Morgan Spurlock (he's the guy who made that film about eating only McDonald's for 30 days called Super Size Me) is the director and main character of the new documentary about the fandom at the San Diego Comic-Con, quite possibly the largest comic book, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror convention in the United States, which takes place every July in San Diego, California.
The film is presented by Stan Lee and Joss Whedon (meaning they are interviewed in it and are lending their seal of approval to the movie) and involves interviews with other celebs like Eli Roth, Frank Miller, Kevin Smith, Matt Groening, and Seth Rogen. Wait, Seth Rogan? Oh, and Kevin Smith. Two more reasons to not enjoy watching this. It also includes five eager nerds who are obsessed with Comic-Con and are desperately trying to attain industry jobs: Eric, an aspiring illustrator, is hoping to impress publishers and land a job; Holly, costume and creature designer, hopes her creations will win the big prize; Chuck, a long-time comic book dealer, is looking for a big sale to pay off his debts; Skip, longtime amateur illustrator wants to be discovered at this year's event; and James, a young fan, hopes his girlfriend will accept a dramatic proposal.
If I thought this was going to be an actual documentary about an interesting phenomenon, I'd see it. If I thought it was going to be about the fans and their lives and their hopes and their dreams, I'd see it. If I thought that directors and comic artists would be featured as both idols and fans themselves in a truly innovative and honorable way, I'd see it.
But I don't think it will be any of that. I think it'll be a Morgan Spurlock thing. Like all of his endeavors, Spurlock's ego (undeserved) will star in one way or another. In his first film, Super Size Me, he used himself as a subject for a pointless study about how bad it is for you to eat McDonalds for thirty days straight launching himself a new career as a "documentarian". Because he made a movie about eating McDonalds, he became a "documentarian". And a "journalist" and a "humorist" according to his publicists. He went on to capitalize on his one success by pitching and getting a TV series called 30 Days in which he, again the subject and star, does different things for 30 days to see how much they suck: getting paid minimum wage; working in a coal mine, etc. Only no one gave a shit and no one watched it. It was basically mini-episodes of his McDonalds movie, always with Spurlock as the star. And let me be honest with you: he's not charismatic or dynamic. He's kind of just a boring average dude with a huge ego and a desperate desire to be famous. Like most people in the film industry. Interestingly, his ex-wife also launched herself a career based on the remnants of his fame that hit her ass on the way out the door.
And here's what he's good at and why he's still making films: he's a networker. Incredibly dull, average people do incredibly well in Hollywood. Popular people are always the most boring, the least interesting, and the least likely to deviate from the accepted standards of what society deems "normal" (just think back to highschool and you'll see that I'm right. Those popular people were so fucking boring). Spurlock is all of those things. So when he sets out to make a film about nerds and losers and geeks and fans, he's kind of a jerk because he has zero interest in any of that shit. He's interested in being friends with "the cool people" like Stan Lee and Joss Whedon (people he probably wouldn't spit on if they weren't rich and famous and could help him with his career). That's why he made this film. He's also running out of ideas (let's face it, he had one idea and now he's grasping at straws) and is willing to exploit anything, even Comic-Con, to get a paycheck. He exploited the "humiliating" job of coal mining for his stupid 30 Days show, a job many people have as their real job in this country, as a lark to see how much it sucked. This film is no different. He's willing to pretend to be a filmmaker and a "documentarian" but this film, you'll see, is really about just another way for Spurlock to exploit someone and something else to make a buck. He doesn't give a shit about Comic-Con. I'd like to ask him: how many Comic-Cons have you been to in your life, Spurlock? One when you were promoting Super Size Me and another when you made this film?
Oh! The film is also produced by notorious starfucker Harry Knowles from Aintitcoolnews, who created a career out of kissing ass. Make that reason four.
And can we honestly say that the name Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope isn't the dumbest title for this that you've ever heard? Maybe if he'd made this movie in 2002, it'd be clever. But now it's just...pathetic. I feel like shooting him and myself. Here's the trailer:
There are a whopping three women featured in all the entire IMDB credits, including Olivia Wilde, who was interviewed for her many many achievements in comics and... oh. No. He interviewed her because she's hot. Well, it'll be exciting to see then talk with Gale Anne Hurd, Jane Espenson.. oh wait. They're not in it. Well, Spurlock's just a good ol' geek, according to him! I bet at his fraternity Phi Gamma Delta at NYU he was just a total nerd who got picked on all the time because he watched Star Trek: TNG on kegger nights. Those are the kinds of people who join frats, right? Poor, nerdy people.
