Why is Fast & Furious so Popular in China | Video Essay

[@zodix44]

"Movies about nothing are not entirely worthless" This is going to stay with me for a long time.

[@internetera1523]

''As China hyper drives towards late-stage Capitalism'' the irony

[@xolang]

is not entirely worthless indeed

[@tmmnago2722]

It's about FAMILY

[@azhariarif]

It's worthless in the entire world except China.

[@antwango]

errrr come on you mustve heard the comparison between macdonalds to a top quality restaurant! fast food v properly prepared and cooked fresh food!..... its called yingyang and balance.... nobody can ever watch the best made movies all of the time, nobody can play the best AAA games all the time and not get tired.... same with nobody can be the best all of the time forever.... its the natural order of things.... when there is up there is down

[@codemonster8443]

I have a story to share. I live in a hustling city in India. The city is big, work hours are long and tiring. When the night arrives me and my buddies from work prefer a certain street for food and entertainment. This rather thin street is a road with shops surrounding it. The shops are food stalls, parlors, daily commodities. Oh and even a cinema is there, stuffed between other stalls. I only ever see this street at night when its full and at it's limit, stuffed with people everywhere. It's like a factory line but it's purpose is providing respite. After the Quarantines were ending, there was a scheduling error and we basically got a free day. No one got paid for this day. My buddies just wanted to sleep. I was not tired, did not want to stay at home specially after the quarantine was lifted, so I decided to go to the same ol' street alone, in the day light this time. It was a different scenery all together. The street was quiet. The many shops were closed and the stall owners were preparing for the night making seasoning and what not. The aroma in the street was different, more fresh and perky. The daylight was filling the street. Its weird to say this but for the first time I noticed, the shops painted in many colors. I had only been here at night, with it full with people so it was hard to notice anything. The restaurant me and my buddies frequent was open. It's a small establishment run by a man and his son. I ordered something they had. Served fresh. Even made a conversation with the owner. Cool guy. We used to go to his shop every other day. He said he has noticed me come and order, and then we chatted about cricket, work, world, what not. That was my first conversation with a stranger in 3 months. The experience was tranquil. Its almost weird to see something like that, these places hidden in plain sight. Work life balance being bad as it is, I carve for these moments of surreal beauty. Thanks for letting me share this with you.

[@ddmm9887]

Ok this made me tearer up and I dont know. Probably because i want to experience this as well

[@chinchin3274]

You're a talented writer and storyteller.

[@Arosukir6]

Thank you so much for sharing!

[@ianknightley938]

Your description is so poetic that I can almost picture what you experienced in my mind ❤

[@JoshuaC923]

Thank you for sharing and good luck for the future!

[@JurassicLion2049]

Bro I didnt expect a vid about Fast’s mindlessness to get this deep and heartfelt. Not even in Fast’s stereotyped way either.

[@duchuyedisonvu]

he literally threw us back to "family" in a sense but somehow he made it feel good

[@petrolmonkey8339]

@@duchuyedisonvu The heart of film is "entertainment" after all. That is why the recent hits, Critics go apeshit 7% -20% but Audience do consistent 90+% rating... I guess marketing did their job well after all.

[@aasdasdsad9776]

The point of movies is to enjoy and have fun. I myself forget this sometimes but people are humans. We need some kind of entertainment, we can't be thinking hard and specific all the time. We need to feel like toddlers sometimes.

[@MrGamelover23]

​@@duchuyedisonvuif family doesn't feel good, I'm sorry your family sucks so much.

[@donbionicle]

You know, in a rather sad way it's heartening to hear that for all the differences between the hemispheres dickhead billionaires and billionaire wannabe bosses are a constant. Some problems seem to be universal.

[@Tacom4ster]

Time for anarchy

[@OlTrev]

I mean, capitalism is gonna capitalism, no matter the trappings of the society around it.

[@wsxgfhccr]

The "exploitation" in Western countries is nowhere even near the same league as East Asian countries. It's a joke that you Westerners still have your labour unions, labour laws and stuff and y'all still complaining about capitalism

[@Tacom4ster]

@@OlTrev that's you should consider anarchy, no more back stabbing Tankies

[@codemonster8443]

@@Tacom4ster Oh tankies want tyranny of the state. Tankies love China. Go Anarchy!

[@mihirjain753]

Coming from your neighbor India, I can relate a lot. A rapidly growing economy means everyone is chasing after wealth, people are tired of working their ass off for wanna be billionaires so films like RRR, Fast & Faurious, Transformers, et. Bring odd comfort, we can talk about what we liked and chat away the evening without a worry in the world. I really appreciate that you covered this topic since there's a section in the west that says Hollywood is making dumb movies to appeal to Chinese audiences as you mentioned too.

[@cykablyatifulscheisse]

Is work culture also so toxic in India? I thought China is bad enough...

[@mihirjain753]

@@cykablyatifulscheisse yeah it is very much

[@ak-ub1ym]

​@@cykablyatifulscheisse depends on the client honestly , if ur client is someone from Asia Pacific region then it doesn't feel like much. But majority of IT services in Asia are catering to Western / European side who work in a different timezone to Asians so essentially u are working out of ur natural / biological clock like if u get 1)Afternoon shift generally EU which is often from 10/11 am - 8/9 pm 2)Night shift which is often US starting from 6/7 pm - 5/6 am For extended duration of 3 months and often rotated which kinda build up stress and mental strain compared to physical ones due to working time.

