Movie Zone
Here I will post movie reviews and recommendations, opinions and updates on the world of film, lists/rankings, and the occasional film essay/analysis if I am feeling brave enough
What a journey it’s been. Over the last few months, I’ve dove into some of the biggest topics in modern cinema and how each is affecting current films: comic book movies, legacy sequels, and TV series. We’ve looked at the good, the bad, and the ugly within every topic and what they mean for the future of film. In today’s article, I will give a brief summary and my overall thoughts on the current state of film and what the future may hold for our beloved movies. The COVID courseOne theme that was undeniably common amongst the trends we went over in this series was the effect of the pandemic. Being put on complete lockdown for months with no immediate solution in sight was detrimental to thousands of industries, including film. Movie theaters, already on their way out of popularity with streaming on the rise, were completely dead, productions were halted, and money was lost. Meanwhile, streaming dominated, cementing the popularity of TV series over film that had already been growing. As a scramble to recover money and to get theaters popular again, it seems this was an even bigger reason why comic book films and remake/reboot/sequels doubled down. Already proven to be financially and oftentimes critically successful, these types of films and even TV shows were greenlit and multiplied by the dozen, pushing original films to streaming while they dominated the theater. There is even an argument to be made about the current climate, political- and economic-wise, influencing what films are most popular. Would you rather spend an exciting Friday night at the movies watching an indie drama about the downfall of humanity, or see your favorite superhero kicking ass towards a happily ever after? To be fair, there was somewhat of an attempt at drawing people back to theaters after lockdown with original films as well. Probably the first big-budget theater movie to be released post-lockdown was Chaos Walking in March of 2021, starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, the faces of an enormous superhero and legacy sequel franchise respectively. And… no one went to see it, resulting in one of the most yikes-box-office-bombs of recent years. The not so hopefulOne of the biggest travesties with the current status that film is in is the erasure of original and independent films. Either not given any substantial marketing or dumped onto a streaming service, any film that isn’t big blockbuster bait is essentially pushed aside. Unique films like Late Night With the Devil, The Marsh King’s Daughter, or Abigail get the most minimal (and sometimes zero) marketing. It is to the point where they are released as if in secret, and surviving from word of mouth is their only hope, which won’t often bring in booming theater revenue alone any longer. Not against the superhero and reboot juggernauts. The numbers don’t lie. Superhero and reboot movies have higher box office numbers most of the time, and any money spent to try and promote a completely original film not tied to any previous franchise, character, or property, is usually money lost. Much as we demand more original content in film, we don’t go out and see it. This is most likely from one of two reasons. The first is what I previously mentioned: in this economy, people don’t want to pay to take a risk. They want to take their family or their date to something familiar, something they know will at least be of some interest since it is a property they are already a fan of. With prices booming in every direction, throwing out money for tickets and snacks for multiple people is a very different kind of investment than it was in the past. People want to spend their free time and hard-earned money on Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in the gigantic space epic a second and third time rather than with a bunch of character actors in a small hour-and-a-half found footage horror film, awesome as anyone who has seen it will tell you it is. (And no shade. I get it. This is coming from someone who saw The Rise of Skywalker six times in the theater.) The second reason is that original movies get no big-budget marketing, and are being released in fewer and fewer theaters, especially as more theaters begin to go out of business. No one will go see that found footage horror movie if they don’t even know it’s coming out. Nobody will be in the theater to see Daisy Ridley being a gorgeous badass in movies where her character’s name isn’t Rey if there isn’t a theater with a showtime for it. Or my favorite: when there is only one showtime at 10pm. These films are essentially set up to fail in the theater. The hopefulObviously, that is not the end of the story. In recent years especially, we have seen a rise in theater attendance and support for more original films. Last year’s Oppenheimer, Barbie, and even Poor Things showed that audiences will turn out in droves for movies that don’t come from Marvel. In fact, the past number of comic book film releases have been mostly flops, both financial- and critical-wise. Hopefully, studios will begin to hear this loud and clear, and us audience members will continue to stick to our guns on this. As far as legacy sequels go, for every Halloween Ends and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, we get a Doctor Sleep, or Top Gun: Maverick. Though there are a fair amount of reboots shoved out that are only gracing us with the hope of making some fast cash, there are also a fair amount that have genuine creative ideas and that take the existing story in an expanded direction. Reboots, sequels, and remakes will never vanish, and while the volume is certainly far too overwhelming at the moment, we all love to see our favorite stories and characters continuing on. There is opportunity for so much within so many different universes. Going more in the re-imagining route rather than the straight up remake route seems to be the most interesting way to go if we do want to keep making/seeing these reboots. And while I have my problems with streaming and TV Series, this area of entertainment has no doubt brought its share of positive impacts on the industry. Streaming services have offered a second life to forgotten films, or films that otherwise would not have gotten