worlds most boring movie - The World's Fastest Indian (2006) Discussion

[–] SteveBartman 17 years ago

A kindergartner could understand that the point was for Burt Munro to set a world speed record on a motorcycle. Whether or not the movie was boring is subjective.

Proud descendant of American Revolutionary War, Civil War and WWI veterans.

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[–] pbl1 16 years ago

that was NOT the point. the point was to show the Kiwi (or at least Munro's) tenacity, can-do spirit, and perpetual "likeability" in the face of uncertainty and daunting odds.

Whether or not he actually set the speed record was the least intriguing part of the film -- his journey to and thru Americana (including dealing with red-tape morons at Bonneville) is where the film's magic occurred. Hopkins was fantastic!

This being said, while the film IS character driven, it was a tad slow in the pacing. Fair criticism!

What the $%*& is a Chinese Downhill?!?

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[–] roman_briquet 17 years ago

Anything intelligent-looking to say beside that?

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[–] breakfastbrat101 17 years ago

I disagree. This movie was incredibly well-paced and moving. Loved it.

DR. EVIL:"Congratulations num-nuts! You've successfully turned me into a friggin Jack-In-the-Box."

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[–] d_drad 17 years ago

Got to disagree, this was a brilliant film, watched it after my dad recommended it, and Im glad I did, alot better than expected.

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

Children should not have access to these forums. Most of their comments reflect their brief video game-trained attention spans and thus dilute the rational discussion of good films.

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[–] Impressive_Bicycle_Girl 17 years ago

I agree with you choatelodge!

This script was so beautifully written and had all the human elements which make for a great movie.

Some people however need gore, guts, violence, sex and swearing to be entertained and cannot appreciate the simplicity of this brilliant movie about a man making his dream come true.

I was deeply moved by this film and would recommend it highly.

"Absolutely...no...regrets"

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[–] macfc5 17 years ago

I disagree, I think children SHOULD have access to these forums. Despite their inexperience and perhaps narrow, shallow point of view incomparison to adults, well what do you expect, they are still children. As they grow up, they'll see things in a more sofisticated manner, gain experience, gather more meaning from the films. Some films don't have meaning to them because they can't relate to it, that comes with experience. Their attitudes are genuine and honest, and at least they are reflecting upon the film, and the more they do it the better they will become. Too often adults like to wipe out the voices of children because they feel they are insignificant, children have voices too, let's start listening to them instead of putting them down.

I too at one point thought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the best film in the world, and thought the Schlinder's List was the most boring film ever. Sometimes knowledge breeds open-mindedness but knowledge can also breed ignorance. Dismissing comments of a certain population on the premises of their age, race, gender or whatever is ignorance.

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

"Despite their inexperience and perhaps narrow, shallow point of view incomparison to adults...
As they grow up, they'll see things in a more sofisticated manner, gain experience, gather more meaning from the films...
Their attitudes are genuine and honest...
Too often adults like to wipe out the voices of children because they feel they are insignificant, children have voices too, let's start listening to them instead of putting them down."

Then why don't children have the vote? Wouldn't voting be good for them and prevent them from 'feeling insignificant'?
They don't vote because 'genuine and honest' as they may be, their input would not be sufficiently well founded to bear consideration.
And as supportive of children as you may be, that's the way it is.
It's not about 'putting them down' at all, it's about common sense.

Kids don't participate in Federal, state/province, or Municipal elections. So it ought to be here. No matter how warm and fuzzy one may feel and no matter how one wishes to empower and culture their participation, children's input is just not apropriate in mature discussion, because their views skew and distort the results and frustrate the purpose of rational debate.
Like bringing a colicy baby to an opera, it may be nice to think you are enriching its worldly experience, but in fact the baby doesn't get much out of it, and you are just spoiling the whole performance for everyone else.

Kids are nice, but they shouldn't be commenting on movies too sophisticated for their undeveloped minds, when these comments affect the ratings made by and meant for a mature audience.

Because like the screeching baby at the opera, their input just degrades the whole for everyone.

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[–] macfc5 17 years ago

"Kids don't participate in Federal, state/province, or Municipal elections. So it ought to be here. No matter how warm and fuzzy one may feel and no matter how one wishes to empower and culture their participation, children's input is just not apropriate in mature discussion, because their views skew and distort the results and frustrate the purpose of rational debate."

