Putrid staleness is starting to infect movies, and you aren’t the only one feeling the brunt of it.
“Movie plots are seemingly achieving new levels of dullness,” said Chua Ming Qi, 14, an avid movie enthusiast from Cyberjaya, Selangor.
“Especially those action movies, such as ‘Mission Impossible’ or any of the latest Marvel movies.”
This sentiment is commonly echoed today by many moviegoers.
To add fuel to the fire, most Hollywood producers are using the same successful formula instead of risking their money on new ones – guaranteeing profit, but doing nothing to expand creativity. The rise of streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney Hotstar, and Hulu have made them risk-averse in order to mitigate the risks and potential losses.
In addition, movie running times have substantially increased with the invention of the multiplex. Many are taking the cue from the top-grossing films that seem to have long running times. However, some flicks may have a lot of ‘fat’ that needs trimming.
Ahn Hong Chan, 16, from Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, echoed a similar sentiment.
“If the movie is fun and has a captivating storyline, then a longer one is worth it. But if it’s boring, it’s a waste of our money,” said Ahn.
The overuse of CGI (Computer Generated Images) could also distract the audience from the story and plot of the movie.
‘The Flash’, a 2023 DC stand-alone movie, whose protagonist was Barry Allen, had been criticised for its heavy use of CGI work, which the audience described as ‘shoddy’. Many compared the visual effects in the movie to that of video games from the PlayStation 2 era.
However, this does not necessarily mean that all movies these days are bad.
“I enjoyed ‘Across the Spider Verse’ not only because of its action and story but because of the bold art style and bright colour pallet – things you don’t see often in the animated movie industry,” said Erin Danya, 16, an aspiring artist from Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
Furthermore, the simultaneous release of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ – two seemingly unrelated films – has sparked a cultural phenomenon termed ‘Barbenheimer’, in which many people watched the films as a ‘double feature’.
Both have received critical acclaim and positive reviews from critics and audiences worldwide. ‘Oppenheimer’ has been praised for its visual cinematography and its unique, non-linear storytelling, while ‘Barbie’ has been lauded for its deep feminist themes.
Low Xin Ning, 16, from Kajang, Selangor, shared: “Barbie has an amazing story. The meaning is deeper than the surface of glittery pink.”
These types of movies need to be seen more – not just bloated pieces that lack originality.
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Tupelo Honey
By Ashi Mishra
Well, a diamond fades quickly when matched to the face of Maria
All the harps they sound empty when she lifts her lips to the sky
The brown of her skin makes her hair seem a soft golden rainfall
That spills from the mountains to the bottomless depths of her eyes
She stands all around me, her hands slowly siftin’ the sunshine
All the laughter that lingers down deep ‘beneath her smilin’ is free
Well, it spins and it twirls like a hummingbird lost in the morning
Then caresses the south wind and silently sails to the sea
The sculptor stands stricken and the artist he throws away his brushes
When her image comes dancing, the sun, she turns sullen with shame
And the birds go silent, and the wind stops his sad mournful singing
When the trees of the forest start gently to whisper her name
As softly she wanders little steps desperately follow her footsteps
They chase after shadows that offer a trace of her sigh
They promise eternally that she lies hidden within them
But it’s found they’ve deceived him and sadly bid them goodbye
So, the serpent slides slowly away with his moments of laughter
And the old washer-woman has finished her cleaning and gone
But the bamboo hangs heavy in the bondage of quicksilver daydreams
And a lonely child longingly looks for a place to belong.
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The views expressed here are the personal opinions of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of Twentytwo13.
