. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/89 "2021-12-29T18:07:39Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I think I remember that moment now. I suppose I just assumed an implied “No, I am not her son, I am…” Sort of a jab thinking he was some random kid This is how I took that moment too, but I figured out he was her son at some later point - early enough to enjoy some of the other jokes they made about that. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/90 "2021-12-29T18:09:14Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > No, if the dust was hanging in the atmosphere for literally hundreds of years I remembered reading that the dust blocked light for years-centuries, but reviewing recent studies it looks like current models predict about 2 years of no sun. That’s still plenty to wipe our almost all living trees and plants, of course - anything that grew afterwards would have grown from seeds that survived this hellish period. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/91 "2021-12-29T22:55:59Z")
I was disappointed. I went in not really knowing much about it, so I don’t think it was a problem of my expectations being too high. There were some funny moments, but overall it was just uncomfortable and depressing. For me at least, satire needs to highlight some absurdity I hadn’t noticed, or capture something I hadn’t been able to adequately describe, to have that satisfying “zing” that makes it worth watching. For the last five years, I’ve been awash in a sea of social media memes riffing on Trump, on the widespread rejection of reality in America, the particular form of sexism that rejects concerns voiced by women as hysteria, and more recently, COVID-related idiocy. Some of those memes have hit that satirical sweet spot for me; most haven’t. Perhaps if this movie were the first satirical treatment I’d ever seen of these concepts, I would’ve enjoyed it more. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/92 "2021-12-30T02:25:06Z")
I think like a lot of satire, it suffers from trying to take on too many targets, diluting its impact. Not only that, but the skewering of many of those targets was not particularly well done. Comparisons aren’t fair, but in Dr. Strangelove, they took a perfect kill shot at corporate America with the single line, “You’re gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.” ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/93 "2021-12-30T03:46:27Z")
I’m not sure if this has been addressed yet, but I did like that they made Leo’s character flawed, and stray a little in his decision making. A minor point, but helps in making the film look less like it’s got it’s head up it’s ass. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/94 "2021-12-30T14:35:11Z")
I liked it and may watch it again after reading comments here. It did seem like the movie didn’t quite know what it wanted to be though. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/95 "2021-12-30T14:53:23Z")
So far batting 100% WRT the several folk I’ve discussed this with and recommended it to. We all enjoyed it. Different tastes… ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/96 "2021-12-30T14:54:28Z")
> [@Esprise\_Me](#): > > For the last five years, I’ve been awash in a sea of social media memes riffing on Trump, on the widespread rejection of reality in America, the particular form of sexism that rejects concerns voiced by women as hysteria, and more recently, COVID-related idiocy. Some of those memes have hit that satirical sweet spot for me; most haven’t. Perhaps if this movie were the first satirical treatment I’d ever seen of these concepts, I would’ve enjoyed it more. I suspect COVID is the big reason this hasn’t “hit” with a lot of people. As an analogy for climate change, it works, because it highlights the absurdity by exaggerating it. But COVID denial is _already_ an exaggeration. We’re already rolling our eyes at the people who refuse to see what’s plainly in front of their faces. We actually see people denying the reality of COVID even as they’re in the hospital dying of COVID. Trying to dial that up to 11 doesn’t work, because real life is already at 12. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/97 "2021-12-30T14:58:39Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I’m not sure if this has been addressed yet, but I did like that they made Leo’s character flawed, and stray a little in his decision making. A minor point, but helps in making the film look less like it’s got it’s head up it’s ass. Yeah, I think he hit it well with the post-cancelling the nuclear strike situation. The people in charge had screwed up the one best chance they had, and he knew it. The best he could do was support their new, risky plan, in hopes it would work, even as he strongly suspected it might fail. Showing the cognitive burden of hoping for success while fearing failure was well done. What else could he have done at that point? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/98 "2021-12-30T15:18:50Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > “Satire” is not the same as “hit people over the head with a sledgehammer.” Exactly this. Good satire is subtle. This is the sort of “satire” that might be written by an average creative writing student. Satire this blatant is only going to be watched by people who already sympathise with the message. I’d call this more a “making fun of” movie. And as a result is was meh. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/99 "2021-12-30T16:45:09Z")
It was Ok, I agree with the thoughts that it was too long and didn’t quite know what it wanted to be. Bronteroc thing was the only funny part. I took the nude scene to be an _emperor has no clothes_ statement. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737/100 "2021-12-30T16:58:09Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Exactly this. Good satire is subtle. This is the sort of “satire” that might be written by an average creative writing student. Satire this blatant is only going to be watched by people who already sympathise with the message. I’d call this more a “making fun of” movie. And as a result is was meh. I’d disagree, because as others said - at this point in our history, subtle satire is hardly satire at all. If you made a documentary film about Trump and his response to COVID, and showed it in 2012, you’d probably be accused of overly blatant satire that no one could take seriously, too. “Oh really? The president is going to mimic disabled people and say that if his daughter wasn’t his daughter he’d be all over her? This is ridiculous! And then he’s going to contradict his own scientific experts during a plague and ramble about injecting bleach or shining lights inside people? No one is gonna buy this crap!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-t-look-up-netflix-film/956737.md?page=6)