any recognition or proper theatrical release. It has attempted to widen the reach of films for people unable to attend theaters of purchase physical media (while ironically then closing off access to groups of people by eradicating physical media and sending movie theaters scrambling for business). Movies get a second chance to land with audiences on streaming, as they used to do with physical media releases. Apart from that, the rise in popularity of TV series allows for fresh, original content to be greenlit and given the spotlight. Tons of stories get to be told and enjoyed that usually wouldn’t get any kind of release or attention as films. TV shows also give the opportunity of expanding character and story to depths movies are unable to get into, making them ideal for adapting certain source material to the screen. It has opened the door to more creative ideas and people to be brought forth into the industry and receive recognition. Will film survive?If you ask most people, from the highest caliber film critic to a person off the street, they will most likely tell you how unimpressed they are by the state of film at the moment, mostly concerning the onslaught of superheroes and remakes. Most will admit that TV and streaming has much more of their attention. But film has gone through these phases before. As I discussed in my previous article, a time of struggle in film has often led to a creative rebirth. The movie industry goes through phases of all kinds, and like any other business, there are ups and down continuously. I always have faith in film continuing to bring joy, hope, and power to those who need it. In the past five years alone, I’ve seen a great amount of tremendous films that I will keep with me for the rest of my life, even if the general public forgets about them. Movies are meant to be magic. They essentially began as a magic trick, a funny and fantastical escape from reality. Creatives will always find a way to get their work out there, and we as audiences have the power to choose what we want to spend our time on. Beautiful, powerful, magical things will continue to find their way to us so long as we remain open to them. So, here’s to many more glorious movie years and movie criticisms. Best of recent yearsSince hope for film seems to be low, I thought I’d end this article going over some of my favorite movies released within the past couple of years that are not reboots or superhero franchise films. 65 (2023) My favorite film of last year, biased as I am. This was just an exciting, action-packed throwback to action adventure movies of the 80s and 90s, going back to a basic storytelling formula with likable leads and a fun, heartwarming story. Check out my review for my full thoughts. Poor Things (2023) An incredibly trippy, creative parody on gothic horror with gorgeous visuals. Bella Baxter is a hilarious and relatable lead that is probably one of the best characters in recent cinema. The colorful side characters around her and the beautiful journey she goes on makes for a fantastic sci-fi odyssey. Megan (2023) Okay, technically a goof on Chucky, but still original in its own right. This is a throwback-type horror movie with a brand-new potential horror icon. Truly a breath of fun and ridiculous fresh air, despite the unfortunate PG-13 rating, that livened a usually dry season of January and February horror releases. Late Night With the Devil (2024) A unique take on the found footage horror flick with a fun and gory edge. A cast made up of super entertaining character actors, and a perfect late-night 70s television vibe that makes it feel as if you are watching an insane documentary of a TV airing gone horribly wrong. Seeing David Dastmalchian get his leading role debut in a film like this was immensely satisfying for us horror fans. Red, White, and Royal Blue (2023) What more is there to say? The best romance film in recent years, showcasing an entertaining, healthy, passionate relationship between characters that have become such an important staple already in so many people's lives. A triumphant step for LGBT+ love stories, so impactful that we have a sequel well on the way! Annette (2021) Ok, last Adam Driver movie, I promise. This is a bizarre, gorgeous, haunting fable with gut-wrenching characters and performances. The soundtrack is absolutely beautiful, and though the surface story and visuals are odd, it stands unashamedly as a modern romantic gothic tragedy that has endless layers you can discover with each viewing. They Cloned Tyrone (2023) A hilarious throwback to Blaxploitation films of the 70s, as well as sci-fi horror comedies. The characters are unique and incredibly likable, and the production design is utterly gorgeous, with fantastic colors and lighting, and great set pieces. It definitely deserved a theatrical release. Bottoms (2023) Yet another throwback movie, this time to bizarre high school comedies from the 80s. The over-the-top nature of the film makes it immensely enjoyable to watch, and the characters are a blast. The comedic timing is perfect in nearly every scene, making this one of the funniest movies I’ve had the joy of seeing at the theater. Oppenheimer (2023) How can I praise this any more than it has been? It more than deserved the best picture win in a year filled with amazing films. The scale, the music, the visuals, the acting… everything is top-notch filmmaking. Truly an emotional experience on so many different levels, and a film that proved that there are some movies that need the theaters to remain alive so that we can experience these visual masterpieces the way they were meant to be viewed. Malignant (2021) By far one of the best horror films in the past few years. Atmospheric, gory, f-cked up, and reminiscent of old exploitation and giallo horror films mixed with a break-neck pace and sleek edge. This was truly a masterpiece of modern horror and an entry that was desperately needed in the genre. Willy’s Wonderland (2021)
Managed to outdo the Five Nights at Freddy’s film before it even came out. Nicolas Cage vs. Possessed Animatronics is already the best movie ever in concept, but with genuinely freaky practical animatronics, a fantastic setting and soundtrack, gory kills, and a gorgeous color palette, this movie was way better than it had any right being. Obviously not a big release, but deserving of attention nonetheless with its personality and unashamed weirdness.
