Movie Don't Look Up (2021)

[MC Bad Genius]

I've seen some discussion of this movie in a few threads (plus I've had conversations about it with a bunch of people from really different walks of life, moreso than any other recent film), so I thought it was worth a thread of its own. It seems like it's an incredibly polarising film, where the people who enjoyed it, really loved it, and the people who didn't, really hated it. And everyone seems to want to talk about it.

So what did you think? Is it a witty and cutting satire about politics and the denial of science, or is it a lame thinly-disguised left-wing polemic? Or somewhere in between?

 

[Seeds]

Its simply too unrealistic To be enjoyable. people would not act this way if an extinction level asteroid was heading to earth. In fact the opposite would happen. Society would collapse within days rather then just ignore it and go on living pretending nothing was happening.

The whole premise of comparing climate change to an asteroid just doesnt work.

there are some jokes that are funny but not a lot. Certainly not enough to view this as a comedy. The comedic writting just wasnt good enough. Although i did like the main characters obsession with having to pay for free snacks at the white house. That did get a few laughs.

 

[Kong]

I thought it was okay.

Funny in parts, and somewhat different to a lot of modern films, but it didn't quite land.

 

[Richard Cranium]

First half was genuinely s**t. Second was okay. That's about as kind as I can be.

It was really just a commentary on the world which wasn't interesting or funny. Maybe if not every character was the most stereotypical of stereotypes it would've been easier to take it seriously, but it had nothing much to say about a lot of topics.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Although i did like the main characters obsession with having to pay for free snacks at the white house. That did get a few laughs.

Probably the only thing I actually found funny.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I haven’t sen this one yet, but I’m looking forward to it.

This article below is a good one, from someone who’s seen this all before, NASA climate Scientist, Peter Kalmus.

 

[Run n Spread]

First half was genuinely sh*t. Second was okay. That's about as kind as I can be.

It was really just a commentary on the world which wasn't interesting or funny. Maybe if not every character was the most stereotypical of stereotypes it would've been easier to take it seriously, but it had nothing much to say about a lot of topics.

Found the opposite. Loved the first half but went too long and got boring.
Jokes were good. But yeah social commentary got annoying and take off of anti science president didn't work.
Don't see the angst with it. Worth a look 3 stars

 

[Fwoy]

Was ok. Most pertinent line was “we had it all”…we do seem to spend a lot of time arguing over irrelevant stuff these days

 

[Anja_Nees]

Didn’t get a single chuckle out of Streep, Hill or Grande. It was like they expected just including them would make it funny.

Passed the time ok I guess, but couldn’t seem to decide whether it was meant to be funny or serious. Really had to go one way or the other. You can’t really have the post credits ridiculousness in a film that’s meant to be at all serious.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I’d been hearing lukewarm things but I thought it was awesome. I laughed a lot, great cast, but I liked how believable all the s**t that people did was in spite of the ridiculousness and satire. Would recommend.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Didn’t get a single chuckle out of Streep, Hill or Grande. It was like they expected just including them would make it funny.

Passed the time ok I guess, but couldn’t seem to decide whether it was meant to be funny or serious. Really had to go one way or the other. You can’t really have the post credits ridiculousness in a film that’s meant to be at all serious.

I disagree with having to go one way or the other. Isn’t the best type of satire that which could conceivably happen in spite of its stupidity?

The whole movie is like hiding vegetables in a Happy Meal. Really enjoyed it.

 

[Seeds]

I disagree with having to go one way or the other. Isn’t the best type of satire that which could conceivably happen in spite of its stupidity?

The whole movie is like hiding vegetables in a Happy Meal. Really enjoyed it.

This cant concievably happen. That is the problem with the movie. Right wingers arent going to pretend an asteroid isnt coming to destroy them in 6 months time and chant dont look up. It is just stupid.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I disagree with having to go one way or the other. Isn’t the best type of satire that which could conceivably happen in spite of its stupidity?

Well I don’t think much of what happened could actually happen, but what I was getting at was the tone.

