"the fact that i'm at risk of seeing a 14 year old's opinion at any time of day is a human rights violation!"

i don't know man, i think the real human rights violation is the fact that teenagers are taxed from their jobs yet unable to vote (taxation without representation), the fact that we're allowed to be assaulted under the guise of 'discipline', the fact that we get paid less than adults at the same job for the same amount of hours, we're allowed to have our bathroom access limited at school, not allowed to leave So Many Situations, have faced mistreatment and oppression historically for hundreds of years, the literal existence of troubled teen camps, etc etc etc i could go on

but yeah ok sure the high schooler who disagrees with you about ship discourse is the oppressor

This looks like it would have been the logo for a film studio that produced a Venom movie in the late 90's-early 2000's featuring special effects by the Spy Kids guys, an uplifting montage to "everyday superhero" by Smash Mouth, and a raining-in-the-dark fight scene over a morose but beautiful dark-haired artsy girl choreographed to an Evanescence single. Eddie Brock would have gelled spikes. The CEO would later be found dead in his condo and be written off as an overdose despite suspicions of foul play and the studio would disappear, never to produce another film. His surviving girlfriend would go on to marry and divorce David Beckham. There would be a line of light-up children's sneakers with images from the movie embossed on the sides in clear plastic, and when they randomly popped up at small local thrift stores we'd get really nostalgic about it

I don't know how to green screen things but my point stands

Honest question: Why do pop culture references work and get a laugh in things like Shrek, but in others they just come across as just being lame and forced? What makes a pop culture reference work? 

I think the thing with references in general is that they need to either a) work on their own even if someone DOESN’T understand the source material and/or (preferably and) b) are brief enough that someone who doesn’t understand them most likely won’t notice them, instead of stopping the story shut in its tracks for a minute so you can wink at the viewer and say “geddit? eh? eh?”… metaporically speaking.

Example: in Shrek 2, Shrek sees an old poster in Fiona’s old room in the castle.

When I was a kid, I genuinely didn’t recognize that this was supposed to be Justin Timberlake, because I wasn’t that up on celebrity stuff (and he already wore a full beard at this point). But I still smiled, because even if you DON’T recognize the celeb it still is a solid joke even without that, narrative is still easy to recongize that Fiona as a tween had a crush on some male celebrity, and it ties into character development of Shrek feeling insecure because he’s not human - so it fullfills point a).

And in addition to that: that shot? It lasts for THREE SECONDS. It’s a quiet scene (except for music), noone makes any mention of that poster, there’s no dialog or callback or anything. If you don’t get it, you miss absolutely nothing. So it fulfills point b) at the same time.

True, and even the longer references (like the scene in Shrek 2 where Fairy Godmother sings “I need a hero” and you get that whole Godzilla Cookie bit) don’t actually impede the story, because there’s still stuff going on. Most of the time, when a reference falls flat, it’s because the movie stops in its tracks or doesn’t advance the plot, which tends to get on the nerves of viewers :P

another example: in Meet The Robinson’s, when Wilbur says his dad looks like Tom Selleck and we’re given this picture for a fraction of a second among a bunch of pictures of goofy cartoon characters:

now as a kid this was hilarious bc come on, thats not a cartoon character, thats just a man!!! and it’s absurd and only there for a second. and then i learned later that his dad is actually voiced by Tom Selleck and GOD THATS HILARIOUS

pop culture references usually just fall somewhere on a spectrum from “funny” to “obnoxious,” with “boring” smack dab in the middle

I’d say that’s also why the Genie worked so great in Aladdin. It wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I understood most of his references and impressions. But they are all so rapid fire that even when I don’t understand in my mind he’s just a silly man doing silly voices.

Also!!! For that Shrek bit! Fiona's voice actress, Cameron Diaz was dating Justin Timberlake at the time!

So it was a double pop culture moment for the adults in the room, 1. Knowing Justin Timberlake, and 2. Knowing Fiona's VA was dating him at the time!

election so bad you made my chemical romance wake up

We got one very hilarious win

Mike Hawk, huh

Reblog if you have seen mike hawk

new reaction gifs just dropped

mcr5 most likely finally being on the horizon got me feeling unwise

Seriously, mutuals, I am SO sorry

MASS HYSTERIA IS COMMENCING!! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!

getting ready to buy tickets 🙊

God take my period pain and give it to Frank, for lying on that interview and giving us a heart attack when he said he "doesn't think anything will happen with mcr anytime soon" while they had all of this prepared possibly SINCE 2022

big win for gay people everywhere