Do you prefer things that are lighter and softer or darker and edgier?

[RaphAndDonnie]

Exactly what the title says. I also apologize if this has already been a thread.

I personally can alternate between both. I used to hate things that were lighter and softer and preferred things that were darker, though since I've learned about 80's Turtles and 60's Batman my opinion has slowly changed to what it is now.

[PApagreg]

It depends

[Turo602]

Dark and edgy for me, but I can enjoy the lighter things when it really works. For example, I like my TMNT and Batman dark and gritty, but I can also appreciate the lighter side to them.

[Powder]

Depends on the medium, I guess, but I suppose I ultimately prefer light-hearted things. For the most part, I'm a cartoon/sitcom kinda guy, and I listen to a lot of chiptunes & electronica. Mellow is good. I enjoy dark stuff in moderation though.

[pannoni1]

I'd prefer lighter/softer since its more natural if you root for the heroes to pull through, since they're most commonly associated with living in such an enviornment, with darker/edgier being associated with villains. The only time you see the dark/edgy atmosphere in the OT pre-Red Sky is in the episode "Shredderville", and it was so funny when I watched and saw that it was just a nightmare! I also prefer music, fashion, and movies with that look. But around say Halloween, I'd flip around briefly to have a more edgy atmosphere.

[KROW]

Originally Posted by PApagreg

It depends

And in THIS case, lighter and softer, please. Always.

[shuriken]

Originally Posted by PApagreg

It depends

This. exactly this.

[DonatelloNinja82]

Depends on my mood.

[snake]

I like soft vanilla, I'll rarely eat hard ice cream........?

Oh, we're talking about TV shows? If so, Lighthearted for me.

[Jester]

Yeah...you know...

[Captain PunchYouHard]

My taste is for dark/gritty/edgy pretty much across the board, but I see no reason to give up the laughs. I like gallows humor.

[Leo656]

I like pretty much everything. My DVD collection could pass for that of a serial killer. Or at least whatever kind of person would own both the Collector's Edition of "American Psycho" and "Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer" on DVD, anyways.

Sometimes I purposely watch movies that I know are going to make me a little down, whether they're depressing or overly "dark" or what have you. The wife hates it, but ever since I was a kid I've had this thing about emotional self-manipulation. I feel like people purposely shy away from things they find "unpleasant", and I understand that. But at the same time, I've always realized that some people don't get to choose, so now and then I'll willingly expose myself to some form of entertainment that can be dark, violent, sad, depressing, or all of the above, so that I'm reminded of how important it is for humans to feel ALL types of emotions, not only those which are pleasant. Even as a young kid, I would seek out scary movies or violent comics, not because "I wasn't supposed to see them", as my parents made no such restrictions towards my entertainment, but rather that I found them more fascinating and realistic than the lighter typical "Kids' fare".

I'm also aware that what's more off-putting to people is not something being "dark" or "violent", but simply depressing. For some reason, we can handle things easier if they're bloody and gory, but not so if they're simply fatalistic and depressing. Example: I love the Michael Keaton movie "My Life". His character struggles with cancer the entire movie, along with facing the fact he will never see his son grow up, and the movie contains very few typical platitudes or "miracles". The entire ordeal is played very straight, and while it can at times be an uplifting example of the strength of the human spirit, it's also soul-crushingly real; you know there can't be a happy ending, and it doesn't cheap out and give you one just to make people watching it feel better. **I cannot get anyone to sit through this movie with me!** My wife has, a couple times, but she always repeatedly asks "Do you HAVE to watch this depressing sh*t?", and after the last time I watched it (the day my father died) she insisted I'm not allowed to watch it with her around ever again. However, she absolutely loves blood, gore, horror, etc. She loves the "Saw" films, but can't handle anything "dark" from a real-world perspective.

Seems to be consistent with most people I've met; blood and gore, no problem, but something realistically "dark" like movies about people dying of cancer, or getting paralyzed, things like that, people can't handle so well. It's odd to me.

[RaphAndDonnie]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Seems to be consistent with most people I've met; blood and gore, no problem, but something realistically "dark" like movies about people dying of cancer, or getting paralyzed, things like that, people can't handle so well. It's odd to me.

I've dabbled with watching depressing shows. An excellent example that comes to mind is Moral Orel. It's easy to get through the first two seasons, because it was a dark comedy but by the time of "Nature" when things got depressing and there was little comedy...I just couldn't watch it anymore. I've never actively tried to make myself feel those emotions, though I do think it's important to feel them.

[Leo656]

I love Moral Orel, and I do get what you're talking about. That show is brilliantly twisted, especially the big "reveal" at the series' end which basically amounts to, "Yep, this sh*t happens every day, and we all pretty much just ignore it and pretend we're 'normal' and 'well-adjusted', when really we've all had pretty sh*tty lives and been brain-f*cked by everyone older than us since the day we were born." I think what makes it really disturbing for most people is how close to home it really hits.

I loved the one where Moral gets hooked on crack; mostly because of the jubilant, triumphant way he announces to his toys, "OK! I'LL smoke the crack!" I love that show, but yeah, there's absolutely nothing uplifting about it whatsoever, and I think that was the point.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

for me, dark and edgy. that was one reason i prefered man of steel to iron man 3.

but, lighthearted IF done right. as long as it doesn't become campy, I'm all for both

[ryukenden]

If it's too lighthearted, it can't be taken seriously. If it's too gritty, it gets depressing. A good balance of comedy and drama is the way to go.

[Prowler]

As long as it's done right, I'm a fan.

[Leo656]

Sometimes you just gotta watch "Evil Dead" so as to wallow in epic gore, and then watch "The Never-Ending Story" for a palate cleanser. Nothin' wrong with that.

[Vivi]

dark and soft, like swinging an iron in a velvet pillowcase.

Originally Posted by Leo656

Sometimes you just gotta watch "Evil Dead" so as to wallow in epic gore, and then watch "The Never-Ending Story" for a palate cleanser. Nothin' wrong with that.

A palate cleanser? Do you not remember what happened to his horse....:'(

[Leo656]

Yeah, but it all worked out in the end. If you want to get really depressed try watching the third one, or acknowledging that it exists.