Here's Spurlock talking about how much Stan Lee loves him and begged him to make this film with him:
Now make with the "you a hater!" comments I know are coming. The film is out in a select few theaters now.
The trailer makes it seem like a video version of a trip to Comic-Con. I saw a role playing doc that was interesting because it delved into real lives and human issues, but these people just look like they are going to comic-con to buy action figures and...come along Mr. Spurlock! Just because they are real doesn't mean they are interesting, and even if they are, you still have to find the interesting.
Having said that, if Olivia Munn gets naked in this movie, I will see it three times in the theater while wearing a snugee. Her career is to the point where she needs to get naked in some stupid Comic-Con doc...right? RIGHT?!?*
*Of course, I am kidding. I would never wear a snuggie.**
**If you can't figure out why a dude would wear a snuggie while sitting in a theater watching a movie that has a naked lady in it, I'm not going to explain it to you. You're on your own.***
***No really, I'm kidding. Yes, I would rush out to see a movie where Olivia Munn gets naked, but mostly to laugh at her. Mostly.
Thank you I mean this seriously Heidi thank you! I recently have made time to watch some of his documentaries and of course I saw the most famous "Super Size Me" because I remember people talking about it and how that documentary "opened their eyes so much that they are never going to eat McDonald's again!" Well I finally was able to watch it a few times these couple of months and I hate to say it that was probably the most pandering, biased, stereotypically liberal-hipster, documentary I have ever seen and I say this as a liberal. Him and Micheal Moore should be friends. Not to say I don't like some of this stuff, but I cannot stand people who pander and misrepresent the facts. I'm sorry I cannot take someone seriously that they put themselves on this diet and all of a sudden had such sudden major problems from eating McDonald's every day and all day for a month! This can happen to you! Plus I just love how his stereotypically Vegan girlfriend totally cures him of his bad health with her "cleanses" which critics have said that medically they do not work. Yeah that guy doesn't have an agenda at all.
Ok I like how he assumes people eat McDonald's every day because it is so addicting, and I am saying this as someone who had to deal with weight problems and know other people that do. I have never knew of personally anyone that did that and that's why they became overweight. Because you want to know why? It costs a good amount of money. I'm sorry that's incredibly stupid to think people really do this. Not to say that they don't I'm sure some do, but I don't remember at all seeing someone in documentary who ate at McDonald's everyday and that's why they are sick. They interviewed one guy who drank a gallon of soda everyday and other issues and was getting gastric bypass surgery. But his problems came from a poor diet in general not McDonald's. He already had a bias against fast food/junk food and of course he was going to present facts and statistics in that way without being objective and not talking about other real issues that contribute to obesity like being economically disadvantaged, genetics (he didn't at all cover that), certain side effects to medications or having certain illnesses, environment, etc. A huge cornucopia of reasons why someone is overweight were never explained only that people who eat McDonald's everyday end up that way.
The only thing he did kind of focused on that I think were worthy of discussion is that kids can't be kids anymore and how recess is slowly being cut away Plus how P.E. isn't that entertaining to kids to get more involved in their own health. Also, how school lunches are so processed and uneatable. I can tell you from my experiences that was probably the best one. It's like "You either eat some food that is heated up or you can go get some chips." I remember not wanting to eat because of some of those reasons and other messed up complexities. So I just eat a huge cookie and apple so I can save that 5 dollars for something I really needed. Plus I knew a lot of people who weren't that well off and the cafeteria food was probably their only main source of food. Plus a huge obvious reason fruits and vegetables aren't as celebrated because they don't have the same impact as Ronald Mcdonald does with happy meals. Carrots doesn't have a spokesperson. Plus the marketing and advertising I thought was a worthy point to discuss further. But any of all the good points he did present weren't talked about long enough.
