This was *another* american movie that where SO full of predictable scenes and story build ups that it's not funny any more. In my experience this is not really the case with european movies to the same extent. WHY??
shareThey are trying to appeal to a larger audience than European movies.
Also, we don't like going to movies and coming out feeling depressed. We like closure; not despair.
And, movies like this aren't supposed to be deep, insightful classics which will stand the test of time. These are "date movies" or "rent from Redbox for $1" movies.
Unpredictability doesn't automatically mean sad or depressing feelings. I like the thought of a film taking unexpected turns, and American movies often just doesn't cut it there. So glad we haven't too many of these "rent from a Redbox"-movies over here.
shareYou have to consider that Hollywood churns out about 600 movies every year, and most people want to be entertained when they see a movie. They want the hero to get the girl and the bad guy to lose.
I'm not saying that people don't want to think when they see a movie, but you also have to expect certain things from certain movies. The big movies from studios aren't going to have tons and tons of depth/twists to them. But, smaller movies, with lesser known stars and smaller budgets will.
If you want "unexpected turns" then stay away from mainstream Hollywood movies.
i bet the script for 'larry crowne 2' will be full of turns and a few twists.
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Ok I hear you. And I understand they churn out lots not-so-thoughtful-movies, but you again assume that the term "unpredictability" means one can't be entertained by it. That is very strange to me. I am much more often entertained by a film that develops new unexpected turns than the already though-out ones.
And one doesn't really need "tons and tons" of it, I'm just asking the movie-makers to perhaps broaden their minds a bit. But I see that won't happen anytime soon.
while i'm a huge fan of this movie, some subversive antics from the scooter gang would have been interesting.
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It was unpredictable for me because I thought the film wouldn't be entertaining. Surprisingly it kept me interested the whole time.
Mag, Darling, you're being a bore.
Well, generally speaking, European films tend to be weighted more towards artistic expression and creativity. American films, especially Hollywood films, are about making money. The producers tend to control the output of their films, and many producers have good business sense but poor creative sense and aesthetics. They control the content over the directors, writers, and actors. They're not specifically against creativity and art, they just don't care. They want to make money, no matter what. Very few directors have "final cut" privileges, so producers can go in and tweak and pull the guts out of any film they choose to suit their own taste, since they tend to control the purse strings.
In this day of falling box office attendance and rampant pirated movies, producers really don't like to take any chances with their money. They will tend to err on the side of proven tropes, sequels, and remakes, because they tend to be the easiest way to make money with the least amount of risk. It's all a big gamble, and the money people like to hedge their bets as best as they can.
So, while the stories may not seem as interesting or original as the could be, American films do tend to dominate the box office grosses worldwide. The producers and executives do know their business sense. That's not to say that you can't find really good filmmaking, but like most products, you have to dig around for a bit through the chaff.
Thank you LastCub Scout for that extensive reply and very good overview of the reasons to my question in the first place. I was looking for some more surprises and plot twists in this movie, but as I see it, it just didn't happen. Then again, European films can be too artistic also. Myself I'm from Sweden, and I feel a lot of Ingmar Bergman's films is just a bit much to stomach. So you could say I am arguing against myself here.
And as you described, film companies and big movie businesses doesn't want to take any chances these days, and who can blame them if they are fighting against an ever broadening piracy and downloading trend. It's sad really. I long for the Kubricks of today or a Hitchcock. Or a new Woody Allen wouldn't hurt. But atleast we have Wes Anderson. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a feast for the Eyes and truly magic. Thanks again for your reply! /Erik.