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From Fargo to Bates Motel, turning popular films into ongoing TV series is a trend in entertainment that has been around for a while and has managed to remain in stark popularity. It is safe to say, especially after the film-centered examinations of my previous two articles in this series, that television continues to surpass film in popularity, content diversity, and oftentimes, quality. But why is this? How did this switch happen? And how has it remained so prevalent? In the third chapter of this series taking a look at the current state of film, we will dive into the TV series obsession and how the small screen has come to dominate entertainment, leading to one of the driest and most desperate stages in film history. The 2020 declineAmong the many businesses and markets that suffered during the pandemic, television was not one of them. Though the outlet had indeed been seeing a new golden age in the recent years past with shows such as Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones receiving endless accolades, COVID forced us all to remain locked indoors with little options for entertainment and escapism apart from the screens in our homes. If a majority was not already turning towards the structure of television, this essentially sealed the deal for everyone else. With platforms such as TikTok and Instagram reels exploding with popularity, it is clear that attention spans have been plateauing, to the point where settling into a two-hour film sounds tedious as opposed to consuming “bite-sized” stories in the episodic style, where you can get a full satisfying story in half-hour increments. It is convenient to stay at home and pop on your favorite channel or streaming site to watch all your favorite content that has been around for a long enough period to feel a strong connection to, rather than going out to the movies for a two-hour film you know little about and are not sure if you’re going to enjoy or not. Beyond that, many feel it is easier to get invested in stories that have massive room for character development, universe expansion, and deep explorations of a story that could not be fully done in a single movie. People return to Stranger Things and Bridgerton because they love the characters and the world that has been created that they feel is a regular part of their life. And after lockdown, that pretty much became a reality. Out of (creative) controlA common route that happens with filmmakers is that they leave the movie world to work in TV, particularly writers. The reason for that is the lack of creative control in film, and the comparative free reign in television. Films are very much controlled by the director and/or big studios, while TV is more dictated by the writer and producers. This is proven easily just by looking at the films being given the highest budgets and studio backing today, compared with the most successful television series’. While the big screen is busy shoving reboots and superheroes down our throats, we have seen a vastly more diverse selection of content when it comes to the small screen. Budgets will typically be much lower for TV than big Hollywood films, so risk can be a lot lower. There is also a much wider market for television, with thousands of channels dedicated to specific audiences, so there is pretty much a place for any kind of show to be made. And now, with multiple streaming platforms (a number that seems to grow every day) on top of the number of cable channels, television has been seeing an even more massive growth in varied content that films haven’t been able to keep up with. All of these components together have easily continued to carry television along in its glory years. But do films even have a chance at making a comeback? And why have they seemed to only double down on the same formulas that audiences are repeatedly ridiculing and turning away from? TV vs Film - when movies triumphedThere was a time before when television was gaining traction over the big screen — back when television was first popularized. Beginning in the late 40s, entertainment was being brought into people’s living rooms for the first time, and shows like The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and I Love Lucy were overshadowing the big Hollywood releases everyone used to flock to the theater to see. Why go out and spend money for a movie every weekend when you could get quality entertainment right there within the comfort of your home? In response, Hollywood had to entice audiences to get back out to the theater, with tactics such as the 3D boom of the 50s, that offered an immersive experience you could only get in the theater. Funny enough, or perhaps just because it’s the genre I’m the most knowledgeable in, horror played a big part in this, partly with the 3D craze, and also with things like William Castle films which always promised to have a fun gimmick to go along with every theatrically released movie. Think the shockers in the seats for The Tingler or the skeleton flying across the theater for House On Haunted Hill. Even the classic Alfred Hitchcock-intrigue marketing buzz created around the release of Psycho was a carefully crafted tactic to bring audiences out to see the film. While horror movies weren’t single handedly responsible for getting audiences back on the movies’ side again, these are just some examples of what films and theaters did to try and draw excitement back to the movies. The real turning point was more in the 70s and 80s, when creativity in the movies was probably at its greatest. Dispensing with the gimmicks, it was time to get back to good old classic storytelling. And so we saw the very beginning of the age of the blockbuster. As well as the age of some of the greatest films of all time that cemented audiences’ favor with the movies once more, and for decades to come. Jaws, Star Wars, Halloween, E.T., Batman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Rocky, Back to the Future, and the list goes on and on. People were reminded not only of the magic of the movies, but of the joy and adrenaline of seeing them in a theater. Even the 80s slasher boom brought a resurgence of the drive-in movie theater. The circumstances of the time forced this resurrection period of film that is probably the most beloved in all of movie history. However, what is vital to remember here, and what the film industry must take from this today, is that this stage in filmmaking took off because of the wide range of creative and original ideas given attention and space to shine. Battle tactics of today — not so hotIn today’s Hollywood sphere, we’re seeing the same desperate call to get eyes turned back towards the movies… only with exceedingly low achievement. One odd turn that has been rampant is the fact that movies nowadays