Current Events > So I haven't checked in on the AVGN/Cinemassacre in a while and

(+) Yeah! (+)

what exactly am i looking at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JFrdgRHNqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOwIrQKRIls

who are all these people? why is there so much RLM-knockoff content?
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they're just vibin

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This write-up from reddit basically gives a recap of AVGN over the past number of years:

James Rolfe is a film nerd, not a gamer. He basically grew out of games shortly after college. The AVGN was an accidental success James produced as a result of his passion for film-making, not games. The character isn't even based on him. It's based on Mike Matei, who was the one who pushed him into making it a show. Being in the right place in the right time (at the dawn of online video), James signed a contract with ScrewAttack and churned out a number classic videos, but at the cost of burning himself out. James eventually ran out of material from his childhood for the series, and tried to leverage the success of the channel into making a feature-length film that he hoped would serve as a farewell to both the character and the channel, and herald his transformation into a movie director. Unfortunately (and predictably), the 2014 AVGN film was a critical and commercial failure, and ignored/sneered at by everyone in Hollywood both before and after release.

After coming back to the channel, it was clear James had lost a lot of his passion for it, seeing it as beneath his talents. The quality and frequency of AVGN nosedived as he phoned it in and he spent more time with his family. The attitude of his wife (who previously criticized the channel as a "Caucasian sausage fest") may have also influenced him. Around this time, Brendan "Bad Luck Bootsy" Castner (who'd become more of a presence) and Kyle Justin both left the channel due to ill-feeling over not being paid properly for their contributions, and Monster Madness got cancelled for "taking too much time" (a theme that would eventually become common). It seemed clearer and clearer James only cared about doing as little as possible for as much money as possible now. It was like he resented having to come back.

Mike (who'd seen his profile and ego grow) also started behaving more erratically in response to criticism (as the other part of Bootsy leaving was down to Mike pushing him out due to jealousy at Bootsy being better-liked and better at games than him). He also posted dick pics on the Twitter account, insulted and banned fans, and had racist comics surface. It became clear Mike was pretty much an asshole in real life. The comforting nostalgia of three old friends catching up via video-games on a couch was completely destroyed. Replaced instead by a sense of pervasive ego, greed, betrayal, and falsehood.

Eventually, James silently partnered up with (or maybe even part-sold the channel to) Screenwave Media. Ryan Schott, Kieran Fallon, Justin Silverman, and Tony Piluso all showed up out of nowhere, with no explanation (which mirrored the vanishing of Bootsy and Kyle with no acknowledgement) and despite the complete lack of chemistry, we were supposed to assume they were all lifelong friends in the same vein as Bootsy and Kyle. Genuine camaraderie was replaced with false camaraderie. Anyone asking legitimate questions got ignored, blocked, or banned. They also started doing in-video ads where James enthusiastically declared his love for shitty, exploitative mobile games that the old, REAL AVGN would have murdered him for.

Soon enough, the entire fat, greasy, uncharismatic Screenwave team became a core part of the channel (who all also have pretty shitty personal histories, and don't seem like good people at all) and like the Soviet Union, we were supposed to pretend this had always been the case, and Bootsy and Kyle never existed. James ramped up production of AVGN again, but farmed out all the writing and production to Screenwave, making it lose its soul. It became a brand, not a punky, rebellious product, where James reads off on autocue lines he didn't write about games chosen with YouTube's algorithm in mind more than personal importance, or comedic potential.

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James became nothing more than a thumbnail mascot who silently nodded his way through most non-AVGN videos, while occasionally remarking on how he knows nothing about the subject, or how he can't stay for long, as he has constantly has "no time". They started ripping off better YouTubers such as Red Letter Media with "Rental Reviews", and other retro reviewers with AVGN subjects such as Pepsiman that had been covered to death by others years ago. The innovators became the plagiarists. They also delved into cash-ins such as a Kingdom Hearts AVGN around the time a new KH game came out (despite the subject being neither retro, bad, or James even having ever played it), and even shilled Screenwave-produced games on "James & Mike Mondays" without declaring their financial conflict of interest.