[@NoMustang273]

Capitalism sucks. Rising incomes and quality of life is great, but if in the end we're all just working our asses off with little time to do anything else...what was it all for? I really hope we can find a way out of falling into the trappings of late stage capitalism, but I fear we will be just as bad if not worse.

[@masonsn3941]

But I do think RRR is much better than the other box films，its such a vibrant，expressive，and pure piece of joy. Love from China.

[@YEdwardP]

So, I have 2 stories to share with regards to this topic. The first one is that I am the child of Chinese immigrants to Canada. All my childhood, I was made to feel like I was not working hard enough. My parents would always say things like: "This is nothing. Children in China put in twice the work you do. Work twice as long, twice as hard." Putting aside making me feel like I was worthless, it created this imagine in my head that somehow, Chinese children were like these Übermensch that would destroy me with their harder work ethic. It's kind of comforting to know that they are people just like us and yes, they may work far more than us, but they are Struggling and Suffering through it as much as we would be. The second relates to the idea of being mentally exhausted. I was mentoring a PhD student from India and he told me how when he was younger, he loved to watch highly intellectual movies and read challenging books to discover more. But just months after beginning his PhD, he told me how his taste in entertainment did a complete 180 to vapid, empty, "easy entertainment" because frankly, he had no mental energy left after spending all day at the lab and all evening reading scientific articles. In those precious hours he had to himself, he just wanted something that would be easy to consume. So yeah, China is definitely an extreme version, but the experience is so relatable.

[@ThienTruong-iy5ix]

I am just like that PhD student. Recently I got into medical school that movies like Fast and Furious just allowed me to completely turn my brain off.

[@lanceash]

The "lying flat" movement is just the beginning of a generation in China analogous to the "Hippies" here in the USA; a generation of people coming to maturity wondering "What is all of this material prosperity good for if we can't think for ourselves or live our lives the way we want?" Of course, the Chinese government will crush them like bugs in the dust for their recalcitrance, but maybe something good will come of it.

[@recoil53]

As a Chinese-American I relate to both. Every accomplishment was expected like the bare minimum. When the trailers for "Bullet Train" came out my reaction was "just the mindless high production value movie I'm in the mood for". WFT? I used to read unabridged classic literature, I used to build and explore. Now I'm happy for something longer and glossier than a YT video.

[@arbitrarymemphis8367]

that reminds me of something a phd student said at a organization skills workshop, that in our downtime we should pick the dumbest shows we could find and binge them to relax

[@velcor]

Glad to read I'm not alone in that "enjoying dumb movies more" experience. Gladly I can say I don't have it as rough as following 996 but thanks to growing up and also thanks to this video I have more sympathy for friends and people in general when they don't want to watch Human Centipede 2 for the 10th time so we can appreciate Modern Western Cinema. The brain needs to relax every once in a while, too.

[@stephenbradford8524]

One of my favorite things about Accented Cinema is that we get insightful comedy into cinema and society in usually less than 15 minutes. That kinda rules. I watch more 3-hour video essay than Hollywood movies, but sometimes I just want something quick.

[@CoralCopperHead]

I'm reminded of a mindset I found myself adopting back in high school: "There's nothing wrong with liking low-quality media; like what you like." You put it well in your Captain Alex essay, but this really hammers it home.

[@dazmanchan]

This vid made me cry lol. You perfectly described the plight of overworked office workers around the world. It resonated with me strongly since I am in Hong Kong where employers seem to be trying to one-up the world in overworking. All our energy used in work and none left to enjoy life. Thank you for expressing our struggle so articulately.

[@reflectsonlife]

You've basically described every commercial Bollywood film ever. At least RRR has a storyline & plot worth following. Most, like the recent Pathaan, are all about the actors eye-f**king the camera in slo mo shots, performing "hairography" in slo mo shots, and utilizing middle aged actors for the nostalgia of better days of cinema, and even the younger actors aren't that young so they too harken to a bygone era for millennial. Sounds to me like F# series is Hollywood's own Bollywood film franchise.

[@Moonstone-Redux]

Wait, you might be on to something. F# literally is Bollywood physics but brought to Hollywood.

[@munmunyee]

I think RRR really encouraged the editors on Fast X to embrace the absurdity of each sequence

[@reflectsonlife]

@@munmunyee good point. And I love that! And in turn, I'm sure the MCU encouraged RRR to go big and broad as well. My kid says RRR is like a Marvel "What If" scenario. And in a similar vein, Rajamouli has gone on record saying it was Tarentino's Inglorious Bastards that made him think "oh wait, you can do that?!" That inspired him to consider putting 2 disparate freedom fighters in the same movie, imagining them fighting the British together. (For me, RRR reminded me of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, or Mel Brooks History of the World Part 1, insofar as they pull historical figures out of space and time and have them function unchanged in a fictional scenario).

