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Green Lantern and other typical American hero movies
15 years ago
I just saw the trailer of Green Lantern and I was left with this very familiar and irritating feeling. Familiar because I swear I've seen the 'recipe' of this movie in a ton of other superher movies. Irritated because it will mostly be identical to all the other crap Hollywood vomits out. They are like the opposite of King Midas; everything they touch turns to shit. (I'm talking about superhero movies based off the classic, old, magically comics that really had a plot and a story that it didn't need big boobies to keep the reader interested.)
Let's see... Hal Jordan (played by Ryan Reynolds) is this irresponsible hotshot who loves being single, he have no worries in life, everything is like a game for him. He's a bit cocky and arrogant, can't take anything serious. All the women wants him and he rarely goes to bed alone. But the only woman he really wants do not want him. She's a mature woman with a sad past which made her grow up quicker, and in doing so she missed most of the fun other people get when growing up. He does his best to impress her with stupid and sometimes direct dangerous actions, retarted oneliners and his pretty strong physique.
Suddenly something happens that changes his life. He is given something very important. But he still acts cocky and carefree, he doesn't take his powers serious and use them to show off instead of really doing something good. As the movie goes on he slowly starts to change, but it's not until someone who's very close to him that gets in danger that he becomes the hero everyone need.
In the end he takes responsibility and wins the heart/interest of the only woman he wants. He gets more serious, more mature, because he suddenly discovers that having powers isn't a game. But it doesn't prevent him for still coming with stupid oneliners. And his attitude is still non delicate for the ones over 20.
Add some models in bikinis and some cool parties, maybe a child who is the daughter/son of the director/producer who get a few seconds of screen time, and some few awkward moments that's just there for the laughs. And voilà: The Green Lantern. A movie that could have been great but got turned into fertilizer by the soulless writers. Because it's more important to let the movies be as low rated as possible so they can attract more audience than really making something that is pretty good that makes you go "whoa".
Why do I have the feeling that I've seen this plot before? And why does it make me want to moon Hollywood?
Now before you all burn me alive I have this to say: I may be wrong. I can be dead wrong. The Green Lantern may be a pretty good movie, judging a movie because of it's trailer is the same of judging a book because of it's cover. But from what I saw in the trailer I saw the same things I've seen in the trailers of all the other superhero movies. Heck, even ordinary movies often use this recipe.
I will see the movie, because I was a big fan of the comic when I was growing up. But I won't have any high expectations. If it turns out I have right then ok, you don't have to be a psychic to see the outcome. And if I'm wrong then you can abuse me as much as you want with anything you want.
It just seems like Hollywood have really given up great storytelling. They have given up everything, and instead rely on famous and known brands (comics, videogames, older movies, tv-shows, etc.) that they know will attract people. In that way they don't have to use their own brains.
There's always exceptions though. No rule without exceptions. But the exceptions have been lesser and lesser up through the years.
I wonder what went wrong, and when. Hollywood is becoming a cemetery. I guess that's what happens when everyone focuses on only making movies for kids, no matter what the subject is. Oh, I miss the old days.
Let's see... Hal Jordan (played by Ryan Reynolds) is this irresponsible hotshot who loves being single, he have no worries in life, everything is like a game for him. He's a bit cocky and arrogant, can't take anything serious. All the women wants him and he rarely goes to bed alone. But the only woman he really wants do not want him. She's a mature woman with a sad past which made her grow up quicker, and in doing so she missed most of the fun other people get when growing up. He does his best to impress her with stupid and sometimes direct dangerous actions, retarted oneliners and his pretty strong physique.
Suddenly something happens that changes his life. He is given something very important. But he still acts cocky and carefree, he doesn't take his powers serious and use them to show off instead of really doing something good. As the movie goes on he slowly starts to change, but it's not until someone who's very close to him that gets in danger that he becomes the hero everyone need.