Basically, James lived long enough to become the villain. Cinemassacre became LJN - a shitty, soulless, money-focused, low-effort content farm that relied on milking nostalgic properties to get people to give them money.
James is currently working on a horror film that he hopes will this time allow him to ditch the channel for real, and his autobiography that nobody gives a shit about, and that he started work on as an unknown 20-year-old, proving his opinion of himself has always been absurdly inflated beyond any rational explanation.

James is completely checked out, and is just a prop at this point, in a low-quality fan-fiction parody of the old AVGN that he puts the bare minimum of personal effort into. He chose money and an easy life over old friends and the fans, and basically betrayed every ideal he claimed to stand for. He's continuing to take us back to the past, but now chooses to take diarrhea dumps all over something we all had genuine love for.

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Eh, he has a wife and kids to support now compared to when he started, sometimes ya gotta make difficult decisions to make good money for your family.

He has done non-AVGN content for years, so why are you surprised?
Heck, he has done Monster Madness every year for ages!

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Who even is that dude in the video? The guy from Hatred?

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That write up was enlightening
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So_Hajile posted...


Man that guy took AVGN very personally.

Anyway, they do churn out pretty lazy videos for the algorithm these days. But that kinda happens to a lot of old youtubers. And Cinemassacre is kind of a case where a group of extremely average, untalented guys got a platform almost by happenstance, and they produce the kind of stuff you'd expect from that premise.
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so james basically isn't calling the shots anymore? damn

there's really not anything more painful for me to watch than unscripted material featuring people who have no talent for it. it just reeks of "hey, i've been watching RLM videos and other roundtable discussions, let's do that!"

So_Hajile posted...

and tried to leverage the success of the channel into making a feature-length film

also oof. looks like he and the nostalgia critic were way more alike than i thought. these guys really had this shit go to their heads.
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Delirious_Beard posted...

unscripted material featuring people who have no talent for it.

This sums it up pretty well.
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I don't get why anybody likes "everything about everything sucks" channels.

First of all, a lot of the time they're so dang desperate that it's like, OMG YOU CAN KINDA SEE A BLACK BLOB IN THE CORNER OF THE SCREEN WHICH IS PROBABLY THE REFLECTION OF THE HELICOPTER THEY USED TO SHOOT THIS FOOTAGE, and another large part of the time, they just don't have the slightest clue how storytelling works and rag on the movie for stuff like the main character being annoying in the first act when it's a maturation story.

Secondly, supposing it's 100% valid criticism, if I like a movie, how do I become happier by learning to dislike it?

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what were they thinking
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splinter's my ass and shredder's my balls

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Beneath him? Well I think it was proven a career in Hollywood is never going to happen so not much can be beneath him. Also you can never forget the fans because without them he would have gone nowhere.

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The fact he thought that laughable YouTube movie was gonna make him a Hollywood director... lmfao

Long story short: James needed a little extra turkey to fund his movie and sold Cinemassacre to the random fat guy that shows up in the middle of this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBT11qKUWv8

James is nothing more than a glorified employee these days.
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YukihoHagiwara posted...

what were they thinking

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bobbysjoby2 posted...

The fact he thought that laughable YouTube movie was gonna make him a Hollywood director... lmfao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRpFkbfwh7w
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Vol2tex posted...

That write up was enlightening

That write-up sounds like complete bullshit after the first paragraph
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I find the write-up is assuming a lot such as what James thinks and feels toward his channel even if they're extrapolating the assumptions from his actions and demeanor. I will say, however, it's easy to come to that conclusion and may not even be far from the truth given James' own comments over time.

The business aspects seem more solid as the channel took on a different feel once Screenwave (Ryan Schott) became involved. Bootsy and Justin left with no explanation while Mike took on a stronger presence and tried to became the voice of the channel. I don't know if he's exactly a mastermind like the write-up makes him out to be, but he isn't the smartest and certainly isn't charming and likable. At the very least, James has those last two qualities going for him.

