Captain Marvel Brie Larson is Captain Marvel!

[Aximili86]

She isn’t saying that she doesn’t care what 40 year old white guys think in general. She’s talking about how she doesn’t care if old white guys don’t like a movie made for young black women/girls.

I'm sorry, I didn't know A Wrinkle In Time is exclusively made for non-white women.

A movie should - and can - work for everyone. Captain Marvel likely does, the same way Black Panther did, and therefore her trying to divide people over it seems a little petty.

 

[David H.]

I'm sorry, I didn't know A Wrinkle In Time is exclusively made for non-white women.

Well, it certainly had a particular focus on that audience.

 

[Murdock103]

I'm sorry, I didn't know A Wrinkle In Time is exclusively made for non-white women.

A movie should - and can - work for everyone. Captain Marvel likely does, the same way Black Panther did, and therefore her trying to divide people over it seems a little petty.

Should they? I can think of numerous movies that aim for particular audiences or ages for example.

Some movies should, and do work for everyone, but not every movie aims to do so.

 

[NotNickFury]

Which doesn't and shouldn't invalidate those outside that particular audience who do review the film, not that Larson's saying that. But it certainly be framed that way. How's the saying go? 'Don't like it, don't watch it'? Well, if Larson doesn't isn't a fan of certain reviewers talking about films apparently not made for them, clearly she's not obligated to read them, yes? Siskel and Ebert being middle aged white dudes certainly didn't invalidate what they thought about animated films clearly targeted towards kids. But then, they're critics. Their job is just to review films, not certain films.

Then again, if Larson wants to lead the charge for critic inclusion riders, hooray for her.

 

[Murdock103]

Having said that I don’t mind what she said, she could have phrased it better.

Edit - Also, my cynical mind being what it is, I’m sure Brie wouldn’t be bringing this up if Wrinkle in Time had been unanimously loved by critics.

 

[Aximili86]

Yeah. Like, what, RDJ in 2008 is going to drop an "I don't really care if a female reviewer or a teenage girl doesn't like this, it's aimed at guys"?

He might be "right" in that it's probably generally speaking the prime target demo, but it's pretty narrow-minded.

Guys can dig Carol the same way girls can dig Star Wars or whatever. If you want to do a little "girl power!" marketing with it like they did with Black Panther to an "urban" crowd, go for your life. But that doesn't exclude anyone else's take on the material.

 

[Abudefduf]

Having said that I don’t mind what she said, she could have phrased it better.

Oh absolutely, and I think her biggest mistake was using AWIT to make her point. I get that she's friends with DuVernay, but based on what I've read, the movie was just not that well made. A better example would've been Detroit or Three Billboards, movies that received almost unanimous praise among white critics, but which divided black critics.

Again, I get why she chose to use AWIT, but it really hurt her argument. She just shouldn't have mentioned any movie at all.

EDIT: Also, can I point out just how hilarious it is that the anti-Star Wars crowd also took issue with what Larson said? Those guys are aware that "40-year-old white critics" loved The Last Jedi, right? XD

 

[Aximili86]

Oh, the anti-TLJ peeps are ridiculous. No point taking those types seriously on anything.

 

[Flint Marko]

If you’re taking issue with Brie’s statements then I think you’re just looking to be offended.

A Wrinkle in Time was not an Iron Man type movie where it was clearly catering to the broadest audience possible. You could tell in the marketing that it was aimed squarely at younger girls, particularly women of color given the casting decisions.

Movie critics are overwhelmingly white men, who are innately going to have a different viewing experience with AWIT. We white males are over-represented in this arena and more voices should be heard. In a lot of the reviews I heard/read, a significant amount of women came away loving AWIT despite it’s admitted technical shortcomings.

That’s her entire point. I don’t see how that’s remotely controversial.

 

[NotNickFury]

That or those particular critics have poor taste in film. Or low standards. But hey, I'm just a person on the internet.

 

[CaptainWagner]

Let's be honest, the comments were stupid and serve as much purpose for being a divider as they do words of inspiration. Extremely disappointed in this woman. This is the new leader of the MCU? Not worthy in my books. Bring people together, it's a pretty straight forward concept.

As if the current leaders of the MCU aren't proudly outspoken "SJW"s? Brie Larson's views aren't any different from Chris Evans. I for one look forward to her epically shutting down the trolls over the next few years.

 

[vandiola]

She could have said all white people are Nazi's and need to keep their mouths shut, people will still go and watch CM. She certainly could have worded it better but I understand where she's coming from. A lot of the black and female forums that I go to LOVE her comments and her general wokeness so I doubt she's going to filter what she says anytime and she shouldn't have to.

 

[terry78]

Basically it comes back to white dudes not being used to not being the center of attention when it comes to fiction. I'm not trying to be facetious, that's pretty much the foundation of all these arguments.

 

[Kuwolski]

Speaking of doing things on behalf of other people, it's interesting how many of you are getting offended on behalf of 40-year-old white dudes.

I'm a 30-year-old white dude and I'm disappointed. I'm not offended at her throwing shade at the white man (dudes) per se, it's nothing new in liberalism, nor is it her championing minorities rights (bravo!), it's the increasingly systemic political tactic of divisiveness that she used to crudely make her point that's insulting. It's also hypocritical considering she's one of the select few who has (gladly) profited in the white man's capitalist nightmare, likely at the expense of minorities in many instances. That Academy Award she won was given to her by largely middle-aged white male voters (dudes) a result of the piss poor representation of the "out of touch" academy. She comes across to me as nothing more then a cliched mouthpiece, a product of her environment and lazy group think politics. She's got her opinions, I've got mine.