I also have to say the biggest obvious full of shit thing he showed was a poor overweight teenager working at a fast food place. She commented how hard it is to lose weight and "look like those people on the magazines, because that's what people want to see." I'm sorry, but bullshit! I mean I do understand that girl's struggle, but he didn't at all try to intervene or comment how media based beauty was hogwash and how that affects people negatively and their pursuit of healthy is skewed with the perception of being hot despite all costs to even your life. He didn't bother to elaborate at all how that was bad, but in fact present it in a way that well the magazines are right you should look like Megan Fox or Kate Moss. I'm sorry that's incredibly stupid to think that wasn't worthy of discussion especially with women who have weight issues. But glossed over in a way to make it seem as if we just looked like Ryan Reynold's or Kim Kardashian all are problems with food are solved!
Plus another thing I simply hated was that he seem to think it was a great big joke that he was stuffing his face with fries. Looking at the camera as if it was hilarious to be that way, to be overweight, to be unhealthy. He seemed to mock the very subject he was concerned about while making a documentary about it. That he couldn't have sex the same way with his girlfriend. He thought it was funny to appear with a big fat belly in his stupid speedo and was like "See this will happen to you too!". I don't think he came off as caring for the people who he did interview that had these issues.
He seemed to present things in a way that oversimplified a complex issue with regard to being obese and eating unhealthy. I liked how at the end that he was "cured" by his wife's cleanses and eating healthy because it's Vegan and all Vegan's are healthy. I liked how it didn't really bother him and he could just go back to normal. While people in the real world suffer and don't even have enough money to buy better food, a gym membership, counseling, health education, etc. to help them with issues regarding weight and living better.
I would like to see the other documentaries and articles that refute his claims. One doctor said he tried the experiments with other subjects and only they had a small fraction of issues nothing as drastic as his. The doctor said that Morgan may already had issues due to genetics. Of course Morgan didn't at all talk about that in his documentary because his green and gym powers were going to always save him. I'm not at all saying there is anything wrong with eating Vegan or practicing a more "Natural" way of living. But in all things please be balanced, just because Vegan food is sometimes processed it doesn't make it any more healthier. I tried the "Morningstar" patties and holy crap there is so much salt in those things ranging to 500-700. I was like "Well I'm not eating this again." I think there are probably better documentaries about weight and living a unhealthy lifestyle. Plus more positive ways to fix it. Morgan just seem to surmise his whole agenda with "Don't eat fast food because you end up like this!" I'm sorry there is more to it than that.
I'm sure this documentary would be more of making fun of the people in it as well and how to conquer "being a total geek" to become a "cool geek" who gets all the cash and bitches and isn't a "loser" anymore. Yeah because I simply love people like that. People who almost seem embarrassed still by their love of horror, science-fiction, etc that they "still can't be with the cool people" and how it always haunts them. Why can't I have Brad Pitt in my science-fiction opus why?! Also again I like how they seem to present that if people go and network at Comic-Con that it's going to be so easy getting into "the business." No doubt networking helps, but I wonder if it will at all cover people losing their jobs, apartments, selling all their furniture to come and met Anna Paquin from "True Blood" and hope Stan Lee will look at their work because they sold all their belongings to come right? Hopefully they will get some payback for this ultimate sacrifice right? Again not so easy.
Sorry I ranted so long about this guy, but I am so not impressed with him.
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"I hurt" - Karen Cooper "Night Of The Living Dead"
Well, Heidi was talking about Olivia Wilde... Just how many times did you see Cowboys and Aliens?
I was talking about Olivia Munn, cause she is always at these comic conventions. I'm not even sure I know who Olivia Wilde is (didn't see Cowboys and Aliens).
Well, Michael Brawley, this site is certainly not anywhere near as interesting as your short film "Hipster Garbage". A true classic that everyone appreciates, I'm sure!
"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
I'm still going to see the movie, but you're right on about how f*ing boring that guy is and the deplorable lack of female representation.
What, there are women at ComicCon who aren't involved with sexy cosplay or retail booths? :bigsmile:
Sorry, I digress. I'm not interested in this one either, as it just seems like another opportunity for someone to try and ride on the coat tails of geekdom. And, I sure the film will fall into the same trap that occurs any time a camera is at a con. The filmmakers will focus on the most eccentric people there, not the throngs of normal looking folks that are just as geeky as their heavily costumed, multi tattooed counterparts.