You can have a satire that’s dry and realistic (ie Frontline) or dark and absurd (ie Strangelove) but once you veer towards sober drama, and juxtapose it with a dinosaur bird attacking the president in the future it’s too jarring.

 

[VeinGlorious]

Jonah Hill calling Lawrence the Boy With The Dragon Tattoo was the highlight.

A satirical jab at society, technology and climate change which if you went into viewing the movie with the lowest of low expectations they would struggle to be met.

It probably should’ve been wrapped up by about the two hour mark, but it wasn’t, and I won’t be watching it a second time.

 

[melbournemartin]

I had huge hopes/expectations because a) I love Adam McKay and The Big Short is one of my favourite movies and b) I am an astrophysicist so seeing that in a movie is pretty cool.

Definitely lots of funny lines. I loved the shade at Michigan State astronomy for not being "Ivy League". I also loved his "You may not have heard of me since I haven't published in a while".

But overall I thought the characters were too over the top. Felt more like an SNL skit at times. Yes, an obvious social commentary and this is essentially what we are doing with climate crisis, but as a pure movie it felt a bit lacking.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I had huge hopes/expectations because a) I love Adam McKay and The Big Short is one of my favourite movies and b) I am an astrophysicist so seeing that in a movie is pretty cool.

Definitely lots of funny lines. I loved the shade at Michigan State astronomy for not being "Ivy League". I also loved his "You may not have heard of me since I haven't published in a while".

But overall I thought the characters were too over the top. Felt more like an SNL skit at times. Yes, an obvious social commentary and this is essentially what we are doing with climate crisis, but as a pure movie it felt a bit lacking.

 

[Fwoy]

 

[Loonerty]

Its simply too unrealistic To be enjoyable. people would not act this way if an extinction level asteroid was heading to earth. In fact the opposite would happen. Society would collapse within days rather then just ignore it and go on living pretending nothing was happening.

The whole premise of comparing climate change to an asteroid just doesnt work.

there are some jokes that are funny but not a lot. Certainly not enough to view this as a comedy. The comedic writting just wasnt good enough. Although i did like the main characters obsession with having to pay for free snacks at the white house. That did get a few laughs.

I think that was kind of the idea - currently we are dealing with a looming extinction event and this film basically says "this is how it would go down if we treated an asteroid like we treat climate change".

 

[Strange Cat]

I liked it , although it was frustrating and made me angry at time because I can 100% believe that this would mostly and is mostly happening within society.

 

[Strange Cat]

Well I don’t think much of what happened could actually happen, but what I was getting at was the tone.

You can have a satire that’s dry and realistic (ie Frontline) or dark and absurd (ie Strangelove) but once you veer towards sober drama, and juxtapose it with a dinosaur bird attacking the president in the future it’s too jarring.

It was an analogy that the elites will save themselves , and the elites at the end were made up of old people that cannot repopulate the species

 

[Lynchy04]

Thought it was terrible on par with the Kingsman as bad a movie have seen in the last few years.

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

Too dumb to work as a satire and not funny enough as a comedy.

 

[Seeds]

I think that was kind of the idea - currently we are dealing with a looming extinction event and this film basically says "this is how it would go down if we treated an asteroid like we treat climate change".

there are two reasons why an asteroid is not climate change making the comparison stupid.

1) Climate change aint an extinction event. No scientists think it is. Climate change will ruin aspects of the environment we take for granted, lead to greater natural disasters and destroy certain communities who will need to move elsewhere. But it aint an extinction event. Most peoples standard of living will keep improving despite climate change. Just at a slower rate.

2) even if climate change was an exctinction event, it isnt, it would not be one that impacts over 40s alive today. people act differently if an exctintion even is happpening now vs one that will happen when they are already dead.

 

[Frank Bunn]

The concept is good - a satirical take on an end of the world scenario. But after 20 minutes I was really struggling with it. It's just cringingly not funny. Or if they were trying make a serious point it was extremely clumsy. I stuck with it for another 25 minutes but it didn't get any better and switched it off.