Regarding media...

[armina_skitty]

Does anyone else here squirm when things start to heat up in a movie or series that they're watching? I was re-watching The Avengers the other day and realized that one of the reasons that I enjoy that movie so much is that there are no explicit romantic scenes. Oh, true, there are references to it, but nothing in-your-face, thus making the movie

Comments

[qaface]

Absolutely! And I never get to vent about that because it's considered either offensive or crazy (or jealousy!) in my surroundings. You cannot say you're fed up with romance but it's OK for people to tell me I'm abnormal for wanting neither sex nor romance *sigh*
I don't even have a TV at home because I'm fed up with every story having to have romance somewhere, even action/procedural shows/movies are now full of it. I don't remember shows focusing as much on romance in my childhood/teens (or maybe I didn't see it?)
I was obsessed with watching TV and movies till my late 20s, now I can't stand it because it's all too boring for me... and yes, I always expect some romantic interest to creep up to the story. It's inevitable.

[armina_skitty]

The awkwardness about a sex scene while watching a movie with friends.. urgh. I don't mind a little romance for the character growth and dynamics, but when a series or movie takes a left turn into smut-ville... XP

[qaface]

Actually, I tolerate sex scenes more than I do romantic plots, probably because the latter are ubiquitous (even in cartoons! no escape!) but like you, it feels awkward to watch sex scenes, especially around family/friends.

[madamefufu]

If it's not too graphic or violent/rape then I can overlook it, but I'm truly annoyed if it's an absolutely pointless scene, contributing nothing to the plot or character development. I think of all the possibilities that were wasted in favor of something sexual that isn't necessary. My story teller heart weeps.

[bookblather]

Me too. If the scene advances the plot, I'm okay with it. If it doesn't (romance novels, I am LOOKING AT YOU) I get annoyed and start skimming, because God, why would you waste page space/screen time with this?

[armina_skitty]

I don't know if you know about the series 'Young Justice' but it was a series that had budding relationships as a secondary theme that I actually enjoyed because it added another layer of character development. But make-out scenes and sex-scenes in movies... You only have 90 to 120 minutes to tell a story! Stop wasting time with gratuitous sexuality!

[melluransa]

This hits the nail on the head for me! Such a waste of time! I skim or fastfoward.

I'm romantic, so don't get me wrong, but in media there's something specific and widespread that also bugs me. Some movies have a romantic pairing just for the sake of having a romantic pairing and a supposedly "feel-good" kiss at the end when the day is saved. This is the kind of pairing that -- if removed -- would detract nothing from the plot. Umm, not every movie has to have a guy and girl pair up/fall in love really fast/share a kiss at the end. It feels like every movie I watch nowadays has the obligatory yet unnecessary romantic-but-realistically-not-really pairing.

[widsidh]

not squirming, just bored...

ETA: on the other hand, I appreciate those scenes as a chance to go to the loo....

[armina_skitty]

When you're watching alone or with others? If I'm home alone, it's boring to uncomfortable, depending on how graphic the scene is. But if I have friends over.... oh, the awkwardness! *cringe*

[widsidh]

Looks like I am lucky then, at least it does not make me feel worse than bored, so won't spoil a night out. Also, most of the stuff I watch with friends has very little of that sort - sexual and otherwise, we all appreciate well-written stories without gratuitous padding.

[chanel_5]

Yes, with you there. I really got into the series Scandal, and while I get that the relationship is a major plot in the series, everytime the two are in a scene alone together I just start jumping forward till the next scene, because it just bores me.

[ruana1]

Yes, me too. I've lost count of the times I've sat through some bit of gratuitous canoodling, wishing they'd just get it over with and move on to something interesting.

Even in Terminator, in which the session is actually important to the plot, I'd rather we'd just skipped to the two of them waking up together. In Watchmen, the sex scene matters to Nite Owl's characterisation, but it's still too long.

[chanel_5]

"I get weirded out by those scenes in rom-coms where the two leads look into each others eyes, slowly lean forward, bump foreheads together and start breathing heavier, and then-- okay, eww, that's enough. Even if it's rated PG, it's still too explicit for me."

Snap!