[@reflectsonlife]

@@Moonstone-Redux not only physics, but "it's all about family" is literally Bollywood's trademark. ;)

[@anastasyavie6236]

You just teach me that "hairography" is a things

[@terracannon876]

I used to be a lot harsher on "popular" media such as Fast and Furious or Transformers movies or even stuff like the Minions movie that seemed to be a lot of nothing but still raked in a lot of money. However, as I get older and talk to more people about movies, I find that movies - or I should say, priorities when it comes to enjoying a movie - comes in two flavors that may align but often nowadays do not. These popular media that are all flash or bang or basically just surface level enjoyment - we can dismiss them for having poor story or nonsensical characters, but they are the perfect turn-your-brain-off movie. They bring quick visual satisfaction, short-term enjoyment. A lot of movies we consider the greats require more introspection and critical thinking, and though they may provide long-term enjoyment, they need time and effort on the viewer's part ... and not everyone's for that. People, especially as we get older, have busy schedules. No free time and too much going around them to devote mental space what is basically an exercise in thinking. I've come to appreciate the value of these popcorn movies a lot more, though I still don't like watching them any more than I did in the past lol. As for the issue with China, this does line up with what I've heard friends talk about. A lot of youths want to leave China because it's just too competitive - too busy, no free time, there's always someone to replace you, and this starts even before entering the workforce. In school, if you don't go over and above (aka let yourself be exploited), you're easily going to get lost in the flow. When the situation is like that, I don't blame anyone for not thinking the arts are so important, as tragic as that is to me. Art won't bring food to the table (and arts as a job just leads to more exploitation).

[@anastasyavie6236]

not just that but you can talk about it with friend they wouldn't be offended when you point out the flaw and the things in the movie, we all know "it's not that deep"

[@terracannon876]

@@anastasyavie6236 It's all in good fun! Like ribbing each other in a video game or something.

[@terracannon876]

I heard in another video that an artistic media's lifecycle is in its prime when the most popular media coincides with what is considered the most critically acclaimed. For the movie industry, this would've been decades ago when Oscar winners were also the most popular. However, I do think this may also apply to culture.

[@melodybaoin1425]

Actually, youtuber schnee made an excellent essay about how viewers have a different range in how they view entertainment ( "Why do we like bad movies" ). Tldr; Schnee explains that there are movies meant for viewers who simply want to have fun while others will view movies as art that can be dissected. It will make you realize that everyone has a certain purpose for entertainment. Some wants to have fun, some wants to be lost in another world.

[@sususegar]

@@melodybaoin1425 I guess this explains me. No matter how much I want to relax I don't gravitate towards movies like FF. Entertainment is a choice of your purpose I guess - to be lost in another world, thinking about it and dissecting it somehow relaxes me in taking me away from daily worries.

[@corneliahale7871]

F&F is also hugely popular in Brazil too. I guess for the same reasons, we are also overworking. We don't have stated here a term like 996, but I've seen my friend who works on tech beeing called at 4 a.m to resolve something.

[@RadicalFloat_95]

I actually truly cannot express how genuinely criminaly underated this comment actually is and this world and community actually genuinely needs more people actually like you in this world and you actually couldn't have said that actually any better than me.

[@Dovoline3]

Now that I think about it, "cinematic comfort food" might actually be a great descriptor for this kind of movie

[@GunawanGamingGG]

Come to think of it, your explanation and the way you explain it really resonate with me. No wonder blockbuster and franchise-driven movies can be popular despite the critics' ratings.

[@Asobitech]

This hits the nail on the head, it is exactly why I enjoy watching the Fast and Furious movies. I get to turn my brain off and disconnect.

[@anastasyavie6236]

also talk about it with friend they wouldn't be offended when you point out the flaw and the things in the movie, we all know "it's not that deep"

[@PeterEhik]

Kinda makes me understand why my sister loves reality TV despite being a really smart doctor, whenever I try to get her to watch anything else that we didn’t watch as kids, she falls asleep or just tells me later that she couldn’t follow the story. Shes worked so many 12 - 24 hour shifts that she can’t enjoy anything but Twitter and reality TV

[@Msnbsea]

With how big China is for US box-office, I wish there were more creators like you who can give the Chinese perspective. Keep up the great work 👍

[@T42oqq]

They're a lot but they can't post on KZbin because they can't access it legally

[@KawaiiStars]

​@@T42oqqthey just usually post in Chinese though

[@KawaiiStars]

avenue X is another

[@sageoftruth]

This was eye-opening. It may have been about China, but I feel like it helped me appreciate and relate to so many more people. Basically, anyone who appreciates low-effort entertainment fluff. Thanks for helping me down from my high horse.

