Weekends can be a real chore for me. Often I find myself burdened not only by housework that has built up over the week, but scrambling to fill the hours with enough enjoyment that when I return to work on monday, I can feel accomplished with my liesure. I’m not alone in this, my girlfriend shares with me this terrible burden, so in collaboration, it was decided among us that we should check out a matinée. With haste, she and I had a look at what was playing.
I didn’t notice at first the deja vu that occured, or its cause, but it was certainly there. Poring over the list of features & showtimes, my blind eyes saw simply a handful of decent looking movies I was interested in seeing. Appealing they were, but it took me a moment to discover why. Upon careful examination, each title that drew me in faded, a familiar text taking its place. ‘In Bruges’ became ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (the catalyst for this realization, as the blurb’s author had mistakenly cited the reference), Then came Doomsday (Resident Evil), Jumper (The Matrix, sans plot.), and Juno (Little Miss Sunshine). Without fail, the very cause for the enjoyment I had experienced in movies past had been identified, replicated and applied in a cleverly disguised “new” theme, carefully preserving its original formula.
No doubt my observations are ignorant by comparison to the true source of these tales. Those whose experience (age) outweighs mine exponentially will surely correct me by citing creations outdating my lifespan by years at the least. Still, it amuses me to know with the very little information I currently possess, I will enjoy these movies, having enjoyed so thoroughly their most recent predecessors. I will, however, note a word of caution; that history has shown us that stories deteriorate in quality with too-frequent retelling. This fact appears to remain prevalent in today’s society. I’ll offer the authors of the titles I’ve yet seen some credit by saying their efforts to conceal the source of their “inspiration” appear at least partially successful. Thus far.
We chose Doomsday. I’ll be fair, this may have been a poor choice to base such commentary on, however of the choices available it was decided (by way of unfortunate coincidence) that this was the most demanding (other than Jumper) of a massive screen & thundering audio. And in all honesty – SUV navigable plot holes, poor camera work with action scenes, and obvious, impossible stunts aside – it was a fulfilling experience. Satisfying, you might say. It was not unpleasant. Still, widespread virus with no cure + hot young heroine + hundreds of flesh-eating zombies mutants = …? Which movie was this again? I could swear…
I expect In Bruges and Juno to live up to their predecessors, though I’m hoping Jumper (and soon, Wanted) will show some form of impressive innovation. I’m also looking forward to seeing Vantage Point. Not for the story (I’ve heard it was terrible) but for the concept. I think this may be a powerful force in cinema’s future, though that concept appears to be in the early stages of its infancy at current. In closing, may I say that Horton Hears a Who looks absolutely incredible, and you should all go and check it out right away. Happy St. Patty’s day.