tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post3851515889274599366..comments2024-03-18T10:29:46.055+00:00Comments on Ken Armstrong Writing Stuff: The Joy of Not Liking SomethingKen Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07775956557261111127noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-23020458399042399892017-10-17T07:09:01.855+01:002017-10-17T07:09:01.855+01:00Okay, that was an interesting read. I mean it was ...Okay, that was an interesting read. I mean it was interestingly written—that was your bit and you did your usual stellar job—but the reading bit’s mine and this time was more interesting than usual. When I began reading I assumed it was going to be the M. Night Shyamalan film you were going to diss because I couldn’t remember anything about <i>The Visit</i>. I actually assumed it was a new film and not one from 2015 which puzzled me because I do tend to give him the benefit of the doubt; even a bad film by him is generally watchable although never quite as watchable as a bad Woody Allen film. (Carrie and I have just finished watching the second season of <i>Wayward Pines</i> for instance where he served as one of the executive producers—he also directed the pilot—which wasn’t bad, especially the first season and the twist is genuinely surprising.) I looked up <i>The Visit</i> and wondered how I’d missed it but here’s the thing: I’ve seen it. It wasn’t until I was halfway through the synopsis in Wikipedia it started to some back. And only the gist. Don’t ask me for any details. So I guess the film wasn’t especially memorable. Or maybe what the problem is is I watch so much than nothing has the time to lodge because I couldn’t tell you much about… well, you pick the superhero film made in the last twelve years. And there isn’t one I’ve watched—or wanted to watch—twice. When did I ever find the time to watch <i>Blade Runner</i> ten times? And, seriously, I could sit down right now and watch the original again, any cut. Can’t wait to see the sequel. <br /><br />I’ve just had a look at Shyamalan’s filmography. I’ve seen them all apart from <i>The Last Airbender</i> and <i>Split</i> which I’ve heard good things about but don’t ask me what they were because I’ve forgotten. I expect I’ll get round to it the next time Carrie goes to the States which’ll probably be the start of next year. (She took this year off.)<br /><br />I haven’t seen <i>The Walk</i>. Nothing about it calls to me. The same goes for <i>Man on Wire</i>. These are films that try to make something out of nothing. Take <i>Calendar Girls</i>, for example. Members of the Rylstone branch of the Women's Institute discreetly pose nude whilst engaged in traditional WI activities. That’s it. That’s the story. And a fun newspaper article it makes too—and, from all accounts, quite a fun calendar (£55 on eBay)—but that’s it. This is where so many TV dramas like <i>The Moorside</i> (based on the 2008 disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews) fall flat. I’ve yet to watch any of the <i>American Crime Stories</i> to see if they make a better job of it.<br /><br />As for not liking stuff, Carrie and I have so much TV backed up to watch we’re starting to become less and less tolerant of… well, crap. Fairly often we’ll give a show a season but I can see an increasing list of shows where we keep putting off watching a second series. And then suddenly we have a third and even a fourth which we, let’s be frank, will never ever watch. A part of me feels guilty for starting something I’ve not finished but, seriously, how will watching the last four seasons of <i>The Vampire Diaries</i> enhance my life? (And don’t forget there’s then the four seasons of <i>The Originals</i> to make time for too.) Life’s too short.Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.com