Mom and Dad is a polarizing movie, to say the least. But critics are focusing on the acting, and not enough people are talking about the over-the-top and louder-than-necessary soundtrack that plays throughout the film. Were the music/audio queues a miscalculated mistake, or a statement?
Write an article assessing the accompanying audio to the movie. Do the loud stereotypical mood sounds take away from the narrative or add to it? I found the soundtrack an interesting element that added extra commentary to the narrative. Although the actors took their roles seriously, the audio's juxtaposition to their struggles, highlights a lack of seriousness (especially when scary buildup music is playing in the beginning, constantly threatening danger before any is close to being presented). The situation the characters experience are dire and unfortunate, but the noise in the background continuously reminds audiences that the premise itself is still ridiculous.
I’m a big fan of the screen – films and tv shows, I wondered how come Australia doesn’t produce more films and television shows based on science fiction, fantasy or even the superhero genre which has taken over the world. America and Europe have many films and TV shows dedicated to depicting these things and Australia doesn’t have much and if we do, they don’t get much air time. This fact doesn’t irritate me but if depicting films and shows within these genre's are such huge successes in other regions how come Australia hasn’t tried it? I know there are a few films and shows out there but if there a more I would love to know. Is Australia against these films? Is it against our film/tv industry to make these? Have they tried and failed? If/ when a film or TV show in Australia has elements of science fiction / fantasy involved how come they don’t get the same exposure?
Has someone written about this already and I don’t know?
I tried looking for it again, but had no luck on finding it - but during my time at uni a few years ago, I read a fascinating paper on how Australian audiences enjoy and are open to fantasy and sci-fi media. But due to the scale and the risks associated with producing this kind of TV and film, our under-funded networks and companies are too hesitant to take the big venture. However, times are hopefully changing with the 2017's "Cleverman" an awesome show focusing on indigenous mythos that uses fantasy and dystopian elements to create a cool and engaging show that balances social issues with it's superhero-esque storyline. Stories and features on the production of Cleverman could perhaps tell us more about why sci-fi and fantasy films are so scarce in Australia? That's my suggestion at least. – Dimitri Adoniou6 years ago
You make some very good points and I think this is a subject well worth investigating. Off the top of my head I can name but a few 'purely' Australian sci-fi projects, such as the original 'Mad Max' (directed by George Miller), the wonderfully theatrical 'Farscape' series, 'The Infinite Man' (2014), 'The Death and Life of Otto Bloom' (2016) and 'Alpha Gateway' (2018). There are, of course, many other sci-fi and fantasy films that have been filmed in Australia. It might be worth looking out for a documentary entitled 'Not Quite Hollywood', which covers the subject quite well, for anyone wishing to pursue the topic further. – Amyus6 years ago
The Oscars recently announced that they are introducing a new award category for "outstanding achievement in popular film." Although the Oscars have periodically added new awards categories, some might think that this is a desperate ploy by the Academy to attract more viewers. On the other hand, others might perceive the introduction of this new category as a legitimate attempt to celebrate both the commercial and critical successes of box-office hits that are rarely nominated for Oscars. What do you think? In the context of this latest award category, do you believe that the Academy is under pressure to attain higher ratings? How have previous awards additions been received by the public, such as the "Best Makeup and Hairstyling" award in 1981? In comparison to the introduction of other awards categories, do you think this new award will have any kind of impact on the film industry?
I am honestly relieved after the announcement of this category, because while it seems to me less prestigious than "Best Picture," I feel it will take the pressure off of the "Best Picture" category to simply be the most popular film of the award season, rather than the objective best, or most artistic/creative/original, as the category should be. – jillholstad6 years ago
I absolutely think that it's an attempt for the Oscars to salvage ratings. They hit record lows last year (26.5 million I believe) and amid all the scandals and scrutiny that Hollywood is under I think people are getting too disillusioned to watch rich celebrities walk a red carpet. Even calling it a "popular film" award is really on the nose. Considering how many quality movies get snubbed because they don't exude the apparent "grace" that the academy swoons over. You may as well call it the MCU-Fast and the Furious sponsored Marketing Budget award, because those are the films that are going to be represented every year. I don't think it'll matter anyway because anyone who would care that those movies win that award still won't watch the ceremony. – JamesR6 years ago
Gone With The Wind (1939) can be seen as a good movie. But, at the same time, it presents an image of the South which was never true in the first place and which presents slavery in almost passing reference ways. There is this time before the Civil War where, we are to believe, that the South had an ideal existence. Seeing the movie from the present, makes one quite aware of what is left out and glossed over and makes one want to go "Wait! Stop! Go back!" How can we and should evaluate the movie today?
It is important as always to remember the framework of literature, that it is a fiction and GWTW was always framed as a historical romance that drew on some elements of the civil war, but largely was about the journey of Scarlet O'Hara through a changing period. It is a story about the dangers of unrequited love and unrealistic ideals, but also about strength and resolution. In many ways the representation of slavery in the film/book needs to be balanced against the fact it is told from the perspective of a woman in that period, most of which had the same rights of slaves in the time. Scarlet is also an unreliable narrator as she perceives the events around her from a very self-centered lens.
However, all in all it is still an interesting text to discuss. – SaraiMW6 years ago
analyse the current trend of video game to movie adaptations and why they fail to perform in the box office; also make suggestions on what could be done to improve future adaptations.
I will note that not all are "expected to fail," but that yes with the failure of many there has become an overwhelming sense of despair in relation to this.
