Art and the Hollywood Machine

I admit to a lot of things in life. And now, this might come complete surprise to somebody out there, but I am a geek.

Yeah, that’s right. I said it. I own it.

I’m a socially awkward girl who really gets into things. I truly enjoy what I’m into… and I enjoy talking about it.

I love movies. I love discussing how movies are made. I love being able to point out parallels in film history. I enjoy animation. I’ve always enjoyed animation. I never stopped liking it from when I was a kid. I enjoy talking about it. I enjoy sharing good movies and animation.

Do I get fanatic about it? Sure. I’ll say that I do. Does it get on people’s nerves? I’m sure it does.

I try not to inundate with my fan girl-ness. Do I fail? I don’t know. I would like to think I don’t. Does anyone really know if they fail unless someone tells them otherwise? Not really.

I’m a self-avowed film snob. I’m incredibly picky about what I go and see. I refuse to pay $10/ticket to see almost all of what’s coming out of Hollywood. Even as a writer, I feel sad about what’s coming out of the Hollywood machine. Hollywood has created some painstakingly beautiful works of art… Citizen Kane is one that comes to mind.

Unfortunately it’s been years since that’s been the case. I have at least a minute understanding of the Hollywood machine. Hollywood will back something they think will be profitable. Obviously they don’t always do a great job of it (like live-action Dragonball Z and Speed Racer for instance). But they attempt to keep money in the machine. Unfortunately that means making movies based off of proven formulas. People will pay money to see sophomoric comedies. People will pay to watch shallow romantic comedies and romance movies. For a lot of people, that’s entertainment.

That’s not to say that it’s bad. It’s just something I don’t understand. I don’t get what’s so funny about dick and fart jokes. I don’t get why Nicholas Sparks’ movies are so popular. I admit that I don’t get it.

And maybe this is why I’m a film snob. It’s because I don’t get it that I won’t go and experience it. That’s not to say that I haven’t watched movies that were solely dick and fart jokes or that I haven’t watched stereotypical romance movies. I have. One can’t be well-rounded if you haven’t seen things that you don’t like and only watch things you like. (And this really is in all things.) It’s variety that makes it possible to refine what it is you like.

I’m just at the point where I want to see more of the world. One of the best ways to understand world cultures when you can’t afford to travel is through their art. Movies happen to be a part of that experience. It can give you personal interpretations of their history and their culture. As a writer, writing about new cultures has given me a new and different perspective of this world.

Sorry about this for coming across as incredibly rambling. Movies are art. Even the most insipid and trite works are still art. They’re a reflection of the society that made them as viewed through the lens of the writer and director. And while I may be a snob about what I watch, I still think all movies have some form of cultural relevance.