Dimension X

If sports films have to "be based upon real people/events to qualify," why even mention them as a separate category? Wouldn't any film "based upon real people/events" qualify for the Challenge?

Travis McClain

The reason is to ensure that participants don't overlook them when considering biopics.

Dimension X

Okay, thanks. I thought they were being singled out as a separate category (meaning any sports film would count), not as an example of biopics or films based on actual events.

Travis McClain

Well, the other thing is that sports movies as a rule are only concerned with the careers of the subjects. When you think of a sports movie, you don't really think of getting much of a sense of the player's formative years, or life away from the field. They're really only concerned with the period of their lives spent as a player, and that narrowed focus is another reason we've separated sports-related content.

caligulathegod

Bloated? I thought this was one of the more inspired ideas for a challenge. It's a single genre. Westerns and War movies are just sub-genres of it.

It's actually less bloated than the Drive-in challenge and that went great. It's like if it had been a Blaxploitation challenge or a Martial Arts film challenge. While those would have been fun in themselves, it just made sense to just make it all trashy movies. Allowing all exploitation movies and B-movies didn't bloat the challenge but gave it variety all within a theme. These challenges really work best with themes rather than strict genres. It would be like if the Horror challenge was exclusively Vampire movies or Zombie movies. How much fun would that be?

BuddhaWake

Period pieces makes more sense to include than many westerns or something like inglorious basterds imho.

acubfaninmd

Espn has something called 30 for 30 which are sports documentaries, i am guessing any of those would be allowed since they are based on real events.

Trevor

I think any documentary counts, right? Even the pure fiction ones by Michael Moore.

Travis McClain

Blatantly biased? Yes. "Pure fiction?" Come on; you're better than that. And, yes, documentaries are in as long (except something like March of the Penguins, which isn't about people at all).

Trevor

It's called hyperbole.

I actually think Moore documentaries should count double, since they are so painful to watch.

NoirFan

So we only have 15 participants in this challenge?

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

The rest of the participants are, how would you say.....history?



I'm sorry

RobCA

I've participated in just about every challenge we've ever had, but I'll pass on this one. Of the six genres listed in the poll, there are four I can't stand, and two (biopics and period dramas) I'm mildly interested in, but not nearly enough to build an entire challenge around.

Too bad we can't shelve this challenge, and extend the "make your own challenge" one for another month instead. I'm not making anywhere near the progress with that one that I'd hoped to.

Rob

Trevor

Watching one film is enough to participate, technically. And I bet that you could find ten or twenty worth watching throughout the month, and browse the threads and be entertained or inspired by something.

Keep your streak alive!

RobCA

Technically, but I'd rather not participate at all than watch one movie, or only a few. It's just not worth it. YMMV

Rob

Greg MacGuffin

I am probably going to sit this one out. Sounds like it could be fun, but I have a bunch of stuff I want to catch up on before the Sci-Fi challenge in July. Looking forward to checking out everyone's list though.

Dimension X

At the rate I'm going, I may still be watching Hitchcock films into the early days of next month. Well, I did say May 1st through May 31st was a "guideline"...

omike

I'm starting to get excited about this challenge. I think caligulathegod did a good job of defining the categories but he didn't cover documentaries and I'm still not sure which ones are included.

So no nature documentaries right? That makes sense to me. And they have to be about people. That also makes sense. For instance, one about mathematics wouldn't count but one about a mathematician would. Any other restrictions or thoughts? If I do anything other than documentaries about WW2, it would probably be Rocket Science, a history of the US space program done for Discovery Canada.

Love dat bunny Mr. Peepers!

caligulathegod

Thanks. I forgot to include Docs. I guess I was thinking more that the docs were in the individual categories. Like War Docs, Biographic docs, Docs on world History, etc. Also, I must have misunderstood the Sports category. I would have allowed in any sports film, such as Slap Shot or Bull Durham for pretty much the same argument I gave for allowing in fictional Period Pieces. I even came up with a way to justify them. As it stands, the Sports films allowed would all fit in the other categories instead of being singled out. Why not add a purely fun category? I added Hollywood bombs to the Exploitation challenge because they were bad films and that fit in with the other films, even though they broke the rule concept about focusing on low budget B-movies. It's about the theme rather than the individual parts.

Travis McClain

Sounds good to me. Where does the group stand on things like BASEketball or Dodgeball?

Edit: I forgot to add that I forgot to remember to mention when this discussion thread got underway that one reason I thought it was appropriate to include sports movies is that, at least in the school system I attended, every social studies teacher was a coach first and a teacher second. Not sure why this is, but it seems to be nearly universal. Tangential? Yes. But somehow, it seems like a good fit.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I wouldn't watch since they're completely fake. The Kevin Costner ones have already been set for not being allowed, unless I read that wrong, so I don't see why these should be allowed.

Giles

so when we say 'historical' it doesn't have to be completely 100% accurate - right??

Travis McClain

It appears increasingly likely that my time will be consumed by something else over the next several weeks, and a first time challenge shouldn't have to put up with an absent host. caligulathegod has graciously accepted my request to take over hosting duties. I'll try to contribute questions and thoughts in the discussion thread and I hope that the personal issue goes well enough that I can still participate in the challenge. I'd like to thank everyone for being so helpful and encouraging of me during my first attempt at hosting a challenge, and I'm looking forward to returning next year and actually finishing it!

Trevor

Here's hoping that whatever the problem is becomes history quickly.

Travis McClain

I've never had to choose between being appreciative and groaning at the same statement...