Thank you! Heidi and Private Vasquez in the comments basically said just about everything I feel about Spurlock as well. He comes off as super smug and obnoxious to me and I've had to explain to friends who say things like "well, his politics are pretty close to your own!" why I don't care for him. Same thing with Michael Moore. I think better examples of people doing something similar to what Spurlock does, albeit in the writing world, would be Barbara Ehrenreich or George Orwell when he did "The Road To Wigan Pier".
There's a lot of reasons not to like Morgan Spurlock. Your entire diatribe was essentially this : "Like all of his endeavors, Spurlock's ego (undeserved) will star in one way or another."
Fine.
But I think the real point you should have been focusing on is the fact that he doesn't tell the truth, his reporting is incredibly biased and one sided, presents facts that only idiots would look at and say "Wow, I'll never eat at McDonald's again" and his thirty days TV show was the same.
Both he and Michael Moore could educate and inform a lot more people if they let the facts do the talking instead of the grandiose gestures that just piss people off.
I liked Fahrenheit 9/11 until Moore went into an old man's home, refused to listen to the answers given and made Charlton Heston leave the interview and hobble away.
It was just pathetic and mean.
Spurlock is the same way. Tell the story, do a true documentary and leave the sensationalism out of it.
There's a lot of reasons not to like Morgan Spurlock. Your entire diatribe was essentially this : "Like all of his endeavors, Spurlock's ego (undeserved) will star in one way or another."
Fine.
But I think the real point you should have been focusing on is the fact that he doesn't tell the truth, his reporting is incredibly biased and one sided, presents facts that only idiots would look at and say "Wow, I'll never eat at McDonald's again" and his thirty days TV show was the same.
Both he and Michael Moore could educate and inform a lot more people if they let the facts do the talking instead of the grandiose gestures that just piss people off.
I liked Fahrenheit 9/11 until Moore went into an old man's home, refused to listen to the answers given and made Charlton Heston leave the interview and hobble away.
It was just pathetic and mean.
Spurlock is the same way. Tell the story, do a true documentary and leave the sensationalism out of it.
All of everything you just said.
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"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
I was listening to a review of this on a podcast and they said it felt like a commercial for Comic Con, and that he didn't go in depth with any of the people or anything else. That's kinda what it felt like from the trailer. It seems like a fan boy cash grab. If he was critical of fan culture in any way, he could lose out on that fan demographic.
Now I haven't seen the film yet, but I know a lot of people dislike Spurlock and his style...
My website interviewed him about the film, though, and he DOES come across as pretty invested in the whole Comic Con world - he talks about going to conventions when he was a kid in West Virginia.
While the tone of this Planet Fury piece is one of...well, fury, consider the other side of the issue before flaming the film...
"Another great thing about being 70,000 light years away from the nearest Starfleet vessel is that once we finally get back to Earth, we can makeup bullshit stories. Off the top of my head: 'We met Amelia Earhart,' 'We singlehandedly eliminated most of the Borg fleet' or 'Paris and I turned into giant pink lizards and mated.'"
That would be "because of Morgan Spurlock."
The trailer makes it seem like a video version of a trip to Comic-Con. I saw a role playing doc that was interesting because it delved into real lives and human issues, but these people just look like they are going to comic-con to buy action figures and...come along Mr. Spurlock! Just because they are real doesn't mean they are interesting, and even if they are, you still have to find the interesting.
Having said that, if Olivia Munn gets naked in this movie, I will see it three times in the theater while wearing a snugee. Her career is to the point where she needs to get naked in some stupid Comic-Con doc...right? RIGHT?!?*
*Of course, I am kidding. I would never wear a snuggie.**
**If you can't figure out why a dude would wear a snuggie while sitting in a theater watching a movie that has a naked lady in it, I'm not going to explain it to you. You're on your own.***
***No really, I'm kidding. Yes, I would rush out to see a movie where Olivia Munn gets naked, but mostly to laugh at her. Mostly.
Blog: Cinema Gonzo