In the end he takes responsibility and wins the heart/interest of the only woman he wants. He gets more serious, more mature, because he suddenly discovers that having powers isn't a game. But it doesn't prevent him for still coming with stupid oneliners. And his attitude is still non delicate for the ones over 20.
Add some models in bikinis and some cool parties, maybe a child who is the daughter/son of the director/producer who get a few seconds of screen time, and some few awkward moments that's just there for the laughs. And voilà: The Green Lantern. A movie that could have been great but got turned into fertilizer by the soulless writers. Because it's more important to let the movies be as low rated as possible so they can attract more audience than really making something that is pretty good that makes you go "whoa".
Why do I have the feeling that I've seen this plot before? And why does it make me want to moon Hollywood?
Now before you all burn me alive I have this to say: I may be wrong. I can be dead wrong. The Green Lantern may be a pretty good movie, judging a movie because of it's trailer is the same of judging a book because of it's cover. But from what I saw in the trailer I saw the same things I've seen in the trailers of all the other superhero movies. Heck, even ordinary movies often use this recipe.
I will see the movie, because I was a big fan of the comic when I was growing up. But I won't have any high expectations. If it turns out I have right then ok, you don't have to be a psychic to see the outcome. And if I'm wrong then you can abuse me as much as you want with anything you want.
It just seems like Hollywood have really given up great storytelling. They have given up everything, and instead rely on famous and known brands (comics, videogames, older movies, tv-shows, etc.) that they know will attract people. In that way they don't have to use their own brains.
There's always exceptions though. No rule without exceptions. But the exceptions have been lesser and lesser up through the years.
I wonder what went wrong, and when. Hollywood is becoming a cemetery. I guess that's what happens when everyone focuses on only making movies for kids, no matter what the subject is. Oh, I miss the old days.
Why not rant about happy things? Like the fact that your penis hasn't dried up yet even though you're already 30 years old?
Hahaha. Just messing with ya man. I'd like to hear from you again sometime though. *hug*
To trick prevent the penis from getting dried up is to add moisture to it. The more the better. Or else it will slowly get the same fate as prunes. And no one like prunes. (Except old people)
Lately I've found myself in a spiral of too much video games, paralysis, movies and heavy sleep. It's almost like floating away on an air mattress in space. Getting further and further away from the known, ascending toward new worlds and time, not knowing if the changes will bring good or bad fulfillments. Almost like Pennywise's ballons; they all float, but to where?
I must get online to chat more before I ascend into utterly madness. :p
It went something like this: Slice & dice, yadda, yadda, yadda, boom bang, yadda, yadda, yadda, running, yadda, yadda, slice & dice, yadda, yadda, yadda. Then start over again and repeat. Sheesh...
It seems like every time someone think of an interesting story or plot then other people comes riding and transforms the whole thing to something terrible. Movie directors rarely get the last word. It's the film studio that gets the last word, and I have no idea how many times a studio have ruined something great because of their greed or fear of getting negative attention from fanatics.
Guillermo del Toro have been fighting with movie studios for over 10 years over H.P. Lovecraft's short story At The Mountains of Madness. He have wanted to make that movie for ages, but he refused to agree on the movie studios CEO's. They said he could make it if he agreed on 3 things: set the movie to modern day, add a strong female lead, and have a happy ending (that off course would end in the strong female lead and the male lead kissing). One of their main excuses was that the movie wouldn't earn much without these changes, because that is what everyone wants. But mr. del Toro said NO! Lovecraft isn't about happy endings and love. They are the opposite.
It wasn't until James Cameron got signed on as a producer that Guillermo del Toro got free hands to make it as he wanted.
The comic Bone was also planned to be a movie, but when the creator, Jeff Smith, heard that it was going to be a musical movie for children with music from Britney Spears and other early teen idols he refused to sell the rights. Seriously... Why do certain people want to destroy a great franchise? It's like taking a dump in front of Mona Lisa and then smear it all over the paining.
It's truely sad that a proper Tragedy can't make it to the big screen. Half the recent horror movies have had traqic endings hidden in the director's cut.
