OT: "Don't Look Up" on Netflix
No spoilers, and I apologize if this isn't thread-worthy, but I nearly died when this exchange happened:
Jonah Hill's Character: "I'm sorry, did you say Michigan State?"
Dr. Oglethorpe: "Exactly. They have an excellent astronomy department."
Jonah Hill's Character: "Come on, bro."
????
December 28th, 2021 at 10:54 AM ^
"Deep Thoughts" was a great segment and a great series of books, I always thought.
One of my personal favorites was always: "It's funny, isn't it? Anytime we go to a state fair or a county fair, the first thing we look for is some kind of pornography booth."
Also: "If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason."
December 27th, 2021 at 10:33 PM ^
The movie overall is 2 hours of blah but the dunking on MSU was funny because you could tell the writers didn't spend more than a couple minutes thinking of schools people may have faintly heard of but sort knew weren't academic powerhouses.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:42 PM ^
what was hilarious was when Dicaprio's character had to announce that he was in Lansing, MI. To let all of the viewers know where MSU is.
December 28th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^
I thought that was interesting that the writers didn't really know MSU is in East Lansing, but a lot of people even in Michigan just skip the east part.
December 28th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^
I thought that was interesting that the writers didn't really know MSU is in East Lansing, but a lot of people even in Michigan just skip the east part.
December 27th, 2021 at 11:28 PM ^
A bit pedantic and heavy handed like all of McKay's work. It's trying so hard to be Idiocracy, but failing. Just watch Deep Impact for a better movie without the political satire.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:34 AM ^
Well, Deep Impact was two hours of blah, punctuated only by Tea Leoni screaming at people.
December 28th, 2021 at 5:53 AM ^
Idiocracy was pretty blah. Thought provoking concept, but it just wallowed in low brow humor to such a great extent that it got pretty boring after the first half hour.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:25 AM ^
Not sure I saw it that way once it progressed. The flip side is that the MSU people were the most intelligent and rational characters in the movie.
December 28th, 2021 at 11:42 AM ^
Yeah, uh, people on here are missing the obvious satire in the movie. It's mocking coastal elites and reiterating how there are good schools/smart people all over the country. It's actually a nod to MSU (and the director said so).
December 28th, 2021 at 12:01 PM ^
The movie is poking fun at people who find the flip side a nonsequitur (which is the majority of the Walmartians on this blog.) There are good, intelligent, and efficient academics at every school in the nation - often working with four magnitudes fewer resources - yet kicking out quality work and students - especially on the undergraduate level.
As these next couple of years will attest, it is what you did with your Covid dreams (certifications, actual work, and output) that will determine your success - not where or in what school you had them.
I know a few twenty-somethings still; they have benefitted by looking to community colleges close to home, MOOCs (x and c type) along with badging/credit-bearing certifications - that make a mockery of charging tier 1 tuition for 100/200 level classes without the commensurate kegger based socialization and networking.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:32 PM ^
You completely missed the point of the MSU reference. This is what McKay, the director, said:
"I wanted to make a joke about the kind of 'status symbol' quality of an Ivy League degree, where you see people like George Bush and Jared Kushner, who are total dolts, go to Ivy League schools, or Trump constantly bragging about going to UPenn," says McKay, on the phone last week from New York. "Also, state school educations are some of the best educations you can get, and have been for decades."
December 29th, 2021 at 8:13 AM ^
If you think the film was "dunking on MSU", them you missed the point. It is actually the opposite.
December 29th, 2021 at 8:14 AM ^
If you think the film was "dunking on MSU", them you missed the point. It is actually the opposite.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:37 PM ^
who would have thought that Abrams planetarium would spot an ELE?
December 28th, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
I'm 99.9% sure the MSU astronomer character wasn't at the Abrams when she made the discovery. It was one of the huge telescopes in Chile, I'm pretty sure. Hence the huge cargo plane needed to get them to DC.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:45 PM ^
I got over the Michigan State references in about 10 minutes. Fandom aside, Michigan State is a good school.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:56 PM ^
Michigan State is arguably the worst academic school in the Big Ten and would be better suited for the MAC.
December 28th, 2021 at 7:09 AM ^
I mean, I don’t think so, since Nebraska is in the B1G now. Overall, yes, MSU is bad though.
December 27th, 2021 at 11:10 PM ^
Fandom aside, Michigan State is a good school.
Eh, MSU is a fine in-state option, but it feels like a lot of people on this blog give MSU more credit than it deserves due to connections to Sparty family and friends. MSU is close to bottom of the B1G in terms of academic reputation. US News has MSU ranked as tied for the 2nd worst academic institution in the B1G
December 27th, 2021 at 11:17 PM ^
What's the worst? Nebraska?
December 27th, 2021 at 11:29 PM ^
Yes and its not close.
MSU is about the same as Indiana. High acceptance rate but a pretty decent school if you don't get into a top 50 school.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:28 AM ^
MSU is about the same as Indiana
Most of the B1G is clustered around the 40-70 range on US News. Indiana is #68 and MSU is tied with Iowa at #83. Indiana is pretty meh school beside having one of the top business schools in the country
December 27th, 2021 at 11:36 PM ^
Get off your high horse. Forbes has it ranked as a top 100 school in the nation and 8th in the big ten. And why does their rank in the big ten matter? Does it make you feel better putting a school lower in a list of schools affiliated through semi-regional athletics?
December 28th, 2021 at 8:21 AM ^
Yes, yes it does!
