Let's all take a deep breath and relax

The Oscars are probably my favorite event to watch... I've watched the Superbowl, the World Cup, even the championship finals of Basketball, but no matter what, even if I don't get to ACTUALLY watch them, the Oscars are my once in a year opportunity for me to say stuff about movies, without people looking at me weird.

The Oscars have been the pinnacle of cinema for many, many years. Celebrating the best of the best. Allowing all of us to know what the experts say about the films that were released. Which ones deserve an award for being excellent in their art. 

Winners this year were

Birdman

Whiplash

and Even Big Hero 6. 

Movies like these are really good to watch, they are just plain excellent.

Here are their respective trailers. 

(WARNING... THERE IS SWEARING)

Now, these two movies are excellent, they both deserve the praise they get and more and more people should go and watch them.

BUT!

There is something more than the just the Oscar. And no, I am not talking about the Golden Globe, I am talking about a movie being fun.

What does this mean?

Well, let's look at one of my favorite year in movie cinema 1998. 

This year was a very nice year for movies. Saving Private Ryan, Prince of Egypt, The Big Lebowski and even American History X. All of these films are great films, but they require something that not many movie goers want to do... reflect. 

We also saw very BAD movies. Like Lost in Space and Rush Hour.  But, one of the underdogs of movies came out that year. And, in a very strange way, defined a new kind of genre. A genre that now is something of a MARVELous trend. (hint hint).

I am not talking about Blade (because that movie came out that year), I am talking about The Mask of Zorro

The Mask of Zorro is one very strange type of movie. Why? Because it is a fun movie. A fun, non oscar worthy, not bad, not dark, not drama, action based fun for the whole family movie.

See, this genre is the "family action movie". Where both kids can enjoy the action, but the adults can enjoy a good film. Now, this movie is NOT groundbreaking. If you look at previous years in cinema, every once in a while you find a GOOD action movie. Like Rocketeer (1991) The Three Musketeers (1993) and maybe even Mortal Kombat (1994), but other attempts at this genre would fall flat (Mario Bros, and even Street Fighter), movies that would have action and adventure, but keep a good lighthearted aura around them.

The Mask of Zorro defined that genre and made it solid.
See, this movie is a bit edgy, but mostly it is a very good movie. Both adults and kids can enjoy it and have a good relaxing time. It is not like the Expendables, where it is just MINDLESS action that requires no thought into it (not that that is a bad thing), but rather a film where one can feel engaged and feel connected to the characters, but not be puzzled by the ideas set by society around us.

This genre is my FAVORITE genre. Good action movies that like to keep the audience on their toes but not create a sociopolitical critic on the rules that we live on.
Why do I bring this up? Not because of the superhero hate that was clearly shown on the Oscars... (which NONE of the Marvel movies were selected to win) but rather because after all of the Oscar hype, you ask yourself Now what? What movie can I unwind with

Well, this is the genre for you... a relaxing good time where the drama is minimum but the thrill is still there.
For example... A movie that was almost perfect was Kingsmen:Secret Service. My friends and I were talking about Birdman and about what it is about and that a Mexican directed it (WHICH MAKES ME INCREDIBLY HAPPY... TAKE THAT 'MURICA) when we saw that this film was earlier, and we went to see it
Now... careful... If you watch this film, you need to be careful, because of the last 20 seconds. Those last 20 seconds are NOT (repeat) NOT worth watching. I cannot stress this enough

But it is a good action movie.
Now, this movie is specially good because it is not a superhero movie. Like a said before, Marvel has taken up the task of making these films. We no longer have Zorro, but rather Iron Man. But this movie is NOT superhero one... it is a good movie of action and spies. (Kind like Mission Impossible, but British)
Like I said, a good action movie that I think should be made more and more outside of the Marvel universe, not that I don't want more of them, but a something new and fresh.


And, isn't that a good enough reason to love cinema even more?

Liam Neeson... and just Liam Neeson

O... I do love Hollywood sometimes.

See, Hollywood made a very awesome decision on choosing William Shakespeare as a model for new stuff.
See, William Shakespeare is THE playwright. He would write so much, that we are STILL debating whether or not stuff is his or not.
But, if one thing that good ol' Bill did was sticking to his ideas.
Most of his comedies are... well... the same

Now, before all of you Shakespeare lovers come hating... (actually, if you really know Shakespeare... you would know this), it is true. His tragedies, on the other hand, is where all of his real genius came in.
And we can sort of see that with Hollywood.
Why?
The feel good movies (and here I am talking about Rom-Coms) are all the same... and follow the same kind of formula... and the dramas... well... the dramas... they really show the best of people...
Now... after the insulting over-simplification of Hollywood, I do want to say that every once in a whille something amazing happens.
Someone comes along with a new idea.
Usually, new ideas are very rare and the concepts of these new ideas are way to strange to understand and then you have Independant films. UNLESS your idea is so good, that it will be made and then you have Taken.

I want to imagine the pitch for this movie
Pitch guy: I want a movie where Liam Neeson is just killing people

Hollywood: Like a video game?

PG: Yes... but with basically all kinds of methods to get what he wants

H: Like a god?

PG: Not really... because he can get hurt... but no matter how hard people try.. he will kill them...

H: That sounds like it's really not possible

PG: But it will be possible... because Liam Neeson needs to change his image from old sage but kinda badass Qui-Gon Jin and Ras-Al Ghul to only badass Liam Neeson. 

H: Can you make a meme out of it?

PG: We will deliver the most badass line of all time after Jaws' "Smile you son of a %^&*(

H: You are hired!!!!

Now... I really like this movie.... When I saw it, I was just rooting for Neeson to save the day... and he did. Then everyone realized that it was one of the best ideas of all time... kinda like having a batman only fighting henchmen and no one could stop it (and he DID train batman). This movie made 24,717,037 at the box office (barely breaking even with a budget of 25 000 000). But the money is not the issue... but the cult following that it got... People were so excited about this film, quoting it, using it for memes etc... 

Now, this made hollywood realize that they just found a golden goose and were going to exploit it... 

But I am not talking about the trilogy... no... the formula of the badass who just kills everyone in their way..

Watch this

and this

AND THIS

Are we seeing a pattern?

All of these films have the same formula... and in a way... it's good. People should be able to create more without really hurting the original formula... 

But the problem is that most of these are a little bit too similar to the original, and so they just fall flat... 

It fails to deliver a good movie... because they want to see Neeson, not Mel Gibson, or even Keanu Reeves. 

Why? Because it is the portrayal of Neeson that made this movie into a special kind of movie... Neeson was able to portay determination, and while I haven't seen the John wick one, the idea of just heading for your goal with 100% determination and focus is something that I've only seen in John Wayne...

Now... can the formula change for the better? Yes... Are these other movies bad? I don't think so... But Liam is a special kind of guy that can pull it off... 

I do ask Hollywood that I hope soon the formula changes and something new comes along... After all, isn't that what cinema is all about???/