[@Steerpike96]

You completely took the words right out of my mouth and perfectly encapsulated why these big, over the top action movies resonate with everyone in the world right now in it's current state. I grew up in Jordan and left it 2 years ago. I feel it's very important - and insightful - to give a perspective of which country you are from (or feel like you belong to). In comparison to the hyper, overworking nature of China, Japan and India (and other neighboring countries as well), The Middle East, to an extent, feels laid back and relaxed with their work schedule despite the extreme rising prices and other problems they are facing there. When i was studying film there, i honestly thought the people with me would be more enthusiastic and involved but no a lot of them just seemed very careless and didn't have any passion for anything artistic there. It really kind of disappointed me in a lot of ways. Of course im not trying to say that Jordan is perfect and all that, there's a lot of things im skimming over here because it's gonna go on forever lol, but my point is to all of this, whether this country is being over or underworked, if there isn't any support to the workers and the artists, then of course it's gonna feel infuriating, frustrating and draining to just live out your daily life there being numb and apathetic to literally every single thing and just seeking out instant gratification. Sorry for the drawn out rambling, but great video as always and it was very insightful and helpful. Keep up the great work as always!

[@sisyphusvasilias3943]

996 is truly dystopian and a real threat to stability in PRC. We've seen the CPC crack down on overburdening students by limiting homework and banning after school tutoring. We've also seen the CPC limit the amount of time kids can spend on video games and ban the most addictive and damaging "doom scrolling" algos on Chinese Social Media. Recently we've seen a backlash against Billionaires in China. Hopefully we will see and end to 996 and greater Gov intervention to ensure a healthier work/life balance for Chinese.

[@pickettfury]

If they want people to breed more they'll certainly need to tackle the work culture. I don't understand how people find the time and money to do it haha

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@pickettfury actually it's poor people that normally breed a lot

[@pickettfury]

@@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl 100%. Its a really complex phenomenon.

[@Kburn1985]

They've already cracked down on 996 officially, but too many large corporates are still practicing it. A massive issue for sure, given all the anti-work movements like tang ping, or its more extreme brother, bai lan, has come out of China rather than the west.

[@Kburn1985]

@@pickettfury The culture is you need to produce an heir, if not, it's considered the greatest sin under the 3 great unfilial wickedness of Chinese culture. So they get married, work to produce a kid, then continue working. I actually know of people who don't like procreation, even when their wife is pretty and hot, even when they were massive horndogs in school. They're simply too tired. Worst of those has a drop dread gorgeous wife, but he works up to 120 hours a week, and literally sleeps in the office for months at a time. Then his dick stopped working, and shortly after, his mind. People are not made to work at that rate and not just die. It's a shame culture, so he got mad shame for having a mental illness, and dropping out from his prestigious global conglomerate job. His parents disowned him at one point. So it gets to the point where you either go nuclear, lie down and rot, or work your way into a grave. Poor people in China don't breed, because they can't find a wife. Middle class are worked to the bone, so they barely have time to sleep, much less breed. The only ones doing any breeding is the rich. Not just a Chinese problem. Half of europe has a birth rate exponentially worse than China. Look at Greece, Italy and Spain, all traditionally family and children focused countries, but their leaders made them mad poor, so no one can afford to rent, much less have children, so they're the lowest in the world, even worse than Japan.

[@ChiekoGamers]

Billionaires become ultra rich because of labor exploitation, not through hardwork and "grind".

[@lamhkak47]

Feeling Who Killed Captain Alex would be a great movie for them, balancing the artists' love in creating them, the bombastic moments for busy workers to enjoy, and the depth of the story from the experience of the director's (as well as peoples') life experiences there

[@kill4551]

This channel is so good. Sometimes I don't have many thoughts to add but I like to post comments because they increase the a video's presence in YT's algorithm. Here ya go.

[@TheBullethead1988]

Ironically, in a society with a fast paced and high pressure working environment, it is interesting to see how an adrenaline-packed movie can bring peace and solace to people.

[@ariannasilva4462]

It's kinda like how people with ADHD can benefit with exercise or loud music before bed.

[@Megasteakman]

All of your videos are incredibly insightful, but this one definitely blew me away. Amazing work as always!

[@teasea546]

There is also another important policy factor at play: 进口片配额, which means film import limit. The quantity of foreign films that can enter Chinese cinema has been restricted to 34 per year since the 90s as a brazen way of protecting the country's domestic film industry. Because of this, production companies aim to import those with the lowest risk and highest audience potential, which usually means lowest-common-denomenator blockbuster trash like Fast & Furious. In a way, the choice was made by greedy business executives from the start, so Chinese audiences get pretty much nothing but popcorn junk to numb their mind most of the time anyway. It's a vicious, self-reinforcing cycle. If you go to Douban, the Chinese IMDB, people obviously know what's good and what's bad but still watch anyway. I remember wanting to go to a movie theatre while visiting my grandparents in the summer of 2018, and feeling the dread of seeing no foreign film being played other than Dwayne Johnson's Skyscrapper. I knew it was garbage and it's a film I usually wouldn't bother to waste time on, but it was between that and Chinese popcorn fantasy film, which I had even less interest in. Needless to say, it was the one I saw because I missed going to cinema in China too much.

[@ak-ub1ym]

Compared to western work culture , Asian work culture is much more hectic cause majority of the service industry caters to western and European clients and *know that cause used to work in IT where I did Afternoon & night shifts where the shifts sometimes would go from 11am to 10pm or 7/8pm to 5am for 3 months on a rotational basis* So considering this for a fact that when life gets hectic , we would rather watch something dumb and fun to unwind at end of the day , there is no need for everyone to keep their brains running 24/7 so a simple action movie despite gapping plotholes work and succeed.

