What’s up with movies these days?
Posted on: March 1, 2009
I’ve had this conversation more than once with my friends: whatever happened to the original screenplay? Why does it seem like all the movies nowadays are one of four things: a remake, a (usually bad and unneccesary) sequel, based off real events, or based off a book? Take, for example, the movies currently playing at the theater I work at (and please correct me if I am wrong about any of these):
- Confessions of a Shopaholic – based off a book
- Coraline – based off a book
- Fired Up! – original story
- Gran Torino – original story
- He’s Just Not That Into You – based off a book
- Hotel for Dogs – based off a book
- Milk – based off real life events
- Paul Blart: Mall Cop – original story
- Slumdog Millionaire – based off a book
- Taken – original story
- The Pink Panther 2 – sequel
- The Reader – based off a book
- Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail – sequel
Okay, so out of 13 movies currently playing, we have 4 original stories, 2 sequels, 1 based on real life, and 6 based off books. So where are all the original storylines? Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy seeing my favorite books in movie form, or seeing movies based on real events. I even have been known to enjoy sequels occasionally (Pirates 2 & 3 yes, Matrix 2 & 3 no). However, we see all these remakes of older movies (Day the Earth Stood Still 1951 to 2008, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 1971 to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2005). Where are the great original movies for our generation? If we don’t start spinning out some good original stories, what are they going to want to remake in 20 years?
Miscellaneously Yours 
March 1, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Don’t forget the yet-another remake-to-fit-our-modern-technological-generation “Race to Witch Mountain.” >.<
Personally, I don’t have a problem with films based off books, or remakes of good stories *as long as they’re good*. Sequels… well, I could go on a long rant about sequels (but I won’t—although it sparks ideas for my own blog post). There is the occasional sequel that I find appealing and well-done, but for the most part, I find sequels cheesy and never as well-written or thought out as its original.
Good originals will return to Hollywood as soon as my laziness is overcome and my friends and I have produced decent enough drafts to submit to them 😉