Monday, May 31, 2010

Shiny vs. substance


Maybe it's my job to watch film after film after film, but I can slowly feel my head begin to melt when I'm only fed mulch. I've recently been subjected to empty spectacles such as Prince of Persia and Clash of Titans, thankfully relieved that I never footed the bill. Who's fault is it? Believe it or not there is no one to blame except ourselves. So long as the general public demands cheap brainless fodder, Hollywood will deliver. Visual effects, glossy beautiful actors mouthing poorly written lines, and ridiculous stories are all that society demands. Don't think so? Well Sex and the City 2 and Prince of Persia are well on their way to proving my point.

Perhaps it's time to take a walk to the local video rental store or crack open the film cabinet instead of investing two hours for sub par storytelling for the unreasonable price of $15? There are other options of course. Many cities have review cinemas that showcase some of Hollywood's finest masterpieces. I managed to watch Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen before my favourite cinema closed down... it's now a popular fitness club for yuppies. Fortunately many stay in business, it's just a matter of riffling around to find one.