Why did they repost my face?!

Blue hated Forrest Gump? Maybe he should watch Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) instead as shown in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaHvYsA4QMk.

I also hate doing updates especially firmwares and if you can't downgrade/roll back. Looking at you, Apple and others.

Just to be clear, iterative in terms of talking movies means exactly that - it wasn't the first to do something but iterated on the idea enough to give itself a unique feel. No one was saying "Fallen ripped off Exorcist". The other two terms that as a reviewer I have always used are "wholly original" (rare but exciting if done right) and derivative (just a copy of another movie with different sets and characters with minimal changes). Derivative movies are usually subpar to anyone who already saw the movie it is ripping off, but are not necessarily without entertainment value. I'm not a very creative person when it comes to figuring out how a script can be less derivative of another property, but it's possible that it could be done. I think that it could have been done in "Smile's" case. I don't think it could have been done with "The Bye Bye Man" or "Exorcist Believer", both painfully formulaic and derivative movies with no redeeming value beyond hate watching and that it kept some people employed.

This comment was edited on Nov 3, 2024, 16:05.

Prez wrote on Nov 3, 2024, 10:57:
That is the difference between iterative and derivative. "Fallen" iterated on the possession dynamic introduced with "The Exorcist" to the point that they barely resembled each other.

Fallen wasn't the first to do it, though, so I wouldn't call it iterative as it followed in the footsteps of other movies that came before. There are at least half a dozen movies from the 80s that I can name that had the same story mechanic. I didn't mean to imply that either movie resembles the other. Just pointing out the same narrative device.

Prez wrote on Nov 3, 2024, 10:57:
Asking for complete originality is pretty unrealistic, as "there's nothing new under the sun" as the saying goes. 'Curse' or 'possession', having seen "Fallen" I predicted exactly how 'Smile' was going to end. The worst thing a horror movie can be is predictable.

Yeah, we're pretty much stuck with the Seven Stories as a species. I agree that one of the worst sins a horror movie can commit is being predictable. The other is being boring. Like The Blair Witch Project.

I don't sweat BIOS updates anymore, but I tend to use (for myself, friends, family, clients) high end boards with dual BIOS. My only recommendation is that, whenever possible, avoid doing the firmware update from Windows. I prefer to to it from the BIOS menu, or if your mobo supports it, using something like Asus Flashback from a USB drive without ever going into BIOS.

That is the difference between iterative and derivative. "Fallen" iterated on the possession dynamic introduced with "The Exorcist" to the point that they barely resembled each other. Asking for complete originality is pretty unrealistic, as "there's nothing new under the sun" as the saying goes. 'Curse' or 'possession', having seen "Fallen" I predicted exactly how 'Smile' was going to end. The worst thing a horror movie can be is predictable.

Prez wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 23:00:
As an aside, many people said that it was derivative of "It Follows". I might agree if I wasn't thinking that it largely cribbed its ideas from "Fallen" with Denzel Washington from many years prior. It was far more derivative of that in my opinion.

A close third of things that modern horror movies do that make me sick are cliches and tropes. I guess that you can say that jump scares are one of the grossly overdone tropes in horror movies in a way.

But when your movie starts, and within 15 minutes I can predict the entire movie with pretty reliable accuracy you are failing as a movie director and you are failing as a writer. Tropes an cliches are done, buried, unburied, beaten even more, then reburied. JUST STOP.

Fallen wasn't particularly new or novel, either. At its heart, Fallen is a possession movie and a possession that changes hosts isn't a new idea, either. The Exorcist did it when Pazuzu jumps from Reagan to Father Karras.

I think It Follows and Smile are more curse movies than possession movies since an outside force acts upon the characters rather than the characters themselves acting. A curse that you can pass on to others also isn't new. Thinner, for example, did that as well.

I think it is fair to say that most American horror stories have really lost their storytelling ability but there are some great, indie horror movies coming out of other countries. I previously mentioned Oddity and A Dark Song, both of which are Irish. Then there are the horror movies coming out of South Korea like Train to Busan and those coming out of Japan. However, having said that, there are still some gems coming out of the States. I felt The Substance was a well done horror movie particularly for the story it told.

I remember trying a live update via internet for an ancient Asus P5 (or was it B5) eons ago. The update did indeed work, but the BIOS Asus had released was buggy as hell and the PC would not reboot after the update. Back then, there was no safety net but thankyfully the ROM was not soldered but socketed. So a friend was able to reprogram it with the old BIOS. The BIOS I had used was out for less than an hour and then withdrawn. Since that day, I have always waited at least for 2 weeks to do my BIOS updates and indeed, even with other manufacturers I dodged another few bullets with this "wait and see" approach.

Burrito of Peace wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 21:38:

Prez wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 16:34:
Speaking of movies, part of the problem I have with modern horror movies are 1) Jump scares
2) Being derivative instead of iterative

Those 2 factors more than any other issues make me enjoy recent horror entries much less.

I watched both "Halloween Party" and "Smile" for Halloween. My top 2 pet peeves were very prevalent in both of these, but they were just unique enough that I still enjoyed them. I think that I am getting soft in my old age.

Smile took an interesting premise and absolutely threw it away in the third act and cratered the landing.

But I agree, most modern horror is formulaic and relies way too much on jump scares. It's lame.

As an aside, many people said that it was derivative of "It Follows". I might agree if I wasn't thinking that it largely cribbed its ideas from "Fallen" with Denzel Washington from many years prior. It was far more derivative of that in my opinion.