I'm tired of people and organizations profiting off political strife and divisiveness, often at the expense of the working stiffs trying to be honest citizens and make ends meet. I loathe the current toxic political sphere. Anyone who identifies with political parties like it's a religion or wraps themselves in the flag of identity politics to the point they become close-minded I've got no time for. I'm not associating Larson's comments directly with some of the more serious crap that is going on, I believe her heart is in the right place, but like I said the approach is systemic and misguided.

But getting upset because she says that a wrinkle in time, a movie for young black women/girls, should probably be reviewed by such, makes sense.

What? That's a dangerous path and a form of segregation. That's not progressive in any way and I don't think it's what she was implying either. Just poor delivery.

 

[Abudefduf]

I'm a 30-year-old white dude and I'm disappointed.

But you aren't 40 and you don't work in film criticism. So there.

As if the current leaders of the MCU aren't proudly outspoken "SJW"s? Brie Larson's views aren't any different from Chris Evans. I for one look forward to her epically shutting down the trolls over the next few years.

Brie Larson is nothing compared to other people working for Marvel Studios. If you don't believe me, just go take look at James Gunn's Twitter timeline.

 

[Aximili86]

It just comes off as "even if the movie's awesome, white dudes are going to by-and-large diss it" assertion, which I don't think is true at all.

There were the "whaaa, an all-women screening of Wonder Woman? ZIS IS OUTRAGE!" idiots with that movie, but that's a very tiny, very vocal fraction of the whole.

I'm not all that personally bugged by what she said, but it does come off pretty ignorant & intentionally throwing people into their little camps (which we see so much of lately). Just...unnecessary, rather than particularly egregious or reflective of her personality. Gal didn't pull this type of crap with her film, which came first to boot. And for the most part those 40 year old white-dude reviewers liked her movie. Because it was good.

Given this movie's likely to be good too, Larson really has nothing to worry about.

 

[Kuwolski]

Brie Larson is nothing compared to other people working for Marvel Studios. If you don't believe me, just go take look at James Gunn's Twitter timeline.

Gunn only recently started his political rants and even though I agree with much of what he says I don't visit his feed nearly as often. It's fair that he calls out hypocrites, liars and f-up policies (which comes from all parties), he obviously has a left perspective, so if you want to call him out for not having balance or historical perspective then that's fair, but twitter is instantaneous and all about the here and now. It's more emotionally reactive then anything.

He's basically calling out the divisive, abusive politics that threaten American unity, the environment, and the entire global fabric moving forward. His rants are mainly directed at the policy makers and their defenders. He may offend someone based on their political beliefs, or indirectly based on how they view themselves through politics, but that not a direct slight.

But yeah, when so many people in the room are shouting the same thing the tendency is to cover your ears.

 

[Boy Scout]

If you’re taking issue with Brie’s statements then I think you’re just looking to be offended.

A Wrinkle in Time was not an Iron Man type movie where it was clearly catering to the broadest audience possible. You could tell in the marketing that it was aimed squarely at younger girls, particularly women of color given the casting decisions.

Movie critics are overwhelmingly white men, who are innately going to have a different viewing experience with AWIT. We white males are over-represented in this arena and more voices should be heard. In a lot of the reviews I heard/read, a significant amount of women came away loving AWIT despite it’s admitted technical shortcomings.

That’s her entire point. I don’t see how that’s remotely controversial.

Not gonna get into it, but speaking as a black male, I don’t think her statement was controversial. Just somewhat poorly worded. I have plenty of issues with plenty of old white dudes, but I don’t think it’s necessary to “call them out” in a statement that’s really just asking for more diverse voices in film criticism. It takes away from her real point and, ironically, puts the focus on the white dudes who I think we can all agree are overexposed.

That’s my two cents.

 

[Murdock103]

Not gonna get into it, but speaking as a black male, I don’t think her statement was controversial. Just somewhat poorly worded. I have plenty of issues with plenty of old white dudes, but I don’t think it’s necessary to “call them out” in a statement that’s really just asking for more diverse voices in film criticism. It takes away from her real point and, ironically, puts the focus on the white dudes who I think we can all agree are overexposed.

That’s my two cents.

I think your 2 cents have summed it up nicely.

 

[chamber-music]

Ava DuVernay specifically said she made A Wrinkle In Time hoping to please young female audiences. One of the main elements of the movies was that the main girl is insecure and full of self loathing. Across the movie she becomes empowered and develops confidence thanks to encouragement from the Misses characters.

Movies can resonate with anyone but the film had a specific message for young female audiences that some middle aged male critics might not get.

Film critic Mark Kermode did a fair job reviewing A Wrinkle In Time. Kermode is a middle aged white guy and he acknowledged A Wrinkle In Time had good message for young girls and the movie might mean more to them (the films target audience than to him). He judged the film primarily on a cinematic level and called it a noble failure.

 

[Aximili86]

Why should the director's specific prime target audience exclude anyone else from a take on the material though?

Pixar movies are for little kids. Most get great reviews, some less great. It'd be ridiculous of the director of those films by that company that aren't received as great saying "I don't care about reviews, reviewers are adults". Or at least it'd come off pretty antagonistic for the sake of being antagonistic.

 

[an_ewok]

I'd say Pixar aims more for "all ages," with the exception of the Cars films.

 

[Zyraquis]

15 minutes of manufactured controversy. By the time the movie rolls next year, Hollywood is already on the 23rd controversy from now out of something someone says, one more flammatory than another, and this one is likely to be all but shrugged off by most, if still remembered.

 

[MrWayne]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErsrEVlWGco

 

[Aximili86]

So..."we saw it but we can't show it", basically?