Maybe if I saw it in a different setting @Scrawler2:disqus , I'd have come away agreeing with you; the crowd reactions definitely colored my opinion of the movie. That said, when was the last time a crowd favored the sensible efficient brass over the loose-cannon-cop-that-gets-results-damnit! ?

My problem isn't that it's pro-torture; it's that it provides a simplified narrative that feeds into torture advocates preconceptions. It's the little things like leading off with the 9/11 phone calls, following up the torture scene with a depiction of a terrorist attack, having a character invoke 9/11 during the more…

Tell that to the redneck sitting next to me in the theater who guffawed every time the torture guy said an insult.

This is just so goddamned depressing.

This is just so goddamned depressing.

That Time article is a very deceptive bit of sourcing if you're looking to make a counter-argument against Australia's gun control laws. Never mind that the central assumption of the analysis (that gun violence rates would lower at exactly the same rate indefinitely) ignores both the laws of diminishing marginal…

That Time article is a very deceptive bit of sourcing if you're looking to make a counter-argument against Australia's gun control laws. Never mind that the central assumption of the analysis (that gun violence rates would lower at exactly the same rate indefinitely) ignores both the laws of diminishing marginal…

I get the complaint about ethnic stereotypes, but the constant harping on SNL's lack of racial diversity is just one of the most knee-jerk, least thought out criticisms out there (this post doesn't fall into that category so much, but this has just reminded me of one of the persistently irritating comments haunting…

I get the complaint about ethnic stereotypes, but the constant harping on SNL's lack of racial diversity is just one of the most knee-jerk, least thought out criticisms out there (this post doesn't fall into that category so much, but this has just reminded me of one of the persistently irritating comments haunting…

1. The Iron Giant - This is the most shocking omission to me; mainly because I've never even heard a "good but flawed" argument made on its behalf. It always seems to be discussed as an amazing movie - one that doesn't need to be qualified. How they found enough flaws to decide it didn't measure up to any of the other…

1. The Iron Giant - This is the most shocking omission to me; mainly because I've never even heard a "good but flawed" argument made on its behalf. It always seems to be discussed as an amazing movie - one that doesn't need to be qualified. How they found enough flaws to decide it didn't measure up to any of the other…

As much as lists like this AV Club one spur debate and "how the fuck did X make it over Y?!" outrage, it's easy to forget how much tastes overlap. I mean, looking at Armond White's best of lists, in any given year I legitimately love at least 50% of the movie's listed. And that's from a man who is universally reviled…

As much as lists like this AV Club one spur debate and "how the fuck did X make it over Y?!" outrage, it's easy to forget how much tastes overlap. I mean, looking at Armond White's best of lists, in any given year I legitimately love at least 50% of the movie's listed. And that's from a man who is universally reviled…

Fuck it, I'll be that guy who defends American Beauty.

Fuck it, I'll be that guy who defends American Beauty.

And here's the Shyamalan twist: we show it all. We show everything.

And here's the Shyamalan twist: we show it all. We show everything.

I'm confused; are we supporting or dissing Monster House? The asterisk makes it seem like we're helping Monster House up after punching it in the kidneys.

I'm confused; are we supporting or dissing Monster House? The asterisk makes it seem like we're helping Monster House up after punching it in the kidneys.

Very true. They kill off their first character like five minutes into the movie - an air conditioner (voiced by Phil Hartman of all people) explodes from its impotent rage. While Blanky and Toaster express remorse, Kirby the vacuum cleaner just stone cold doesn't give a fuck. Which really sets the emotional tone of…