MovieChat Forums > Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014) Discussion > Self-congratulatory to the max

Self-congratulatory to the max

posted 10 years ago by jd8000
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm not so much a fan of AVGN anymore, but I still enjoy some of the content on Cinemassacre.com. This, however, was embarrassing and didn't really fit in with the tone of the original AVGN episodes. James himself once said that the humor of the Nerd videos came from the idea that a grown man is as infuriated as he is about video games that are no longer relevant.

I hated the fact that in this movie, ever time the Nerd appeared he was getting high-fived, people were saying hey to him, one guy even asked for his signature. I thought they were going to go in a different direction at the start of the film: this is the story of a guy who is in his mid to late 30s, works at a video game store, hangs out with a kid who's a lot younger than him, and spends his free time making video game reviews on Youtube that, okay, a lot of people watch, but still. I thought it was going to be about the Nerd moving forward in his life, but the AVGN movie doesn't confront any real problems people have. It's a celebration of being internet famous and playing video games all day. And believe me, I play a lot of video games, but I'd have to reevaluate my life if that was all that defined me.

I sort of expected more from James. I know that he has a lot going on in his life, with a family and a bunch of projects in the works, but it's disappointing that he 1. limited his Nerd character to just being a guy with a pretty dull life and no ambitions, and 2. chose to portray his character as some sort of celebrity and pat himself on the back.

If I hadn't paid $10 for the movie I wouldn't say anything, but this was such a letdown.

[–] Sanke 10 years ago

You said it's a celebration of being Internet famous and that was always what the film was intended for. To be about the fans for the fans. The nerds life being explored outside of the show was never the purpose of the movie. The purpose was to incorporate the fans into the core of the story because ET was his biggest fan request.

Because of this it couldn't be like his episodes where he talks to the camera for 20 minutes about one subject and maybe incorporates 5 minutes of narrative every now and then. There needed to be a full narrative leading to the review and he chose making it about the fans because it was his fans that brought him to the dance.

[–] HeyJale 10 years ago

And that's what makes it suck. There, I finished that post for you. :D

[–] avortac 10 years ago

"The nerds life being explored outside of the show was never the purpose of the movie."

Obviously Rolfe disagrees with your statement - or at least did many years ago.

When he talked about the movie four years ago, showing the existence of the script to the camera, and all that - he DID mention that it is INDEED about the everyday life of the AVGN character and all that.

http://cinemassacre.com/2010/09/23/future-plans-avgn-the-movie/

Somehow that got changed along the way.. perhaps the little woman had too much influence. But what he promised us in THAT video, is not what was delivered. And you are completely wrong in your statement, taking that video into consideration.

My quick transcript (may contain errors and some paraphrasing) of some key parts:

"
I'll tell you one thing; it's not a two-hour game review.

And then of course some people are going to say : "Aaw, there's no game review in it?"

..but I will say this much: Yes, there is a game review in it.

But you see, it's a movie about game reviewing, very much in the way that Rocky is a movie about boxing. But the whole movie is not a boxing match, it's about the character.

I'd also compare it to Wayne's World. Wayne's World was a show, or a sketch, on Saturday Night Live, or whatever.

Basically it was a show about two guys who do a show from their basement. And then, when the movie "Wayne's World" came out, it sort of opened up this whole environment, they, like, step out the show and everything, and there's actually a world outside.

SO THAT'S VERY MUCH THE WAY THIS IS."

(Emphasis mine)

Yep, that's not the way "this" was at all. And this contradicts your claim completely.

Btw, when you use a possessive, you need an apostrophe. It's not "Nerds" (that'd be PLURAL), it's "Nerd's". And in this case, 'Nerd' is part of the name, so it needs an uppercase "N".

Obviously you were not aware of this misleading video when you made your claim, but definitely 'world outside the show' is mentioned as something that was supposed to be shown in the movie, in Wayne's World-style.

This movie was NOTHING like Wayne's World, and the Nerd's world or life outside the show was not shown or explored at all. This was a chaotic mismash video clip montage of 'things that have nothing to do with the AVGN character', with James Rolfe playing the lead.

So it was not what was promised, and you are completely wrong in your claim. Please rectify it.

[–] Strazdamonas 10 years ago

Note the date of the link you gave? 2010. what year is it now? 2014. What did james say THIS YEAR? that he kept changing the script for many years before finally shooting it.

---------------------------------------------
Applied Science? All science is applied. Eventually.

[–] JazukaiX 10 years ago

Irate Gamer pls go.

--
If I dont understand it, its a plot-hole!
-Average IMDB User

[–] JakeJarmel 10 years ago

Irate Gamer pls go.

I'm not an Irate Gamer fan at all, but after a recent Archfiend video, he put out a video explaining his side of things when it comes to the AVGN vs. IG drama. I have to say it puts the whole dramatic affair into a different light, and the Irate Gamer comes out looking like a okay person, while AVGN doesn't. Of course we can never know what the whole truth is, but I'm over the IG hatred at this point after what he said. James/AVGN should address the situation in a video too.

[–] jenoor 10 years ago

I wouldnt trust anything said by the Irate Gamer. The video was full of half-truths and he didnt even talk about the false copyright claims he pulled on other youtubers back then.

Lakin-ite member since... well, today...
I'm Jon, and Jon is me. Together, we're one!