With the Oscar race heating up, a question has begun to linger in
my mind, posing itself as a much more bothersome thought than I originally
anticipated. Where have all the truly good films gone?
Yes, I'm sure this question would adhere to backlash all over the
place, as many declare their favorite recent films as the best of the best, but
are they really? Are you truly looking at the film as a whole, or merely
sections of it that satisfy your entertainment craving?
These are the questions that are ringing through my mind, as
year after year I'm starting to see films that are labeled, "good"
"magnificent" and "Oscar bait" as just simply films with
amazing actors yet no substance in the film itself, superb writing yet subpar
directing, or genius directing/acting but no solid writing to speak of.
This is the problem facing many modern day flicks, as each vie for
attention- whether it be good or bad- and truly miss the mark and the
opportunity to make the film a good one that doesn't rely on flashy gimmicks,
one actor, or any other source by itself to make a name for it.
To me, the film needs substance, and I'm not talking about a good
performance alone. I'm talking about films that share equal parts outstanding
acting, insightful writing, and directing that creates a world so realistic you
forget you are at the movies. While I understand that latter statement may be a
bit counterproductive since we go to the movies for an escape and not for a
realistic world, but to me you should want that escape to be as realistic as
possible and not just some cheap thrill that leaves you frustrated and
moderately used as you feel the empty hole in your pocket where your money once
was.
What has led me to write this essay are recent "Oscar"
contenders that have gained speed simply for the acting alone, which by no
means is a bad thing, with little to no mention of the director or writer or
vice versa.
A huge example of this to me is the film, "Black Mass"
featuring Johnny Depp in a truly reformative role. While his role in this film
is truly a back to form piece for Depp, who has squandered his talents on some
stinkers these past few years, the film as a whole falls flat. The writing is
unremarkable, especially compared to the film "The Departed" which
based one of its main characters off of Bulger as well and did a similar story
but did it much better, and the editing/directing wasn't what I thought a film
of this caliber should possess. Now I'm not here to bash "Black
Mass", in fact it is still an excellent film full f some truly noteworthy
scenes, but its the laziness in other categories that this film shows that many
other recent films are falling onto as well.
As more and more films come out, usually the viewer will mention
the performances in the film first as the primary thing that stuck out in their
heads. While yes, this is a good thing and more films should have actors in it
that truly shine and show their passion for the craft, I feel as if films are
simply starting to fall on that strand of thought and ignoring the other
aspects that make a film one of the greats.
To me a film cannot be one of the greats without the essentials,
and the essentials are everything
that goes into that film…not just one thing that stands out. While “Black Mass”
had some of the best performances to date in it, the lack of character
development, choppy editing skills, and directing that didn’t really stand out
to me really left me feeling hollow and almost bad if this is something that
others are calling the film to beat so far for the Oscars. While I know my
opinion may not be a popular one, I also know I’m not alone.
Recently I read an interesting article on Variety.com about the
films that appeared at a major film festival, one that usually predicts the
nominations for the Oscars later on. While the writer and judges agreed that
the films had some truly memorable performances, many felt that almost all the
films lacked something. Rather it be directing, editing, writing, make-up,
etc., almost all agreed that something was missing and this is a scary thought.
Has the age of the cinema really fallen away from us? Are we as a
whole trying to cling and depend more on modern day thrills, cheap and flashy
gimmicks of advertising, and films that only need to entertain some part of us
for the majority to consider them something great?
I don’t exactly think there is a yes or a no to this question.
Films with true substance and excellence come out all the time, and have yet to
be released to this day, but it’s a scary thought that the way the Oscar race is
starting off seems to be based all on the performances, or just one aspect of
the film, and missing the true heart of the Oscar season. That this is an award
show based on all aspects of film, not merely just one, and films shouldn’t strive
for one thing that is great but should choose to stand out and go above and
beyond not only for the filmmaker but for the audience that is looking for that
cinema itch to be scratched.
And the audience that is looking for that entertainment fix, don't just focus in on the small things that make a film good and call it a masterpiece for essentially just one thing in the film, focus on all of it! Demand the films you watch possess all the qualities you should desire in a film of great and limitless potential. Look for a change in the films we have become accustomed to, and search for the films that truly show what it means to be considered one of the greats.
I have extremely high hopes for some films coming out that have been
labeled Oscar bait, like “The Danish Girl” and “Steve Jobs”, but I am
approaching all of this with some wariness after hearing the same about “Black
Mass” and getting a film that showcases the performances in it but misses the
point entirely to actually tell a truly brutal and terrifying tale of one of
the FBI’s most wanted men.
To me, I refuse to believe the age of cinema is dead…I would
rather say it may be in a bit of a transitional period. So here’s to the Oscars, here's to the modern day audiences craving a film with a little more substance, and here's to finding the
good films that aren’t lost forever but merely hiding or have yet to be
discovered.