December 28th, 2021 at 8:37 AM ^
I'm not sure which side you're arguing. Top 100 includes, on average, the 2nd best school in every state. 8th in the Big Ten is well into the bottom half. So in your defense of MSU, you're admitting it's not a great school.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:32 AM ^
It's not a high horse, it's that some people's definitions of a "good" school is just wrong on a international/national level and in today's job market. MSU is ranked below some SEC schools that are considered poor academic schools, but there's some people on this blog who 100% can't shake their personal connections and call it what it is
December 28th, 2021 at 8:57 AM ^
Anyone who chooses higher education whether it’s a local community college or the rival of your favorite team should be applauded. It’s such nonsense to dog on an academic institution or a person for seeking out higher education.
December 28th, 2021 at 9:29 AM ^
Don’t you have to pay those publications in order to ranked on those lists?
December 28th, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
I don't understand the downvotes. MSU is a "fine" institution. They have good faculty who conduct good research. Graduating PhDs / postdocs on the job market applying to faculty jobs at UM would also apply to job openings at MSU and they would take them if offered (assuming no UM offer). Current professors at other public institutions perhaps would consider it a lateral move, but it's not a bad school. You can get a good education there.
Yes it's a tier below UM. But I work (not in Michigan) with several MSU B.Sc and PhD degrees. They aren't lesser employees.
I saw the film and found the laughing at MSU relatable. At the 2007 Rose Bowl, USC fans repeatedly made fun of UM for being a public state school despite UM being a higher ranked institution in most departments.
The satire is that many politicians rail against the elites and for the common man but in fact have contempt for them. Jonah Hill's character espouses this. They want to live in DC and in coastal cities. Politics is a vehicle for them to escape and leave behind the very constituents they loathe. That part was well done.
December 28th, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
my daughter goes there i write checks to that fucking place. she was accepted at UM too. i was not a very good son so I should not have expected it to go any differently.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:10 PM ^
MSU has the best program for nuclear physics. #2 is MIT. Pretty impressive.
December 27th, 2021 at 10:45 PM ^
I was excited to watch it with my wife, but we got bored halfway through.
Very disappointing with such a talented cast.
December 28th, 2021 at 9:51 AM ^
Tehran on Apple TV. Holy shit.
December 28th, 2021 at 4:20 PM ^
Great show, but it has been a long wait for Season 2.
December 27th, 2021 at 11:00 PM ^
Odd, I’m watching the movie right now and need a MgoBlog fix
December 27th, 2021 at 11:27 PM ^
Great satire. If you liked idiocracy, you will love this movie
December 28th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
Is Idiocracy still considered satire? I thought it had shifted into the "horrifyingly prescient dystopian future comedy."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5gC8lr4Y8&ab_channel=Just.A.Guy.
Fox News on Idiocracy is more professional than actual Fox News at this point.
December 27th, 2021 at 11:30 PM ^
Really decent climate change movie.
December 27th, 2021 at 11:40 PM ^
If we are talking Netflix… you (meaning, everyone) must watch “Arcane.” I am not a gamer and frankly had no idea it was based in a game when I started watching it, and certainly knew nothing about the game. Doesnt matter. The show is just freakin’ phenomenal— deep, conflicted, emotional, credible characters (ok except for the rabbit professor), beautiful animation, awesome soundtrack. Jinx is like The Joker and Arya Stark had a daughter. I consider myself a fan of critically-acclaimed shows like Succession, Better Call Saul, and Marvelous Mrs Maisel (best show on TV)… Arcane is up there with them.
But no MSU zingers.
December 28th, 2021 at 1:08 AM ^
Agreed on Arcane. I woulda totally passed on it if not for word of mouth since I don't League not Legends, but the storytelling and production is just so good.
December 28th, 2021 at 7:24 AM ^
Your taste in tv shows is highly trustworthy. You just made the best pitch for Arcane I’ve heard yet.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:22 AM ^
I was surprised how polarizing it was among my friends. Some loathed it, others thought it was brilliant. It felt like a rough cut to me, a first draft that needed a lot of finessing. Thought the message was spot on and the satirical take especially on the media was great. But society right now is practically a parody itself so it didn't have as much punch for me as it might have ten years ago. I did chuckle at the Michigan State reference and found the characters fairly enjoyable.
December 28th, 2021 at 9:42 AM ^
Wow, Wk5, we need to hang out more. This was exactly my take. I thought it could have used another 6 months of writing and maybe editing because there was something there beyond the obvious, but it just didn't totally work.
I've been nonplussed by people complaining that it wasn't funny enough. I mean, the film is pretty serious, captured by Leo's Howard Beale moment and the penultimate scene that reminded me of The Day After, which people of a certain generation will remember.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:45 AM ^
I assumed Jonah Hill's character is Don Jr. Only because I thought Streep's character reminded me of Sr. I did enjoy the way he shit all over Lawrence the whole movie.
I also was pleased the director had to balls to do it right at the end.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:46 AM ^
It was great, and enjoyed the satire with MSU and all if it wasn't so foretelling, which is pretty sad. Then if you watch Idiocracy the movie right after, its even more hilarious,and doesn't seem that far off.
December 28th, 2021 at 2:06 AM ^
MSU is a fine school if you study and do the work, especially for undergraduate or particular graduate areas of study. Like most Michigan families, I have many relatives who have gone to schools throughout the state. It's fun to poke, but it comes down to the person and their support networks to predict outcomes.
I just watched this movie and had to pull the fast-forward thing about 20 mins in to see the plot twists and dramatic tension. This is a straight-up movie playing at the disconnect with climate and ecology in many ways. Spoiler alert *** someone gets their face ripped off by a velociraptor-like alien creature at the film's end. So Dr. Strangelove meets Jan 6th was a party crowd. I liked the movie for that but spent just about a half-hour on the film - so caveat emptor.