Black Mirror

[Smitty]

Very, very good. The young mans performance was astonishing at the end. I found it moving.

Exactly how i feel.

If you found it interesting i can highly recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Mediated-Media-Shapes-Your-World/dp/1582343578

[Smitty]

Agreed. That was fantastic especially the "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it any more" speech.

Please don't say that. You're kinda missing the point if you choose to describe it like that.

Anyway. Very powerful.

[Mike]

Thought this was brilliant tonight. Started slow but paid off big time. Missed last weeks but going to try get hold of it.

[Dimahoo]

Its amazing how close the 360 is to that what with the Avatars and Kinect.

Also the rooms. We're actually gearing towards those with our bigger and bigger screens.

[Moz]

Elements of videogame satire too, always welcome. I liked the 'sci-fi from the inside out' approach. It may have been heavy with metaphor but sometimes blunt is best. No mucking about! Great production and performances, though I could have done without the Barry Shitpeas chap on the neighbouring bike.

[The Liberal Elite]

Agreed. That was fantastic especially the "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it any more" speech.

Hah! I thought exactly the same thing

[Dimahoo]

Also the first time on screen graphics are actually worse then current trends.

[Smitty]

You're all weird, that was brilliant. A fairly standard modern take on 1984, eventually becoming Brooker speaking about the commodification of his own anger and criticism. That final shot - window, or screen? Closer to purity, authenticity and truth, or further than ever?

Further. The co-option is the tragedy.

[Monkeyboy]

Well, that was a barrel full of fish well and truly machine gunned. Not bad, but not brilliant.

[Moz]

Edit@Smit Yep. Was just trying to get people who 'didn't get it' (if any) to think about it

[Silent Runner]

Please don't say that. You're kinda missing the point if you choose to describe it like that.

Anyway. Very powerful.

Oh come on, that bit was clearly based on Peter Finch in Network.

I agree it was very powerful and a great piece of acting from the guy.

[Smitty]

Apparently the irony (in this context) of only being able to describe an original performance in terms of it being like x, y and z is lost on some people.

[Smitty]

Oh come on, that bit was clearly based on Peter Finch in Network.

*rolleyes*

[The Liberal Elite]

You're all weird, that was brilliant. A fairly standard modern take on 1984, eventually becoming Brooker speaking about the commodification of his own anger and criticism.

As hinted elsewhere, you should definitely watch Network.

Anyway, it was ok, but way too long to convey its rather simple message. Still, good on them to get it shown the second the x factor had finished on the other channel.

[Smitty]

Elements of videogame satire too, always welcome. I liked the 'sci-fi from the inside out' approach. It may have been heavy with metaphor but sometimes blunt is best. No mucking about! Great production and performances, though I could have done without the Barry Shitpeas chap on the neighbouring bike.

I thought the best thing in this regard was that you're forced to watch the ads (or pay to skip them) - look away and they pause. All too plausible.

[cassidy]

Please don't say that. You're kinda missing the point if you choose to describe it like that.

Anyway. Very powerful.

I don't get your reply. Seems as though the similarities between the black mirror world taking ownership of Daniel kahlua's speech are very close to our media and cultures grasping of the aforementioned speech from Network. Anyway I thought some of this worked but its glacial pace and world building without sight of the actual world hurt it a little.

[The Liberal Elite]

Apparently the irony (in this context) of only being able to describe an original performance in terms of it being like x, y and z is lost on some people.

Well, maybe it should try not having a conclusion exactly like the premise of Network, then.

[Moz]

I've seen network of course. There's definitely some Howard Beale at work here, but ultimately I felt Brooker was talking about himself.

[cassidy]

*rolleyes*

Its not irony are we supposed to ignore it in the context of a Sci-fi story that is so obviously holding up a mirror to current TV and Videogame tropes?

[Smitty]

Well, maybe it should try not having a conclusion exactly like the premise of Network, then.

Haha, you just don't get it, do you? It's funny, this. Duncan blinked, uncomprehending.

I must read Mediated again.

[The Liberal Elite]

Haha, you just don't get it, do you? It's funny, this. Duncan blinked, uncomprehending.

I must read Mediated again.

Sigh. Let's hear your take on this, then.

Evidently, I merely scratched the surface of this multi layered polemic on modern lifezzzz...

[Smitty]

ITS JUST LIKE THIS OTHER THING I WATCHED.

[The Liberal Elite]

Oops. Forgot the first rule of smitty; if he likes something, it's beyond criticism.

[Garibaldi]

Haha, you just don't get it, do you? It's funny, this. Duncan blinked, uncomprehending.

I must read Mediated again.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/i-appreciate-the-muppets-on-a-much-deeper-level-th,16208/

For what it's worth I found it quite affecting. Afterwards I was uncomfortably aware of my desires to either play on the xbox, check the forum, or switch to another channel, and then felt an overwhelming urge to be outside and away ( well, a few feet away ) from distractions just for a minute or two.

[Smitty]

I guess if i had a bitter rant it would be, like, that one thing with that one guy, yeah?

Anyway, this was just a bit too slow at the midpoint, and some wider context would have been good. But otherwise good.

It was quite depressing; so job done.

[cassidy]

ITS JUST LIKE THIS OTHER THING I WATCHED.

Fuck sake Smitty. How dare anyone spot nods and comparissons to other media that had a similar message. Do you live to post to belittle others who can't compare to your levels of intelligence. Nigel Kneale did the same in the 60's btw with his Sex Olympics drama.

[Smitty]

Oops. Forgot the first rule of smitty; if he likes something, it's beyond criticism.

Haha, and then i criticise it! Thanks Duncan, your predictability means i couldn't have written this little exchange better even if you were my puppet.

My comments have nothing to do with it being beyond criticism; it was too ponderous in the middle and it needed a bit more "action". Generally very good though.

[Smitty]

Fuck sake Smitty. How dare anyone spot nods and comparissons to other media that had a similar message. Do you live to post to belittle others who can't compare to your levels of intelligence. Nigel Kneale did the same in the 60's btw with his Sex Olympics drama.

Yes, yes, i'm famously full of myself. I'm such a genius.

[cassidy]

Yes, yes, i'm famously full of myself. I'm such a genius.

You are coming over a smidge supercillious fella.

[Tangent]

Yes, yes, i'm famously full of myself. I'm such a genius.

You seem to think so in this thread.