This summer I witnessed a gingerbread man in a pink thong, supernatural wolves on a frozen cruise ship and a cobweb that saved a train full of people. If you bought one of the 637.8 million tickets sold at movie theaters nationwide this summer, as reported by Exhibitor Relations, chances are you saw at least one of those bizarre sights as well.
I saw somewhere between 10 and 15 movies between June and August, more than I saw my entire first year of college. I saw some good movies, such as “Spider-Man 2,” and some bad ones, like “The Day After Tomorrow.” Seeing a wide variety of movies and observing the audience’s reactions as they exited the theater after each show provided me with some interesting views of Americans and their obsession with the silver screen.
One thing I learned is that big names are everything. Hang a poster of Will Ferrell grinning down at the crowd in his famed burgundy suit and garish moustache and consider $84.1 million collected at the box office. Is “Anchorman” going to go down in history as a classic work of comic genius? Probably not. But people know Will Ferrell. They like Will Ferrell. Throw in a handful of cameos (Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn) and you have yourself a blockbuster hit, no matter what the plot!
If the combination of Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn looks familiar, it is because they co-starred in another summer film of equal caliber: “Dodgeball.” Did I get a good laugh from these two movies? Absolutely. Did these movies leave a lasting impression on me? Nope. If Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell decided to star in a movie that involved nothing but their goofy bantering for two hours, the film industry would make billions of dollars.
However, it is a tragic misconception that the reputations of the stars make a good movie. For instance, the combination of such talented actors as Joaquin Phoenix (“Gladiator”), Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”) and William Hurt (“Children of a Lesser God”) sounds like a win. But even they could not save the weak, predictable plot of “The Village.”
However, if a movie is without a score of big names, it can rely on enticing special effects to carry it past breaking even in the box office. Jake Gyllenhaal and Dennis Quaid put a sappy, ridiculous spin on a terrible tragedy of a tragedy in “The Day After Tomorrow.” If Dennis Quaid was out to save his dwindling career, he chose the wrong script.
Lastly, and most importantly, I realized this summer that independent films are some of the most overlooked gems of the cinema. Independent films come and go quietly, trailing in the wake of flashy, outrageous comedies and thrilling action sequences. Among those bizarre movie sights of the summer, did you catch a llama that lives off last night’s leftovers or a hamster funeral? Most likely not. These sights can be found in two of the summer’s independent movies, “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Garden State.”
With nearly unrecognizable faces making up the cast, “Napoleon Dynamite” soared as a quirky, random comedy that left me doubled in laughter from beginning to end. It strikes a chord with anyone who is, or was at any time in his or her life, a nerd.
“Garden State” was raw, real and beautiful. Up-and-coming writer/director Zach Braff shines as protagonist of the story, proving he is more than the luckless, funny guy he plays on “Scrubs.” The soundtrack, cinematography and character portrayals all fit together splendidly to create undoubtedly one of the best movies I have ever seen.
If you have not heard of one or both of these movies, you are not alone. If you have heard of them but cannot locate a theater where they are showing, join the club. Independent movies do not frequent Starkville, or the entire state of Mississippi, and this is very unfortunate. It’s too inconvenient for a Mississippian to see an independent movie if he or she is interested.
The hush-hush aspect of these movies’ publicity keeps many people from realizing the potential greatness of a small film. Sadly, “Without a Paddle” brought in twice as much money on its opening weekend than “Garden State” has since its release over a month ago.
I heard someone say the other day that “Troy” should win best picture at the Oscars next year. Give an Oscar to a movie little more than a historically inaccurate excuse for Brad Pitt to show his butt? I cannot shake my head too much at the comment I overheard, though. If we are never exposed to lesser-known cinematic gems because of our location, what can we choose? Word of mouth and the hope of increasing interest are the only ways these movies will be promoted in a place like Starkville.
I can only hope that as I watch the 77th Annual Academy Awards, neither Alien nor Predator is on stage accepting its Oscar for Best Actor.
Erin Clyburn is a sophomore English major. She can be reached at [email protected].