[DoctorEldritch]

Hello Legion Gamers!

The Humorous Month of April is gaining steam, and as last year, let's remember the best comedy films, both ever and recent!

For me, it is a bit challenging, because comedy is different in my native language and in English. But if I had to choose, I'd say my favorite English comedy film is Young Frankenstein. A classic!

But, of course, a favorite comedy is a favorite for a reason, and not that likely to change over time, though it is possible, of course. So to better reflect on the past year, I thought it would be good to remember the funniest film or series that I watched since the last April.

And there were some good choices there, as this time had some nice sitcoms and comedies: the third season of Mythic Quest came out, which is a nice sitcom about the game dev business.

But it does not have to be a series or a movie that came out since last April, only the ones that you've seen since then. So, for me, the winner in this category would actually be a very old (1980) British sitcom "Yes, Minister" that I was advised to watch during one of our Game Nights. I did and found it very funny, perhaps even more so now. Sadly, I could not find a trailer for it, but here is a sample of a joke:

@Saka, this reminded me of a discussion about methodologies we had recently 😅

What about you, any favorite comedies or the ones you saw recently that are worth sharing?

[DoctorEldritch]

Oh my, there seems to be a shortage of comedy in the world. Then I'd add one more.

What is your take on deconstruction? Rather a trend recently, trying to look at cliches at unusual angles. A good example would be the series called The Boys which warps the superhero cliches into grotesque versions and offer a different outlook on the known genre.

But curious though The Boys may be, it is not really a comedy or, if so, then a dark version of it. For a lighter and different take on the superpower genre, today I thought to mention recent series called Extraordinary:

This is a British comedy about a powerless girl in a world where everyone has different (and often amusing and ridiculous) superpowers. But at the same time, an allegory of the live of a modern millennial.

I enjoyed it quite a bit, even if the humor can sometimes be crude (but Britishly so). And maybe those who like unusual takes on the superhero genre may enjoy it too!

[DoctorEldritch]

This is more of a comedy-drama, but a recent conversation with @Saka about lip-synching in Star Wars Visions 2 thread made me think about it. The series called Only Murders in the Building:

It is a comedy/drama about a trip of... neighbors who are making a podcast together about a murder that happened in a NY building where they all live.

But in connection to lip-sync, the show has a character played by deaf actor James Caverly. He is outspoken about the lack of representation or misrepresentation of deafness in media, and working on this show helped him to try and move away from that and portray a more authentic deaf character. Personally, I found the show enjoyable for many reasons, such as humor and overall acting, and the vibe, but that portrayal, too, is one of them.

[Saka]

@DoctorEldritch Yeah, misreprentation is a common problem. For example there's this film Sound of Metal, which was extremely popular. Unfortunately it doesn't show well the process of going deaf or the procedure of getting a CI. In reality it's quite different from what the film tells.

So, while it's nice that there is some representation and people know about such things existing, the audience gets a quite incorrect picture, which is... Frustrating.

[DoctorEldritch]

@Saka James Caverly also did some directing, though this was his first major acting role. But he worked closely with directors and not just acted for his character, so I would hope his portrayal is closer to the truth than others.

[miliitisa]

In the case of Sound of Metal, the film's popularity might have helped shed some light on the existence of cochlear implants (CIs) and the challenges faced by people with hearing impairments. However, if the portrayal doesn't accurately reflect the actual experiences of going deaf or the procedure of getting a CI, it can perpetuate misconceptions and misunderstandings among the general audience.

It's crucial for filmmakers and creators to approach such subjects with sensitivity and research, consulting experts and individuals from the affected communities to ensure an authentic representation. By doing so, they can help break stereotypes, dispel myths, and contribute to a more informed and empathetic society.

[DoctorEldritch]

Originally Posted by miliitisa

However, if the portrayal doesn't accurately reflect the actual experiences of going deaf or the procedure of getting a CI, it can perpetuate misconceptions and misunderstandings among the general audience.

That is often the case with films, unfortunately. And this is the point James Caverly was stressing too, so it is good that Only Murders in the Building producers let him to be more involved in directing the episode centred around his deaf character rather than be just an actor.

The sad thing is that, without previous knowledge of this issue or personal contact with it, it is difficult for the mass viewer to spot those inaccuracies. How exactly did Sound of Metal misrepresent the challenges faced by people with hearing impairments?