Film Friday: 3 Bad Scenes in Otherwise Enjoyable Movies

It's Been Some Years

Way back in 2011, I wrote about awesome scenes in two movies that were otherwise terrible. Six years passed, and in 2017, I discussed two movies that contain fantastic scenes, even if the flicks are otherwise merely passable. Four years later, I touched upon three movies that were, "Good," but did have one extra great scene. At the end of that post, I joked that in another four or five years I would possibly make a post talking about strangely bad scenes in movies that are, apart from those scenes, stellar. Well, almost five years later, I was, in fact, thinking about some movies I am a fan of but which have that one scene that threatens to bring the whole thing down. Let's discuss...

The Notebook

Even if it is argued by some to be, "Escapist fluff," I would argue that of any movie made from a Nicholas Sparks story, "The Notebook," is the best, and a damn fine flick in and of itself. The cast is killer, from Ryan Gosling (as Noah) to Rachel McAdams (as Allie), and James Marsden (Lou) as the guy who gets left for Gosling's character and is shockingly mature and understanding about it. Much of the movie has a framing device of an old man telling an older woman with dementia the story of how this couple in the past came together. It is obvious fairly early on he is telling their story, and that's sweet, but not in a cloying manner. Then, the movie has to go and screw it all up with an ending scene so cheesey-yet-kind-of-dark that you're better off going with the book's conclusion. 

Basically, the elder Allie freaks out and attacks Noah, but then calms down, remembers him, and they die at the same time, holding each other in their arms. That is certainly...something. As for how the book ends, Noah telling Allie the story helps give her a flicker of memory, and they spend the night together making love as they did all those passionate years ago despite their age and ailments. I'm not saying the film version of, "The Notebook," had to end with a scene of two elderly folks bumping uglies, but it is just a weird downer of a note to conclude an otherwise great movie.

Showgirls

Look, I am not going to argue that the movie, "Showgirls," is necessarily "Good," but it is extremely silly and entertaining. This summary of it works well if you don't want to sit through its madness. It also takes a hard left turn near the end (you may see a theme forming here) with an extremely unnecessary gang-rape scene. It seems to be in the film so that the protagonist (Elizabeth Berkley as Nomi) can learn her best friend Moly (Gina Ravera) has been sexually assaulted so that she has the motivation to go beat up the perp before leaving Vegas (as she was going to do, but now she also kicks some ass first). It just seems like lazy writing (and something we've seen often in movies/television/etc.) to want to go, "This character is extra evil because they're out here engaging in rape and we need the hero to stop them." Multiple folks involved with the movie continue to have strong feelings about the scene and how out-of-place it feels in an otherwise campy delight. My advice to anyone watching, "Showgirls," who could be triggered by such a brutal scene or who just doesn't want to suddenly go from a fun vibe to feeling like they are watching a horror movie is to fast-forward through that scene.

Pyscho

Yep, we're going to talk about a scene near/right at the end again. This time the studio system is more to blame than anyone involved in the creation of the movie itself, however. Throughout, "Psycho," the director, Alfred Hitchcock, twists and subverts our expectations. The person whom we think is the main character ends up killed before the first hour concludes. The young man who manages Bates Motel, Norman Bates, seems like he is trying to keep his murderous mother in check while guests stay, but it is revealed in a shocking climax that his mother is long dead and he is killing folks whilst dressed as her. Why is he doing this, though? Well, any possible mystery flies out the window when a psychiatrist is called to evaluate Norman after his capture and reveals it is a violent personality disorder where Norman truly thinks he is his mother. 

This moment is in the original book the film adapts, but Hitchcock felt it ground everything to a halt, providing an overly clinical explanation for all the preceding suspense and horror. He kept it in the movie to appease Paramount, however, as he'd already pushed a ton of boundaries regarding censors upset about a variety of the movie's content (from unmarried couples in bed, to the peephole, a toilet flushing, and the now-legendary shower scene). Hitchcock knew how to pick his battles, and if he had to spoon-feed audiences an info-dump at the end of his movie instead of leaving things up to interpretation so he could get it released, he was willing to do so. Damn, the movie biz in 1960 sounds a lot like 2026 in some regards! Debates persist decades later about how useful or unnecessary that scene is. Clearly, I feel the credits could've rolled the moment the cops nab Bates, leaving us viewers in a shocked stupor, but that's just me.

I Love Ya, Flaws and All

Even if "Showgirls," hits a speed bump 3/4 or so of the way through and the other two productions end in a manner that leaves a sour taste in my mouth, I'm still a fan of all these of these. We've got a camp classic, a cozy romance yarn, and a masterpiece of film. It shows that no matter what kind of movie you make, it can be awesome even if somebody made a questionable choice with the flick. Now, I'll think up what the theme should be when I do one of these in another four or five years. Perhaps three hilarious scenes in otherwise serious movies? I dunno, I've got time to mull it over.