As for the channels output, AVGN is hit or miss with it mostly the latter. Reviews like Earthbound are fun just because of how in-depth it goes, but it doesn't feel like AVGN---more like James Rolfe reviewing a game. The worst content is stuff like Black Tiger in which it's completely unfunny through and through. James and Mike Mondays also vary depending on the game because neither seems to bother to even apply thought into their playthroughs. Watch them play the Immortal and complain the entire time yet not even bother to read what's on screen. It's more frustrating to watch than entertaining. There's also Mike pushing his girlfriend's channel hard, but I never found it obtrusive even if she's the definition of bland. It could be I don't share her enthusiasm for McDonald's nostalgia.

The worst is Rental Reviews. Maybe it's because I find Red Letter Media to have perfected the round-table discussion and it looks effortless, but the Cinemassacre group feels so many leagues lesser. James has to have notes on hand he has to read because he doesn't really know anything about what they watch even though the films are all mostly big studio titles and not cult films. That's not much of a knock on the guy though if he could even get to whatever points he has written as everyone just talks over the other with the most mundane of discussion. There's no break down of the movie or analysis or even a humorous outlook. It's just four people that seem to have met each other a few times talking about how cool one part was or how funny that one scene is.

Yet despite it all, I don't really blame James. The guy got lucky to be such a hit that he can support his family doing something I think he loves or partially cares for. Everyone else is in it so they don't have to work a normal 9-5 job and, again, I can't hold that part against them. I simply don't find the content anything more than a shadow of its former self. Is it as bad as that write-up mentions and Cinemassacre has become LJN over time? Well.......

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Posts 3 and 4 are the definition of cringe.
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Justin left because like James, he's a father too. With apparently like five kids.

Is there even evidence of half the shit that dude's claiming? Seems like he just has it out for James for whatever reason
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I can't really speak for non-AVGN stuff since I mostly just stick with AVGN, but I will say that AVGN has been pretty "Meh" the last couple years. 2017 atleast had some great episodes that felt like old AVGN with The Power rangers video, Gameboy Accessories video, and the Planet of the Apes video.

There were some "okay" or "decent" videos after that, not saying everything had been bad, per se, but still, there's been more duds recently compared to the past.

That said, I don't know if I entirely buy everything the 3rd and 4th post in this bought up, and as far as I can tell James still seems to be a nice, cool dude, which is why no matter how things go with newer AVGn videos, I'll have no qualms revisiting and giving views to his older stuff atleast.

That post sounds like something that would come from TheCinemassacreTruth reddit, which is basically a reddit that devotes their time to something they hate because they are weirdos.

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You know you're about to read something stupid when the line of attack begins with, "X is not really a true gamer."

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that write up is salty as fuck and full of random ass assumptions
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Idk about everything in that one post, but just through observation you can see there's some truth to it.

James got burnt out and got responsibilities because he got married and had kids. The passion is gone and he thought getting those Screenwave guys would help take a load of work off of him. The quality has obviously dropped and good episodes are few and far between.

The Need show almost feels like any other internet show now with those guys getting involved. The original charm is gone. Rental Reviews is an obvious knock off of Best of The Worst. Monster Madness isn't the same anymore.

What's really weird is them going back and changing the old thumbnails of the AVGN's vids. Like why? Some sort of ego thing? They're just like any other youtube thumbnail with James making a mad or goofy face like everyone else instead of Mike's drawings.
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The write-up is mostly accurate. It does assume some things, like James getting lazy or being in it for a cash grab, which was never the case. He was very upfront about wanting more time with his family and as someone with a family I can't fault him for that.

Everything with Mike is 100% truth, as we learned with the released Emails during the AVGN vs Irate Gamer fiasco. He's a pompous, arrogant ass who couldn't stand Bootsy and Kyle being more well-liked and popular than he was, so he forced them out.

I still watch the AVGN videos, but I steer clear of everything else on the channel.
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jumi posted...

