Is Charlie playing "hard to get" with memo?

Discussion in 'Transformers Movie Discussion' started by Ricky Ham, Oct 16, 2019.

  1. Haywired

    Haywired Hakunamatatacon

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    That's a logical fallacy. Fictional characters and plots still can end misogynist if they carry misogynist messages.
     
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  2. Nathanoraptor

    Nathanoraptor Well-Known Member

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    And Charlie getting together with a male love interest is not a misogynistic message at all, being as it is, something that happens. Strong female characters can have love interests and enter romantic relationships.
     
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  3. CyberstormSM

    CyberstormSM Turbo-Revvin' Young Punk

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    There really isn't romantic subtext though. It's clear that Memo likes her, sure, but Charlie barely shows interest in him as a friend, let alone as a romantic partner. She isn't obliged to get into a relationship with him by the end of the movie because that is not the focus of her story.
     
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  4. Haywired

    Haywired Hakunamatatacon

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    But the demand that a female character should be getting together with a mandatory love interest is.

    Charlie is so absorbed with things happening in her life that she barely registers the boy as a friend. There's no hint of mutual romantic feeling in this movie.
     
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  5. Nathanoraptor

    Nathanoraptor Well-Known Member

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    Not really. If it was with a character she had no romantic subtext with or had any chemistry with at all, it is misogynistic. That's not what we see with Charlie and Memo. The subtext in the film could be interpreted as romantic if one so chooses to.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2019
  6. CyberstormSM

    CyberstormSM Turbo-Revvin' Young Punk

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    As I elaborated on in a prior post, it is precisely what we see with Charlie and Memo.
     
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  7. Venixion

    Venixion Its always the middle of the night in Moonside

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    I think your seeing shit that was never there. She was warming up to him slowly as an accquaintance. I never saw her do any flirting at all. You may not know this but, girls and guys can just be friends without falling madly in love with each other. That's neither misogynistic or misandrist.

    Maybe try laying off the Harlequin romance books for a while huh?
     
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  8. Sablebot

    Sablebot #thinkitaintillegalyet

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    No. Expecting and obligating/wanting/dictating that Charlie, (or any female character) should hook up with Memo (or any male character) just because of some "romantic subtext" that you keep saying exists (which you haven't even defined, and which Christina Hodson clearly negated, per Charlie's scripted dialogue and per Travis Knight's direction), is misogynistic. I'll even again echo Haywire's statement that she barely even registers Memo as a friend.

    With that point in mind, again , to paraphrase my Man KRS-ONE, "Why Is That?" Clearly, as the film shows us (and not just tells us, especially since, y'know, film is a visual medium, and all) she has, again, just gone through a lot, and is still trying to process it all. . .And she deserves the right to do so, by herself, and without the added stress of a romantic relationship, and even without the stress of any new friendships. It can't be any simpler or made any more plain than that. . .And I've watched Bumblebee enough times to verify it. . .

    As well as recalling some previous experiences with Young Women in my younger days, that taught me that a platonic friendship does not automatically ensure that it will evolve into something more. . .And if it doesn't, then the wishes of the Young Woman should be honored and respected. . .Even if the guy is nice (being nice does not obligate a Young Woman to anything, or anyone for that matter, either).
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2019
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  9. Makai Lung

    Makai Lung Banned

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    How the heck is it possible to be friends with a girl when mere awkward eye contacts creates a fallout?!?!?!?
     
  10. Gzstg

    Gzstg Autobot Historian, Armada Dub Defender

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    if I remember correctly she did not show any real romantic feelings towards Memo or the jock guy for that matter. her character seemed more interested in cars and her father's legacy than dating anyone. not every pair of friends (if you can call them that she didn't seem to care about his friendship all that much though I have not seen the movie since it was released so my memory is a bit fuzzy) has to end in a relationship. people can be friends without dating or sleeping with each other.
     
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  11. Makarov

    Makarov Well-Known Member

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    She shows interest in the popular guy at the beginning pretty clearly. The kiss is open to interpret but even the filmmakers feel it could be interpreted as flirting since Memo's interpretation of it is clear in the movie.

    This stuff about her wanting space and too busy processing to make friends isn't really part of the story. She was perfectly fine making friends with Bumblebee. That's like a polite way to frame the character's not so nice treatment of Memo
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2019
  12. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    ...I'm beginning to sense there's more than a fair bit of projection going on between what you're saying was in the film and what you actually know about how teenage girls would actually act. Especially considering Charlie is far more tomboy than the average.
     
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  13. PaxStarkist

    PaxStarkist BAY-TALITY

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    Considering what she's been through in the movie,
    That shit will really fuck with a person's mind.
    Homedude's really better off, man.
    I hope in the sequel, He's moved on to someone else and
    He's all about His new sweet red pickup truck (...with a certain insignia).
    Hell yeah - Memo and Ironhide (& his new girl Claribel but, that's irrelevant)
     
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  14. AutobotAvalanche

    AutobotAvalanche Number One in Boogieland

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    That's a question for yourself over anyone else.
     
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  15. Terrellatron

    Terrellatron REPAIR REPAIR REPAIR

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    Or maybe she had more things going on in her life at the time......LIKE DISCOVERING A GIANT F**KING ROBOT
     
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  16. Wheeljack84

    Wheeljack84 Well-Known Member

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  17. Nathanoraptor

    Nathanoraptor Well-Known Member

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    No, that was actually copied and pasted from the character pages on TV Tropes. Also, I ship them so I'm a biased observer (and damn proud of it!). However, I take great offence at you implying I am a raving misogynist. I am not.
     
  18. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    I was not implying you are a 'raging misogynist', I was implying that you haven't actually ever had a girlfriend before since what you seem to think Charlie was doing was at all what a 'romantically interested' teenager would do.

    Also, TV Tropes? Fucking really? That shit's less reliable than Wikipedia for the exact same reasons why Wikipedia isn't an inherently 100% trustworthy source.
     
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  19. Nathanoraptor

    Nathanoraptor Well-Known Member

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    You are right in that I have never been in a romantic relationship - however, that's due to crippling social awkwardness issues. And I am sorry if my earlier comment caused anyone any offence - I have edited the statement to something that was closer to the point that I had actually intended.

    I think we have gotten off on the wrong foot. I shipped them and saw their interactions as romantic subtext, so I am a biased observer (and damn proud of it!); I'm seeing the film through rose-coloured glasses. Other people evidently did not.

    In hindsight, the subtext is ambiguous - if you want to interpret their interactions as romantic subtext, you can if you choose to. And some people did, whilst others didn't.

    So, agree to disagree?
     
  20. Haywired

    Haywired Hakunamatatacon

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    Women can hug you or peck your cheek simply because they're friendly with you. It does not necessarily mean romantic.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2019
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