Can Spoilers Make Movies Better?
atma.thebulwark.com
Episode details
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On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if people should stop fighting the war on spoilers once and for all. Then they review the new J-Lo movie The Mother, Netflix’s number one movie. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for a special live bonus episode this Friday. (Looking forward to seeing some of you folks at the Crystal City Alamo Drafthouse tonight for the WarGames screening. Make sure to say hi if you stop by.) And if you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend!
Can Spoilers Make Movies Better?
I seek out spoilers for horror films because it reduces the "anxiety" I might feel while watching it. For instance, I like the Scream characters so knowing how things shake out for them helps me enjoy the film. However, this is my choice and I agree with Sonny's take that in a polite culture you don't spoil something for somebody else.
the older the average movie goer gets the more in tune they get to the 5 or 10 narratives that we all tell. All plots are spoiled. Filmmakers can come up with interesting and surprising ways to retell the story. That's what I enjoy now. The spoiler for me might be tipped to a character doing something against what we know about them. One of the largest surprises I've had over the past 30 years was the ending of The Wicker Man. I was totally duped, just like the police officer.