The Action Movie and How it Spoiled American Moviegoers

     I personally think the 2011 film Hugo is interesting, emotionally moving, and extremely well-made, but several of my friends think it's boring. That’s because Hugo is one of the few movies of recent years that isn’t driven by action. People don’t care how much depth or insight a film has. If there’s no action, they lose interest in five minutes. One time when I was working at a movie theater, I had a co-worker who loved The Dark Knight more than any other movie. We had some other good movies playing there too, but he thought most of them were stupid because they weren’t as action-packed. Why can't people realize that it takes more than explosions and chases to tell a good story?

     There was a time when movies didn’t need constant action to be enjoyed by the public. They had attention-grabbing themes, witty dialogue, and touching moments that drew the audience into the world of the story. If an action sequence came up once in a while, that was just a bonus. For example, you never knew when a big event might occur in a Hitchcock film. The excitement of waiting for something to happen was what made it so suspenseful. In modern blockbusters, you always know that a big action sequence is just a few minutes away, so there’s rarely a sense of tension beforehand. Fighting and destruction sequences are so common that it’s hard to distinguish one action film from another.

     When Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark first came out, they were novelties. They were exciting because people weren’t used to seeing that much action. Unfortunately, those movies set the bar too high for other filmmakers. The Mission: Impossible movies resort to action so over-the-top that the characters would die a dozen times in real life. The Matrix emphasizes action to the point where the plot itself is hard to follow, and the thought-provoking subject matter isn't as powerful as it could be. Man of Steel is so action-packed that it doesn’t have enough time for character development. Now that most movies in the theater are big action movies, the genre isn’t unique any more.
     I beg all of you to be more open-minded and expand your tastes in movies. America's attention span is short enough as it is thanks to TV. Don’t make it worse by watching nothing but action blockbusters. I’m not saying you should stop watching action movies altogether. (I'm always interested in Marvel's next big-budget spectacle about yet another superhero no one’s ever heard of.) Just make sure you also take the time to see some inspiring biopics or heart-warming family films. If the average moviegoer learned to embrace a more diverse variety of films, we could resurrect some of the good old forgotten genres of cinema like the screwball comedy, the courtroom drama, and the  musical.

Into the Woods Movie Review

            Many people don’t care for the Broadway musical Into the Woods when they first see it, but it’s a show that grows on you. I admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan when I first saw the video recording of the original Broadway production starring Bernadette Peters. However, multiple viewings helped me to appreciate its brilliance. Now it’s one of my all-time favorite shows. It often takes a while to get used to the style of Stephen Sondheim’s complex music. The dark aspects of the play’s second act may seem overwhelming at first, but the show also has a lot of humor and inspiring messages throughout. It’s not surprising that the new film adaptation is similarly misunderstood by first-time viewers.

            Into the Woods is a fairy-tale mash-up with multiple plotlines. It tells the familiar stories of “Cinderella,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Ridinghood,” and “Rapunzel.” The central storyline focuses on a Baker (James Corden) and his Wife (Emily Blunt), who want a child, but have been cursed with barrenness by a Witch (Meryl Streep). In order to reverse the spell, they must go to the woods and gather four objects (the cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, and the slipper as pure as gold) to make a potion for the Witch. As you can probably guess, these objects belong to specific fairy tale characters whom the Baker and his Wife encounter in the woods.

            When the characters get their wishes and we reach the famous fairy tale endings, the movie is far from over. The characters’ actions have some unexpected consequences. There are even some deaths that occur. However, the characters’ experiences teach them a series of important life lessons including but not limited to the following: don’t lose sight of what’s right and what’s wrong when accomplishing your goals, don’t act without thinking, some things are more important than getting your wish, getting what you want doesn’t always make you content, learn from your mistakes, and be careful what lessons you pass on to children. Most importantly, everyone learns that even in the darkest times, “no one is alone.”

            The cast is the film’s biggest strength. Corden and Blunt show great range as the show’s leads. Meryl Streep continues to prove that she can do practically anything. Anna Kendrick may not look like my ideal Cinderella, but her singing voice is “pitch perfect.” I like the fact that Jack (Daniel Huttlestone from Les Misérables) and Little Red (Lila Crawford from Broadway’s Annie) are actually played by kids for once. Jack’s Mother (Tracy Ullman) and Cinderella’s Stepmother (Christine Baranski) provide some good comic relief. Cinderella’s Prince (Chris Pine) and Rapunzel’s Prince (Billy Magnussen) are hilarious in the song “Agony.” Johnny Depp is fine as the Wolf, though his costume is weird.

Fans of the stage version may be nitpicky about some changes and omissions the film makes, but they need to realize that different isn’t necessarily bad. As much as I love the moments that are cut, I feel that the film is fine without them. Some of the changes clarify certain plot points a little more. The movie is at least half-an-hour shorter than most stage productions. It also blurs the lines between the show’s two acts, making the film feel more like a unified story and less like two separate stories. I think director Rob Marshall succeeds with Into the Woods just like he did with Chicago. Just remember that it might take more than one trip into the woods to realize why people love this show so much.

Rating: 9/10