My thoughts on Diary...

[SymphonicX]

Oh man I just finished watching this. I really didn't dig it, everything was so contrived and badly done. The Amish deaf guy thing was silly, although I did chuckle. Ugh. I felt the actors would've had a chance had they not been given such outlandish and ridiculous things to do, and deal with. Jason Creed is a dickhead and I really doubt anyone in this kind of situation would tolerate this dude filming other people being attacked without dropping the camera and helping out. There was barely a sense of them questioning what was going on, they accept it so quickly it's stupid. The only saving grace is that I am glad I missed it at the cinema. The extras are good on the blu ray dvd though....

[jim102016]

Oh man I just finished watching this. I really didn't dig it, everything was so contrived and badly done. The Amish deaf guy thing was silly, although I did chuckle. Ugh. I felt the actors would've had a chance had they not been given such outlandish and ridiculous things to do, and deal with. Jason Creed is a dickhead and I really doubt anyone in this kind of situation would tolerate this dude filming other people being attacked without dropping the camera and helping out. There was barely a sense of them questioning what was going on, they accept it so quickly it's stupid. The only saving grace is that I am glad I missed it at the cinema. The extras are good on the blu ray dvd though.... Join the club, many of us were not impressed. I found myself wishing for nudity or a hardcore sex scene about half way through the dvd. For some reason, I kept rewinding to try and check out the specifics of the panic room.

[Danny]

Join the club, many of us were not impressed. I found myself wishing for nudity or a hardcore sex scene about half way through the dvd. ...allrighty then, different strokes and all that, not my 5 star criteria in a zombie flick though, but ho-hum.

[DubiousComforts]

Join the club, many of us were not impressed. Sucks to be you guys. I wish that even more people didn't get Diary 'cause it's so much more fun to be in the smarter minority.

[SymphonicX]

Sucks to be you guys. I wish that even more people didn't get Diary 'cause it's so much more fun to be in the smarter minority. it's not that I didn't get it, it's that I didn't enjoy it. Everything so contrived, like I said. Take for instance the opening scene, the guy just happens to place his camera perfectly in shot for us to see him getting bitten...just silly. Some of the dialogue was cringeworthy....imo...there were a couple of "wow" moments but nothing insanely cool... what did you see in it if you don't mind me asking? T

[clanglee]

Sucks to be you guys. I wish that even more people didn't get Diary 'cause it's so much more fun to be in the smarter minority. Whatever It must be great to be that much smarter and cooler than everyone else. I "got" the stupid movie. . . As a matter of fact a retarded monkey on qualudes could "get" that movie. The "subtext" ain't so sub anymore there boyo.

[Redman6565]

Sucks to be you guys. I wish that even more people didn't get Diary 'cause it's so much more fun to be in the smarter minority. HAHA let me guess your line of work involves the statement, "would you like fries with that". Whatever It must be great to be that much smarter and cooler than everyone else. I "got" the stupid movie. . . As a matter of fact a retarded monkey on qualudes could "get" that movie. The "subtext" ain't so sub anymore there boyo. HAHA clang it's fun to read posts by folks like dubi. Reminds me of the good old days. Wouldn't it be great to be 5 again.

[Mike70]

i've said it before and i'll say it again. despite its problems i like diary. but people please it is a fu*king movie about the dead returning to life and trying to turn the living into human carpaccio. expecting "sense" or realism out of such a scenario seems to me to be borderline asinine. stuff like "oh, the hospital was empty i don't buy that." bullsh*t. you can buy into the premise that the dead return as protein challenged zombies but can't buy into an empty hospital. whatever.

[Redman6565]

i've said it before and i'll say it again. despite its problems i like diary. but people please it is a fu*king movie about the dead returning to life and trying to turn the living into human carpaccio. expecting "sense" or realism out of such a scenario seems to me to be borderline asinine. stuff like "oh, the hospital was empty i don't buy that." bullsh*t. you can buy into the premise that the dead return as protein challenged zombies but can't buy into an empty hospital. whatever. I don't buy into it. hahaha What bothers me is the hospital was empty even though the zombiesfeed on human flesh (that's why I don't buy into it lol). At the same time most of the zombies were where fewer people were. It didn't make sense in the theme of what zombies are after in GAR's movies. The hospital was only one instance there are several others (as listed by several people on this site). On my list of bad zombie movies Diary isn't at the top. I can watch Diary it just wasn't well thought out. By the way, if you ARE watching these movies looking for a 'sense' of realism I hope it's in fun because it really isn't real. lol Although sometimes it would be nice if it were real. Don't you have alist of people you'd like to shoot. I want to see a zombie movie where they feed on TV remotes.

