After watching a night at The Oscars, I am like so many who love movies, I love seeing my favorites and I get excited about new movies coming out every year, especially in the spring. Good stories are a magical thing and when I see something on the big screen I fall in love with, it is truly a special time for me. I get inspired by the ideas and creativity produced from a lot of hard work. I am biased with the types of stories, movies, and directors that I think of as great; just ask me and I will tell you which ones are the best.
Hollywood counts on us loving movies and it would be a sad day for me not to love at least one new movie, but the thing is they aren’t all new. The remake has pervaded Hollywood for so many years now it seems normal and that is a shame. Don’t get me wrong, some of the remakes are good and I’m happy to see them if the remake made sense and was done well, but some are remade and remade to the point of absurdity. I can’t say this loud enough, some movies should never be remade, period; I believe there are certain ones that are so iconic it’s a crime to attempt it. If you don’t understand which movies I’m talking about, then you don’t know some of the great movies. We all know the reason they do remakes, the story is tried and true, it has a following, the platform is already there for some level of success, they don’t have to spend more for an original story. At least that is why I think they do remakes so often and I don’t believe I’m far off.
This is the part where I make a pitch just so I’m clear. I am a writer, a hack, a beginner, a dreamer, but someone who desperately loves telling a story. I have more ideas in my head than I have time to write down on paper, that is a shame but I’m trying. There are so many like myself who have some amazing stories, some finished, some in progress, and like I said, some we desperately want to tell. So Hollywood, take a look at these wonderful stories however small or weird or far-fetched, maybe a gem will be found and you will grow your audience. Like I said, I love movies and for the most part I love Hollywood, after all they’re responsible, if you include the writers. Yes, you need the big wigs with the backing, money, and any innumerable things to make the magic happen but you must have writers, you must have stories that attract the attention of the audience. How awesome would it be to have such a wide variety of movies out instead of the formulaic system of expectation we have now. I know we need the blockbuster action movie, we need the horror films around Halloween, we need the romantic comedy etc…but for me I would prefer to have something at the theater every season that is completely different than anything we are familiar with already. Is that asking too much? Is that a herculean task? Maybe but with the dearth of material out there is it possible? The answer is yes, absolutely. I can think of just a few books in my meager collection that would qualify.
Oh Hollywood, we love you, I love you, don’t stop making great films just be sure to shine that spotlight on the untold stories. My soul hurts every time I see a movie that is completely void of any soul, story, or breathe of experience. I need two things in life besides the obvious, books and movies; they give me a reality that is far more preferable to what I see every day. My books give me the quite retreat where my imagination is alive and well, my movies give me the visceral visual experience I need sometimes and is made that much better by the incredible talent out there. I think there should be a place on every motion pictures website where there is a feedback section, where anyone can voice input on stories out there that could be made into a movie. How awesome would that be if some of the truly deserving stories found their way onto the big screen because of the support generated from everyone who cared, and not some of the truly tragic ones that arrive every year for us to endure. I honestly believe with the right story, regardless of budget can make an impact given the right direction. To quote the man himself, George Lucas, A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing. I agree whole heartedly, a special effect is needed to translate something visually but if you pair it with something that has meaning it is extraordinary in the effect. Isn’t that the point of a movie? Please, let’s not lose our focus in this beloved medium we call film, movies, or the cinematic experience. Oh Hollywood, we implore thee, the little guy or girl, with a big story with more heart than something we just endured for a couple of hours. We don’t fault you for trying, but when we constantly redo we aren’t really trying are we?
Hollywood counts on us loving movies and it would be a sad day for me not to love at least one new movie, but the thing is they aren’t all new. The remake has pervaded Hollywood for so many years now it seems normal and that is a shame. Don’t get me wrong, some of the remakes are good and I’m happy to see them if the remake made sense and was done well, but some are remade and remade to the point of absurdity. I can’t say this loud enough, some movies should never be remade, period; I believe there are certain ones that are so iconic it’s a crime to attempt it. If you don’t understand which movies I’m talking about, then you don’t know some of the great movies. We all know the reason they do remakes, the story is tried and true, it has a following, the platform is already there for some level of success, they don’t have to spend more for an original story. At least that is why I think they do remakes so often and I don’t believe I’m far off.
This is the part where I make a pitch just so I’m clear. I am a writer, a hack, a beginner, a dreamer, but someone who desperately loves telling a story. I have more ideas in my head than I have time to write down on paper, that is a shame but I’m trying. There are so many like myself who have some amazing stories, some finished, some in progress, and like I said, some we desperately want to tell. So Hollywood, take a look at these wonderful stories however small or weird or far-fetched, maybe a gem will be found and you will grow your audience. Like I said, I love movies and for the most part I love Hollywood, after all they’re responsible, if you include the writers. Yes, you need the big wigs with the backing, money, and any innumerable things to make the magic happen but you must have writers, you must have stories that attract the attention of the audience. How awesome would it be to have such a wide variety of movies out instead of the formulaic system of expectation we have now. I know we need the blockbuster action movie, we need the horror films around Halloween, we need the romantic comedy etc…but for me I would prefer to have something at the theater every season that is completely different than anything we are familiar with already. Is that asking too much? Is that a herculean task? Maybe but with the dearth of material out there is it possible? The answer is yes, absolutely. I can think of just a few books in my meager collection that would qualify.
Oh Hollywood, we love you, I love you, don’t stop making great films just be sure to shine that spotlight on the untold stories. My soul hurts every time I see a movie that is completely void of any soul, story, or breathe of experience. I need two things in life besides the obvious, books and movies; they give me a reality that is far more preferable to what I see every day. My books give me the quite retreat where my imagination is alive and well, my movies give me the visceral visual experience I need sometimes and is made that much better by the incredible talent out there. I think there should be a place on every motion pictures website where there is a feedback section, where anyone can voice input on stories out there that could be made into a movie. How awesome would that be if some of the truly deserving stories found their way onto the big screen because of the support generated from everyone who cared, and not some of the truly tragic ones that arrive every year for us to endure. I honestly believe with the right story, regardless of budget can make an impact given the right direction. To quote the man himself, George Lucas, A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing. I agree whole heartedly, a special effect is needed to translate something visually but if you pair it with something that has meaning it is extraordinary in the effect. Isn’t that the point of a movie? Please, let’s not lose our focus in this beloved medium we call film, movies, or the cinematic experience. Oh Hollywood, we implore thee, the little guy or girl, with a big story with more heart than something we just endured for a couple of hours. We don’t fault you for trying, but when we constantly redo we aren’t really trying are we?
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