I actually saw this movie when I was 15, and it scared the crap out of me. I'm not some sheltered person either. I loved horror movies and had seen every one up until that point with no nightmares and Mars Attacks scared the crap out of me. It was embarrassing--especially since Tim Burton was and is my favorite director, but he certainly is more demented than most directors--which I usually love--but this time I was very disturbed by the fact that he found mean-spirited cruel aliens on a senseless killing spree--funny. I rewatched the movie tonight for the second time ever, and I still found this disturbing. This time is didn't scare me, but I still didn't find it funny. I usually love Dark Comedy, but for it to be successful it actually needs to be funny. I don't find this funny at all, so I'm really asking, why is it funny?
When these aliens incinerate people who are just trying to shake hands with them, they laugh, and apparently the audience laughs with them, but why? Am I really supposed to laugh when they incinerate Congress after pretending to come in peace? Am I supposed to laugh when they drop a chandelier on the first lady? Am I supposed to laugh when they incinerate a dog who's just trying to protect his masters? Am I supposed to laugh when the ambassador tricks the President into shaking hands with him so he can stab him through the chest? Am I supposed to find the aliens funny because they're dancing to Tom Jones when the lights come on, even though they turn their guns on the audience and start incinerating people again? With all the incineration that's going on this seems more like a holocaust movie. It's also especially morbid that all the skeletons are red and green (this movie came out around Christmas). After Nightmare before Christmas--which I do actually love and see the brilliance of--I've decided Tim Burton had something really bad happen to him on Christmas once,or maybe every year his family and he roasted people and painted their skeletons who knows? But my point is HOW IS THAT FUNNY? It's senseless violence and, sure it supposedly spoofs every thing American, Presidential, and Sci-Fi, but I still don't laugh during this movie ever. I really don't see a place that I possibly could, and yes I've seen all the old sci-fi movies. War of the World. The Day the Earth stood still etc. I get these aliens were based on bubble-gum cards, but the only successful spoof of Tim Burton's in this genre--I think is Ed Wood--which actually is funny.
So seriously. I know it's like Opera (you either love it or you hate it) but I really don't see how anyone could love this. And yes, I'm pretty sure I get what about it is SUPPOSED to be funny--I'm not dense--but it's not funny to me (just because some people don't love it other assume they don't get it. It's possible to understand something and not like it). Especially since I don't find mean things that kill people for fun, funny, and apparently that's what it takes to like this movie. And YEAH, I get that it's supposed to be a joke and I shouldn't take it seriously--I don't, it's obviously an exaggeration,. But still, I don't find it funny at all, and I really don't get how anyone could. So, man, I really think Tim Burton dropped the ball on that one. This movie was no good for anyone's careers who were involved. They all seemed to disappear for a two year period...
When these aliens incinerate people who are just trying to shake hands with them, they laugh, and apparently the audience laughs with them, but why? Am I really supposed to laugh when they incinerate Congress after pretending to come in peace? Am I supposed to laugh when they drop a chandelier on the first lady? Am I supposed to laugh when they incinerate a dog who's just trying to protect his masters? Am I supposed to laugh when the ambassador tricks the President into shaking hands with him so he can stab him through the chest? Am I supposed to find the aliens funny because they're dancing to Tom Jones when the lights come on, even though they turn their guns on the audience and start incinerating people again? With all the incineration that's going on this seems more like a holocaust movie. It's also especially morbid that all the skeletons are red and green (this movie came out around Christmas). After Nightmare before Christmas--which I do actually love and see the brilliance of--I've decided Tim Burton had something really bad happen to him on Christmas once,or maybe every year his family and he roasted people and painted their skeletons who knows? But my point is HOW IS THAT FUNNY? It's senseless violence and, sure it supposedly spoofs every thing American, Presidential, and Sci-Fi, but I still don't laugh during this movie ever. I really don't see a place that I possibly could, and yes I've seen all the old sci-fi movies. War of the World. The Day the Earth stood still etc. I get these aliens were based on bubble-gum cards, but the only successful spoof of Tim Burton's in this genre--I think is Ed Wood--which actually is funny.
So seriously. I know it's like Opera (you either love it or you hate it) but I really don't see how anyone could love this. And yes, I'm pretty sure I get what about it is SUPPOSED to be funny--I'm not dense--but it's not funny to me (just because some people don't love it other assume they don't get it. It's possible to understand something and not like it). Especially since I don't find mean things that kill people for fun, funny, and apparently that's what it takes to like this movie. And YEAH, I get that it's supposed to be a joke and I shouldn't take it seriously--I don't, it's obviously an exaggeration,. But still, I don't find it funny at all, and I really don't get how anyone could. So, man, I really think Tim Burton dropped the ball on that one. This movie was no good for anyone's careers who were involved. They all seemed to disappear for a two year period...