pitchpipeman7.bsky.social
I have perfect pitch and Tourette's. Currently writing a Mormon horror film
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I cannot get enough of extremely incorrect auto captions (they're singing the lyrics Great Big Brotherhood, from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
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In case you don't know this song, the original lyric is "vary my days", not...this
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Or maybe cousins
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Both of these films rule btw
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Just a reminder: the TikTok ban bill originated under Trump's administration, and he should absolutely not be getting any credit for "saving" TikTok in the following week
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Then again, I shouldn't be so surprised since Las Vegas history is just insane
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But the thing is, it works both ways! It's both funny in the episode and it's funny how people use the gif as a reply. I just find it hilarious that the same clip has two different meanings, one completely divorced from its original context
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Most people use this gif as a way of sarcastically implying that someone DIDN'T try, and that they're throwing away the cake because the person they're replying to didn't put in even a little bit of effort. The complete opposite of the intention in the episode.
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In the original episode, the joke is that Bart tells Homer, who just got a job, that they knew he could do it. Then he throws away a cake reading "at least you tried", implying that they DID doubt him enough to buy a sympathy cake.
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Honestly, I've been waiting for years to be able to impress her with my magic tricks. I tried when she was two and she didn't react at all. And why would she? At that age, EVERYTHING is magic. Oh, you made the coin disappear? Well, my dad makes his face disappear and reappear EVERY DAY, UNCLE
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She then spent the next half hour trying to make everything she could find disappear. So precious, we showed amazement every time
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I sang "I'm Alive" from Next to Normal
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Haha yeah that was definitely a put-down for the character. Mr. Reed's intellectual rigor is on par with a total hack like Maher, someone who thinks he's much smarter than he is but is really just a smug, arrogant prick
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I'll end my thread here for now. I might add to it later once I remember more of my thoughts about the film. Overall, I was just really impressed with how many details the movie gets right about Mormon behavior and culture, and ties it all into a story about Belief vs. Doubt
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Even though Sister Barnes and her family live in Salt Lake City, she's very quick to clarify she's originally from Philadelphia and that she's a convert. There's something so specific about a Mormon, especially a convert, wanting to distinguish themselves from Utah Mormons. Great little detail.
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Another minor detail: I love that when they're telling Mr. Reed where they're from, Sister Paxton fully embraces being a Utah Mormon and joking about how her being one of eight kids is a Mormon cliche. But not Sister Barnes.
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Sister Paxton's behavior reflects that tendency, and hides the fact that she's actually very observant while hinting at her great sense of intuition. You can tell she's had a lot of practice appeasing other people, especially men.
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Mormons, both men and women, are often very passive aggressive. Contention and confrontation are big no-no's for most Mormons, so Mormons learn to be peacemakers and diffuse situations.
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After Mr. Reed's huge lecture, she quickly chooses the Disbelief door. Not because he truly convinced her, but because she intuitively sensed that was the answer he wanted.
She constantly thanks Mr. Reed for everything, not because she's grateful, but because she wants to diffuse the situation.
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I also love how the writers use our perception of Mormons and Sister missionaries against us. At first, Sister Paxton seems to be a lot more passive than Sister Barnes, and seems to be more naive in general. But really, everything she's doing is calculated.
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(I, like Sister Barnes, admitted that I found several songs in the show to be very funny)
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Their conversations feel very Mormon, down to the specific use of non-profanity slang and Chloe East's excellent Utah accent. Also, I've HAD the same conversation about The Book of Mormon musical, with my Mormon friends being offended by it
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I also love how both Sisters Barnes and Sister Paxton feel like distinct characters. Yes, they're both Mormon missionaries, but they're allowed to have their own personalities and differing views on life and religion. Maybe a low bar to clear, but I'm happy it did
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I wrote way more about that scene than I originally planned, but honestly I really admire how much that one scene sets up so many different elements of the film: themes, character relationships, audience empathy, cultural details, foreshadowing...well done.
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He does this to try and assert dominance and control, mocking her by showing that he's predicted every move she's made that night...until she stabs him in the neck after he says the phrase. So ultimately, the garments he mocks her for wearing end up being instrumental in saving her from his control
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Sixth, Mr. Reed uses Sister Paxton's "magic underwear" as an example of how the Church has controlled every decision she has ever made, down to the clothes she wears. He draws a direct parallel between himself and the church, relishing in his hypocrisy
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Mormons don't say "magic underwear", they say temple garments, so they're not likely to use the phrase by accident, making it an excellent code phrase that won't be said accidentally. And they only have seconds to come up with one, so it makes sense they would pick the first thing that comes to mind
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Fifth, the moment acts as a traumatic incident that they can reference later when they're in peril. Looking for a code phrase that she can give Sister Paxton as a cue to stab Mr. Reed, Sister Barnes lands on "magic underwear" because of the teenagers asking them if it was true they wear it.
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Fourth, the scene acts as foreshadowing. What the teenagers do to the missionaries, violating their autonomy and humiliating them for their own amusement, is not that different from what Mr. Reed attempts to do once he has them as prisoners
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Mormons self-identifying as "a peculiar people" is such a deep part of Mormon identity, and I love seeing that element of Mormonism represented on screen. Plus, it sets up the themes of belief/doubt in the face of adversity that will be explored in the rest of the film
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Third, it gives Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton a chance to connect after the embarrassing incident and reaffirm that they're aware that Mormons are perceived as "weird" but they're proud of their beliefs nevertheless
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Second, it establishes the outsider status that Mormons have in society as a whole. In the crudest way possible, the teenagers confirm that Mormons do indeed wear special underwear. So if you're not familiar with Mormons or Mormonism, you still get a sense that Mormons have their own special quirks
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It also highlights just how hard being a missionary is, combined with the following scenes of the Sisters carrying their bikes up a huge staircase and being rejected by people on the street.