Or like I Am Legend. Everyone involved had every intention to end the movie correctly, reveal that the "vampires" were civilized, but at the last minute the studio swapped out a shitty "blow everything up" ending. Leaving an hour and a half of movie hinting at intelligent monsters with no resolution.
Have you seen They? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283632/) I liked it very much and have seen it many times, but all my friends hated it because of the ending. What I like with tragic endings is that they give more "reality" to the movie. It shows that there's no such things as happy endings 100% of the time. Look at our real world, all the murders and tragedies. There are happy endings sometimes, but not all the time.
The Mist is another example. Still the ending makes me mad, but I have to give Frank Darabont credits for it. Few movies have gotten to me like that. There's so many happily ever after movies out there, it's about time we get some tragedies too.
I love rewatching old movies - the past is full of unexplored territory. And there've been some great films coming out of Europe recently too. So all is not lost :)
I think Hollywood's soul died in the end of the 90's. Now and then small sparks of it's death scream can produce a pretty good movie, but the majority of them is soulless and cold. As if they were made of robots instead of humans. By individuals that doesn't know what feelings and emotions are. They rely on graphics and explosions, things they know will get our attention because of the sound and the visuals, but it isn't enough. A movie needs a soul. No one wants to be intimate with a zombie, the same goes for a zombified movie.
Remember The Neverending Story? It's a gem and a good example of that a great movie doesn't have to be made in Hollywood like they claim. And yes, Europe have managed to toss out some great movies the last years. And let's not forget british filmmaking.
European tv shows are another example on how much more "free" we are when it comes to delicate subjects. American tv shows is all about moral and family values, and many episodes ends with the typical "...and what did we learn of our mistakes this time?".
Canada also have some pretty crazy shows, like Lexx. Such a bizarre sci-fi serie. :D
Everyone is rehashing the same thing over and over again that 'worked' at some point in time; keeping in the same formula they are so afraid to stray away from.
This is why I actually don't see movies anymore; I don't read comic books or anything. Only reason why I watch horror movies is to get my kicks; not many horror movies have much of a story anymore anyway. I find myself steering back to the classics for entertainment.
I have my own headworld to keep myself entertained though. Things never get boring there. I would love to share the story on a wide scale, but it would make me feel like I sold my soul.
Most horror movies today are not horror. I just call them for "Dead Teens Movies". That's all they are. Sluttish teens who gets killed, over and over again. When I grew up I just knew about one sluttish teen. But in the movies it seems like being a slut is a normal thing. Like taking off your top 5 minutes after the party have started and smear oil on your breasts and moan "I'm so fucking horny". Is that a normal thing today? If it is then God help us.
I often point to John Carpenter's The Thing when talking about this. That movie is a great example on how a good horror movie shall be. You doesn't need teens, nudity or women in tight tops to make a good movie. What makes it good is the claustrophobic atmosphere and paranoia. And no one jokes around. If your best friend got an axe to the head, would you tell your other friends that he/she have a splitting headache? I doubt it, but in the movies everyone have to come with clever one lines, even if it's about their dead friends.
Oh, I could ramble about this forever. :p
It's a good thing we have the classics to go back to, and there are tons of them that's worth seeing.
Some stories are meant to never be told. They are too complex and personal. And it is what you say; going out on a wider scale will be like selling a part of yourself, like your soul. The things that rests deep within us are there for a reason. To spread it to the rest of the world is like draining an orange of it's juices. In the end you just end up with a wasteland and a constant reminder of how you sold yourself out. Not many can understand that, they just demand. I have this feeling that they never had any "juices" in the first place, and therefore tries to suck others dry. Like mental vampires.
I loved The Walking Dead and I'm really looking forward to the second season, even if it's 9 months away. Let's hope more directors and producers see the success and realize that it is possible to make a "serious" horror movie/show without all that stupid humor and clever talks. The only negative thing about The Walking Dead was that triangle drama. It seems like we can't never escape that, even if the world is going to hell.