Miscellaneously Yours

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?