#42: Fate of the Furious: 2 General 2 Snobbery

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Image created by Sean Wolahan, artist extraordinaire. 

“Dude, did you see the new Fast and Furious movie?” 

“Yeah dude. It was so dope.” 

“So dope man. Remember when that car blew up?” 

“Oh yeah. I remember that. Remember when the Rock kicked those guys’ asses?”

“Yeah dude. Or how about when Vin Diesel growled at that woman?”

“Yeah. And those Russian nukes? And that seemingly unconnected submarine?”

“That was my favorite part!”

“Man. I hope they make these movies forever.” 

And chances are, listener, they will. For if the eighth installment of this most unlikely of franchises, entitled The Fate of the Furious, has set a record for biggest international opening weekend. Wow! It even beat The Force Awakens, and that had Boyega in it! There is no Boyega in sight here, but there is Ludacris, and Tyrese, and Kurt Russell, and Michelle Rodriguez, and even Mark Sinclair. 

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Mark Sinclair

On today’s Fate of the Furious episode, we are joined by four special guests, four young men who have been taught by the snob known in this episode as “Mr. Sean”. These four gentlemen—Connor Aguilar, Philip Brain, Ethan Fetters, and Sean Wolahan—endeavor nobly down the path of snobbery, inciting great linguistic potentiality in order to properly deconstruct and digest this massacre of a film. Is it worth seeing? Well, that depends on who you are asking. But apparently most people would say yes, cause it has made over a billion dollars. 

In an era of film franchises, when the Marvel Universe threatens to take over the actual universe, let us be filled with joy that a franchise about cars and explosions has somehow risen to the top. Actually, that’s probably not a reasonable source of joy. But then again, there is a two minute scene where Tyrese is dragged across an icy lake at hundreds of miles an hour. Yay Capitalism! 

Enjoy this snob, listener, where these four honorable young lads carry the torch through this dark and massively confusing film, endeavoring on the noble path of trying to describe what in the hell it is about. For should they succeed, then we will all learn how to make a billion dollars in today’s wild world. 

Good day, dear listener. 

#41: Team America: The Lost Episode

Long ago, in the early days of General Snobbery, we made extra efforts not to say words that Americans typically regard as "bad". This self-censorship was not always easy, and its breaching resulted in the occasional "bleep". However, at some point, that self-censorship changed, and we began to allow words to flow along with the stream of thought, even if they are bad. 

In these early days, behind the scenes, we recorded an episode on one of our favorite films of all time, Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Team America: World Police. We never released it, for it has a high amount of profanity in it. Praise be to our loosening of the rule, for now, we can share this snob with the world! 

Now that the thrust of General Snobbery involves the deconstruction of the American action film, it makes more sense than ever to release an episode on a movie that annihilates nearly every trope that have become standards for these action movies. It's a quick one, but it is filled with much delight. We hope this delight travels from our mics straight to your soul, listener. We love you. Fuck yeah! 

#40: Starship Troopers: Nazis, Propaganda, and Michael Bay

Hollywood blockbuster action movies are about beloved protagonists, the overcoming of evil, and plenty of explosions. But sometimes they're about the existential reality that each of us barely teeters on the line of fascism. Yes, that is right. General Snobbery wishes you to know, you might be a fascist!

Jake Busey, Son of Gary

Starship Troopers is the film today! Sean and Matt venture back to 1997 once again to explore what is their favorite #emerging topic: how do action films directed by non-Americans differ from those directed by Americans? Have you ever considered this question? "Do you want to know more?" Then press the play button, you filthy little fascist!

They were just attractive, vibrant youths who wanted adventure and wanted to serve their government. That is where our story opens! Johnny Rico was one of these young men, played by Casper "the friendly" Van Dien. We follow Johnny, along with his friends Carmen, Dizzy, Carl, and Byron Hadley as they serve their government, become citizens, and kill Bugs! And o yea, they also become fascists!

Doogie Howser the Nazi

At the surface, Starship Troopers is a typical, cheesy sci-fi movie about humans with guns and gross aliens with goo. The comedic writing is not only typically timed, it's totally predictable. In short, there is nothing new or good about this movie. Until you realize director Paul Verhoeven did that on purpose, making a brilliantly tight satire with a pigment, and scary, message. The meassage - war makes fascists of us all! Paul Verhoeven is Dutch, just like Ævart.

If you wish to know more about how fascism emerges in everyday life, watch Starship Troopers. You might also consider reading some Heidegger, because that man was actually a Nazi.

Join Sean and Matt as they continue the dasein of high-budget Hollywood and continue discovering what exactly it means to live toward explosion.

Also, Jake Busey.