I haven’t seen Shelby Oaks. I haven’t had time yet, and it’s a new release. However, Stuckmann sharing personal updates about directing and writing the movie for years was really insightful as a subscriber of his. He’s a scrappy nobody finally living out his dream, and I’m happy for him. So while the mixed reception has been a little dispiriting, I wish nothing but success and growth for Stuckmann.
However, I did watch Jahn’s review. I’ve harped on Jahns over some of his past videos, but he did a decent job explaining the pros and cons. He didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts, and he was fair to the movie’s strengths. It’d be easy to overpraise or trash Stuckmann as a first-time director, so the even-handedness was appreciated. Especially since his biggest complaint was that Stuckmann needed a professional screenwriter, as opposed to writing solo.
I’d end here, but I had the misfortune of reading some of the video’s comments. I shouldn’t have done that, since Jahns’s fans are notoriously toxic, yet while most were normal, there was a recurring theme of people overpraising Jahns for his honestly, while simultaneously chastising Stuckmann for no longer criticizing films. The sentiment was that Stuckmann’s refusal to be critical robs him of sincerity. And while Stuckmann’s decision was personal, and I respect it, overpraising Jahns does him a disservice. Because Jahns isn’t impartial either.
However, I did watch Jahn’s review. I’ve harped on Jahns over some of his past videos, but he did a decent job explaining the pros and cons. He didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts, and he was fair to the movie’s strengths. It’d be easy to overpraise or trash Stuckmann as a first-time director, so the even-handedness was appreciated. Especially since his biggest complaint was that Stuckmann needed a professional screenwriter, as opposed to writing solo.
I’d end here, but I had the misfortune of reading some of the video’s comments. I shouldn’t have done that, since Jahns’s fans are notoriously toxic, yet while most were normal, there was a recurring theme of people overpraising Jahns for his honestly, while simultaneously chastising Stuckmann for no longer criticizing films. The sentiment was that Stuckmann’s refusal to be critical robs him of sincerity. And while Stuckmann’s decision was personal, and I respect it, overpraising Jahns does him a disservice. Because Jahns isn’t impartial either.
Yes, you read that correctly. No, I don’t feel any shame. Jeremy Jahns, for all his strengths, isn’t without his pitfalls. For one, he routinely zeroes in on weird elements in his reviews. (He loves calling female performers “hot”, for instance.) And two, he can be really “bro-y”, making videos that are male-gaze heavy. Even his ratings are bro-y, with frequent mentions of alcohol and getting drunk.
So that I’m not accused of being unfair, these aren’t necessarily flaws. He can be annoying sometimes, especially when he trashed The Acolyte while drunk, but it’s an observation. Nevertheless, calling Jahns “impartial” and Stuckmann “dishonest” is a Pandora’s Box that I’m not sure people really appreciate. Especially since full-impartiality doesn’t exist. It can’t.
It also does a disservice to why Stuckmann no longer trashes entertainment. Aside from feeling like lazy analysis, he doesn’t like doing it anymore. People work hard on even awful movies too, and trashing something because it’s not good feels like reaching for sour grapes. As someone who’s witnessed a rise in negative content, I feel that. Because while it might net eyeballs, it can be detrimental when not done tastefully.
So that I’m not accused of being unfair, these aren’t necessarily flaws. He can be annoying sometimes, especially when he trashed The Acolyte while drunk, but it’s an observation. Nevertheless, calling Jahns “impartial” and Stuckmann “dishonest” is a Pandora’s Box that I’m not sure people really appreciate. Especially since full-impartiality doesn’t exist. It can’t.
It also does a disservice to why Stuckmann no longer trashes entertainment. Aside from feeling like lazy analysis, he doesn’t like doing it anymore. People work hard on even awful movies too, and trashing something because it’s not good feels like reaching for sour grapes. As someone who’s witnessed a rise in negative content, I feel that. Because while it might net eyeballs, it can be detrimental when not done tastefully.
I’ve seen it in my own work. I’m in the middle of editing a book manuscript that I wrote, and hearing my own limitations, even via helpful feedback, is disheartening. It’s hard writing books, especially when you’ve never done it, and knowing that you have work to do is scary and humbling. But mostly scary. Especially since I’m attached to my work, with it feeling like my children.
Even with my general blogging, it might be “journalistic” in style, but I frequently see my shortcomings. Not only do I improvise my thoughts, saving coherency for the editing process, but I often look at my sentences in hindsight and wonder if I expressed something clearly. At times I even spot typos months later, and I have to restrain my urge to “fix” them and ruin the flow. Basically, I acknowledge my limitations, and trashing someone unfairly makes me feel like garbage.
It’s easy to chastise Chris Stuckmann for not criticizing movies, but it’s so much harder to put yourself in his shoes. He respects the gruelling task of crafting something from scratch, and it makes him feel bad to not reciprocate. The world already has enough negativity without him adding to it, and I empathize. I’m not working in the same medium, but I get it.
Even with my general blogging, it might be “journalistic” in style, but I frequently see my shortcomings. Not only do I improvise my thoughts, saving coherency for the editing process, but I often look at my sentences in hindsight and wonder if I expressed something clearly. At times I even spot typos months later, and I have to restrain my urge to “fix” them and ruin the flow. Basically, I acknowledge my limitations, and trashing someone unfairly makes me feel like garbage.
It’s easy to chastise Chris Stuckmann for not criticizing movies, but it’s so much harder to put yourself in his shoes. He respects the gruelling task of crafting something from scratch, and it makes him feel bad to not reciprocate. The world already has enough negativity without him adding to it, and I empathize. I’m not working in the same medium, but I get it.
Perhaps this is all best summed up via controversial YouTube critic Bob Chipman. I’ve defended and criticized Chipman in the past, but his video on Stuckmann’s refusal to criticize Madame Web drives home how people love tearing apart art without understanding it. It’s like how Aton Ego in Ratatouille highlights critics overlooking “useless junk” when discussing art. Especially since the “defence of the new” can be risky, which is where Stuckmann is right now with horror directing. If Ego, and by extension Chipman, understands this, then so can everyone else.
So yes, overpraising Jeremy Jahns and over-criticizing Chris Stuckmann in relation to Shelby Oaks is uncalled for. Does this mean I don’t respect Jahns’s honesty? No, since helpful feedback’s necessary for Stuckmann’s sophomore effort. But if Stuckmann won’t trash movies anymore because he’d feel hypocritical, then that’s his prerogative. It might be “disappointing”, but it doesn’t diminish his critical thinking. It simply means he’s matured enough to not want to pile on filmmakers, and I respect that. I think you should too.
So yes, overpraising Jeremy Jahns and over-criticizing Chris Stuckmann in relation to Shelby Oaks is uncalled for. Does this mean I don’t respect Jahns’s honesty? No, since helpful feedback’s necessary for Stuckmann’s sophomore effort. But if Stuckmann won’t trash movies anymore because he’d feel hypocritical, then that’s his prerogative. It might be “disappointing”, but it doesn’t diminish his critical thinking. It simply means he’s matured enough to not want to pile on filmmakers, and I respect that. I think you should too.
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