For a kid, after we are so thoroughly traumatized by flying monkeys, I think we welcome a revelation that none of the shit was real.
I am still traumatized that I don't have my own flying monkeys.
He doesn't travel well. He's like fine shrimp.
Anya ,'Touched'
Buffista Movies 7: Brides for 7 Samurai
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Atropa - May 25, 2013 9:28:35 am PDT #24527 of 30000
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
erikaj - May 25, 2013 9:44:12 am PDT #24528 of 30000
Always Anti-fascist!
The guys that write the screenwriting blogs that I read(mostly the Bitter Screenwriter, who I think can't use his name because he still reads scripts for a studio) says, although he list several movies where dreams have been used effectively, overall, he wouldn't suggest that, because it allows writers to fool with introducing twists that they don't have to commit to, because it's not real life.
le nubian - May 25, 2013 10:14:43 am PDT #24529 of 30000
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."
I am still traumatized that I don't have my own flying monkeys.
what would you do with flying monkeys? Are we safe?
Kate P. - May 25, 2013 11:23:08 am PDT #24530 of 30000
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love
I'm with le nubian on twists in general - when they make everything that came before make more sense and everything clicks into place, I love them; when they just show up out of the blue for the sake of being surprising, I hate them.
Ding ding ding! Which is to say, yes, I think that's the most important aspect of whether or not a twist works.
§ ita § - May 25, 2013 11:44:00 am PDT #24531 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I believe that thinking many devices, and the "it's a dream" one in particular are inherently flawed is more of an indication that you shouldn't write one, Hec, than that no one should write one. Fine--you can't make one work. That's great. You know what to not write. I'd hate to drop that limitation on every gifted writer just because of you, though--the whole point of me reading is to get things that are beyond my ability to construct.
DavidS - May 25, 2013 11:46:19 am PDT #24532 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I believe that thinking many devices, and the "it's a dream" one in particular are inherently flawed is more of an indication that you shouldn't write one, Hec, than that no one should write one.
Naw, nobody should write them. They suck.
Atropa - May 25, 2013 11:59:03 am PDT #24533 of 30000
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
what would you do with flying monkeys? Are we safe?
YOU people are safe. But I do have a list of other people.
Tom Scola - May 25, 2013 12:01:10 pm PDT #24534 of 30000
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.
I need to go back and read what y'all wrote about Trek, but I just saw it. So many lens flares. So much stupid.
Matt the Bruins fan - May 25, 2013 12:03:28 pm PDT #24535 of 30000
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
I started to feel sad about not going to see a Trek movie in the theatre, but then I remembered that refusing to pay a penny for Nemesis is a decision that I've never regretted for one instant.
Sean K - May 25, 2013 12:20:41 pm PDT #24536 of 30000
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
I think that's the most important aspect of whether or not a twist works.
This is what bugs me about Shyamalan. He seems to me to throw in twists for twists' sake, and it's now a mentality I've seen become somewhat common among some writers. I'm of the opinion that it's okay to just tell a story, and not have to try to turn everything on its ear, deconstruct it, or turn it around just for the sake of doing so.