have grown amazingly longer in average length. It’s rare to catch a film in the theater nowadays that won’t take up two hours, at the very minimum, of your time. This, I’m sure, is meant to keep up with the fact that TV shows are so revered for their time spent on character and story development. So that three-hour stretch you have to sit through at the movies now is an attempt to recreate that, with varying success depending on the film. (Curse you, Dune: Part 2 for testing not only my mind but my physical capacity to sit still for that long!) The biggest sin we can most likely all agree on however, is the type of films Hollywood picks and chooses to be given a chance in the spotlight. As we’ve discussed in articles past, superheroes and reboots/legacy sequels have gotten the biggest studio backing when it comes to film releases, including budget, marketing, width of theatrical release, etc. Indie films hardly even get a glance from studio execs, and original story ideas, unless they are intentional Oscar-bait, are released with hardly a word, in a handful of lucky theaters, obscured by Marvel or Disney mania (The Marsh King’s Daughter, anyone?) Even movies that are prime Oscar nominees and/or winners are showered in praise for a few months before being completely forgotten by both mainstream audiences and Hollywood as they move on their reboot slate for the next year. (Anyone remember that really cool movie Parasite? Ex Machina?) With the complete downfall of physical media, the most amount of money movies can make now is in a theater. Therefore, they just go with what worked before. Star Wars and Rocky and Halloween saved cinema once before, right? Why not again? And again… and again… Shows such as Succession and The Bear would never see the success that they have if they were movies. At best, they’d get that brief Oscar nod, but likely, they’d get a low effort release and no spotlight or care from studios until they faded into obscurity. As shows, they are able to be repeatedly in our face and have been able to find audiences looking for something original and different, as well as something with more depth than a movie-length story can offer. It’s just now that Hollywood is finally figuring out their beloved superhero subgenre is not bringing in the financial security it once did, and with the recent theatrical phenomenon of Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things, it is hopeful that we will see a steady decline of reboots next. Because as stated, it was not rejuvenating old properties that led film into its heyday of the 70s and 80s. It was original and creative ideas getting the time, budget, and attention from studios to introduce to the world with a bang. War of the streamingHow does TV fight back? With growing budgets of their own.
We’re seeing episode lengths stretch out to feature film lengths as of late. And we are talking today’s average feature film lengths (ahem, Stranger Things). There are mixed thoughts on this as of now, and I would be surprised if they get a little too ambitious and begin to lead to TV’s downward slope. No one’s tuning into a TV episode to settle in for a two and a half hour commitment. This combined with the ever growing budget that make certain TV episodes feel no different than a theatrical film are what TV has seemed to be using to combat the superhero and reboot extravaganza of theaters, as well as to compete amongst themselves. Also, the mass production of television series based on films. Cobra Kai, From Dusk Till Dawn, Training Day, and so on, are all attempts at utilizing recognizable properties for the TV platform before a blockbuster reboot can steal the spotlight. This is especially prevalent with the rise of streaming services. Streaming used to be a place to watch all your favorite TV shows whenever you wanted, before becoming an alternative to purchasing physical media, and then being a place where original content was created exclusively for that streaming service. But now with a new platform seemingly being created every week, streaming services have to compete with each other to be one of perhaps three to five platforms that a customer will pay monthly to access. Competition is high, and with movies now being released as streaming platform originals, it has created a new place for film to grow outside of theaters. Now we have theaters competing with streaming, and streaming services and their content competing with each other. Marvel has dipped its toe into this phenomenon by turning properties like Moon Knight, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, that were definitely meant to be movies, into these overly long, stretched out stories that have interesting enough concepts, but are ultimately shot in the foot by the episodic style. A case where elongated story and character exploration is not necessarily so successful. Though these shows have pretty ok audience success, so what do I know? It’s hard to say whether all of this manic streaming will eventually cave in on itself, but there are only so many more (Insert Channel Name)+ accounts we can all sign up for. As a dedicated movie fan, my preference is always going to be with the movies (much as I do love me some Mandalorian and Stranger Things). As good as expanding story and character arcs can be, there are far too many times where I end up bored by the slow-burn nature of a series. I am far more willing and less intimidated by a two-hour film than a collection of twenty-two-hour episodes. But that doesn’t mean I can’t see why people are turning more towards TV as of late. I'm the first to roll my eyes at endless Marvel drivel, and rebooting the last piece of media you think anyone would even think to redo. It is clear that Hollywood needs to wise-up, and I’m glad the success of TV is hopefully forcing them to think of more original and creative tactics. We are seeing a bit of fatigue with the TV series-ification of every piece of media being released, which is hopeful as well. As with any trend, everything needs to jump on the bandwagon, and having to spend six or ten plus hours on one story is getting a little silly. Lastly, we are seeing movie theaters create some fun gimmicks as they did way back in the day to get people excited about theaters, though this time doing it with social media trends. Think of the Megan TikTok dance, the hype around the absurdity of Cocaine Bear, the made-for-theaters-only experience of Top Gun: Maverick, and of course, the record breaking Barbenheimer phenomenon that will go down in film history. It’s been slow, but gradually catching on and softening people’s feelings towards theaters. And as always, all we can do is speak with our time and money to show what we want to see be made and released. Ever since the invention of cinema, films have undergone the remake