[@talkandedit8714]

I am well aware that some people like to rag on these kinds of movies and I was one of them also. I've never seen the Fast & Furious series but I do know that all film, deep or not has some of merit. One of my favorite exchanges that changed the way I looked at entertainment and art is from Greatest Showman "Tell me, Mr. Barnum, does it bother you that everything you're selling is fake?" "Do these smiles seem fake? It doesn't matter where they come from. The joy is real."

[@PlayerXIII]

Man, this really hit home. I def found myself judging a lot of the box office tastes, not realizing that it was related to just how overworked they were Like i knew that fact separately but you made the connection and it was indeed very heartfelt

[@hantojiang2307]

It's popular just like Marvel's movies, a famous sequel, simple evil guy, family and love, little violence, no sex nor politic action movie, good enough for whole famliy to watch after dinner.

[@senny-]

I don't think Marvel belongs here. Some of their movies are political action and a lot of the villains are compex. I'd say those are the main reasons the franchise got popular in the first place.

[@i_like_chomp6382]

Marvel I think blurs the lines a bit, it feeld more like a grandiosque escapism, especially when you're main character is Witty Billionare Playboy.

[@shinyary2]

I think Marvel at least used to be very good at walking this tightrope. Their movies often had some big ideas in them, but don't really do anything complex with them, which helps your mind to be engaged without straining it very much. Meanwhile, the bombastic action scenes and comedy settle in like a fuzzy blanket. It's easy to dismiss their unwillingness to dive deep into anything as wanting to avoid alienating any part of the mass market (and it is that), but I think there's value in having sort of "junk food" entertainment that doesn't force you to do a lot of work in order to enjoy it--so long as there are still people making delicious steaks, it's all good.

[@CK-lt6jl]

That's exactly why MCU movies do so well. It pleases the casual nerds like me, but also the general audience who knows a little about the world yet at the same time dealing with issues that are relatable (ego, alcholism, war,relationships, evil people in power) without going too deep that requires us to think. Regardless of what the hardcore comic nerds or movie critics say, MCU movies are mostly fun for the general public and relatable without treading into "deep" territory.

[@senny-]

I love art, from films to books to paintings to music. I grew up admiring them. What's happening in the world right now kind of pisses me off. Art is an important piece of this world. More important than money. Heck, it predates money. Humans are creative in nature. A culture which restricts that creativity is pure dystopian.

[@terracannon876]

As much as it's important to us as a culture and as human beings, it's also true that other worries - food, security, etc. - come first. It's only when those are cool people feel like they have the leeway to be free with art. To me, this means that the fact that our current culture (whether it's the West or East) doesn't appreciate art like it once did is a symptom of something far greater than simple greed.

[@potatoonastick4006]

​@@terracannon876 agreed, I'm curious tho, what is the far greater contributor other then greed? :)

[@terracannon876]

@@potatoonastick4006 Living essentials?

[@ronsongathus9634]

The vid itself says it "A documentary about vase painting from the dynasty - the more prosper and less worried the people are, they are prone to enjoy art and hone their quality with more well-drawn 'dragons'; while in times of poverty and war, the paintings of dragons are deformed and ugly."

[@Naqvioski]

Love your comment. Sadly art and commerce has an entangled history that is hard to separate.

[@mzgreenjeansapproves]

How is it that you made a video about fast X so tender and heartfelt?!? It's AMAZING👍!

[@zhwzh_]

I love how you always bring a sociological view to your videos. It enriches the analysis of cinema, which is in the last instance, a reflect of the current society producing it. Kudos my friend

[@Leuschner11]

Man, every second vid of you makes me cry. Stop doing such a good job at getting your point across.- Or keep doing your amazing work, i'll be searching for a towel in the meantime either way. Thank you.

[@DanaEatsDonuts]

Incredible video. Have been a fan of the channel for a little over a year and this is certainly one of my favorites of yours.

[@AyubuKK]

I was never into the Fast and Furious franchise and never saw any of the movies but if it helps people cope with everyday work life that’s great.

[@KennethLyVideography]

I've always believed there to be a beauty in unpretentious mindless spectacle. I've never gotten to the F&F-franchise but I love Aquaman and anime directors like Imaishi excell at making stuff that is just so creativly and visual batshit it wonderful.

[@kevinlin9578]

As a huge fan of your work, I would love to hear your impression of Asian Holiday films, similar to Western Christmas movies. I was rewatching A World Without Thieves and feel it deserves more recognition

[@AntonnyTan]

We too, enjoy your push media video. Great content as usual. Btw about 996, i believe due to globalization, it is happening not only in developed but also developing country, especially in their busy cities.

[@distortilla]

The same thing is happening in Indian subcontinent... people are more leaning towards over the top action "mass" movies which gives them respite from their day to day living... people just want to leave their brain at home and just enjoy the movie... and that is totally valid.

[@ATakTakTak]

Fascinating. Almost universal, the specifics may vary from country to country but I think it's safe to say most people would find this video relatable. Tough now I'm thinking of all the discourse about how movies "should" only be escapism and "fun", and anything else is just excentric and snob and stuff, that the box office doesn't lie and that this is what the people "want". They don't ask themselves WHY people want it.

