Reply #69: Not really

[anigbrowl]

I'd like that to be true (not least because I write screenplays) but it's of distinctly secondary importance overall. I loved up and agree it has an awesome story, but there is only room for a few movies like that each year. Although it has come in 2nd so far (it'll be 4th-5th by year end), it's not a race, so there's no special prize for being near the top. What I mean is, you need to look at how much it draws in proportion to the total box-office draw for the year. Story-driven films (ie no big stars, attempt to do something really original) usually pull about 10-20% of the market.

The fact is most people are very happy with formula stories and characters they already, which is why there are so, so many franchise movies. Think about transformers, for example...remember that was an animated tv series way back in the day? There was something 120 episodes of animated vehicles-that-turn-into giant-robots. If you can get people to sit down in front of the tv every week for that many episodes, it's pretty much a given that they'll go see a loud expensive movie along the same lines every couple of years, and it doesn't even need much of a plot. Just think, every powerful-looking vehicle you see might be a space robot in disguise!

This year escapism is in because of the recession, which is why you're seeing so many sci-fi films and romantic comedies. by contrast, funny people is about a guy with cancer...sounds like a downer, because people are too worried about their own future to risk helping the character (and the film) out.