Posts 3 and 4 are the definition of cringe.

Doesn't mean it's not true.
It's almost perfectly similar to Wayne's World when Wayne and Garth sold out their public access show to Rob Lowe and they had to continue on anyway with soulless version of that show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNcSKUQPjTg

replace "Wayne's Basement" with Cinemassacre lol
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Avgn was never funny

Jagr_68 posted...

Doesn't mean it's not true.
It's almost perfectly similar to Wayne's World when Wayne and Garth sold out their public access show to Rob Lowe and they had to continue on anyway with soulless version of that show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNcSKUQPjTg

replace "Wayne's Basement" with Cinemassacre lol

lol

That's weird man.
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I've never watched AVGN and don't know any of these people, but to write that "x was jealous of y because he was better at games" is just a ridiculous sentence.
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PiOverlord posted...

That post sounds like something that would come from TheCinemassacreTruth reddit, which is basically a reddit that devotes their time to something they hate because they are weirdos.

I followed the trail and it does indeed lead there. I remember once reading there about how Tony is some sort of diabolical mastermind and is trying to snatch AVGN from James. I'm not sure how or where they got that from as it seems to me more like Tony was brought in to help edit the videos and assume some of the behind the scenes workload.

Everything with Mike is 100% truth, as we learned with the released Emails during the AVGN vs Irate Gamer fiasco. He's a pompous, arrogant ass who couldn't stand Bootsy and Kyle being more well-liked and popular than he was, so he forced them out.

Yeah, actual proof of Mike has been found out over the years and it's all true other than if he's bringing in Erin to increase their subcount because they can show a nerdy girl on the channel. In exchange, she gets popularity for her own stuff. It could be more innocent and it's just two people dating who both have a youtube presence and affect one another's channels. On the other hand, it's weird how she was pinned as the top comment in all of the channel's videos before they started dating. Then again, so was Supapixelgirl and she was trying to get into Mike's pants for a while.

The one example of Mike's idiocy is actually showing his dick by posting a picture of it on the official cinemassacre twitter. Everyone would joke about him carrying around a python in his trousers due to some poorly taken pictures of him in shorts. Comments in the videos would be about Mike's wang to the point it was ridiculous. So he decides to roll with it by taking a picture of his unit. Unfortunately, he got busted (no pun intended) by trying to manipulate his package's size by using trick angles such as holding it above the surface the measuring tool was on.Now that gets thrown in his face. The lesson is to leave the mystery be.

It's almost perfectly similar to Wayne's World when Wayne and Garth sold out their public access show to Rob Lowe and they had to continue on anyway with soulless version of that show.

Ha, that's basically it! I can't fault James though for doing whatever it takes to be with his family and keep food on the table.

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All interesting to read about
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AVGN used to be great. The new higher production episodes are nowhere near as enjoyable.

So_Hajile posted...

I followed the trail and it does indeed lead there. I remember once reading there about how Tony is some sort of diabolical mastermind and is trying to snatch AVGN from James. I'm not sure how or where they got that from as it seems to me more like Tony was brought in to help edit the videos and assume some of the behind the scenes workload.

Yeah, actual proof of Mike has been found out over the years and it's all true other than if he's bringing in Erin to increase their subcount because they can show a nerdy girl on the channel. In exchange, she gets popularity for her own stuff. It could be more innocent and it's just two people dating who both have a youtube presence and affect one another's channels. On the other hand, it's weird how she was pinned as the top comment in all of the channel's videos before they started dating. Then again, so was Supapixelgirl and she was trying to get into Mike's pants for a while.

The one example of Mike's idiocy is actually showing his dick by posting a picture of it on the official cinemassacre twitter. Everyone would joke about him carrying around a python in his trousers due to some poorly taken pictures of him in shorts. Comments in the videos would be about Mike's wang to the point it was ridiculous. So he decides to roll with it by taking a picture of his unit. Unfortunately, he got busted (no pun intended) by trying to manipulate his package's size by using trick angles such as holding it above the surface the measuring tool was on.Now that gets thrown in his face. The lesson is to leave the mystery be.