[@MrQuocanh80]

Another insightful and nuance video from my favourite channel. Thank you for sharing.

[@originaozz]

Coming back home from the art & beauty obsessed culture of Paris (to am extent of exclusion), to bombastic sensations of Bangkok where every media is accessible, I literally live this dissonance. I wouldn't say one is above the other (especially with this year situation in France), but the difference is so vivid in media and priorities. From the everyday grind and the quality of living, Eastern and Western culture just have an extremely different standard and value system.

[@txmzcgsz]

目前看过的最喜欢的一期，respectable channel。

[@f1mbultyr]

"Just food and friends" is a motto to live by.

[@iamnoimpact]

really great video about the Quality of films that have no 'quality'. They're just fun movies to sit in front of, beside or underneath and let them happen. Whatever stands out in the peaks (or the valleys) are just enough. Not every creative work has to be something that we carry with us forever. These little temporary buffs, these waves of dopamine is enough. In fact, sometimes it's the point. And to your greater and more overarching point, sometimes it's the conversations we have about the nothing, the time we spend within or around the nothing, that's the more important element of it all in the end. Really loved how you were able to spotlight so much of that mindset! Also, as always, thank you for shedding some more light on modern Chinese culture. It's something I know very little about, and I genuinely learn something about it every time you decide to include some of that insight in your videos!

[@jas_094]

My favorite video of yours so far, I really like the analysis of the dragon paintings

[@almaximus03]

My last job was so demanding, I didn’t have the will to do anything on my free time. I just wanted to lay down and watch TV. My new job has a work/life balance and I find myself wanting to do things… I can relate to this video. I was doing the 996. Thank you for this video! Just subscribed.

[@terubokmasin3247]

Totally got that right, Mr Accented Cinema. Watch a movie to turn the brain off. I often do that with semi-mindless youtube vids & Netflix shows. To switch my brain on for a while, I watch your well-crafted video essays.

[@prettzx]

"They arnt worrying about work, no family drama past trauna ornpolitics, Just food and friends".... you ain't got friends, you got family

[@brandonmorel2658]

FAMILY

[@LON009]

This reminds me of my workaholic auntie, despite being so busy all the time, she is the person I know that goes more to the movies. And what does she watch? Action films, disaster movies, anything that could be considered simple escapism, even multiple times (she saw "Troy" 7 times and "Gladiator" 10 times). I haven't seen her in a while, but I think the pandemic made her realize many things about her life. Last I heard of her is that she's become closer to her mother, bonding over Netflix movies.

[@Trenzilla]

Thank you so much for covering this topic. I think it's one of the reasons I feel we need movies like this to exist. I know movies like Fast X are dumb and don't really have anything meaningful to say, but it's a great distraction from the terrible reality we live in. Having companies and CEOs working their employees to complete burnout without the pay to back it up because they want to become billionaires is frustrating. On top of companies laying off workers despite having great financial years, Work nowadays is an overworking hell hole with the chance of being let go or not paid enough even more certain. Hearing about the insanity of the 996 in China is terrible and I wish everyone over there could have more time to themselves and not be worked to the bone. Movies like Fast & Furious or in my case Godzilla vs Kong bring that fun comfort of escapism and mindless fun. You don't need to think or keep up with the plot as much. You go in, enjoy some fun and talk about the silly ridiculousness of it all afterward without the worries of the world.

[@julphines]

Not everything has to be an artistic masterpiece that says something deep. Sometimes, you just want to watch hot people run around and blow stuff up without thinking. Especially with that absolutely inhumane 996 schedule, I wouldn't have the emotional or physical energy for much else either.

[@trebotski]

Living in Taiwan, I can feel the 躺平 culture, too. And in the cultures of 躺平 and quiet quitting, it’s hard to be consistently creative. We’re underpaid and exhausted. Who will care about our art? So thank you for doing what you do, despite how tired you must feel. And in this noisy world, I really appreciate the small bit of silence you leave at the end of each video. There is so much food to be had, but rarely do we get a moment to digest.

[@mr.fishmanman]

Because its All About Family

[@George2647g]

Woah… i was watching this at first impressed even though it had an obvious point to make i was enjoying the journey (i’d already given this a thumbs up) - then BAM - it went to a whole other better level! Please do more of this! 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️

[@raytsh]

While I like deep, complicated, sometimes hard to watch movies, I also have a place in my heart for mindless-fun movies.

[@PeculiarNotions]

Thank you for sharing these interesting anecdotes and analysis.

[@duchuyedisonvu]

this was nice to watch accented cinema, thanks man.

[@MutleeIsTheAntiGod]

I love that you said your friends came from all facets of life and then listed nothing that Academia professions.