As sound as your argument might seem, comparing a movie forum to federal election is completely irrelevant and flawed. For example, a federal election can have a huge affect on the country and the lives of its citizen. However, a movie forum is a place where people state their opinions, it's a place for free speech. Many countries in the world honour this right and celebrate this right. Opinions do NOT change the lives of others as voting does, they are simply stating their belief. And even children in most countries are entitled to free speech. Voices of children may be insignificant to you, but there are people who listen to children and value what they say. People who try to isolate and silence a minority group(i.e. age, sex, race) is a form of discrimination.

Since you believe that kids should not comment on movies intended for a mature audience. Do you also believe that adults should not comment on movies intended for kids? Then do you also believe that western audiences should not comment on foreign films since they too lack an understanding of foreign cultures.

By the way, just because children are not including in the decision process of voting doesn't automatically mean their voices are insignificant. Do the oscars include you in their voting process, if not, I guess that makes your voice insignificant too. Do Americans get to vote whether or not they go to war in Iraq. Does that mean their voices are insignificant too because they aren't allowed to vote on it? Not be able to vote doesn't make someone's voice to be insignificant.

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[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] m-slovak79 16 years ago

@ macfc5 ... i overall agree with the guy you quoted cause at the end of the day 'kids' wont really understand a movie like this enough to fully appreciate it.. hence, there view of the film wont be the same as someone a little older will be... so it's like he said, they skew the results.

and also you said, "Since you believe that kids should not comment on movies intended for a mature audience. Do you also believe that adults should not comment on movies intended for kids? Then do you also believe that western audiences should not comment on foreign films since they too lack an understanding of foreign cultures."

i see your reasoning behind that comment but... here is the way i see it, when kids comment on older stuff (take this movie for example) they probably wont really understand it. hence they might find it 'boring' etc (like i was saying above)... but when we view there films (i.e. kids films) we might tend to vote them a little lower cause there 'kids films' (i.e. most of those cartoon/animated type films) , so you might say something like 'well your not a kid, so obviously you wont appreciate them as much' , and your right... BUT look at it this way... as far as i can tell kids either like a movie alot or probably not much at all... they dont really have a broad range of ratings like say you and I do ... so something they dont like they will probably give it a 1 or something they like they will probably give it a 10... which just skew's the rating system on imdb cause in my opinion (which im guessing you would agree with) anyone who gives out 1's or 10's semi often should not be allowed to vote on this website... cause with a scale of 1 through 10 you should have at least a broader range on how you use those votes.

as far as your comment here... "Then do you also believe that western audiences should not comment on foreign films since they too lack an understanding of foreign cultures"

this might be true BUT only to a certain extent (i.e. not nearly as much as the kids/adults thing) ... cause take your typical UK film for example.. i think the average adult American (like me) would understand it 'enough' to where there rating of the film would not change to much one way or the other even if they did not understand everything in it.

so overall i think 'western audiences SHOULD be able to comment on foreign' films... or at the very least, they should be able to comment on the vast majority although i guess there could be exceptions.

--------

in general (not always but for the most part) i usually have a rating scale something close to this...

1-4 = horrible or boring. (i usually only give out 3's and 4's for something i usually find quite boring)

5-6 = low average/average. (6's i give out to a movie that was OK for a single viewing but NOT a movie i would care to go out of my way to watch again on DVD but is probably a solid movie 'for TV' type thing... 5's are something i give out to a film i was not bored with but would never care to watch again even if it was on TV.)

7-10 = great. (7's are usually something i give out to something that's above average... 8's are usually something i give out to films i find above average but just shy of greatness... 9's and 10's i usually reserve for my top films)

in general though if i dont give something a 7/10 or higher... i generally dont think much of it.

so that should give you a general idea on how i rate stuff and i sorta based that scale around what i can tell from this website... as most films dont reach the 7/10 range.

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[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kerryland 17 years ago

Funny. Video games in our household attract long, long, periods of attention, which I suspect wasn't the point you were trying to make.

Perhaps it's the interactive nature of video games, with the 'viewers' active involvement and high levels of concentration and thinking that you believe are part of the problem?

PS: Don't get me wrong -- I disagree with the original poster entirely, and loved the movie, I just get annoyed when people attempt to blame video games for practically everything these days!

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[–] totalbollacks 16 years ago

Amen! The kiddies visit the imdb to fish for trouble, every time.