Ha, that's basically it! I can't fault James though for doing whatever it takes to be with his family and keep food on the table.

yikes this is some serious neckbeard shit all around

Jaded_Dragon posted...

The write-up is mostly accurate. It does assume some things, like James getting lazy or being in it for a cash grab, which was never the case. He was very upfront about wanting more time with his family and as someone with a family I can't fault him for that.

Everything with Mike is 100% truth, as we learned with the released Emails during the AVGN vs Irate Gamer fiasco. He's a pompous, arrogant ass who couldn't stand Bootsy and Kyle being more well-liked and popular than he was, so he forced them out.

I still watch the AVGN videos, but I steer clear of everything else on the channel.

I had always thought that Mike seemed arrogant and unlikable, then over the years I kept reading more and more about how people couldn't stand him. In some of the James & Mike Monday videos, he looks like he's either really tired or maybe on something.

Vol2tex posted...

That write up was enlightening

It was very bitter and sociopathic. And taking a youtube channel way too seriously.

Its a free YouTube channel and the dude has a family to support. If you don't like the direction its going stop watching instead of making him out to be satan good lord.

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I didn't know people took AVGN that serious.

His videos were funny, his wife sounds like a whackjob lefty.

AwesomeToTheMAX posted...

Justin left because like James, he's a father too. With apparently like five kids.

Is there even evidence of half the shit that dude's claiming? Seems like he just has it out for James for whatever reason

The only thing I can confirm is that Justin Silverman is a piece of shit.
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pikachupwnage posted...

Vol2tex posted...

That write up was enlightening

It was very bitter and sociopathic. And taking a youtube channel way too seriously.

Its a free YouTube channel and the dude has a family to support. If you don't like the direction its going stop watching instead of making him out to be satan good lord.

But that doesn't mean that some of it isn't true. Some of it does sound like assumptions though.
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pikachupwnage posted...

It was very bitter and sociopathic. And taking a youtube channel way too seriously.

Its a free YouTube channel and the dude has a family to support. If you don't like the direction its going stop watching instead of making him out to be satan good lord.

indeed, reads like one of those psychotic loner Spoony fans lmao

The write up would've been decent if they didn't interject so much of their opinions and assumptions in there. It really does take away from it.
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Sega95 posted...

I didn't know people took AVGN that serious.

His videos were funny, his wife sounds like a whackjob lefty.

Most of the talk about his wife is based on all of two things. One is when she made a post somewhere about how Cinemassacre was like a "Caucasian sausage fest" and it didn't have any female representatives. The other is....I forget. The only thing that comes to mind where she's even seen is that old video of James, Mike, and others hanging out in a kitchen and trying out various pizzas topped with ridiculous things mentioned in the TMNT cartoon just to see how terrible they would be. Between her post and how James constantly says "I don't have the time", people online have made her out to be some bed-ridden succubus who does nothing while James has to take care of his family 2/7 which is based on little and is anything but fair.

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He mentions her in the Rental Review episode of... I think it was Event Horizon. Was something about his kid and an unexpected gory scene.

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Oh no! Things change after 15 years! How can that be?

So_Hajile posted...

Sega95 posted...

I didn't know people took AVGN that serious.

His videos were funny, his wife sounds like a whackjob lefty.

Most of the talk about his wife is based on all of two things. One is when she made a post somewhere about how Cinemassacre was like a "Caucasian sausage fest" and it didn't have any female representatives. The other is....I forget. The only thing that comes to mind where she's even seen is that old video of James, Mike, and others hanging out in a kitchen and trying out various pizzas topped with ridiculous things mentioned in the TMNT cartoon just to see how terrible they would be. Between her post and how James constantly says "I don't have the time", people online have made her out to be some bed-ridden succubus who does nothing while James has to take care of his family 2/7 which is based on little and is anything but fair.

There was a big rumor James was a cuck a while back.