To deal with this discussion the concept of "failure" will need to be outlined, as since films like Tomb Raider were not financial or popular failures, but many game players felt it was (as did many feminists but for different reasons). Also films such as the Resident Evil series are categorically not failures. So part of the discussion would include what the success stories are and what made them different to the other obvious failures such as - Warcraft, Assassin's Creed, The Angry Bird's Movie (although seriously!!!) – SaraiMW6 years ago
To further add to this, it might be worth going back a few years when video games were just starting to become mainstream and adaptations of various games were starting become the norm – AidanGuagliardo6 years ago
I feel this expectation is fundamentally tied to the vast difference between film storytelling and videogame storytelling. Depending on the director and creative team, both can be dealed with in various ways, but it is the way that people absorb these mediums what will always remain in duality: films are passively watched and videogames are actively played. I think this will always make the transition from videogame to movie feel less than its original source. Another thing to keep in mind is that creative works such as videogames tend to harvest what one could call hardcore fans and although this is true for probably anything in this world (train fanatics, car alarm fanatics, cricket fanatics...), when you have this medium where your actions unfold the story, or in the simplest cases you're controlling a jumping figure going through trial and error until you get to the final stage, people build a connection to its digital world that could be a very emotional one (with nostalgia playing a giant factor in many cases). Fans like these will hardly accept a mediocre movie about the franchise they love. Even the movie adaptation of Silent Hill, one of the most well-recieved adapations, is called out for its use of monsters that kind of go against the franchise's lore. – Pigman086 years ago
Superheroes are supposedly motivated by compassion for others and a strong sense of duty. Given this, you'd expect them to do more with their powers than just punch evildoers into submission – there are loads of problems in the world that superpowers could really help with e.g., natural disasters, famines, disease, climate change, poverty, lack of energy (I'm looking at you, Tony Stark), etc. So what else should the Marvel heroes have been doing offscreen? What does that say about the characters if they weren't doing those things? And why is it that screenwriters/comic book writers don't think to build this into the fictional world – is it just lack of imagination?
I think this question is particularly interesting following Black Panther, where Wakanda's duty to the world is such an overarching theme. It can provide a great contrast to everything that's come before. – abran6 years ago
This is a really fascinating topic. I think at the heart of it is the fact that we strongly associate 'superheroes' with 'action'. To most of us, superheroes 'taking action' is yeah, punching evildoers, not really doing something as intensive as scientific research or lobbying. The skillsets of most Marvel superheroes don't really align with those issues. Tony is an engineer specialising in weapons (who had a change of heart about that, so yay?), Cap in another time would've been a highly-skilled mercenary... Actually, Banner could be an exception, given his expertise in biochemistry... It could also be that the stakes are 'awesomer' if they manifest through a tangible enemy, rather than something as abstract and therefore difficult to fight against like poverty. – Starfire6 years ago
This is an interesting take on The Avengers. I would say Avengers fighting famine, poverty, etc. would make for a great new focus for future films. – Yvonne6 years ago
In the first Avengers movie, Tony explains that he is, in fact, contributing to the clean energy market. Black Panther's big opening scene shows him taking down human traffickers, and at the end of his movie Wakanda begins offering assistance to the world. There's no reason to think that the superheroes who are allowed to show their faces in public are not helping with the world's problems in between movies. We just don't get to see it happening, because it doesn't make for interesting superhero movies.
Also, I think it speaks to human nature. People tend to use what power they have for personal gain. These superheroes can make the world a better place by fixing the environment, but they can also do it by fighting people and aliens and robots, which feels much more personal. We the audience can empathize and engage with the latter. – noahspud6 years ago
Working more inclusively with the governments and try to solve other real world problems. – Abhilash6 years ago
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has, for better or worse, changed the way that many studios view big budget film making, world building, advertising, and developing film projects. The Marvel Formula, (with individuals films, team ups, and spin offs) has been enormously successful and with Disney's enormous backing and support, there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. Will there be a point where Marvel movies will stop being as lucrative and successful as they are now? What possible reasons could contribute to a slowing of this seeming unstoppable engine?
At this point this is highly speculative, but a really interesting topic to put out there and see what happens. It is always difficult to gauge what will endure and what will fall apart. Often it is about the "engagement factor," how engaged an audience still is with a particular work/body of works. I would put out there that like all film and TV, a series of failures for whatever reason will put an end to the MCU. However, you do raise a good point that they now have the backing of Disney, who has experienced failures (a few in a row too) but this has not dented their continuation. So who knows? – SaraiMW6 years ago
Has it slowed? "Engagement factor" seems to be a term needing a great deal of clarity. – Joseph Cernik6 years ago
I think this is a really interesting topic! A couple areas of focus could be the remaining movies of "Phase 3," and the possible directions that the MCU could take after the fourth "Avengers" movie to maintain its popularity with audiences. – Scalera186 years ago
Masks have a long history in many different cultures, but they universally serve the same purpose – to transform the identity of one into another. What I mean by this is that the act of wearing a mask is used to "mask" a person's real identity and allow them to adopt, even if only momentarily, that of another. Examples of this range from simple anonymity where the wearer wishes to hide their identity for a later reveal, to those used in theatre such as Kabuki masks were the mask represents a particular character identity, to the use in ancient ceremonies where the mask is used to symbolise the gods' presence in the ceremony.
As such masks have already been used for centuries in theatre, and are considered a fairly standard aspect of performance art, but this does not diminish the power and symbolism they represent when used well. Many films have seized on the use of masks, either as a central plot device, such as in Jim Carey 1994 film 'The Mask', while others have used it as an aspect of the film, such as in 1999 film 'Eyes Wide Shut.' I think it might make an interesting topic to examine different uses and interpretations of the mask in various films, perhaps even tying them back to their cultural or social heritage.
