C’mon Hollywood #235

…are director egos getting too big?
by J.A. Hamilton

Let’s be real for a moment, when it comes to films, there aren’t many totally original ways to go anymore, which in my opinion challenges writers and directors both creatively. So for me, it’s not so much the original ideas I’m looking for lately, it’s the way with which we present these ideas that count. Give me empathic, real characters with flaws both morally and emotionally caught in a multi-paneled web of intrigue and adventure and I’ll be there with bells on. But what I’m tired of seeing are directors promising the world, and then blaming everyone else when they don’t deliver. Not all are guilty of this, but we’ve seen our fair share this year especially.

I’m big fan of Tarantino, I truly am, but I was underwhelmed by INGLORIOUS BASTARDS. He was making it out to be something special, but this film was anything but. I dug Tarantino’s vision as far as Hitler was concerned, but I didn’t see the need for another WW2 based film, especially when the original was not worth remaking in the first place. Then we have Bay (another of my favorites) but I didn’t like how his and Megan Fox’s “debockle” got so out hand only to have him start working on TF3 with her back. I’m sorry, but this makes the whole thing feel staged, if this situation was anywhere near as bad as it was made out to be, he could have easily killed her off in the beginning and it wouldn’t have hurt the film at all.

I’m not going to beat up on Boll too much (he’s his own worst enemy), but I’m not sure what he thought would happen after making an angry online video where he bashes Bay and Clooney in a fit of rage that went totally overboard. Then we have Ratner (love you Niki) who starts blowing up at anyone and everyone who commented on LAST STAND. I loved the X-MEN movies, and LAST STAND had the potential, but in my opinion suffered from 1) mutant overload, 2) uncharacteristic behavior in heroes and villains, and 3) a flimsy concept by way of a “cure”. Is this all Ratner’s fault, probably not, but publicly losing your mind at the fans will put the guilt on your tab pretty damn quick.

McG didn’t make the mess of TERMINATOR that some people are saying he did, but again, running your mouth about it isn’t going to help you much. Cameron promised that AVATAR would be the next big thing, and it was on most levels. So some of the dialogue was cheese and the story resembled a few other films, you can’t win em all, and bottom line; it was an A+ movie experience. On the flip side, we have guys like Abrams, who’s on fire right now and keeping a cool head about it. We also have Scorsese, Nolan and Woo keeping the hits coming with SHUTTER ISLAND, INCEPTION and RED CLIFF, all of which look fantastic thus far.

Each and every one of these directors has contributed great films to the industry (a lot of my all time favorites to be exact) but we live in a day and age where integrity has the power to make or break you in the public eye. It doesn’t matter how many amazing films you direct, write or star in, it can all be taken away in one foul swoop if you’re not careful. People don’t forget drama, and tend to focus on the bad so exclusively that they often times forget the good. Our directors aren’t the only culprits in this regard, but they really have to watch what they say if their integrity is going to stay intact. I’m thankful for all your hard work guys, just do us all a favor and think before you speak, especially if you’re in front of a camera.