treatment. Whether the reason is to try to recreate the buzz and cash-flow that the original brought in, or to execute a new and unique vision for the source material, there is no denying that the general movie-going public enjoys remakes. But wait. Is not all we hear and talk about nowadays about how retreading through every old property is Hollywood’s dismal way of showing us they are either running out of ideas, or running out of faith in new ideas? Undeniably true. But if there is one thing Hollywood pays attention to, it’s money. It is the same idea we discussed back in January with comic book films: while mostly everyone can agree the same old formulas and ideas are getting tired, it doesn’t erase the fact that people are still paying to see them. Whether that is because there is nothing else in the theater to see, or because they are an easy and safe choice for a relaxed movie date, you can be assured that no studio would be greenlighting the level of remakes and superhero movies that we’ve been seeing if they weren’t positive they would make at least a good bit of money back. And while we always see the occasional flop and more than a few critical pans (now in slowly increasing frequency), it’s safe to say that audiences are still at least somewhat okay with riding along the nostalgic waves. In the second part of my journey looking through the current state of cinema, we are going to be discussing the current reigning power of the legacy sequel. Remake or continuation?Legacy sequels make up a space somewhere between a sequel and a remake. Typically taking place at least twenty years after the original and forgoing any previous installments that came after said original, legacy sequels will most likely be concerned with bringing back fan-favorite actors from the very first film in order to have them “pass the torch” onto a new generation of characters in the hopes of rebooting the property with a new set of films and faces. However, another trope that these legacy sequels often have in common is recreating the most iconic moments and storylines from the original film, which is often where the line between sequel and remake begins to blur. Legacy sequels are far from a new concept. Much like sequels and remakes themselves, they have been around a lot longer than one would think. While there is a strong formula and set of expectations in place with the current onslaught of reboots, legacy sequels have popped up every now and then in Hollywood before, one of the more famous being The Color of Money, a sequel to The Hustler released twenty seven years later. The film focused on Paul Newman’s character instructing a protegé in the world of pool hustling (sounds familiar). And as a horror fan, I of course have to mention 1983’s Psycho II, which brought back Anthony Perkins for a whole set of films that followed a new and interesting look at the character of Norman Bates twenty-three years after the original classic. So what is it that brought on this sudden force of legacy sequels releasing year after year, with entire franchise-reboot plans attached? Setting a legacyIt is safe to say that the current legacy sequel trend we are still experiencing today really began in 2015. Among the biggest hitters in film that year were Creed, Mad Max: Fury Road, and box office record breakers, Jurassic World, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. These films were massive in deciding the direction of Hollywood that we find ourselves in now. Most of these movies were not only monstrously successful financially, but were also (mostly) revered by critics and audiences. Movies like Mad Max and The Force Awakens were hailed for their use of practical effects, which had been more and more vacant in mainstream films up until then. Jurassic World struck at the perfect summer blockbuster moment and many people praised the popcorn-epic-dinosaur fun, while Creed was praised for its emotional performances and handling of character development. While my personal level of agreement with each of these praises varies, there is no denying that these films all worked as catalysts that launched us into not only the sheer number of sequel reboots we are getting, but the specific guidelines to what the stories would be about. Creed and The Force Awakens were able to ramp up as much excitement as they did, aside from being follow-ups to cultural icons in cinema, because they brought back the characters and actors that were the faces of the original product. Seeing Sylvester Stallone back as Rocky Balboa and Harrison Ford returning as Han Solo enticed older audiences to return to see what their childhood favorites were going to be up to in these new installments. Meanwhile, you have the fresh-faced, new generation that these two characters pass the torch to in order to continue on a new branch of the series: Adonis Creed, and Rey, Finn, and Poe. While I think this concept is a fun opportunity to expand the universe of existing stories and carry on the legacy beyond the original characters, we also have a very unfortunate trend brought into popularity by these two films: the legacy characters being broken, depressed, and not getting their well deserved happily ever after. Instead, they sacrifice themselves, oftentimes quite literally, in order for the new characters to be able to take the front seats. This is a big point of contention for many people, and for good reason. Everything from the new Star Wars and Halloween trilogies, to Bill and Ted Face the Music, Scream, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and many more follow this strange trope. I can’t think of anyone who enjoys this, since the people too young to have a connection to these beloved characters don’t really care, and the people who do know and love these characters probably don’t want to see their happy endings completely reversed and demolished. I know I don’t, and even my favorite legacy sequels can leave a bitter taste in my mouth for this aspect. Why you can’t have our favorite characters simply aid the new characters and then go off on their merry way, I will never know. It’s almost as if the filmmakers feel threatened by their mere presence, and feel that the only way to firmly establish their new characters is to assure the audience that these old people are dead and gone for good, or at least too depressed and messed up to go on. But this essentially shoots their new characters in the foot, since now, even if they are perfectly likable, everyone feels a bit betrayed that their favorite iconic characters literally had to be killed off in order for these new people to get their heyday. Another trope that was cemented in 2015 was the style of retreading the same plot line as the first film, only with little wink-at-the-audience to let us know that the characters know this is familiar