"Gastronomique," #1 is Quite Sexy, Extremely Political, and Kind of Gross. I'm a Fan!

I'm going to sound a bit like the character Stefon from, "Saturday Night Live," whenver he describes a nightclub that, "Has it all," because when discussing the first issue of, "Gastronomique," it really does have a lot--and that's a good thing! It contains historical fiction set that reimagines real people in different situations; it's got a lot of body horror, it has lesbian lovers enjoying each other's company in an old-timey tub, and it has a bit of supernatrural/metaphysical vibe riffing on concepts of evil, right versus wrong, and such. Oh, and the comic opens with people parading through the street with Marie Antoinette's bloody, decapitated head as they sing a cheerful tune about her death, just to give you an idea of the visceral vibe.

Published by BOOM! Studios, this new series is written by the immensely talented Marguerite Bennett and illustrated by Helena Masellis. With the French Revolution serving as the setting, the main focus of, "Gastronomique," seems to be following Lady Charlotte (a spy and assassin) as she attempts to hunt down Tarrare, a quite real and infamous individual who could eat seemingly anything (he ripped apart and ingested live animals in front of scientists amazed at his insatiable hunger). Tarrare is thought to have even engaged in cannibalism, with the idea he possibly ate a young child serving as a big motivator for the Lady's efforts to kill him. If you're into a queer, erotic, horror-thriller and aren't too squeamish (Masellis illustrates one detailed incident of Tarrare swallowing a live snake, whole), this looks to definitely be worth a read.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Supermassive Games Makes Fun Stuff, but is Struggling. It's the Same for Much of the Game Industry

The video-game industry seems to, in general, be having a ton of issues. Lots of studios are getting shut down, or people are being laid off, and if you don't sell an insane amount of copies when your title comes out, it is a big problem. I have enjoyed anything from Supermassive Games I've had a chance to play, from "Until Dawn," to, "The Quarry." I just recently had enough free time to dive into, "Directive 8020," which I've been really digging! Without spoiling too much, the story takes place in the somewhat distant future, with a team aboard a spaceship tasked with inspecting a potentially habitable planet encountering... trouble. This issue is extraterrestrial in nature and the plot so far is a mix of, "Alien," with, "The Thing," as you (the player) try to keep everyone alive via a number of ethical dilemmas, some exploration/sneaking segments, and so forth. I quite like it, and when I saw there was a headline about the developer the other day, I was bummed that the news was, "Yep, more video-game industry layoffs." 

It is alarming that video-games seem more popular than ever, yet the industry for making the games is itself a huge mess. At least a bunch of executives with Electronic Arts are happy, however, thanks to selling the company to, "...the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, a private equity firm owned by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner." 55 billion dollars was spent, and now Trump's son-in-law and Saudi Arabia are in control of one of the biggest game studios around; what could possibly go wrong? I mean, what indeed?

Star Wars and Marvel's Heroes Are (Officially) Meeting for the First Time

There have been times in history when Marvel published, "Star Wars," comics, but there was never any crossover with the Marvel Universe. Decades ago, they did so before Dark Horse acquired the license for a good long while. Eventually, Disney absorbed Marvel and Lucasfilm, and it made sense to put Star Wars stuff under the Marvel label again, even if the comics remained fully removed from any Marvel superheroics. However, in January 2027 we will see the first ever official crossover between the Star Wars and Marvel Universes, with Kevin Smith writing, "Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles," over a five-issue mini-series. David Marquez will be on art duties.

Apparently, this will be taking place in the main 616 continuity of Marvel (the, "Offiical," canon) and will not be some kind of, "What If?"-themed mini-series. Never mind that, "Star Wars," technically takes place in the distant past and galaxies (far, far) away because a, "Reality shattering," spell is going to bring a bunch of Star Wars characters right into the Marvel heroes' orbit. This sounds a bit fun, but I swear, if this is all an excuse to make the Scarlet Witch some kind of villainous Deus Ex Machina again thanks to her vaguely-unexplainable powers (like, "House of M," and, "Decimation,") I'll be perturbed. Seriously though, this could be a hoot, and I was just saying the other day we need more quirky crossovers. Kevin Smith can be extremely hit-or-miss in his film work as well as his comics, but the dude (generally) knows how to tell a good story, and David Marquez is a stellar artist. Just give a zany scene where Darth Vader and Doctor Doom argue about who is more villainous-yet-tragic with their backstory, and I'll be content. It's going to be an interesting start to 2027 in comic-books, that's for sure.

