unforum

[Ivo]

@HerOdyssey

[Euchre]

OK, after much consideration I think I'm ready to weigh in.

Jamie in the first video pretty much made it clear that the reason she got so attached to Teddy is her 'ridic' time in bed with him. So she 'falls in love' with Teddy from the start because he's a good screw.

In the next two videos it becomes obvious by her demeanor that she feels like being faithful and honoring his wishes is a burden. Her tone as she speaks of keeping the commitments is very childish. When she refers to 'the cause' it's obvious she considers that a tedious and unimportant thing, but still begs to keep in touch - can't loose that really good screw!

When she finally opened the present and found what's inside, she's sure it's because he's trying to cover for 'betraying' her, when what she's shown us gives us every reason to suspect she's betrayed Teddy. Her reaction shows her mentality that it's got to be all about her - not that he might actually be involved in a much larger cause.

So basically, it's clear that Jamie is a selfish, immature, self-centered, shallow, drunken whore. I didn't dislike Jamie at the beginning, although I'm wary of any woman that boasts of identifying herself with overindulgence in hard liquor. Now, I won't mind seeing her offed.

This brings me to a theory.
Jamie is being set up as a very unsympathetic character. Unless something radically changes between now and premiere time, her likely status as a 'red shirt' means her end will be cheered by anyone with awareness of the viral campaign's backstory. Is this the intention of the PMs? Will her status in fact change, so that she becomes a better person and a sympathetic character - only to have her obliterated.
Oh, the possibilities...

[brettoniasam]

Ehhh, I'm still thinking that Jamie Lascano will exist in the blogosphere only. I suspect she'll disappear between now and (the real) 1/18/08, maybe looking for Teddy, and J&T will be a couple of the first (offscreen) casualties of Da Monstah.

We might hear an offhand report early in the movie about the discovery of some TIDOWave "Rainbow Warrior" type boat adrift in the North Atlantic without any survivors -- attacked by Grumpypants (jeez, now even I'M saying it)...

[Caerwiden]

[dontlookmyage]

HerOdyssey wrote:

[sad_bot]

[Zenlightenment]

It's my experience that freedom fighters and activists usually fall for the dumb bitches. It's just the way life is. But trusting important evidence in the hands of some drunk? Teddy is the worst activist to ever act.

[DougBThree]

Jamie's behavior in the latest video certainly doesn't cast her in the best light. I think we may be done with her, though, although my speculation is based on thin evidence. I believe she tosses aside the "evidence" and the tape recording, and never looks at either of them again, nor do I think she has any communication with Randy. Why? I base this speculation on the photo of her from the party with Rob and Hud. www.1-18-08.com allows us to look into the future a little bit. She's smiling, having a good time and writing silly messages on the back of the photo. She certainly doesn't seem like she's consumed with anxiety over her captured boyfriend, filled with remorse at having made a drastically incorrect assumption about the message on the tape, or weighed down with awareness of the evildoing of Tagruato. I think she tosses the stuff aside, and never gives it a second thought. I think she blows off any communication from Randy, assuming he's just covering his buddy's behind by backing up what she thinks is a ridiculous story he made up to dump her. She said "I am done", and I think she meant it.

I could CERTAINLY be wrong, but I think her purpose in the online experience has now been fulfilled, and we'll start to move forward in a different direction, presumably via Randy.

[tigerbaby]

DougBThree you make a really good point. as much as i hope to see more video from jamie if anything else happens, even if she listens to the tape repeatedly, gets contacted by randy or even buys a little bit that something sinister happened to teddy, especially if the compnay rob (may possibly) be going to work for was mentioned by teddy, she probably wouldn't be so happy and carefree at rob's party in a month.
of course unless she really is that dumb...

[SuperSquirrel]

Well Said!

[TwelfthMonkey]

As I have said previously I like Jamie, and she doesn't bother me at all.

But I think that one of the main reasons for ppl contempt is that she is the ONLY character that we see "acting", and given the fact that her character isn't that bright, let's not say a deep sea engineer, she can't be aware of the importance of the "evidence" (clues) that she got.

I mean if those videos where made by ... let's say Rob or a smarter girl
ppl wouldn't mind Jamie. Her drinking and partying wouldn't be judged so seriously.

But since she's our only source of video info other than the trailers, her 15 year old attitude it's not cute at all but irritating

[rose]

My dislike of Jamie is more of a META dislike. I think her videos and her little part of this story have been insulting to the audience watching those videos for clues and information. My bad attitude toward Jamie started with the whole "infection" ugliness. What exactly was the point of that?

I don't understand why she is being portrayed in such a manner that is pandering to the audience without actually conveying much information. She isn't even entertaining to watch. She just seems like a total fool the whole time she is on camera. I did think from the trailer that the characters in the film were fairly upscale, wealthy, educated people - not a character like Jamie.

I don't know, I just get the feeling that the creative folks writing Jamie's story don't respect their audience.

[23rdboy]

I think that J.J. is just giving us a back story for the characters to make them seem more real, so we all feel really bad when they bite the dust. By the end of the movie, they will all probably die, and be nothing more than monster snacks.

[Kitsuhime]

Jamie isn't as interesting as the rest of the characters we've been introduced to. The movie isn't about seventeen year old party goers- it's about young professionals. Lily, Rob, Marlena- they're doing things with their lives, and they have goals. Sure a couple of them are slackers, but everyone's got friends like that who just can't seem to function at life.

Point is, Jamie is not my friend. I don't see the awesome fun parts that are worth putting up with the loser that still wastes her time parting with Sorority girls. She's our only link in, and goddamn is she annoying. But you know, I'd be just as unsympathetic if it was like Hawk acting as our link. A loser like that, mooching off his girlfriend with no goal, no career, no schooling no life? I'd throw shit at the monitor if I had to watch him whining to Lily.

[/tangent]

Edit: Keep in mind that for 'The Beast' they had real writers and such structure the ARG. Even if there was the budget and time for such an upscale awesome performance, the WGA is on strike for the very reason that they don't get $ or props for internet jank.

Whoever is writing this is either a producer or exec with no concept of story or character empathy, or a writer who is gonna get blacklisted by the Guild when they're back online. Which means s/he can't be very good to not even care about a future in media.

[Euchre]

Do you know what is perhaps the most disturbing thing about Jamie?

She's a college graduate.

How did she ever manage that? She can barely work a webcam, but she managed to matriculate? Did she get a degree 'on her back'? Maybe she though 'to matriculate' was a sexual activity...