Well, like I said, there are really well-made, creative, and interesting American movies. Many are independent. You just have to do a lot of digging. I got the feeling beforehand with Larry Crowne that if it's written by Tom Hanks and the My Big Fat Greek Wedding lady, directed by Hanks, and starring Hanks with Julia Roberts, that it wasn't going to be the edgiest and most off-beat film ever. Wes Anderson is awesome. Love his stuff. I also dig Richard Linklater, Thomas McCarthy, Sofia Coppola, David Fincher... Lotta good American stuff out there. (Can't back Woody. He's a little too whiny for my tastes. ξ )
However, because of America's immense business sense and lust for money, the Hollywood films also have massive weight and bank behind their productions. They may be simplistic and dopey, but they can be insane spectacles. One could make the argument of why European and Asian films look so cheap? Why do so many European films have two people talking in a cafe for 3 hours while it snows outside? Why don't they release a movie featuring superheroes battling an army of robots and monsters while flying saucers destroy New York? Where is their action heroes fighting an army of terrorists on a runaway ocean liner crashing into an airport? Space battles? Global disaster apocalypses? As an American, I tend to take films like this for granted, but they are impressive technical achievements that could only come from pocketbooks as deep as Hollywood's.
Interesting tips there LastCubScout, I'll look out for those directors. What do you think of Jonathan Glazer, the writer and director of Under the Skin? I think he have a style that gives some Kubrick-vibes, while doing something similar horror wise. He is someone I'll be watching in the future.
And yes, you do have a valid question - where is the European superhero- or monstemovies? I can enjoy those kind of thing IF they have interesting story and characters, but more often than not they disappoint me. They're just too shallow in my eyes.
Then again I'm a person that actually likes the kind of movies where they talk Three hours in a cafe while it snows outside. Atleast metaphorically. You see that too seldom in American film altogether. But one movie that had this AND I think was intended as a big budget try was The New World (Pocahontas IRL). it had very long scenes of the ships entering the bay and indians just watching them, and such. I really liked that. I know it's perhaps not a high quality Movie but i did enjoy it. Plummer shows one of his last shining roles there too.
Perhaps in the future Hollywood and big pocket producers will allow a more thoughtful and contemplative type of Movies being made, but I doubt it.
I didn't see Under the Skin. That's that Scarlett Johansson flick? I've only seen Glazer's Sexy Beast, which I remember enjoying, but it's been a while. Oh, you like Terrence Malick's The New World? Yeah, that's a guy that pushes the envelope of conventional storytelling. I just caught his Knight of Cups, which was a real mind trip.
I guess Christopher Nolan films are sort-of contemplative big-budget films, like Interstellar and Inception.
Yep that's the Johanssen movie and while I haven't seen her play anything but herself in almost every film she does (including Woody Allen's) on this one she surprised me. I recommend watching that one.
Sexy Beast? I have missed that one! And Knight of Cups I'll definately give a try now that you've mentioned it. Interstellar I liked, but Inception not so much. The latter one became a little bit too much of an action movie.
Out of the blue I came to think of another really good one I saw some years ago with Christian Bale: The Flowers of War. And two later movies with Michael Caine is Flawless (with a surprisingly good Demi Moore) and Harry Brown. I see I've now gone way out of the thread theme, but these are all good movies IMO.
'sexy beast' is how i imagine larry crowne living out his retirement years....by the ocean in spain. cool house. cool pool. and of course, a cool kitchen.
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dracopticon: Thanks for your comment. Whatever you do don't apologize for having good taste and being disappointed and disgusted by American Hollywood films. They appeal to the lowest common denominator and often appeal toward easy stereotypes and simplified characterizations. Those movies are dangerous because their simplified cookie cutter characters and predictable stories are actively selling a false message about people and about the world. per example: the fat lazy kid, the asian karate master, the older man who's out of touch and not old fashioned, the hip hop black kid who steals, the "hot" caucasian brunette that everyone desires no matter what. et. al. LOL.
shareThank you yourself for that reply hlmitchell31! Yep, as with all American culture and subcultures expressions it's a hate-/love-affair. I can't even begins to express my gratitude for the invention of pen and paper RPGs for instance and Wes Anderson's or Woody Allen's or David Lynch's movies. I also deeply in love with Robert Crumb's drawings and cartoons. But then there's this almost undead state of certain movie or game genres, and as you put it so well they appeal to the lowest common denominator. A denominator lots of people here in Sweden too cannot seem to grasp is theirs. It's sad really.
And the stereotypes: what are they really good for?
stereotypes are only good if shopping at best buy. π»
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i heard the german remake is going to switch things up.
"You have to live life to its full chorizo!"-Mario Bataliπ