It's getting near that time when you start doing "year long retrospectives." I was starting small and rather impersonally, thinking back on what has overall been a lackluster year at the movies.
I got to wondering how much, if any of it, has to do with the fact that a lot of the major films this year have been... well, "predictable" isn't even an apt enough word. Many of the movies this year, you have known the ending to before ever setting foot in the theater.
King Kong is of course the best, most recent example of this. But it's certainly not alone. Most people had already read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Jarhead held no surprises. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was going to change a few things from the book/prior film version, but was going to end up in the same place. Most people know how the aliens get defeated at the end of War of the Worlds (hint: Tom Cruise was not around for the Orson Welles radio broadcast). Revenge of the Sith -- you already knew where things would end up. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- you've read it, or watched the TV version, or listened to the radio program. The Amityville Horror -- another remake.
And none of this is counting the movies where the ending (or significant events in them) was ruined by the "shows-too-much" trailer.
There's still enough time in 2005 to squeeze in a few more "you know the ending" films, too. I loved the stage version of The Producers, and I'm looking forward to the film. But, of course, I know the whole thing very well. The events portrayed in Munich are a matter of public record.
I'm not suggesting that "surprise" factor is necessary for a movie to be good. But I do wonder if I'm ready for a break from predictability. After all, the best movie I saw all year was crammed full of surprises.
(That would be Serenity, of course. Available this week on DVD. Plug, plug.)
3 comments:
While watching History of Violence were you ever sure how it was going to end?
But you are right, too many remakes and "get 'em in the theatre - who cares what we show 'em" movies this year.
Man, I hope you're right. If I had orbital mind control lasers, I'd be putting that idea in the minds of every movie studio in Hollywood. Of course, you can't depend on those idiots to notice anything, so I don't have much hope. I am not a fan of remakes, and this year might have set a new record.
the CoN:LWW was also predictable.
quick someone get Evan a Sixth Sense stat!!!
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