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Rogen defends satirizing N Korean leader in 'The Interview'

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A movie to enjoy if your IQ is less than 90. Nothing against low IQ people. Plain stupid rather than just "raunchy". But hey, in that business, there is no bad publicity.

-16 ( +3 / -19 )

A movie to enjoy if your IQ is less than 90.

My IQ is significantly higher than that, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm not a comedian snob, I enjoy low-brow humor as much as I enjoy high-brow humor. I have this whole theory about 'if you aren't interested in something, don't watch it', rather than 'if you aren't interested in something, deride anyone who may be interested in it'.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

The movietrailer looks silly and wasnt planning on watching it but because of the cyberterrorists telling us not to watch the movie I want to watch it even more.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Agree with Strangerland there. I would rather shove stakes into my eyes than watch this film but I have nothing against those who want to watch it. Different tastes.

Relating to the article itself I think that the choice to use a real situation and a real person as the target of an assassination does come across as problematic. If the film were about any other leader people would take issue to the use of a real person's name.

There's a reason why films tend to create "fictional" countries or "fictional" characters that very closely mimic real world countries or characters but are sufficiently distanced from them so as not to cause this sort of situation.

I think that the creative thinking behind this film was severely short-sighted and in many ways irresponsible. It's not about self censorship, it's about common sense and common decency. Of course this brings to light whether we should display common decency to an individual (and a regime) that is so vilified in the media.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

A movie to enjoy if your IQ is less than 90. Nothing against low IQ people. Plain stupid rather than just "raunchy". But hey, in that business, there is no bad publicity.

Interesting comment coming from someone on a Japan-focused website, since most "comedy" in Japan consists of people hitting each other and screaming at each other. I agree with strangerland 100%. While I love sophisticated comedy as much as anyone, I also love a flick like "Hall Pass", once in a while as well. And my IQ was high enough to get me a BS and an MBA from two Ivy League schools. Folks need to relax and not be so judgemental.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I like Seth Rogen, James Franco is a hit or miss for me.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I guess traditional effigies are a thing of the past. These are modern times.

Freedom of speech is everyone's right. Brave of them to come out with this kind of movie.

I just hope it doesn't come back to hit at them personally. In the digital age no one is "untouchable". An example of that is "Enemy of the State". With all your records in digital form in anybody could get to servers and start altering information about you it could have a significant impact on our lives.

It's a double-edged sword, isn't it?

SONY was exposed!! We learned quite a bit about them didn't we?

Is the joke on them now? I think so.

I of course respect that hacking is illegal but I have no problem with a real life "Robin Hood" hacking away to show the world what's behind the fancy suits and plastic smiles.

If you've ever had a gut feeling that someone has you in their crosshairs and you knew this through and through wouldn't you want to expose them for who they are as well.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Turnabout is fair play.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Team America was a great satire on the NK regime. not sure this could ever be as good. The sony hack really does reveal just how shallow Hollywood can be and how people's private views are very often at odds with their public persona.....

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Interesting comment coming from someone on a Japan-focused website, since most "comedy" in Japan consists of people hitting each other and screaming at each other.

There is quite a lot of culture in comedy. A lot of Western comedy is associated with sex, due to its repression and taboo, and with punning due to the centrality of words in the Western psyche. The trailer makes a sexual pun in its first 16 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpyVENBPj5c To a Japanese person "Did you just say dong/chinchin," would be too pathetic to be considered "comedy." But then this film is to an extent satirising itself.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

@Strangerland

I have this whole theory about 'if you aren't interested in something, don't watch it', rather than 'if you aren't interested in something, deride anyone who may be interested in it'.

Apparently your magnanimous philosophy doesn't extend to television here.

I'm not a fan of Japanese TV at all. The news is the only thing worth watching, and even it can be hit and miss.

I speak Japanese. There aren't any tv shows that I don't understand. And I understand the cultural context as well. I think Japanese TV is mostly crap.

You do appear to be one of the smarter commenters here, but please don't be butt-hurt if I laugh at these words coming from you a day later.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I have this whole theory about 'if you aren't interested in something, don't watch it', rather than 'if you aren't interested in something, deride anyone who may be interested in it'.

Apparently your magnanimous philosophy doesn't extend to television here.

Where did I deride anyone for being interested in Japanese TV? I simply gave my own opinion on it - if others like it, then I have no problem whatsoever with them watching it and enjoying it.

please don't be butt-hurt if I laugh at these words coming from you a day later.

Why would I be 'butt-hurt' at your lack of reading comprehension?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It's all just North Korea desperate for the world's attention again. Things are going around the rest of the world (Russia/Ukraine, Syria/Iraq, Ebola, economy, Europe, etc.) that no one talks about NK anymore so they need to do something to get that attention back.

We've seen the exact same patterns with NK for the past 10 or so years, more so since Fat Un came to power.. No attention = nuclear test/missile test, war threats, etc.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Where did I deride anyone for being interested in Japanese TV?

By calling it crap, you are demeaning the preferences of those who do enjoy it. Not to mention those who produce it.

Why would I be 'butt-hurt' at your lack of reading comprehension?

I guess that's like me not being butt-hurt at your inability to make the connection.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

By calling it crap, you are demeaning the preferences of those who do enjoy it. Not to mention those who produce it.

No.

I clearly stated it was my opinion. I made no claims as the preferences of others who like it or not, nor about any qualities of those who like it or not. I have no expectations that others should feel the way I do, and I have no problem with them if they don't.

You're grasping at straws.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

No more bickering please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I like Rogen (for the most part), but this doesn't sound all that great.

Tim-Tak: "To a Japanese person "Did you just say dong/chinchin," would be too pathetic to be considered "comedy.""

Yeah, right, Tim-Tak. I guess you miss the Warai pretty much every night who stick firecrackers against their butt and light them so they can shout "Atsui! Atsui!" or have tarento pretend to be gay and rub their crotches in the faces of children because "it's funny! and sophisticated!"

In any case, I'll likely watch it when it comes out on rental, but what's more surprising is that Sony is more interested in catering to the demands of North Korean hackers and asking that the movie be toned down (or banned it in Japan) instead of being more interested in increasing their security systems so they don't get hacked.

Strangerland: " I have no expectations that others should feel the way I do, and I have no problem with them if they don't. "

Well said, but keep in mind that just yesterday the poster you reply to stated his belief that you can drink at a bar online.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Sony is a Japanese company. So does that mean the bombs will start fallin on Tokyo? Or will they start falling on the US because the movie is a US production?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

A movie about assassinating a living leader of a country? What could possibly be wrong with that?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yeah, right, Tim-Tak. I guess you miss the Warai pretty much every night who stick firecrackers against their butt and light them so they can shout "Atsui! Atsui!" .... because "it's funny! and sophisticated!"

I can see how Japanese jokes would fall flat on non Japanese, but I meant to point out that Western humour, as exemplified in this movie can be just as unfunny to non-Westerners. It is not because Japanese are not sophisticated that they do not laugh at Western humour, it is just that sexual innuendo and canned laughter are not universally funny, just like firecrackers.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If they will not put it in theatres, Rogen should bite the loss and publish it on YouTube for free.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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