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My husband and I are movie watchers. We watch everything that comes out, as we are bored and have no television shows we like. In fact, when the selection of movies we haven’t seen gets scarce, we brave the independent films, always getting a backup blockbuster hit, as we know it will most certainly be turned off before it is over. Yet… we still get them.
Now, I classify an Independent film as one that is made to be artsy and offbeat, not appealing to the masses. Many times these films are done by Focus Features. Many times, in fact 99% of the time, they suck. I mean, leave you with a What the Hell? feeling.
This weekend, we watched Greenberg with Ben Stiller. This movie fit the cliche of what artsy and bored, writers, directors, and actors seem to be into these days. Ronchy sex scenes, pointless drug use, complete lack of story arc, and a cut off ending that has no apparent reasoning other than the film running out. Not a nice feeling when you’ve just wasted 2 hours of your night hoping there would be some redemption for all the character’s pointlessness you’ve just endured. It’s my fault though, I should know better by now.
Sometimes I judge wrong and am pleasantly surprised… Rarely, but it happens. For example, another movie we saw this weekend was The Bridesmaids, and it was not at all what I thought it would be. I was sure it would be stupid. I mean, I would have bet on it. Especially since the previews attached to it were for the movie Bring it On. Not a good sign. (Hint: attached previews can tell you a lot about a movie you’re about to watch.) But I was wrong. The Bridesmaids was hilarious! My husband and I were both laughing hysterically multiple times. Even the sex scenes were funny. It was good enough that I’d recommend it.
But movies like this give me a confidence that will work against me in the future, as I will inevitably give some artsy movie a chance, and wind up feeling brain raped and dissatisfied by the end. What to do?
It’s a risky thing, watching movies, but somebody’s got to do it.
-Tara