too. I think this can go either way. Movies like The Force Awakens and the 2018 Halloween retread the same plot points of their original movies with a breath of new life. The story in A New Hope is a fun, simple, sci-fi story that was a good place to launch the new story to appeal to a large number of people. Going in a completely new direction right off the bat (while it may have created a more interesting and immersive venture into the Star Wars universe for us hardcore fans) would have alienated the large masses that helped push it into the top 3 biggest box office grosses at the time. Halloween was able to do a fun switch-up with Laurie Strode being the hunter and Michael Myers becoming the hunted, while mostly following the same beats of the original with a few more dashes of gore here and there. Though, as stated, this method leaves a lot to be desired at times on the creative front. Sure, it will be more crowd-friendly and safe to go with what already works, but the beauty of revisiting these timeless stories is the opportunity for new growth and exploration within the universes. You would think that, with the studios and creators constantly pushing for the “fresh faces” taking the helm from the original actors and taking the story in a “new direction”, that there would… well, actually be some new direction. Instead, as The Force Awakens, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Craft: Legacy, and so on have proved, the interest very much seems to be still in the remake territory that will bring in mildly curious fans who recognize the brand name without having to do too much new story work. And this time, they have the added bonus of bringing back familiar faces to pull in an older audience as well, therefore allowing for massive success across the board. Rebooting the theaterAs much critiques as I have with the legacy sequel craze, I cannot deny that it, much like the superhero genre, has been vital to keeping movie theaters alive as of late. After we began to emerge from the pandemic, people were even more reluctant to go see a movie in a theater than they already had been before, with the rise of streaming and the attention and marketing only being put on big studio projects rather than anything else. But movies such as the Halloween and Scream sequels proved to be financial successes in the theater, even despite Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends being released on streaming at the same time of their theatrical releases. But one of the biggest successes and surprises in the stream of legacy sequels was Top Gun: Maverick. Not only was this pretty much universally praised by audiences and critics alike, but the theater buzz and financial turnaround was insane, smashing box office records. A lot of this had to do with the large marketing campaign and the near constant word of mouth before and after release of how vital it was to experience the film in a theater (and I do personally regret that I missed out on this). Beyond just being a crowd-pleasing legacy follow-up, Top Gun: Maverick reminded moviegoers why we love the theater in the first place. Why there are some movies that were made to be experienced rather than just watched. It truly reinvigorated the magic of the movies. And thankfully, with the recent Barbenheimer takeover, it seems we might be able to keep that magic going now that studios have hopefully been shown the value in good old fashioned theatrical releases - even with films that aren’t remake/sequels or comic book movies. As a theater fanatic, this does make me extremely happy. And I will admit, I am as guilty as ever for shelling out my money when I see that a new entry in a series I love is coming out. Because there is just something about being in a dark room with a bag of popcorn and candy and a huge screen in front of you playing that music you know and love, and seeing those characters that made you fall in love with movies in the first place, that is just truly magical. And if you're lucky, the film will be good, too. A word on horrorNow, to indulge myself, allow this brief interlude on the state of horror. Really nothing could have prepared me for this current wave of horror popularity that took off after the release of Halloween in 2018. The genre had really just been bobbing up and down for a while, with a brief renaissance from films like Split, Get Out, and the remake of It that brought it back into the mainstream with raving critical and audience reception. And when Michael Myers hit the big screen again, it was honestly sort of amazing. For a hardcore slasher fan who never got to see any of the Big 3 in a movie theater, it was definitely a special moment. And a slasher juggernaut returning to the mainstream and being so amazingly successful was exciting. After this we got an onslaught of remake/sequels to classic, recognizable horror films, like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scream, Candyman, and the recent The Exorcist: Believer. Unfortunately, as the pattern goes, these attempts at snagging the spotlight had varying success. Candyman offered a gorgeous visual style, cinematography, and direction, but lacked the power behind the story and characters the original had. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022 reboot felt like more of a parody than anything else. And we all know how the new Exorcist turned out. The movie that managed to land perfectly was Scream. Again, an iconic slasher powerhouse proving it still has the power to bring in viewers and positive reception. In turn, we got the announcement of a Scream trilogy, apparently to take after the same template Halloween used. I’m not sure how or why the trilogy template is so popular suddenly with this new wave of mainstream horror reboots. I’m not sure why Halloween did it in the first place, but I suppose Scream and Exorcist are attempting to follow because those films were absurdly successful. I’m a bit shocked we’ve heard nothing of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street trilogies in the works. I have to predict that this craze is quickly coming to an end though. Not only have Halloween and Scream been the only ones to really find major success, but with Halloween ending on a controversial note, and the future of Scream and Exorcist being currently both up in flames and on a sinking ship at the same time, the future looks bleak. But we had an interesting run, I suppose. A new horizonMuch like the comic book movie craze, the legacy sequel craze seems to be fast approaching the fatigue era, though perhaps a bit more slowly. With the box office disappointments of Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny and The Exorcist: Believer just this past year, audiences are beginning to speak loud and clear with their wallets (which happened a lot in 2023).