A close third of things that modern horror movies do that make me sick are cliches and tropes. I guess that you can say that jump scares are one of the grossly overdone tropes in horror movies in a way.

But when your movie starts, and within 15 minutes I can predict the entire movie with pretty reliable accuracy you are failing as a movie director and you are failing as a writer. Tropes an cliches are done, buried, unburied, beaten even more, then reburied. JUST STOP.

This comment was edited on Nov 2, 2024, 23:19.

Man, I hope Vger last long enough to get to the intelligent machine planet and gain sentience and godlike power.

Hate Forrest Gump? Hate is a strong word. Most people say it all the time but don't really mean. It's like the color purple - the color not the movie - I generally say I hate it, though I really don't. I have an 'intense dislike' of it however. What exactly makes it hateworthy? That Lootenent Dang gawt magick legs? Seeing as it's an 8.8 on IMDB with 2.3M votes I'd say you're very much in the minority on that. I quite like that film. It was a pretty goddamned funny movie....

Drill Sergeant: Gump! What's your sole purpose in this army?
Forrest Gump: To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant!
Drill Sergeant: God damn it, Gump! You're a god damn genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard. You must have a goddamn I.Q. of 160. You are goddamn gifted, Private Gump. Listen up, people...

Forrest Gump: DONE, DRILL SERGEANT!
Drill Sergeant: GUUUUUUMP! Why did you put that weapon together so quickly, Gump?
Forrest Gump: You told me to, Drill Sergeant?
Drill Sergeant: Jesus H. Christ! This is a new company record! If it wouldn't be such a waste of a damn-fine enlisted man I'd recommend you for OCS! You are gonna be a General someday, Gump, now disassemble your weapon and continue!

Forrest Gump: I had run for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours.
Young Man Running: Quiet, quiet! He's gonna say something!
Forrest Gump: I'm pretty tired... I think I'll go home now.

Prez wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 16:34:
Speaking of movies, part of the problem I have with modern horror movies are 1) Jump scares
2) Being derivative instead of iterative

Those 2 factors more than any other issues make me enjoy recent horror entries much less.

I watched both "Halloween Party" and "Smile" for Halloween. My top 2 pet peeves were very prevalent in both of these, but they were just unique enough that I still enjoyed them. I think that I am getting soft in my old age.

Smile took an interesting premise and absolutely threw it away in the third act and cratered the landing.

But I agree, most modern horror is formulaic and relies way too much on jump scares. It's lame.

1badmf wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 19:27:
is anybody ever 100% confident a bios update will work? i know i'm not. sphincter just at varying levels of clutchness.

Yes. I've updated so many BIOSes, EFI, and firmware on servers over the years that I don't even bat an eye any longer. If they fail, you can use system management like iDRAC to just rollback or try again.

On my personal workstations, I've never had an update fail. Not once.

I love Forrest Gump. It's one of those films I can watch repeatedly without ever getting tired of it. It's an epic story of one man, against all odds, finding success in his own unique way. I also really enjoyed Zemecki/Hank's other project Cast Away! There are sections with no music or dialogue—just sounds of nature and Tom Hanks' superb reactions to his situations. Also, who cries when a volley ball "dies?!" Not this guy. Nosiree! 🏐😭

fakespyder wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 17:27:
Oh god, I know that moment of blind terror when you realize you're committed to a Bios upgrade that for some reason you're not 100% confident will work.

It's like getting your foot stuck in a woodchipper and trying to find the least painful passage through. Well, not really, but you get the sentiment.

is anybody ever 100% confident a bios update will work? i know i'm not. sphincter just at varying levels of clutchness.

fakespyder wrote on Nov 2, 2024, 17:27:
It's like getting your foot stuck in a woodchipper and trying to find the least painful passage through. Well, not really, but you get the sentiment.

A dual BIOS motherboard lets you know that you have have a second foot you can put in the woodchipper!

Oh god, I know that moment of blind terror when you realize you're committed to a Bios upgrade that for some reason you're not 100% confident will work.

It's like getting your foot stuck in a woodchipper and trying to find the least painful passage through. Well, not really, but you get the sentiment.

Speaking of movies, part of the problem I have with modern horror movies are 1) Jump scares
2) Being derivative instead of iterative

Those 2 factors more than any other issues make me enjoy recent horror entries much less.

I watched both "Halloween Party" and "Smile" for Halloween. My top 2 pet peeves were very prevalent in both of these, but they were just unique enough that I still enjoyed them. I think that I am getting soft in my old age.

The first time I ever tried to update a BIOS, and this was like back in the days where we talked about companies like Citrix, I bricked my system. Had to yank the whole board and replace it. I was livid with myself. It was totally my bad, I don't remember the details now but I did something brain dead, that part I do remember.

In the ultimate show of youthful stubborness, I bought the same motherboard off the shelf the next day. It needed that firmware update as well, but that was my point. Did it right the second time, and so far, have had no other BIOS troubles since. Today, if that happened, I would at least by the newest motherboard if I am forced to change it out instead of the same old model to prove a point,....lol

I tried (and failed) to recover a dead Intel 11700K/Z490 motherboard with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V2M5MVH

The BIOS flashing was a success, but I think either the CPU or the motherboard truly has a hardware failure that prevents it from booting (DRAM
failure LED lights up, and nothing can fix it).

Anyways, that SOIC8 kit will be handy for various other EEPROM flashing I may need to do to recover - allegedly people use it on many other kinds of devices.

I never realized that people took "Forrest Gump" so seriously. I thought it was a cute movie.