There is a strong message in the film Idiocracy that shows a future due to happen if Hollywood has its way.
Entertainment was in a slow spiral of stupidity, and independent thought was discouraged and civilization crumbles. We see this brave new world through the eyes of an “average” man who is put into hibernation for 500 years. When he emerges, he is easily recognized as the smartest man on the planet.
So this brings me to ask, can we just be entertained without being made stupid?
I started thinking this based on a question DJ Machismo offered in a comment. “Does anyone go to the movies anymore to be entertained? To have fun?” and I have to agree.
Does every movie have to be an Oscar contender. Can movies be made with tons of entertaining qualities and still not just be an insult to our intelligence?
I am not talking about BAD movies, but why is it when there is an entertaining movie, people automatically start calling it a crap movie because it didn’t change their entire life. Can’t we just watch something blow up without going into a deep dissection of why and how it happened.
Sometimes things just blow up. And it makes us smile.
The obvious example of this is the often debated and hated Transformers. I thought the movie rocked. I love it. As a purist, I had to admit that despite the changes, it still held true to the “spirit” of Transformers. People complained that it had too many of Bay’s trademarks (waving flag, meteor strikes, wide pan angles) and are quick to make presumptions about the sequel because they don’t like Michael Bay movies.
At the same time, people are quick to defend Jackass and spoof movies like Meet the Spartans. If I dare say that Jackass was stupidity, I get a lot of flack saying “You just don’t get it”.
Some movies are just bad because they are stupid. Not because I “feel” they are stupid, but because they are. People cannot even begin to think they can defend the deeper meaning of the Jackass movies. They purely are just one scene after another to make you say “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?” and flinch a lot. I know some people have some entertainment with that, and that is fine, but call it what it is. Stupidity.
So can movies just be entertaining? Why are people so critical over movies just because they were just entertaining. Perhaps you didn’t like a movie or didn’t find it entertaining. If someone else enjoyed them then so be it. Let them.
Movies are made to entertain. Despite some failures, we have to assume that this is the mission of every filmmaker out there when they undertake the process. Not all movies are going to be moving like The Power of One. And not all comedies will make you laugh.
If people enjoy fluffy action, cool. Stupidity, that’s fine too. Opinions are like bellybuttons. We all have em.
What movies are you tired of hearing the same griping about that you still managed to be entertained with?