Enjoy it while it lasts

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[–] Deadpool2692 14 years ago

hey i am 17 and i play lots of game but i love this movie too. Don't criticize people who play video game okay.

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[–] adtron12 17 years ago

whats wrong not enough car chases and shoot outs?

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

"Since you believe that kids should not comment on movies intended for a mature audience. Do you also believe that adults should not comment on movies intended for kids? Then do you also believe that western audiences should not comment on foreign films since they too lack an understanding of foreign cultures."

You bet they shouldn't! Now you are getting it.
In a forum of childrens productions, what good would adult commentary do? What worldly good would come of some adult saying they were bored by Barney singing, "I love you, You love me..." and that they thought it was simplistic and unsatisfying?
If 98% of 5 year olds loved a Barney film and then a bunch of adults watched and voted it down because it was badly acted and the costumes poorly fitting, and this vote artificially lowered the production's standing, wouldn't you think that those adults had no business putting in their unasked for opinion on a production not intended for them?
I mean really, wouldn't you?

And yes, western audiences shouldn't vote on foreign films if they lack the understanding of the culture that made them!

Would you be alright with say half a million foreign viewers going online and voting 1 for The Godfather, and Shawshank Redemption, bringing their standing down to 5/10, because their cultural education made it such that they didn't understand the movies and thought them boring?
Or would you think that the IMDB voting system had been rendered no longer meaningful to its intended readership?

Don't get me wrong, I applaud your support of children. What happened here is that the original poster made their 'worlds most boring movie' comments in such a manner that it became obvious that the OP was a child and was unable to appreciate the story owing to no fault of their own but to their developmental stage. Thus they lashed out with an opinion that detracted unfairly from the production.
It shouldn't need to be so.

Nor should babies be taken to the opera.

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[–] macfc5 17 years ago

"You bet they shouldn't! Now you are getting it."

Sorry I am actually, not getting it!

I don't know if the original poster is a child or not, but my point is that just because they are a child doesn't mean they should not be allowed to express their opinion. And I think you lack respect for other people's opinions that differ from your own. First of all, you make the assumption that the OP did not enjoy the movie because he/she was not mature enough to understand, therefore he/she must be a child. Secondly, you assume that the younger audience is not mature enough for the film therefore they will not enjoy it and give the film a low rating. All of the above are misconceptions based on assumptions that you've made simply because the original poster has a different opinion about the film. Then you go on and rant about which films people should be allowed to vote and/or comment on and which films they are not allowed to.

I believe foreign films are not just made for foreign audiences, I think people outside America have just as much right to comment on an American film as people who live in America. I think films made for children are not necessarily films made solely for children and can be appreciated by a diverse audience. In fact, some of my favourite films (i.e. Spirited Away, Shrek and Laputa) are considered to be for children but I gave them my highest rating. I think it's absurd that you feel obligated to tell people what films they can and cannot comment on. You assume that foreign audiences can not appreciate films like Godfather and Shawshank redemption because they are foreign. First of all, I think that is insulting and discriminatory, the last time I checked non us users gave the film similar ratings as US users. Finally, you assume that children can not possibly appreciate the story (World's Fastest Indian) because of their developmental stage. Last time I checked users under the age of 18 gave this movie the highest rating of any group. Please, don't make assumptions it makes you look like an a--. So far I am convinced that the only people that should not be able to post on an IMDB board is people like you.

P.S. Practice what you preach.

You wrote:
"And yes, western audiences shouldn't vote on foreign films if they lack the understanding of the culture that made them!"

I don't believe in the above statement, but clearly you do, but you still decided to write responses on two foreign films (Hero and Crouching Tiger). You admit you lack an understanding of Chinese culture, yet you still chose to degrade those films given your own ignorance. Your comments on those films are very similar to the OP of this board. Whatever you said about the OP, I guess the same goes for you.

Here's your posting:
http://imdb.com/user/ur1510370/comments

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

"Then you go on and rant about which films people should be allowed to vote "

Good God man, I was answering the question you yourself asked in the previous post, on who should be 'allowed' to vote! If any answer to a question you ask must be characterized as a 'rant' when you don't agree with the result, then I must question your abilities at rational debate.