Rob Liefeld Has Been Making an Ass of Himself, As Per Usual

The other day I was talking with someone about the OG Image series and which ones were still around. The subject came up in regard to, "The Savage Dragon," and, "Spawn." We mentioned how there was also Rob Liefeld with his, "Youngblood," comic which had given us a bunch of mini-series and random reprints. I said, "Well, would we expect less from Liefeld?" and my friend said in a joking manner, "Yes, please, he should do less!" Liefeld is known by many for being a jerk. He loves to take credit for anything he had major or minor involvement in and feuds with anyone who denies his immense genius. It seems every ten years or so a new generation of comic-book readers discovers that Rob Liefeld is an asshole, as illustrated by a story about him being a total egotistical dick on a Whatnot stream the other day.

Liefeld was on the popular platform that focuses on live shows for various collectibles. He was selling the latest relaunch of, "Youngblood," and became positively infuriated when a fan suggested he draw an, "Absolute Batman," cover sometime. Liefeld said he would only do such a thing for an astronomical sum of money because he'd rather do creator-owned work than stuff for Marvel or DC. Liefeld then proceeded to ban the fan from the stream when they informed him, "Just wanted to see your art on it dude," with Liefeld enraged at being called, "Dude." As with many things involving Liefeld, there is a nugget of truth/wisdom amongst all the self-aggrandizement. DC and Marvel often are pretty terrible towards the people who make their comics; that is accurate! However, going off on somebody simply because they're a fan who told you how they'd love your take on another character is...quite a choice. There are creators where I like their work but they are apparently awful in real-life. There are creators whose work I just don't vibe with, but I hear they are genuinely wonderful folks. Then, you get a comic creator who has art many struggle to vibe with and a personality that sounds abhorrent. Well, Liefeld being self-centered and unpleasant for all these years at least shows he's consistent about some things, if not getting many of his promised projects out on time--"Brigade," anyone?

“Saturday Night Live,” Isn’t Back Till Late September

I always enjoy watching, “Saturday Night Live.” I will readily admit it has some episodes—Hell, some seasons— that are weak. It’s always at least somewhat enjoyable to watch, however, and when it has a superb skit, that’s always a treat. The fact it has lasted as many seasons as it has is itself impressive and miraculous, and there is plenty of material from the Summer the show had off to discuss/riff on. Last night I was wondering exactly how much longer we needed to wait for the show to be back, so I checked, and we are not getting season 52’s debut until September 26th, goodness! 

At the rate the world (and America, specifically) is going, who knows what else there could be to touch upon within the next month and a half or so. With the show having a strenuous schedule, it makes sense that the staff and cast need a good break, but I always miss SNL during the Summer. As we near the premiere of this newest season I imagine there will be more announcements about the cast, as one individual already declared their upcoming absence (Chloe Fineman left), and new additions always get folks talking with excitement or displeasure (some may recall the fiasco of when Shane Gillis was cast, then fired before appearing on the show...before he then ended up hosting a couple times). Basically, I’m looking forward to September 26th and seeing what the next season holds when it finally arrives.

"Being Alive," is Simon Hanselmann's Latest Twisted Delight

Simon Hanselmann is a skilled creator of comics. Many of his works involve the witch known as Megg, the talking cat, Mogg, and their roommate (in some continuities), Owl. Oh, and good ol' Werewolf Jones. Sometimes Hanselmann's yarns with these characters are outright hilarious ("Crisis Zone,"), but they can be incredibly dark and depressing too. His works are often quite edgy, however, with this latest release of the single-issue/one-shot, "Being Alive," providing plenty of moments I laughed aloud, cringed, and sometimes did both. This comic primarily involves Owl wanting to break up with his girlfriend, Jenny. 

All the mayhem occurs a bit after Owl learns she often likes to dress up as a clown named, "Spritzy Waters." Yes, it is also a sex thing, and she does OnlyFans under that moniker as well. Owl isn't big on clowns, comedy-themed sex, or Jenny/Spritzy's clown friends who seem to despise him. An attempt to end things at the circus (it's her favorite place and the idea was to soften the blow) does not go well, either. As in many stories with Owl, he incurs a lot of hilarious injuries. Oh, and everyone does a lot of drugs at the birthday party for a nine-year-old.

"Being Alive," is absurd, hilarious, and full of awful people being terrible to each other. The closest comparison I've ever been able to draw to these miscreants would maybe be the characters of, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," but with the insanity and surreal aspects cranked up beyond anything you'd ever see on television (at least basic cable, maybe one of the edgier streaming networks). Hanselmann's work remains as impressive and enjoyable as ever; the world of comics is better for his unique brand of dark and quirky creations.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Eight Months After, "Ending," the Diamond Comic Distributors' Saga Ends AGAIN. Maybe

There are too many links and posts of the entire saga for me to put them all here, but I will note that last time I mentioned Diamond Comic Distributors in more than passing, it was to note how they were, "No More." Within a calendar year, they had gone from a struggling-but-sizeable part of the business to comic distribution to bankruptcy and shutting down. As I said, "One long National nightmare is over (out of many that still persist, but oh well). Yes, Diamond Comic Distributors ceased operations/existence on December 31st, 2025, serving as the last day." However, like some kind of horror movie, it seems various lawsuits kept the corpse of Diamond shambling in the manner of a zombie. Unlike a zombie, however, this wasn't powered by sheer will and hunger, just litigation and money. Eight months since Diamond as an actual entity ceased existing, however, the nightmare is over, again. I swear this time. 

