Reboots and Reinventions

Hollywood seems to be getting lazier and lazier lately. All you hear are reboots, re-adaptations and prequels after sequels after spin-offs after.......you get the idea. Case in point: is it just me or has the land of reboots outdone themselves with only 5 years spanned between Andrew Garfield in spandex and Tobey Maguire in spandex? Guys, srsly. SRSLY, YOU GUISE.

I see no difference besides eye candy for a new generation

That's not so bad when the formula works, they're popular and keep everyone happy dappy, but what irks me a little more than usual is when Hollywood decides to re-adapt popular foreign films. Why?

Is it because of the much more talented Hollywood actors? Um, NO.

Is it so we can better appreciate the original movie and pay homage to it? Hardly, since the most of the originals are forgotten.

Is it so we can introduce new exciting elements into western cinema?  NONONONONONONONONO. I'm sorry Keanu Reeves, as much as your Sad Keanu memes are endearing to me, I will forever be disappointed that you got stuck as the American Kaneda, who should not only remain Japanese but AS AN ANIMATED ONE AT THAT.

But why ELSE, you ask?

Is it so that western audiences can understand the language? Unfortunately, YES. 'Tis true, we are apparently too lazy to read subtitles. I mean c'mon, foreign audiences read subtitles all the time, Y U NO LEARN? This is also why I have a problem with dubbed animes, which completely devolved the sound aspect of the productions. Plus c'mon subtitles give us gems like this:

Is it so we can see the same story played out by familiar faces? Another YES. Although I am too chicken to ever watch Old Boy, I have read the synopsis and the general consensus is that it's brilliant. But nooooo, apparently we can't form a deep emotional bond with incredibly creepy and disturbing characters unless they're WHITE. I mean what's the point of cinema if you're going to concentrate on the ACTOR instead of the CHARACTER?

MORAL OF THE STORY: the majority of foreign adaptations wipe any trace of the foreign culture away (one of the key attractions in the first place) and repackage it into your standard Hollywood production. Very rarely do they work. I look forward to the day when foreign cinema can have a wider distribution and subtitles will only be a minor setback.

Going on to the less ranty part of this post, many young stars are starting to break out of their teen idol typecast mold. What with Daniel Radcliffe's Woman in Black out, fellow Harry Potter star Robert Pattinson's new dystopian action/drama Cosmopolis has also released a full trailer:

RobPattz plays a young billionaire in a limo going across Manhattan for a haircut. Sounds meh but there's a lot more sex, violence and philosophical musing than expected in usual limo rides, especially considering it comes from the director of The Fly. Curious to see what viewers will think when it first shows at Cannes this year.

Pattz has been busy nabbing roles as troubled youths as news has it that he's been cast in David Michod's new film The Rover, another gritty crime drama similar to his awesome Animal Kingdom (YAY AUSSIE FILMS!!).