[@markbuckler4793]

This is one of the best video essays I've seen in a long time

[@509734]

“Billionaires, jackass and dick” the last one hits hard

[@davidbilla8063]

In India South Indian States have same taste in movies 😅😂 we call it masala movies. Hero male fight 100 men,have love songs,eye candy song,some social message in between

[@Kazanyel]

I used to call them braindead movies in my teenage years, that's until I entered the workforce they are my brain recovery movies now

[@vampalan]

I watched an interview with the hong kong director many years ago, Wong Jing, he was talking about the movies he made, then it struck me the words and then I understood, the movies he makes, and why I liked his style so much, they are there for entertainment, there shouldn't be a boring moment, they need to keep the ball rolling, simple to watch and understand. FF does all of that.

[@fauxbravo]

Really insightful. Thanks!

[@gindara21]

brilliant and insightful as always. Thank you!

[@irvanray1898]

This is maybe one of the reasons game are easier and simpler than back in the days, the general market just doesn't have time nor the energy for a "deep" games.

[@captainstage2009]

I learned more about China in this video than I did in my World Cultures & Geography Class

[@someguyik]

The series knows what it is and doesn't try to fool itself or the audience into being something it's not. Gotta respect that.

[@mohitanand1844]

This is really your best video. A masterpiece

[@burnt_ramen9757]

There really is an underappreciated art to nothing media, me and my friends love to bond over watching nothing movies and I honestly think (as someone who is also into artsier stuff) it can even give you deeper appreciation for films with more substance.

[@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm]

9am to 9PM, 6 days a week: Can you even produce that much work need of doing?

[@brandonmorel2658]

I love how you relate a mindless movie with a disarticulated Chinese working class and it's struggle. Great little video.

[@thehumus8688]

idk if many people know this, but a lot of people often time turn tv on - they see but are not watching - they hear but not listen so, there bombardment of stimuli on senses but the brain is just chill and zoning out its like the experience that you get sometimes when you drive a car or bike, and at one point you just zoning out and not concentrate on driving - but you get it done.....somehow like autopilot

[@greatrulo]

Here in México they're also very famous and well received, hell most of our home TV shows and movies feel exactly the same, romantic shows, revenge plots or comedies that have been rehashed for over 50 years. I'd never thought it might relate to how our society is so overworked and tired that it's much easier and comfortable to consume what I call fast food media, instead of whole wheat stuff that is hard to digest and think about.

[@ariowirawan16]

This kind of guilty pleasure entertainment is sure grow soo much in our era when people too busy to rest When i see it entertainment who focused more toward "Simple, Flashy, Quick" really grow fast in china, korea, and japan like "power fantasy" story and gacha game After watching this video i can see they have same issue

[@aname4931]

996 sounds like absolute hell

[@nedjimb0]

Shit, when you flashed the Alibaba logo, it reminded me about an instance 2 years ago when I ordered some expensive computer equipment off Alibaba from China. I was upset because the shipment was delayed over a month. I messaged the sales rep in the middle of the day, Central Standard Time, asking for an update. I expected a response at some point overnight because I knew they were based out of Shenzhen. To my surprise, he/she responded almost immediately, at around 1am local time. I recall thanking them for their prompt response and apologizing for bothering them so late.

[@momo7gato]

Thanks for the thought-provoking presentation!

[@ncbgaming1159]

I wanted to do an article about this years ago. Great job!

[@gnarwhal7562]

I have a friend who does graphic design for a living, and his workload changes depending on the amount of orders they get in a day. Whenever I go over to his place to watch movies, his taste wildly differs based on how light or heavy his workload was. If it was light, he usually wants to watch movies such as Inception, Shutter Island, or 2001 A Space Odyssey. And if it was heavy, it's always Friday the 13th, the Room, Face/off, Dumb and Dumber, etc. It never really occurred to me until watching this video how valuable "vapid entertainment" can be sometimes. (We also just love laughing at really bad movies as well lol)

[@tariqdanzig3621]

This wierdly inspired me to make an essay about something pertaining to this essays ending piece. Thank you for that. Bonus, if youre reading this, Accented, have you played any metal gear games or heard of them and their creator, Hideo Kojima? Id love to know what you think of his work if youre familiar. Thanks for your work, its inspiring!

[@rga1605]

This is sad, because if someone wants to have a more thoughtful movie might feel alienated and punished by the societal grindset itself; no wonder how a "snob" stereotype might arise. When I was a child, I never understood why my dad just wanted to only watch popcorn movies when I wanted other stuff, but after growing up I understand why. In a society ruled by creative destruction, some people have to stay with the "destruction" part...

[@miloradowicz]

Thank you for the insight into your social circle.

[@Naqvioski]

The issue at hand is that somewhere along the way the critics decided that anything that was massy or hammy couldn't be a box office success. This is one reason people couldn't understand the impact of South Indian films till RRR blew everyones socks off. At the end of a the day a film can be profound or it can be dumb downed entertainment. Both can work depending on the domain and interest of the filmmaker. It only when there is no cohesive thought or a desire to make something seem more bigger than it actually is that the problems start.

