If I could turn back time...
If you had to take a stab at how much a sci-fi movie costs to make you’d probably immediately guess plenty of millions of dollars. They’re notoriously some of the most expensive movies to produce, thanks to all the computer work that is necessary to create the aliens, or not real critters who come down to earth and smoke our human asses. Things that are not real, call for lots of computer techs, and programs to create the illusion that they are, and all of this is crazy expensive. I’m personally not a fan of sci-fi, but sometimes, I give Yannick pick over the movie, and of course he always goes for the films that will give him the “most bang for his buck.” War epics, are always high on his list, which is why we’re currently watching Westworld. Battle scenes are complex and hugely expensive, so he loves these. Then there are the obvious, and popular spy movies, shit blowing up for two straight hours always makes him feel as though he’s been given his fill. Last but not least is the trusty sci-fi epic. Blade Runner still remains one of his favorites. So today, a Monday, not longs after the boys and I wrapped up our photo shoot, we opted to spend the early part of our evening indulging in a movie. His pick?
Arrival.
Not on my list, at all. Not even on my list to watch at home on Netflix some day down the road. Honestly, never crossed my mind to go see it, didn’t look interesting to me in any way shape or form. But, he’s been at the helm of Murdoch for seven months, hasn’t been to a movie in just as long, what would it hurt to give him his pick today? I mean, I adore Amy Adams, and popcorn, so really what sweat would it be off my back to go along?
Well it was a lot of sweat off my back as it turns out, and a colossal waste of my time.
OH MY GOD. That movie.
What was even happening in it? I didn’t realize it was the sequel to Tree of Life. Why didn’t they advertise it like that, instead of like some cool, aliens coming to earth to take over the world type film. I feel completely and utterly cheated, lied to, and annoyed that I could have been doing anything else but sitting through that movie. Had I known it was going to be almost exactly like Tree of Life, except with weird tree like shaped aliens I would have totally taken a pass. I mean I could have been sitting in a dark movie theater analyzing whether or not Brad Pitt did or did not have an affair with Marion Cotillard while shooting Allied. Now that would have been a very constructive thing to do for a couple of hours today. But I didn’t know, so I got sucked in, and you know what I did with most of my time during Arrival? I napped. Sadly for me though it was one of those frustrating naps. You know the ones I’m talking about, where you’re falling asleep, and your head starts to bob forward just as you enter “deep sleep” jarring you instantly awake. Then you look around hoping nobody has noticed you falling asleep in a place where you’re not expected to fall asleep, because movies are exciting, and expensive so you’re supposed to stay awake. That was me throughout my entire nap. Until finally, I worked out a comfortable position so my head didn’t do the falling forward thing. I was sleeping so nicely, when I was suddenly, and rudely woken up by a bomb going off on the screen. I almost jumped out of my seat. Then I got hopeful, hopeful that now the action would begin. But alas, it did not. The bomb going off was the most action that film had.
Honestly, nothing makes me go “hmmm” harder than going to see a film that I know cost a good chunk of change, in this case apparently, an estimated $43 million worth of change, that just isn’t very good. I mean why bother? Are they vanity projects? I don’t get it. I just wish that producers, and studios would instead use the money to feed starving children around the world instead of on not great uber expensive films that hoodwink a bunch of innocent movie fans into thinking they’re going to see an exciting sci-fi movie. Or if they’re dead set on making movies, then please for the love of God promote it as an art film, not lead people on to think they’re going to see a blockbuster.
Just two cents from a movie fan, and an alien fan; I for one happen to believe in them, but that’s an entirely separate post.