I am however, flattered that you have researched me in my former IMDB posts and comments, even when this research was for the purpose of shopping and sifting for material with which to rebut my expressed opinions. I'll take the compliment, even where not intended. ;o)

My views appear to have disturbed some fundamental chord in your belief systems, based on the rather obnoxious nature of your last reply, and for that I am sorry. That was never the intent. Perhaps we adults ought to to keep the commentary at the level of debating the relative merits of motion pictures, wherein I think you too have every right to express your views within the IMDB guidelines.

ps. You never did touch on whether adults should be able to vote on Barney if their votes downgrade it. Hey, fair's fair, isn't it?

Babies still don't belong in the opera house. :)

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[–] macfc5 17 years ago

First, (although I agree, rant is perhaps an inappropriate word) I am humoured by the fact that you "question my abilities at rational debate" when your arguments are based on assumptions, hypothetical scenarios, and irrelevant analogies. Where as, I have pointed out the flaws of your arguments, and used facts to back up my argument and debunk yours. Secondly, your argument is starting to lack focus, your last reply contains very little substance and did very little to move the argument forward. Instead it is focused more on flattering yourself rather than on the original issue in which we were debating on. So let me remind you the original issue was whether children should be able to post on certain IMDB forums. I think you should re-examine your own analytical skills and rational debating skills because I have explicitly demonstrated my stand on the issue but yet you still asked whether I believe Adults should be able to vote on Barney.

So let me answer the question (again), yes I think adults can vote and/or comment on films that are intended for young children and yes that includes Barney. In fact, I think the more opinions about Barney, the better (it gives me the viewer a more informed perspective about the movie). I believe adults who vote for Barney takes into context that Barney is intended for 5 year olds. I think their vote stands for whether or not it is an appropriate movie for children that age and if I were a parent I would love to hear what other adults are saying about the movie, so I can have different perspectives and make a more informed descision on whether to purchase the movie for my child and/or if I even want to go to the theatres to watch it with my kid. On a side note, (again if you did some research instead of coming out with hypothetical scenarios) Barney has been given a low rating by people across the border for all ages because of its educational value. Critics of Barney composed mainly of adults has found many flaws about the film that are harmful for child development. If it weren't for the adults' voices and votes, I think many parents will not be able to recognize this perspective about the show. So of course I believe the votes and comments of adults have a place in children's films.

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

Thanks for the reply.
It did show however, that we two appear to have different expectations of the discussion in which we find ourselves, and I base this on the following excerpt from your last, "...Secondly, your argument is starting to lack focus, your last reply contains very little substance and did very little to move the argument forward."

I had a bit of a smile on reading it, and this is because of your evident belief that our 'argument' ought to be 'moved forward'. I have presented my opinion, (rather it was an elaboration on my original post opining on the relevance of childrens comments on an adult film). There would be no advantage from restating it time and again, nor in researching support for my position.
It's just an opinion after all.

If you expected a new and fascinating hobby ala an ongoing hair pulling debate with some unknown guy calling himself Choatelodge, I must disappoint. I have not lost focus, but have accepted that we are of differing minds on the matter. So much the better for personal philosophy and independent thought.
How very boring it would be if we all thought the same!

You have stated a good and kind argument in favor of empowering virtually everybody to comment wherever they please, a view that while I do not share, I appreciate the fair-mindedness that appears to be the motivation thereof.
Good for you.

Sorry for the little tongue-in-cheek reference to your researching my past posts. I wasn't trying to flatter myself, but was rather casting a jibe at your search for material with which to undermine my argument.
You DID go to some length, you must admit. :)

Well done fellow. It's been a good exchange.

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[–] hipearl 17 years ago

I've been following this post for a while and I must say, despite what both of your (choatelodge and macfc5) arguments are, choatelodge is a hypocrite.

macfc5 wrote this for you, choatelodge :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S. Practice what you preach.

You wrote:
"And yes, western audiences shouldn't vote on foreign films if they lack the understanding of the culture that made them!"

I don't believe in the above statement, but clearly you do, but you still decided to write responses on two foreign films (Hero and Crouching Tiger). You admit you lack an understanding of Chinese culture, yet you still chose to degrade those films given your own ignorance. Your comments on those films are very similar to the OP of this board. Whatever you said about the OP, I guess the same goes for you.