[@jswong8200]

This video has more meaning and nuance than every single Fast & Furious movie. Also, did anyone else realize that Vin Diesel is becoming the next Steven Seagal.. every now and then there HAS to be someone in the film saying some unbelievably good things about him as if he's a demigod

[@TheSinlessAssassin]

6:00 I would contest that that exchange was to build their backstory and humanize them...before they do superhuman things later in the movie lol. But yeah for a long time I strongly preferred heady and cerebral art to consume because enrolling in some writing classes made me appreciate the finer tuned things out there. I even got to the point where I detested brainless entertainment and still do to some degree, but now I'm a little more balanced. There's a time and place for different types of art. The artistic films are for viewing alone or with just a few close friends who can actually appreciate it while popcorn flicks are for loud movies and casual outings. Hell, this is why I love wrestling so much. It's a lot deeper than people think it is, yet at its core it's still bodybuilders playfighting dangerously for our entertainment with decent enough storylines attached to the fights. It's always clear what every character wants because they say what they want without the need for subtext to imply it. They want revenge, they want the championship, and they will declare to arenas across the globe on a weekly basis and on TV until the big lead up to the pay per view event at the end of the month where all the stories get resolved or heightened. Fast and Furious is kinda the same thing I guess. Turn off your brain and just enjoy. Nothing wrong with that as long as it's not in excess.

[@seangreen6456]

Your video helped me understand why I tend to avoid really tense or brutal media, I just don't have the fuel in the tank.

[@renatocorvaro6924]

Now that I know of 996, I hate it, but it is oddly comforting to know capitalism is ruining places outside of America.

[@chungbertflabbergast5995]

Capitalism has ruined the whole world ☹

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

Yeah why don't you compare communist China to modern day China. And tell me about evils of capitalism

[@khango6138]

Yes. Brushing aside all the international geopolitics and propaganda by all sides, all young people nowadays have much in common.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@khango6138 as someone from Egypt.... No we only share some common class concerns and perhaps common world wide entertainment culture like marvel

[@TheIntratec9]

@Accented Cinema So in 6:05 is a reference to the opening scene of Fast and Furious 4, where Dom and Han were hijacking an oil tanker in the Dominican Republic. They froze the trailer hitches and smashed them apart with a hammer so that they would detach from the tanker and roll away safely.

[@cane6074]

8:51 When good old Jack upset Poppa Xi, Poppa Xi gave good old Jack a rather "enlightening" talking to, and sense then good old jack has REALLY mellowed out! 😆

[@diablejambe3460]

Saw 2 fast while on this summer camp thing in wales (was 12). Saw tokyo drift with my sis when we lived in germany (was 15), which is my second fav out of the series, though it has a special nostalgia aspect cuz i watched it with my sis. Saw fast 4 with my high school gf, her sis and her sis' bf (who was also one of my best high school friends) when in high school in china. Didnt watch fast 5 or 6 in a cinema, but fast 5 is my fav one out of the whole series. Saw furious 7 with a bunch of ppl while in uni. Saw the fate of the furious/fast 8 with my sis and cousin in taiwan. Didnt see fast 9 in the cinema. To say that this franchise has been a part of my life wouldnt be an understatement. Loved it ever since i first saw 2 fast (watched the first one later on). I absolutely love and adore these films. Sure they all have their shortcomings and yes, the last one mightve gone just outside the lines of "we accept a lot, but this really might just be a bit TOO much". But even then, i didnt dislike it as much as most. I quite enjoyed hobbs and shaw as well. Yes, the films have gotten more and more ridiculous with each entry lol, im not oblivious to that fact. But overall, they have brought me joy and given me a good and fun ass time when i watch them. Plus, its not like i ever expect to watch some godfather like level filmmaking when i watch one of the fast and furious entries. So, thank u to the franchise for the fun and joy uve given me. Hope fast X dsnt stink and is still at least enjoyable.

[@raarchaeon]

Movies as a massage is such a nice way to describe it. It's the same feeling watching Sharknado, you know its trash but its comforting. Yes, I did compare Fast X to Sharknado.

[@paulhugo1623]

It’s the pursuit of possessions…. Reduce the ‘want’ The grind is inevitable…. But how much to grind is not

[@BraxtonSwine]

I've always wondered about this, cool video 👏👏

[@team56th]

One thing I do want to add, though, is the skill it takes to make the best “nothing” that does sell. If we are to follow that Fast sells in China because it’s full flavor and doesn’t require attention from overworked audiences, same should apply to so many blockbusters that have flopped over the years. But, say, where recent Marvel movies underperformed, Fast still sells well. There are things that some dumb films do better than others. Outrageous live action stunts instead of CGI DBZ galore, no convoluted conflicts that go nowhere and always straight to the point, in my opinion these are the things that Fast does and MCU just can’t. Atop of the social phenomena that makes “fine arts” lose more ground, I think it’s worth thinking about what differentiates good dumb from bad, because there is an art that deserves recognition here as well.

[@leekp8110]

I’ve not seen it but my first guess is cause it promotes family. A big part of Chinese culture.

[@KitePerson]

I want the Fast Family to have a Dim Sum meal instead of a cookout in the next one.

[@romanumeralz]

😂

[@maskoolio5824]

Is there any culture in the world that doesn't value family?

[@slax4884]

Basically yeah. The story is quite weak since fast 5 though

[@chimsuaumo]

I hate the concept of 9-9-6. My last job seemed to be bringing me closer and closer to that. Now I refuse to live by anything other than the three 8's.