That sounds like the
dumbest question over, but I bet that half the people reading this will
struggle to come up with an answer. Call
it a hunch.
If you’ve been keeping
an eye on this blog for a while, you may have noticed that a while back, I did
a post naming my
top ten favorite movies. If you’re
not in the mood to check the link, I’ll save you the trouble and say it’s a
list that includes some
smart movies, and some movies so
unapologetically stupid that they almost
warp back into being brilliant. Let
it be known that I’m no hoity-toity elitist.
As evidenced by my use of the phrase “hoity-toity”.
In any case, one of the
reasons why a blog like this exists is so I can try and figure out what a story
does that makes it work. It’s true that
I’m just as likely to find something that doesn’t work, and have to spend time
with that nonsense, but it goes
without saying that I prefer “proving the case” of something good. It’s something done for readers’ benefit, but
it’s also something for my benefit, too.
If I can understand WHY I liked something besides visceral thrills, then
I’d wager that I’m more likely to incorporate those good elements into my
writing, and my stories. I’m already
starting to see it take form in my writing adventures…even if that does demand
a complete annihilation of years of work.
But like the title
says, this post isn’t about me. This is
about you.
One look at this blog’s
header will tell you that my competency zone is with video games. That’s the medium I know fairly well, if not
the one I know best. What I don’t
know? Movies. As I’ve said here and elsewhere, I’ve missed
out on many, many, MANY “classic” movies, and missed out on even more recent
fare. (Case in point? I haven’t seen a single RoboCop movie. Nope, not a single one.) Likewise, my DVD collection -- if one could
call it that -- is absolutely pathetic.
The last one I bought was Safe starring
Jason Statham, and that was only as a gift for my brother. To say nothing of the fact that -- as per a
buddy’s swift vengeance -- I’m a co-owner of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.
There’s a lot that can
be taken away from movies, be they good or bad.
There’s a lot to be learned; whether you’re a would-be writing hero or
not (or just one of those creative/artsy types), you can get up from your seat
after watching a movie and say “Yeah. This.
This is what it’s all about.” And
that’s awesome. That’s what good art
should do. And that’s why I want to give
you guys a chance to sound off. So let’s
create a scenario.
Let’s say that one day
you’re just walking around, minding your own business, when all of a sudden you
get abducted by aliens. But don’t worry,
they’re cool aliens that know and speak fluent English for some reason. Anyway, they just want to take a sample of
human culture back to their home planet -- something they can show to their
people over the span of, say, a few hours.
Something they can show in the comfort of their new home theater systems
back on the planet Krarbgorp. That’s why
they’ve called upon you.
That brings us to the
question at the center of this post: If you had to
pick one movie to show off as your number one -- the proof of what a movie can
be -- then what would you choose? Assume that there are no “wrong answers” (i.e.
you can name your favorite movie, no matter how dumb or low-quality it may be),
and the Krarbgorpians will accept it with open tendrils. Also, for argument’s sake let’s go ahead and
assume that A) you can only name ONE movie, so no wishy-washy waffling -- and
B) you should at least try to explain
why you feel the way that you do about it, however objective or subjective you
want to be.
And there you have it. One simple question, wherein the fate of the
world is (not) at stake. Think you’re
ready to act as an ambassador of art?
Then you know what to do.
Ready? Set? Take a dump all over RoboCop (2014), because it’s terrible and it should be ashamed of itself!
Still not happy I saw
that. Not at all.