You see, that big pile of inventory sitting in Diamond's warehouses that was on consignment from publishers (and should have gone back to said publishers) was being illegally sold to pay off debts, and some of those debts were owed to the people who wanted that inventory (it's complicated). Comics Beat declared, "It's over," with a settlement reached for publishers to get their books back. Some loose ends remain in terms of the logistics of folks getting their inventory back, certain people saying, "Wait, where's my money tho?" and so forth. We're mostly done, though, right? That, or maybe one war is over, but a whole messy journey is yet to come? Diamond admitted it had trouble and then was gone within 365 days, but it seems we'll be dealing with the mess it left behind for some time to come. It seems when one, "Nightmare," related to Diamond ends, a whole new bad night's sleep awaits plenty of other folks. At least, anyone besides the lawyers getting paid to dig through this muck of paperwork--they're probably pleased with this seemingly unending gig!

"Arise Dark Lord," Shows Fun Potential

Introversion Software is quite known for its, "Prison Architect," where you attempt to design and run a successful prison (with things often going wrong). They've been hard at work on, "The Last Starship," for some time now, and have another game, "Arise Dark Lord." It looks interesting, with a blend of tower defense, base building, and you controlling the titular Dark Lord and commanding a bunch of undead minions as a big ol' evil tower gets built. Reading about it made me think of the underrated classic, "Overlord," which had you guiding various forms of little goblins in an evil quest (sort of, "Pikmin," if the protagonist were a baddie). This made me want to try it out!

There is a free playable demo/early prototype, and I had some fun with it! The retro-style pixels, how the landscape looks like an old map, and other little touches are fun. I enjoyed moving around, sending my followers after the, "Heroic," elements. Sometimes it can be fun when a game's protagonist is actually an antagonist, and, "Arise Dark Lord," takes full advantage of the nefarious vibe from you being a wicked entity. It is quite early in its development, with a full release happening later in 2027. That said, "Arise My Dark Lord," is definitely a game to keep your eye on as it progresses to being more completed/done.

Observation: We Need More Weird/Wacky Crossover Comics

A comic crossover can be relatively small-scale, such as when two characters in the same Universe have a special comic/mini-series. The Fantastic Four and the X-Men, for example. We also have different Universes within the same publisher, like when Peter Parker and Miles Morales first met (when he was in the original Ultimate Universe). Then, you've got crossovers between publishers, be they having Batman meet Deadpool, Vampirella and Witchblade teaming up, or the cast of Black Hammer chatting with the Justice League. You know what I really like, however? Weird crossovers. Not just quirky, but ones that outright shouldn't make sense yet end up working against all odds.

DC owns Looney Tunes and DC heroes. There was a time when various Looney Tunes characters had crossover comics with assorted DC characters. Many of the comics were forgettable except for Batman facing off against the ice-old assassin...Elmer Fudd. Yes, seriously. It was hardboiled, dripping with a sleazy vibe, and Tom King wrote it so seriously, with Lee Weeks giving us art that went so hard, it was amazing. It took something silly and combined it with something decidedly less, "Cute," and the result was good. Think of when Archie met the Punisher. 

True, Frank Castle doesn't kill anyone during his time interacting with Archie, but he's still pretty grim and slightly (just slightly) finds the earnest innocence of Archie and his friends endearing. Archie does a lot of weird crossovers, honestly, and I applaud that. He's fought the Predator, been a bit shocked by the harsh language of Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob, and soon Riverdale is going to combat the Terminator! 

A weird crossover is good fun, whether it's Godzilla fighting Marvel, DC, Sonic, or anyone else--a Kaiju up against anybody is zany! I mean, IDW once did that crosser-that-wasn't-exactly-a-crossover with, "Infestation," where some original characters happened to meet everyone from the Ghostbusters to Star Trek's crew, G.I. Joe, and more (although the various brands did not meet). The most recent outrageous crossover I dug was that, "DC K.O. Boss Battle," which had DC's characters running into everyone from Homelander, to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Mortal Kombat characters, and a talking serial-killer bear from the popular, "Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees," series, to not even name everyone. It was bizarre and glorious. 

We need more crazy stuff. Things where when they are first announced people ask, "Wait, is this a joke?" then get excited at just how wild these crossovers get. I appreciate that comics can be serious literature, but sometimes you just want to see Popeye fighting the aliens from, "Mars Attacks," for funsies! My point is, I hope companies keep the wacky intra- and intercompany crossovers coming!