Here's your posting:
http://imdb.com/user/ur1510370/comments
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And you wrote this:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Would you be alright with say half a million foreign viewers going online and voting 1 for The Godfather, and Shawshank Redemption, bringing their standing down to 5/10, because their cultural education made it such that they didn't understand the movies and thought them boring?
Or would you think that the IMDB voting system had been rendered no longer meaningful to its intended readership?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your statement clearly shows how hypocritical you are. Why did you comment on Crouching Tiger and Hero and bring down their rating? Because for Chinese people, you might very well be one of those "half a million foreign viewers going online and voting 1" for Crouching Tiger and Hero, "bringing their standing down to 5/10, because 'your' cultural education made it such that 'you' didn't understand the movies and thought them boring? "

You made all these assumptions about how children or foreigners would bring down the rating of films. You seem so close-minded that it made me wonder if you think foreign films should never be nominated/awarded for Oscar. I mean, according to you, what do the committee members know about foreign films, right?

So next time, you wanna post comments, think about what you've said and stop your hypocracy.

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

Hipearl - So next time, you wanna post comments, think about what you've said and stop your hypocracy.

macfc5 - So far I am convinced that the only people that should not be able to post on an IMDB board is people like you.

Congratulations guys. You've been trolled. 8o)

Thanks for the animated discussion. Beers on me next time.

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[–] spartacrust 13 years ago

I did'nt have a clue what this film was about before I switched over on TV, thought it was probably about an american indian car driver.

What a surprise, a great story very very well acted with some strong likeable and genuine characters.

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] totalbollacks 16 years ago

Or any helicopter action. Maybe not enough CGI explosions?
Enjoy it while it lasts

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[–] livi_godschalk 17 years ago

I'm a 16 year old "child" and i didnt find the film boring, i found it inspirational with brilliant cinematography. But im not old enough to vote so i guess your saying that im not mature enough to write a comment on this board? Your arrogance is amusing but a little pathetic and you definately need to realise that regardless of the fact that your a western-cultured male adult (congratulations) you dont have the right to tell people not to have an opinion or where to speak about that opinion.

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[–] choatelodge 17 years ago

:)
No need for continued anger, my friend. I was stimulating some conversation, in which my foils presented themselves very well, though they now appear to have lost interest.

In the debating world it is sometimes effective to take a stand and argue compellingly (as one is able) for a position that may not be the one you personally endorse.
Some teachers of debate utilize the device of having a group divide and then debate some contentious subject to their best ability, then the proctor has each side take the opposite position and now argue as vigorously for the new stance as they did for the former.

It plays with the mind, and some people just can't effectively do it, considering that to argue for the opposite stand from ones original is 'unethical' or feels like betrayal!

But it's all just words.
I'm glad you got a lot out of the movie, "Worlds Fastest Indian". It's worth it. And as far as I'm concerned, your vote counts! :)

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[–] terrible_taron 17 years ago

Aren't you adults being somewhat steoreotypical and hypocritical when you state that all children are narrow-minded, inexperienced, and don't know much. Honestly I've met 5 year old children that have been smarter than some adults and I've met adults that have been smarter than children. But saying automatically that Adults are smarter than children is (well i guess i should say it in an intellectual way than) something that only a person of a low IQ would say.

yah and did diablo the lord of terror sayeth, not even death can saveth thee from me

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[–] Froomshanker 16 years ago

I do like the way this discussion has gone. One posting earlier on has sent us on a complete tangent. I skipped over a lot of the postings as I eventually got bored, so some of these points may have already been covered, so my apologies:

1. I Luv Phantom16: You are entitled to your opinion of what consistutes an interesting/ boring film. I am also entitled to disagree with you. I found it a beautifully put together piece. It was an abject lesson in how a person can achieve his dreams and travel from one continent to another largely by charming and being nice with those he met.

2. Again thank you for sparking a lively discussion.

3. Children should be entitled to access this forum as it is an opportunity for them to grow and learn. As this thread shows, their input can be just as valid.

4. I have met numerous dim witted narrow minded adults just as I have met many intelligent, insightful youngsters.

5. Has there been any indication of how old I Luv Phantom16 is anyway?

6. I luv Phantom16's choice of name indicates his/ her preferred genre.

P.S. Apart from Civilization, what else have I missed?

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[–] duleewopper 17 years ago

finish high school, take some college courses...then go help another human being and try to do something that u enjoy w/ ur life and then go back and try to say what u said. other than that..take care