It’s the Booze Talkin’; Trolls & Sexual politics? Just make good movies!

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

JimmyO: The relationship between moviegoers and moviemakers has changed throughout the years. With the influence of social media, and the popularity of social media like Twitter, Facebook, and even a movie site like this, there is something incredibly powerful about giving voice to the fans that plunk down their hard earned dollars. It’s impossible to imagine that there was a time you couldn’t send a message to your favorite actor and/or director in a tweet. Yet here we are, and with all the good, there are certain folks online that have found a bit of a thrill when it comes to communicating. This is a topic that has been discussed over and over, and even South Park played with the storyline a few seasons back. “Skank Hunt” – the second episode in the twentieth season – involved Kyle’s dad finding pleasure in attacking folks in chatrooms and the like.

Over the past few years, this kind of behavior has become quite common, especially the insane claims and posts that come with it. Back in 2016, we covered the junket for Paul Feig’s female centric GHOSTBUSTERS. Well before the movie came out, a number of angry fans took issue with the update, as well as with those personally involved in the film. If you want to see some intense trolling, just read the many comments that came with every story reported on the comedy. Yet, that was only the beginning. Ever since then we are finding more and more features that some fans have taken issue with. Whether you are talking the uproar regarding Brie Larson’s statements on the kind of journalistic coverage she’d like for CAPTAIN MARVEL, to the recent return of Sarah Connor in TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, there are a number of folks who are enjoying all the negative attention they get from posting rude and crude statements for the world to see.

The question is, should filmmakers take this kind of thing so seriously? Is this kind of negative attention truly hurting the films that are being attacked?  Or is it perhaps far more complex than that? I reckon that you’ll find a number of other reasons the films failed to bring butts into theatre seats.

The business of show is a tricky one. A feature film – even a tiny independent one – is incredibly expensive and takes a toll on all those involved. Certainly, you can see why many would complain about some of the cruel and inappropriate comments made after all the hard work that they’ve put in. Yet to simply blame a small community of online troublemakers is perhaps giving them a bit too much credit.

By putting too much into the idea that these anonymous haters are destroying the box office take of these kinds of movies is a bit of a losing argument. A massive majority of filmgoers aren’t going online to gripe about a new genre movie that has a feminine focus. In fact, it’s very likely that most paying audience members rarely bother to post online at all. They just see movies that appeal to them. Recently, this very column examined the idea that nostalgia was beginning to lose its appeal in cinema. This could explain some of the unimpressive audience attendance that plagued CHARLIE’S ANGELS, DARK FATE, and yes, DOCTOR SLEEP. It could also simply be a case of expensive ticket prices and annoying audiences that turn their phones on. However, a small group of jerks griping about a new flick that focused on women is unlikely to have any real effect. If anything, perhaps these films just simply didn’t connect with movie fans across the board. Your thoughts on this Arrow?

The Arrow: I agree with some of what you said Jimmy. There have been trolls on the online since the beginning of the internet. On that, I think that Hollywood also has a responsibility in all of this.

I mean did Tim Miller really need to say this before Dark Fate opened?  “If you’re at all enlightened, she’ll play like gangbusters (talking about the Grace character, who did OWN in the film btw). If you’re a closet misogynist, she’ll scare the fuck out of you, because she’s tough and strong but very feminine.” Hmmmm…. Sarah Connor has been “tough and strong but very feminine” since 1984 – and nobody blinked. Why make this an issue in 2019? To create press? To push troll buttons? Whatever the case –  wasn't necessary IMO.

Brie Larson said this at some point: “I don’t want to hear what a white man has to say about A Wrinkle in Time?” Why not? Why make this about race or gender? It’s a f*cking movie about astral travelers. White men can’t have an opinion on it cause it stars Oprah? I don't get it.  ANYBODY that watches a film is ALLOWED to have an opinion on it. 

And recently; Elizabeth Banks said this about Charlie’s Angels before its release. The comments got popular AFTER the film bombed. “If this movie doesn’t make money it reinforces a stereotype in Hollywood that men don’t go see women do action movies. They’ll go and see a comic book movie with Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel because that’s a male genre.”

Okay…. somebody hasn't seen the Underworld and Resident Evil franchises. It didn't make any money because men AND women didn’t go see it. It was badly advertised and there was OBVIOUSLY little demand for it. I haven’t seen it and never will because I personally have zero interest in it. Am I not allowed to feel that? Blaming a gender in advance for a potential box office failure (which did happen) is in my useless opinion quite sad. Is it women’s fault that Doctor Sleep flopped?! Or maybe it's due to the canine population! Folks were too busy petting their dogs to go see it. Come on…!  My 3 cents and Jimmy – take us home amigo!

JimmyO: Maybe it’s the booze talkin’, but Trolls and Sexual politics? Can it just be about movies? Can we just focus on the films, and try and ignore all the silliness. What do you think?