[DubiousComforts]

It must be great to be that much smarter and cooler than everyone else. You have no idea. But hey, you can't blame me because I have never justified my viewpoint depending on how many people agree with it. I "got" the stupid movie. . . As a matter of fact a retarded monkey on qualudes could "get" that movie. The "subtext" ain't so sub anymore there boyo. I'd reckon that the subtext to most any Romero movie has never been hidden. Show me a film where the commentary is "hidden" and then we'll talk, but I bet that you can't do it. Look at the whining over an "anti-firearms" theme simply because a DIARY character didn't commit suicide properly. Did the blatant anti-firearms edge of the original Night of the Living Dead whiz way over the heads of that many people? If anything, Romero is consistent and it's not valid to criticize a movie simply because it doesn't jive with your current politics. If you don't like, for example, that DIARY depicts several National Guardsmen as looters, then go and watch something that your ego can agree with. I've never said that that DIARY is a brilliant, wonderful, fantastic film but it does provide much food for thought. If you think it's "stupid" and can't see the forest for the trees (to paraphrase scipio's point) then by all means stick with less thoughtful films.

[Redman6565]

You have no idea. But hey, you can't blame me because I have never justified my viewpoint depending on how many people agree with it. I'd reckon that the subtext to most any Romero movie has never been hidden. Show me a film where the commentary is "hidden" and then we'll talk, but I bet that you can't do it. Look at the whining over an "anti-firearms" theme simply because a DIARY character didn't commit suicide properly. Did the blatant anti-firearms edge of the original Night of the Living Dead whiz way over the heads of that many people? If anything, Romero is consistent and it's not valid to criticize a movie simply because it doesn't jive with your current politics. If you don't like, for example, that DIARY depicts several National Guardsmen as looters, then go and watch something that your ego can agree with. I've never said that that DIARY is a brilliant, wonderful, fantastic film but it does provide much food for thought. If you think it's "stupid" and can't see the forest for the trees (to paraphrase scipio's point) then by all means stick with less thoughtful films. So grab a chainsaw and cut down all the trees and give us the amazing message from Diary we all over looked. It's amazing that all you do is make personal attacks on people rather than making your point. Rather pathetic.

[DubiousComforts]

So grab a chainsaw and cut down all the trees and give us the amazing message from Diary we all over looked. Surely it would take a weed wacker to cut through the sheer din of brilliance being posted here such as "I don't buy the hospital being that empty."

[Redman6565]

Surely it would take a weed wacker to cut through the sheer din of brilliance being posted here such as "I don't buy the hospital being that empty." Wow that really makes your argument. One as smart as you can do better than that. Then again maybe not. I guess you can't defend your stance on Diary. Not shocked at all. Maybe I was giving you credit for acting like a 5 year old. I don't think you reached that level yet.

[clanglee]

You have no idea. But hey, you can't blame me because I have never justified my viewpoint depending on how many people agree with it. I'd reckon that the subtext to most any Romero movie has never been hidden. Show me a film where the commentary is "hidden" and then we'll talk, but I bet that you can't do it. Look at the whining over an "anti-firearms" theme simply because a DIARY character didn't commit suicide properly. Did the blatant anti-firearms edge of the original Night of the Living Dead whiz way over the heads of that many people? If anything, Romero is consistent and it's not valid to criticize a movie simply because it doesn't jive with your current politics. If you don't like, for example, that DIARY depicts several National Guardsmen as looters, then go and watch something that your ego can agree with. I've never said that that DIARY is a brilliant, wonderful, fantastic film but it does provide much food for thought. If you think it's "stupid" and can't see the forest for the trees (to paraphrase scipio's point) then by all means stick with less thoughtful films. My point. . Is that the subtext in GAR movies used to be unintentional and completely up to the interpertation of the viewer. Now. . George sets out to make points. . .OBVIOUSLY. The hospital thing has got nothing to do with my overall feelings for this movie. I've said it many times before that I don't hate the movie. And perhaps stupid was too strong a word, But the movie does treat its viewer as stupid. It automatically assumes that you can't get the message of the movie without having it shoved down your gullet multiple times. There is no subtlety to GAR's movies anylonger. By that token. . If the meaning of the movie is handed to you and explained to you and forcefully tattoed on the inside of your eyelids. . . .then it ceases to be a "thoughtful" movie.

