Spur of the Moment Movie Rant

You know what I miss? Movies like The Breakfast Club and The Goonies and others like that. Is that something that just doesn’t exist in this new millennium? For instance, if we look at them as “coming-of-age” types of fun films (comedy and fantasy elements thrown in) and compare them with some of the more recent takes, the more recent ones fall flat. You know how I can say that with confidence? Cause I couldn’t think of any recent ones to use as a comparison. They’re forgetful. They’re unoriginal cookie-cutter films that are a vehicle for a young star. Or they’re trying to be known as that movie with that scene where that guy did that super gross thing. …and that’s about it. But now think of The Breakfast Club and The Goonies. People quote those films decades later. Those are bench marks. Sure you could pick them apart if you want to, but they’re so right. Not just for their time, but I for one still love watching them and others like them. Gremlins, Stand by Me, Back to the Future, Ferris Beuller’s Day Off and so on (not just talking coming-of-age films) are some greats. Nowadays it just seems like so many films are so glossed over trying to look cool and hit all the marks, make all the demographics happy, be super slick and clever that the original thinking and quirkiness that makes a great unique film is lost.

Maybe it’s the changing of the times? Maybe people aren’t into the same “trends” anymore. Maybe after John Hughes directed some of the greats, time marched on in another direction. But, I don’t know, feels like something is lost to me. Rarely do I feel like I saw a “great” movie anymore when I go to the theater. I can say, “Damn that movie had great effects!” Or “It was soooo cool to see Batman in a new movie!” But will I get excited about it like I do when I see Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Carpenter’s Thing, or Starman for the millionth time?

I know I’m going all over the board here with genres, but I would say that these films still can stand the test of time and be considered great movies. While if you picked and chose contemporary counterparts to put side by side with them, the recent ones would fall flat.

Well, I’ve realized I’ve gone on a bit of a rant here, but dammit, I miss good movies. So maybe a good rant is what was needed.