Cinemusings

I have probably come off like a movie snob in my 3 month tenure so far here on this great website, and truth be told, I'm not. I love the movies more than anything in this entire world. I sacrifice everything in my life to be around movies, be involved in movies, and to buy movies. Which is why I have probably come off like a bitter ex-lover here on this site recently. When you put that much time, effort, and life into movies and get little to nothing in return, you can become quite angry. I also know that the movie industry is better than this. I have seen the magic they can produce, the stories they can tell, and the brilliance that can come out of the movies when they are made right. I have also seen what can come out of being lazy and running out of ideas.

The price of originality is very high in Hollywood these days and it is higher than any big budget movie. I ask all of you the question of when was the last time you saw something in Hollywood that you have never seen before? I'm talking about a movie that was unique, original, and unlike anything ever released. It has been far too long to say the least. Almost if not all of the movies released are similar to something you have seen dozens of times. I have no problem with taking a certain style from the past and adding your own unique twist on it, but don't make it so familiar that it looks like a carbon copy. Do you remember the time first time you saw Pulp Fiction? Do you remember the first time you saw Taxi Driver? It was an experience you will not soon forget.

This weekend we have a film released called Happy Feet and it appears to be riding on the success of last years hit March of the Penguins. Happy Feet is getting solid reviews from critics so far and it appears harmless, but we already saw something similar to this last year. March of the Penguins from last year was so successful because we have never seen footage like this told in such a simple yet effective way. If anything is even remotely successful, you are promised to see at least 100 variations of it released over the next few years. The Saw movies are now being mimicked by everyone who has an imagination and who has creative ways to kill people as we see so many torture films now. Even 9/11 movies are being released almost bi-monthly now with films like United 93, World Trade Center, and The Great New Wonderful.

The word "disappointment" comes to mind when I think of a lot of the movies I have seen this year. Not all of the films are terrible, bad, or awful, but they are not good or great either. They are just simply predictable, typical, and average. I know there has been a share of good movies out this year as well, but they are so few and far between, I barely recall them. Even good movie season which starts around September has produced a lot of clunkers and crap. Is there any hope? Perhaps the 6th Rocky film will be able to surprise us and get us back in the movie groove. But again, we have seen this 5 times and it is not getting any better with age. It is only getting more stale and sour as the years go by. It is not like a fine wine, it does not age well.

Now that I have vented, it is time for the solution-oriented part of my column. The part where I come up with solutions to fix everything going on at the movies. I don't just bitch, bitch, bitch without coming up with some answers. I like to think that every problem in the world has some sort of solution. Now granted some things cannot be fixed, but a lot of things can be if you just put your mind to use and look around. If Hollywood would take a look around at everything going on, they would be able to produce some groundbreaking, original, and riveting films. Remember when films used to be able to engage you in ways you never thought possible? Now films don't only ask you to have suspension of belief, they ask you to have suspension of intelligence. Okay, I promised enough bitching, I should follow through with my promise.

Hollywood needs some new fresh kid with great ideas to try new things. Remember when Quentin Tarantino first came on the scene? He said forget about the predictable narratives that have a beginning, a middle, and an end, he said let's try throw all that out and use some style and class. He decided to show us conversation that is not always seen in movies such as conversation about fast food, foot rubs, and hamburgers. He gave us stylized and fast paced kills that left us in awe and shock. He gave us some forgotten actors and gave them new life with a fresh script. He threw out everything we once knew about the movie industry and gave us a new kind of movie to enjoy and cherish. We need some unknown with the same passion, desire, and uniqueness that Tarantino had. He knew how to properly use old movies while being new and true to himself.

The Sundance film festival used to be a place where creative artists could join together and come up with new ideas and new movies. The Sundance film festival has now turned into a a copy cat fest and you get 100 films that feature kids on pills in a suburban town dealing with feelings of isolation. The days of Sundance releasing films that are different are long gone. Our only hope is some young director decides to take matters into his own hands. He decides he is tired of the same old, same old and goes beyond the studio system and just makes a movie that is true to being original. He simply does not care if the film makes money, he just wants to make a movie that he can watch and be proud of.

That is why all of us here on this website love Indy films and do our best to support them and get the word out about them. We might have in our hands the DVD of a future genius just waiting to be exposed and seen. Thankfully, Indy films are being seen more than ever thanks to our site, My Space, and the Internet. The future of the film world is not in the hands of the studios, it is in the hands of the Indy filmmakers. Use that power for something good and show us what the magic of film is all about. We are all counting on you.

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