MovieZen Blog

Bring back the art.

Movie advertising, while inescapable, is also looked at by many as a work of art. Some of the greatest movies have that unforgettable image. Think back to Jaws, and how compelling that simple picture was. Enough to strike terror, the end result being assumed. Then there were the Star Wars trilogy posters, each perfectly encapsulating the spirit of the given film. A great film poster gives a piece of the film, and connects to the memory of what the viewer has seen on screen. Sadly, it is a form of art that is slowly passing by. While there are still great posters on occasion, it seems more and more that the stock profile shots or cast collections are enough to satisfy the studios these days. That is why it is so striking when a movie poster comes along to shake up the status quo. A film like Sin City, unique in its feel and story telling, took the idea of the character posters and gave it a twist. And think back to 1994, when Pulp Fiction recreated the dime store novel cover in a unique twist.  It was enough to intrigue the movie goer without ruining the shock of what was to come. Sure they could have done a collage of Travolta and Thurman dancing, or a hypodermic needle about to penetrate flesh, but they kept it simple yet creative, and it stands as a great piece of cinematic marketing.

I would like to see the marketing departments of studios put a little more effort into creating truly memorable posters. Most posters have been relegated to the side of the lobby, no longer compelling the theater attendee to look at them. Now, they need to draw the eyes over to see. An iconic image, such as Tom Hanks sitting on a park bench in Forrest Gump, could slip by unnoticed. But a poster like The Truman Show, an amalgamation of smaller images that create the final picture, looks just distracting enough from a distance to bring the viewer closer, where they can then marvel at the work within the work. It is too easy for me to pass by on my way out of the theater, never glancing twice at the latest teen spoof comedy or disposable action flick. I want something that reminds me of when studios used to care. Or at least more so than they seem to now.

Benji
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The 3 Top and Bottom Movies of the Summer

According to the Movie Guru, here are the top 3 and the bottom 3 movies of the summer:

Top 3

1. Red Belt
2. The Love Guru
3. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Honorable Mention: Wall-E

Bottom 3

1. You Don't Mess with the Zohan
2. Hancock
3. Wanted

Well, from the titles alone, the only one I'd be interested in seeing is The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, especially since I loved The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Even the runner-up, Wall-E sounds good to me. From the commercials, it looks hilarious. But, with these other titles, well, no wonder I've gotten out of the habit of "going to the movies." I just wait until my favorites are out on DVD.

I don't know, but Red Belt just doesn't appeal to me, although the "Movie Guru" raves about it:

"David Mamet's vision of a UFC type ju jitsu tournament is the best movie of the summer and can be watched on DVD when it comes out without losing as much to the TV screen as many of the other summer movies."

How about the Love Guru? The title sounds like it's going to be completely ridiculous and not in a good way. But the "movie guru" says this:

"The Love Guru is one of those movies like Speed Racer that everybody hated without even seeing it. Wrong. The funniest movie of the summer so far, too smart for its own good."

I'm afraid this may be one of those movies like Little Miss Sunshine that everybody loved but me. Maybe it's the similarities to the "self help" guru part that bothers me.

To each his own. And sometimes a movie surprises you. I'd love to hear your thoughts about these movies or what your top 3 movies and bottom 3 movies would be. What might I put on my watch list?

Kathy Holmes
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