[SymphonicX]

i've said it before and i'll say it again. despite its problems i like diary. but people please it is a fu*king movie about the dead returning to life and trying to turn the living into human carpaccio. expecting "sense" or realism out of such a scenario seems to me to be borderline asinine. stuff like "oh, the hospital was empty i don't buy that." bullsh*t. you can buy into the premise that the dead return as protein challenged zombies but can't buy into an empty hospital. whatever. Come on man, there's a line that needs to be drawn around the suspension of disbelief. We allow the notion of the dead returning to life because that's the premise of the movie. Also the premise of the movie is how this make-believe situation is handled by humanity. When the word "humanity" extends to people filming grisly deaths without helping and NO ONE really saying a word about it, the suspension of disbelief goes right out of the window. What's the point in creating such a harsh environment for a movie if you're just going to write ridiculous, nonsensical characters that people find it hard to relate to in terms of their actions or words? Where are "we" in this movie? Nowhere. And that's what Romero has always done, put "us" in that world, one way or another...except this one. You have no idea. But hey, you can't blame me because I have never justified my viewpoint depending on how many people agree with it. I'd reckon that the subtext to most any Romero movie has never been hidden. Show me a film where the commentary is "hidden" and then we'll talk, but I bet that you can't do it. Look at the whining over an "anti-firearms" theme simply because a DIARY character didn't commit suicide properly. Did the blatant anti-firearms edge of the original Night of the Living Dead whiz way over the heads of that many people? If anything, Romero is consistent and it's not valid to criticize a movie simply because it doesn't jive with your current politics. If you don't like, for example, that DIARY depicts several National Guardsmen as looters, then go and watch something that your ego can agree with. I've never said that that DIARY is a brilliant, wonderful, fantastic film but it does provide much food for thought. If you think it's "stupid" and can't see the forest for the trees (to paraphrase scipio's point) then by all means stick with less thoughtful films. The notion of Diary providing food for thought is a willfull one. It doesn't. If it does, the "food" is akin to McDonalds or KFC. It's so obvious, in your face, and tactless that it says a lot more about Romero than it does about anything else. The whole movie plays out like an old man's whine about the youth of today in so much that he's literally created characters that are easy to dislike and are thoughtless, emotionless morons. It's not that the "message", if you can call it that, is hard to get or hidden in "subtext" - it's not, it's so blatant and in your face it's patronising. And that aside, the movie is just generally badly made. shot badly, even for a pov movie, acted badly, terrible script and the afforementioned "subtext" which is so outlandish and preachy it's a hard push, even for Romero. Give me the subtle digs at Reagan in Day any time..... My point. . Is that the subtext in GAR movies used to be unintentional and completely up to the interpertation of the viewer. Now. . George sets out to make points. . .OBVIOUSLY. The hospital thing has got nothing to do with my overall feelings for this movie. I've said it many times before that I don't hate the movie. And perhaps stupid was too strong a word, But the movie does treat its viewer as stupid. It automatically assumes that you can't get the message of the movie without having it shoved down your gullet multiple times. There is no subtlety to GAR's movies anylonger. By that token. . If the meaning of the movie is handed to you and explained to you and forcefully tattoed on the inside of your eyelids. . . .then it ceases to be a "thoughtful" movie. 100% agree, except with the bit that said you liked the movie Ask yourself this: 24 hours after this problem starts, what would be the most populated place? The hospital!! So why was it empty? People fled? Sure they fled, that's fine, where's the army of Zeds that chased them out? Two doctors and one patient left, less than a day after the problem starts? Where's the carnage? Police stations, fire stations, hospitals and schools would be the places that the public run to for safety - not a single tone of panic came out in this movie, it was as if the problem started, and then everyone disappeared. There wasn't the smallest hint of the gravity of what they were going through - the empty hospital just highlights that.