What ever happened to good movies? You know, the kind that were REALLY entertaining, thought provoking or even life changing? These days, I feel so inundated with mediocrity, and movies are no exception. Seems they'll release any pile of crap they can throw together and the kicker is that people will not only go see them, but actually enjoy them! What am I missing here? It's hard to believe that I'm the only one who is bothered by this as of late.
Allow me to elaborate on my frustration. During the last few years, I've missed out on countless movies due to spending the majority of my time engrossed in my career or in my educational pursuits. Going to the movies, popcorn and all, is something I've missed. So now that I have more free time, I've become determined to dedicate more time to one of my favorite pastimes. For the last three weeks in a row, a friend and I made it a habit to go to the movies every Friday evening. Just painting you a picture so you can imagine my excitement and expectations.
The first movie we saw was San Andreas, with Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson. Probably one of the worst movies I've ever wasted two hours of my life on. The film was full of completely unrealistic/impossible scenarios and cliche overkill, such as the famous "What do we do now? We rebuild!" line after total and utter devastation to the entire state of California. Whenever a character miraculously survives an extreme disaster and yet still has a fresh face of make up on, I for one am very freaking annoyed. I feel like they don't even try to make this stuff even slightly believable anymore. Ugh.
The next week, we saw Jurassic World after hear mixed reviews. I was so disappointed. Yes, special effects were good in this (as well as in San Andreas) but that is not enough to wow me, especially when the main character is running from a T-Rex for hours in heels and a white blouse. The kicker? They pulled the exact same "What do we do now?" line in this one too! There's only so much over the top ridiculousness I can take. Upon discussing at work the next Monday, my coworkers loved the movie and brought up a good point. Why would anyone expect anything less than these exaggerations and this total predictability in Hollywood blockbusters these days? Especially one about dinosaurs. I guess I can understand that perspective, but come on. I remember when movies wowed you. I remember when movies were so original that you never knew what would happen next or how the movie would end. I remember movies that made a significant impact on me! And THAT is what I miss.
So do you know what I did? I went home and popped in my DVD of the original Jurassic Park, a movie I have fond memories of from many views as a child. And I enjoyed it even more than the over-produced 2015 crap I just saw hours before. Are the special effects amazing like they are now? No. But even with a concept like killer dinosaurs, the movie was exciting, relatable, and absolutely earns its title as a classic. I probably should never set my expectations as high, but I can't help it. I know that remakes and sequels usually disappoint, but this is just one example of how the QUALITY of Hollywood releases in general has went downhill.
However, we were pleasantly surprised the last week when we went to see the movie, Dope. It was a unique concept, very well done, and totally entertaining from start to finish. The film followed a high school outcast and his two friends in the rough streets of Inglewood, California as they go from geeks obsessed with the 90's and regularly bullied at school; to cool kids who are in the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly get forced into selling drugs. Except, in true nerd fashion, they opt to push and market their products via the online black market trade. Throughout it all, the main character never gives up his aspirations to attain a scholarship at an Ivy League school. So this was not just your typical urban drama or teen flick. At the end of the movie, the social message was clear and it was a very good one: whether you're a black kid from the streets of Compton or a white kid with rich parents, every child deserves a chance in life. No one should be limited to their environment. Following your dreams is more important than following the crowd. The movie was completely authentic, unpredictable, clever, and truly refreshing. Exactly the kind of movie I miss.
America's fascination with the big screen is a century old obsession, but in my opinion the industry will never be the same as it used to be back when movies had substance, originality, authenticity, and innovation. Once in a while, you'll see a film like Dope that stimulates you the entire time and moves you. Even more seldom, you may encounter a film that becomes a classic, like some of my favs, the the Godfather and Pulp Fiction. But the decades where Hollywood pumped out one great film after another are over. These days Americans find reality TV entertaining, so it's no wonder their standards for movies have sunk just as low. All I'm saying is that I'm tired of the crap that our society accepts as the norm, yet haven quite given up on hope. But for now, I'll mostly stick to my books, which never seem to disappoint.
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