I think some good old fashioned nostalgia is always fun to explore. The Star Wars sequel trilogy, despite a mountain of flaws, has been special to me in ways that have shaped me as a creator and my love for stories in general. I’ve explained how special Halloween was for me, and I think Doctor Sleep is a genuine masterpiece. But, like all popular trends, it’s always taken a bit further than it should be. These trends are hard for Hollywood to break, and we certainly have not seen the last of them pushing sequel after sequel on us, praying to recapture the early magic. Remakes big and small will never fully leave us (I say as I sit here watching the Tubi TV remake of Terror Train while writing this article). Just as with any film, there will be the good, the bad, and the ugly. While I think it has become a crutch for studios that is far too overused, I am not anti-remake, -sequel, or -reboot. There have been many times any of the former have surpassed the original. However, if this generation of film has any hope of establishing its own great stories to be remade and rebooted someday in the future, new things need to continue to be not only idealized, but greenlit and properly marketed and released. Until then, any movie re-exploring an older film at least has the chance to creatively explore the world in a unique way, which can perhaps be a good outlet within an art form that has been seriously lacking original stories getting the spotlight. For some time now, it seems like the movie-loving community has been in quite an unhappy state. It’s no surprise to anyone, even those outside the cinephile lifestyle, that there are very specific trends that have taken over cinema in the past ten years or so. It has come to the point where many movie reviewers and goers have declared that they have given up on Hollywood and have lost faith that films will ever return to the glory days where instant classics hit the big screen one after another. There is definitely merit to that argument. But if the movie-goers are so fatigued, why exactly are these trends remaining so popular? In this series of articles, I thought I’d take a look at the biggest (and most controversial) trends in cinema at the moment, including the forever ongoing punch of superhero movies, legacy sequels/reboots, and the rising force of TV series’, as well as where all of this leaves the oh-so rare original and independent films on the radar of popularity. Today, we look at the genre of the comic book film, and my thoughts on this particular genre in general as well as how it stands in cinema today. Colorful pages hit the screenAh, superheroes. There was a time that I thought there wasn’t anything cooler. From preschool age and on, a gigantic chunk of my childhood was made up on the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, the original X-Men trilogy, and the Tim Story Fantastic Four movies. It was movies like these, as well as Blade and Iron Man that seem to have officially kicked off the attractive box office and audience reception that heralded the age we find ourselves in today… Although apparently I am alone in my enjoyment of the Fantastic Four movies. I suppose an important thing to get out of the way here in the beginning, and for future knowledge, is that I am not a comic book reader. I know next to nothing about anything that happens in superhero comics, so my knowledge and experience relies entirely on the films. And to be truthful, after the copious amounts of Marvel and DC content I have consumed and the intricate information I have struggled to maintain, the idea that the comics are even more expansive hurts my head a little bit. There is obviously a lot to talk about, and I will delve deeper into Marvel specifically at another time. But for now, I will focus on the genre as a whole, which does seem to be dominated by Marvel. DC gains a win every now and then, but mostly juggles box office and/or critical flops, which I find interesting. I think most of us can think back to the “good ol’ days” and remember how exciting those early superhero movies were, whether you are from the generation I’ve mentioned, or the Superman and Batman days earlier on. And there is honestly nothing more heart-warming than seeing young children nowadays getting so excited over the vast amount of superhero content that is currently creating fond memories for them as well. But for the rest of us… I think we’ve certainly reached the point of “too much of a good thing.” In fact, we probably reached it a few years ago. The takeoverIt honestly wasn’t too long ago that I was still a superhero fiend. Anything involving comic book characters and super powers on the big screen sounded great to me. And the idea of a crossover between multiple superheroes? I could have fainted from the thought. But yes, here we all are after Avengers: Endgame, and it’s honestly a faint-inducing shock if a superhero movie nowadays isn’t a crossover event. And it seems most people still have the same feeling I had not too long ago about crossover movies, because the Avengers movies became a phenomenon as well as films like Thor: Ragnarok, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Say what you will about how some of these were received critically, but you can't deny it felt like everyone on the planet was talking about them at the time each of them were released. Superhero movies feel like the 80s slasher films of today. It feels like a new one is out every other weekend, and the franchises (ahem, Marvel) are becoming so convoluted that you are doomed if you are a casual fan who wants to catch a showing of the latest movie without doing some hard research on what the hell is happening and in which universe and which timeline at this point. And people thought taking slasher villains to space was digging too far into the barrel. I do find it funny that superhero films are getting to the point where they have created infinite timelines so they can literally pick whichever character they want to make a movie or show about and just go for it, regardless of if that character is even still alive. Multiverses! That’s the medicine for the money-maker! I’m looking at you with an evil eye, Loki. In all seriousness, I can understand why this content is so in demand. It’s a cool and easy thing for kids to be into and, much like Star Wars, there is something for all ages to enjoy. It’s no doubt a source of connection between friends and families, since you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like at least a couple of the most famous superheroes. It’s also just great theater content. I know when I go to the movies, horror and action/adventure are the best genres for a fun theater experience. Superheroes have that great combination of action, sci-fi, and adventure that gets your adrenaline pumping in the theater as opposed to a drama or romcom. And I remember the pure excitement in the air while in wait for the legendary Avengers: Infinity War. A movie event that seemed to catapult the interest and demand for comic book movies even