The Surface Movie Versus Artistic Film

       Movies are popular. The Ultimate go to source for the escapism. Movies are pretty much the authenticator of all other forms of art. Wait for the movie. Don’t worry about not reading the book, which has led to the overwhelming acceptance that the book is better. As popular and financially stimulating movies are, it’s Film that is, was, and always will be the most underappreciated form of art. At the same time, Film takes 99.1% of the blame for influencing bad behavior and poor ideals on the viewer.

     To be as biased as I possibly can, Film is the quintessential of the art of storytelling. The time invested into novels gives you a comfortable idea that you are submerged in an intellectual artform, but after growing up, reading a variety of literary works, that notion couldn’t be anything further from the truth. Yes, your building within your own imagination but limited to the specific elements the author presents you. Based on your personal imagination, you choose the most relatable pieces of work. Very dictating and shackling novels are, while at the same time never asking you to surrender your ideals or perspectives.

     The same can be said for music and “movies” as well. You ever been to restaurant where the table wasn’t cleaned off all that well. Dry mustard on the smooth soft table. You scrape it off with your index finger and find the hard, crusty, yellowish substance resting in your nail. Then, you go to the bathroom and rinse it off and forget that little experience ever happened to you. That’s pretty much novels, “movies”, and music, where it’s the themes, basic subtext, messages that take the place of the simple crust on the surface. Why would go any deeper than that with being presented something so relatable and comfortable. In all fairness, when it comes to these categories of art, the work is never given to you. Going back to the dry mustard, you can still see the little dry stain left by the spill, the root. You get to the root of any of these works you’ll find Consumerism, Progressivism, Cynicism, Individualism…etc. Which is why, over time, it can become so easy to lose interest, especially in with surface movies getting the most complaints about originality.

     Although I guess I would give surface movies a pass, since the start of the filmmaking industry built its foundation on showmanship. The start of music and novels already had the presence of artist, but as time passed, showmanship became the big thing. Novelty of novels died ever since the purpose of writing a novel was to have it become a movie. You’re not reading literature, your reading a money-making movie script. There are even tips for how to write a novel to have it easily turned into a movie. Ulterior motive has become money. This motive was already in full swing in it’s beginning. Perfect example of a movie made off showmanship, Citizen Kane.

     It wasn’t until years later until an artist entered this domain. The first true artist in film is Sergio Leone. As important as the Western setting was at that time for a showman in John Wayne movies, it is meaningless to Leone who uses it as simply a tool to design a variety of characters.

     Then comes Craven, Carpenter, Coppola, De Palma, Nolan, Lee, Scott, Bigelow the inviters bringing you into their perspectives and ideals which are nothing like yours. Digging through minds of these artist can be strenuous, making this kind of viewing of film the most least route taken. An artist film is when you hear the directors voice through his/her craft of unifying the actors, production designers, sound, light, cinematography, costumes, scripts, meshing it together to give it to you. Authors can never do this. Novels say build your intellectual. Music says listen to message to include in your life. Surface “Movies” say look for messages, themes, and positive imagery to help build your life. A Film says fuck you, get in my head own my unrelatability and tell me what you think.

    

The Rise of the "Christian" Movie

     Kelly’s a guy, who lives his life to work, sleep and randomness in the middle. One day at work he thinks, ‘man, it’s gotta be something more than this’. He puts that idea to use by expanding beyond the moderate. Throughout his search, Kelly discovers billions and billions of solutions. For a year, he systematically checks out the solutions, using his personal life as a model. After going through these solutions, he learns that everything brings him to the lifelessness “square one”.  Except one. The one way takes him places that have an absolute abundance in his life.

     Unfortunately, that way goes totally against the “norm”, banal society, and if he takes this venture, Kelly will forever be known as a freakly, low-level, deranged, Un-American individual. Kelly slowly eases out of this path and takes a more self-preserved route. Sadly, it is too late. Kelly’s curiosity has caught the intention of one of the devout disciples of this “way”. One day, at work, this disciple contacts Kelly and explains to her the dangers of tapping into this path has brought her. Simultaneously, conformists enter his building. In a Invasion of Body Snatchers style (the Donald Sutherland one), surrounding Kelly’s work floor.

       Still in contact with this disciple, Kelly is given specific instructions that would lead her to the “way” road. Kelly panics and surrenders to the conformists. Kelly is, surprisingly, taken to a place that warms her heart’s desire. There is peace and good, and everything that he thought the “way” was supposed to be.

     However, somethings wrong, distorting. I mean it’s easy, makes sense, but the people in this society seems like everybody else with no clear distinctions. Kelly says no thank you. And is quickly rebuked and cursed at.

     Alone and lost again, Kelly heads to the deepest, darkest neighborhood in town. The disenfranchised. They were almost creature-like, similar to Nightbreed monsters. They were monstrous looking and so forth were labeled as such. For as freakish looking as they were, they proceeded to embrace Kelly as a stranger. Kelly is tapped on the shoulder. “Hello, Kelly” It’s the disciple. The man reaches out his hand to Kelly and he takes it as they enter a building across the street. The disciple carefully explains to him what the “way” is. The truth, honesty, the promise. He carefully tells Kelly the choices. She takes the path of the “way”. Several month, he hangs around the disciple learning the nature of the “way”. It’s selflessness, it’s equally embrace of reality and spirituality. The disciple is amazed with Kelly’s quick surrender to the “way”.

     So, anxiously, wanting to show him the full scope, Kelly becomes overwhelmed by everything from all the world’s truth system. And all the things he will have to accept of himself and the world. “Fuck, this.”, Kelly screams, as he passes out. Awake, clutches his eyes tightly, wishing to go back to the any other place where the promise of the Conformists lies. Soothingly, his hand is picked up. “I’m so sorry. You should never feed a new born an apple.” Kelly opens his eyes and forgives the disciple, askes him could he go back. The man says, “you can, but you’ve seen too much to accept comfort that would bring you, for you are of the chosen.” Kelly opens her eyes and follows the “way”. Years later, Kelly can be seen walking through all other worlds, being curious, as a disciple, because he already knows what’s the way of the conformist.

     What a great “Christian” film? Where is it from, though? God’s Not Dead, no. There’s no mustache twirling Hercules looking villain. Case for Christ, no cult related, brainwashing tactics on a individual. Well, what Christian movie could this summary be from………………….Give up. The Matrix. What?! That movie where the robots try to take over the world with 2 underappreciated sequels. No. Since the beginning of America, the “Christian” something, something, something, has been the foundation of it’s pursuit. You can put it in front of anything and it sells, “Christian” film, “Christian” book, “Christian” autoshop, “Christian” fast food chain, “Christian” soap opera, “Christian” super market, “Christian” laundry detergent. I’ll buy that for a dollar.

     What is a “Christian” movie that belittles and is sneakily, cruel to a stranger, with patting the head or jerking the arm compared to a film that openly invites you with hand to hand communication guiding you with steps and not fancy inward language which a foreigner will never understand.

     Now, I’m not, authoritatively, saying to stop watching these “faith” based movies. Who am I to tell you what your taste should be. But it continues to prove that there is no art influence to the point that will make you do something totally different from your own character. True manipulations keeps on the path of something you want. So, if this entertains you , be entertained. But if you dare call these types of movies art, which as a viewer, sure. But how dare you. Yes, it’s art. The most well-known artform for an American citizen. The art of moneymaking. Think about it. If there really was a subgenre for a savior that comes in on a donkey and cleans people feet and is brutally taken apart by physical and spiritual wickedness of men, do you really think that would sell.