The "Reactions/reviews to upcoming movies" you're dreading thread (Spoilers!)

...what? I have to hear the reasoning on that one.

Actually, one Hobbit at the beginning of the extended Fellowship does take a cake when presented with a kiss from a female hobbit, so maybe the feminist has a point...

hurm. Besides 'Watchmen', I'm dreading the parental backlash from 'Pineapple Express'. I can see some Parent Watchgroup using it as a sign of the times, how the weed makes you go crazy and end up in all sorts of wacky shenanigans.

You do realize that when people put forth seemingly ludicrous interpretations like this, the goal is often not to convince you that it's the only interpretion or the "correct" one, but that it's supportable, thus worthy of discussion?

I haven't read this paper, obviously, but from your description, it's not comparable to a movie critic savaging a movie without watching it or moral watchdog groups making knee-jerk assumptions about drug use or what-have-you. To construct a compelling version of the argument you've described would require some time spent with the movie, intelligent analysis, and supporting points from elsewhere in the text. If you start with the assumption that the male hobbits do have unorthodox relationships with women, it's really not that far-fetched to boil it down, symbolically, to the fight with Shelob, the only prominent female antagonist.

And, yeah, certain feminists (that term "proto" has nothing to do with anything here) will have problems with a certain aspect of Watchmen. But they probably should. If nothing else, I think Moore (and, hopefully, Snyder) would welcome discussion of his work. The subplot to which you refer is supposed to resonate as controversial, and we see this play out in the reactions of the character it primarily affects - a modern woman with perhaps some of the same fully understandable scruples as those real-life feminists who might criticize the film.

I'm dreading the backlash if Ledger isn't nominated for an oscar. We might have a full on nerd revolution on our hands.

Seconded. And for the record, he is good, borderline great even, but not Oscar worthy.

Meaning a lot of people on the internet will get really, really mad, but the general population of Earth will have no idea?

We must of watched different movies. If Alan Arkin can win for ten minutes of mediocrity for Little Miss Sunshine, Heath Ledger can at least take home a supporting actor win for what? 60 90 mins of greatness.

Not having seen Little Miss Sunshine, I dare not attempt argue for Arkin. However, my personal feelings are the Hype Machine is working due to the unfortunate demise of Heath. Don't get me wrong, he was extremely good in the role, and it is certainly possible I might change my mind after a couple of viewings. I just think he is not quite worthy of the statue.

I don't even know what I'll do when I come into contact with the first review that calls Watchmen a Heroes rip-off. God, I don't even want to think about it.

I'm expecting at least a little bit of backlash from David Fincher fans (the ones who want to create their own Fight Clubs, specifically) when we get closer to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button's release date, though I really hope I'm wrong.