further. On the other hand, I know I am not alone when I say I am more than a bit fatigued. I certainly am not advocating that they stop completely. I know many people still enjoy them. But we do seem to be arriving at a point where movies like this are a bit too focused on getting the laugh from kids and utilizing rushed CG technology in place of real sets and even real costumes. More so, there has of course been all the talk that comic-book films are overshadowing original and/or independent films that hardly seem to get the time and attention. Good or evil?The common arguments that I hear the most against the age of superheroes, are as follows: the barrage of never-ending content overwhelming us seemingly every month; the over reliance of CG that is stretched so thin, it is beginning to look worse than ten years prior; and the overshadowing of other films, particular within the theater, where smaller projects seem to be getting pushed out in favor for the millionth chapter within a comic book universe, or yet another universe scrap-and-reboot, such as we’ve seen with the X-Men universe and the recently with the entirety of the DC universe. These are certainly valid arguments to me, and I think companies spending some time thinking about these common complaints could not only turn a lot of fans back over to their side, but make their current fans even happier. Simply spending more time and attention focusing on a limited number of movies and shows will obviously make the content less rushed with more time to focus on crafting character arcs and storylines that could explore new depths. I am constantly hearing about endless material from the comics that can bring new and intriguing perspectives to the films (including Marvel horror comics? Superheroes turning into zombies? A Frankenstein-Punisher? Yes please!) so it would be nice to see a change in formula, and aesthetic. Of course, I guess Morbius and The New Mutants tried that. So maybe it’s going to take more than just throwing out some new ideas. And of course, a reason why many film fanatics and filmmakers alike are against this overbearing trend, is the domination it has on the movie market. This one, I really don’t know what to say. It’s hard to really pin the blame on the movies themselves when people are willingly going to see them. If people are choosing to spend their hard-earned money on these films rather than non-comic book films, that means that’s just what they want to see, right? It is possible however that smaller films are simply becoming invisible under the power of the mighty superhero. And that is certainly a shame, but is also one of the many unfortunate side effects of these films making an unspeakable amount of money, so much so that their marketing campaign costs more than the entire budget of a regular feature film. I am not of the mindset that superhero movies are not real art. Everything is art to some degree, and I’m sure there are many people who work extremely hard on every single one of these movies and shows, even if most of them are starting to feel rushed, commercialized, and lackluster. In my opinion, a big step back and serious re-evaluation would be very beneficial to both Marvel and DC, or any company looking to cash in on the superhero craze. Look back at why people started loving these films in the first place. Consider that some stories (cough cough, Moon Knight, cough cough Falcon and the Winter Soldier) are perfectly fine being their own two-hour films rather than painfully elongated TV series made only to make sure people aren't only subscribing to Disney+ for The Mandolorian. Also, it may be useful to remember that locations and costumes don’t always have to come out of a computer. We’ve all heard the horrendous demands made on animators for these comic book films to be churned out endlessly, resulting in some of the worst animation in recent memory, particularly in the last couple of years. It is a part of why so many people point out that superhero films don’t feel like films anymore. They feel like commercials, products shoved at us that couldn’t be bothered putting actual real-life clothes on the actors’ bodies, let alone construct a story that doesn’t feel like it came out of Chat GPT. And with recent box office flops, it’s proving that even baiting the audience with cameos from fan favorite characters they shove into the trailers is failing to gauge interest anymore, and can’t cover up the emptiness of the stories and visuals. The next issueIt’s hard to say exactly what the future holds for the comic book film. While many are more than willing to speak out on how drained they are with the whole thing, there are still millions that are lining up at the door, hungry for the next twenty films and fifty TV shows. Especially when it comes to Marvel. Is Disney putting something in our drinks?
In all honesty though, there is good and bad with this current sweep of superheroes. The fact that people still enjoy them and have found a home with these characters and storylines is of course important and meaningful, even if we all may not agree on everything. But studios taking attention and money away from smaller productions in favor of an endless current of only these types of films is a problem. I already feel like we’re seeing less and less original films being released in theaters, instead being dumped on streaming while superheroes get the glory of the big screen. We can hope that recent box office disappointments of just this past year alone, like The Flash, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods might start to get the message across that mindlessly throwing out comic books films isn’t the best way to make easy money every time. All we can do is put our support and attention towards smaller movies/original ideas when we can, and keep showing our love for the more intentional and original superhero movies that succeed in breaking from the formula and stand on their own two feet. With movies like Logan and The Batman, we see what superhero movies could still be and how they can continue to grow with their audience over time. I do have faith in this genre, because I am a fan. I think audiences and filmmakers can once again find that special spark that began our obsession with these films, something that Batman Returns, and X2: X-Men United and Spider-Man 2 had that inexplicably drove that adrenaline and passion through us, while each movie felt completely different from the other. Completely unpredictable at times as well, with imperfect characters, a bit of a dark edge that fell in naturally rather than forcefully, and that something that made all of us want to be Spider-Man, or Catwoman, or Jean Grey. Or at least, I did. And I do believe that what is happening currently is just one of the many trends that takes over cinema in every age. Like all seemingly endless crazes, it will pass. |
AuthorCertified non-professional who just enjoys giving her random thoughts on movies and books. Archives
June 2024
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