The Other Side

Yeah, who knew that all the cliche'd stereotypes about suburbia could be really interesting.

I actually got about 15 minutes into it before I had to turn it off. I HATED that the girl kept calling her parents assholes, and I don't use the word lightly; people who are so disrespectful towards their parents for no good reason just disgust me. But anyway.

Are you serious? It's a movie...

Smitha and Ethan are too wound up. Obviously they never experienced any teen angst either, because I thought the family was pretty damn close to my own.

Well, dude, I'm sorry that I have certain standards of behavior when it comes to treating elders. It seems to be a rarity that people actually treat their parents and elderly people with respect anymore. And I did have my own angst, but it was due to legitimate conflict, and not just for the sake of being "cool." I can't stand anything that perpetuates that. This is something I feel strongly about, and I don't appreciate you acting as if that makes me weak.

Smitha, disagreeing with you does not mean I'm persecuting you directly. I think disagreement is a good thing, and apparently my family thought so too. Speaking my mind is a part of who I am. I don't do it to be cool; I do it to be an individual. If you hide your opinions with words like respect and obedience, you are simply being dishonest to yourself and others.

I didn't say that you spoke your mind to look cool--I was referring to the whole teen angst "thing," and how bashing one's parents is something kids do to look cool (which is a phenomenon that doesn't sit well with me AT ALL, and which was why I couldn't watch the film). Can you honestly say that what's-her-name referring to her parents as assholes constituted constructive and meaningful criticism, when they did NOTHING to deserve it besides trying their best to be good parents? I don't really see how not condoning something like that makes me appear to be wound-up/uptight.

that is such a small part of the movie... it's HORRIBLE for a married man to lust after teen girls too. but the point is that we're human, and entirely fucked up. we can't just get offended by everything base we see, regardless of artistic notions and philosophical messages. unless of course you believe that art should present only our ideals, and films only ideal human relationships.

Wait...what? When did I ever say anything about censoring art? Please don't change the subject.

You know what, the only reason I'm arguing about this is because Matt insulted my opinion by calling me wound-up. That's the ONLY reason I'm arguing. Everyone has their own opinions about this movie and that's completely fine--I never once told any of you that I think you're stupid for liking the movie, nor did I make any comments about anyone. I just presented my reason for not being able to watch it.

Matt, you've said before that you have a tendency to be extremely forthright to the point of being overly sharp online (which blows my mind because you're so kind in person)...since you like to be blunt, I will be as well. Please cut it out. You've got to watch how you word yourself, because the way you approach these debates doesn't help to facilitate a level-headed discussion. And seeing as how the only way I keep up with so many people is via the web since I live 13 time zones away now, I don't want these arguments to mess with my image of you from when we were in school together. Just chill out and consider how people will react to or feel about what you say.

I just get pretty angry when people argue a point about something they don't fully understand. The truth is her parents really are assholes, and if you watched more than fifteen minutes, you would see that her comments made her parents realize that truth.

Don't disrespect what you do not understand. That's the main point I want to make.

Well, why didn't you just say that to begin with? Of course I don't fully understand the movie--I was so turned off by the first 15 minutes that I had no inclination to continue, so there was no way I could have known that the rest of the movie would prove that she was telling the truth! If you'd just told me that two days ago, instead of namecalling and going for the more-oomph-less-tact approach, this argument would have never happened. :P