There’s not many ways to defend yourself, whether its in defending Speed Racer or your own attitude – you can either explain yourself in detail, or turn it back around on the other person. Apparently I’m ‘insecure and hypersensitive’ for one and ‘personal’ and a ‘turn off’ if I do the other. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I don’t think my earlier response on this thread is unreasonable at all.

I like to converse, I don’t hold back my opinion, and once in a while that opinion is going to butt heads with someone elses. If they are snarky to me I will snark back, if they are detailed and reasoned I do all I can to give that in return. I can be easily pulled into flame wars, that much is true, and Henrik and I have on more than one occasion brought out the worst in each other.

So with that in mind I can deal with the fact that based on some things that have happened, some people are going to have problems with me and never give me another chance.

But if the people complaining are those I’ve never even conversed with are coming in saying “first post and now I’m leaving”, forgive me but I have no idea if it’s real or if I’m just talking to someone who I may have already pissed off for whatever reason and is just exacting revenge.

This is my first post here and maybe last because I agree that Goon and Henrik are turn offs. I have witnessed you get personal with people, I guess you can dish, but can’t take. I like the podcast no matter what and eagerly listen each week. I just thank Odin that Goon isn’t a part of that.

No need to respond.

I think you’re spot on here. The kids are believable as hell. The thing HAS to be scripted (at least loosely), but its the least “script feeling” movie I can remember seeing in a long time.

The trying for a plot in the final 30 minutes or so bogged the film down though in my opinion.

2. If it bugs you that much you could at least be specific to a certain case and what particularly bothered you. It actually has been quite some time since my last actual argument that devolved from the actual film conversation into anything remotely personal.

3. If you posted on one of those threads and feel offended, you could at least do the favor of outing yourself so I know who I’m talking to. I don’t remember your name.

4. Yeah I’m a common poster, but if you actually sift through recent posts you’ll see I get my fair share of off topic slams and always have, ie. that apparently by disliking Gran Torino I’m gay or something. If I get one of those I don’t see how I’m required to not defend myself or retort with a half-assed comeback.

5. I’m certainly not going to ever apologize for holding a strong opinion on an actual movie or the relevant issues it covers, and requesting someone withhold those views doesn’t seem fair or honest, especially when everyone else has the same opportunity to make their case.

Jay says I don’t appreciate subtlety. I’m hooked on 90210 and Gossip Girl right now, so maybe he’s right.

I was channel surfing one day and came across a Japanese documentary about an old teacher who affects a class of young kids. I thought it was really moving how the teacher got the bully to cry, not by berating him, but by gradually getting the bully to empathize with others.

I’m always suspicious about foreign dramas that get 5 stars from critics. Two Chinese dramas that I can name as examples are Hou Hsiao Hsien’s “Three Times” and Jia Zhang-Ke’s “The World.” I found both of these films to be so boring. To be honest, I haven’t finished watching “The World,” though. In the year of its release, it was named Best Foreign Film by the Toronto Film Critics Association.