I was asked to compare Everything Everywhere All At Once, Smile, and Barbarian for their ability to last. My basic answer was that the movies with the most relatable elements will last. They’re all fun and entertaining in their own ways so that might save them. EEAAO has universal themes even if its style quirks might not last. Smile has a universal concept but it is in danger of running flat. It might lose effectiveness over time. Barbarian is so specific to a specific set of experiences that I don’t think it’ll last for that reason. But all are creative and new enough. However, I don’t live in Florida and Crawl works because it’s about survival. Jaws, though effective, I was more scared of Piranha because I live in lake country. Jaws works because of the relationships within. That lasts. Game of Thrones is about Home and Family. Train to Busan will last because of that relationship between Father and daughter. Blah blah etc. I could go on.
Universal themes matter. I think that’s what’s missing from a lot of movies now. Truth. Tone and Intent matter. Truth.
I hear you. My love for those films is first and foremost that they are batshit crazy in a good way and otherwise so much of the culture is bland and boring and repetitive. I think bold works last even after others catch up and that boldness has become commonplace. That's when the universal themes are most needed.
The two films I feel will survive, but only in a cinephile's circle albeit, are Aftersun and The Whale. Comparatively The Fablemans just doesn't have the gravitas to really etch onto the hearts and minds...
Many films spearheaded change. Speaking from mid 20th century on, from The 400 Blows, and Breathless, to The Wedding Banquet and Pulp Fiction to Moonlight and many others. In the ecosystem that these films existed there were bigger counted audience numbers, more distributors, more critics, in essence a bigger petri dish where things grow. I am not sure that EAAO can truly be that film right now by itself? Where and what are the missing ingredients to make that energy come back? The old ones aren't resurfacing? To start actual "viewing" numbers would be a breakthrough both fiscally and critically. People throw the YouTube view numbers around like crazy. WHat's it going to take the cinema tech industry to do the same ???
"Where and what are the missing ingredients to make that energy come back?" -- That was the original title for this entire newsletter. HopeForFilm was a little catchier though.
Yes the missing ingredients have been decimated / axed / purged - whereas in this moment my faith in one film (EAAO) changing things is tiny. The only entity that can bring the tech sector in line from total control is the gov't. A Roosevelt like gov't ????
Started an online magazine to build my roadmap to utopia. As always, thank you for your inspiration, insight, and striving for a better future for film. (and thus the world)
Thanks for taking the time Ted. It's still in the nascent stages but I'm stoked at the potential. Figured giving people striking visuals and a different, hopeful perspective might peak American interest in cinema as a necessary and impactful artform and build community. As Jeanette Wilkerson said, "the only way we develop a palette, is to develop a palette." Anyway, keep on imagining new worlds, my friend. Brick by brick.
Talk is cheap, but when you take action, you open yourself up for criticism. I always knew what kind of films I wanted to make. I knew it decades ago, and whenever I put those projects on a producer's desk or before the decision makers in the industry, I always got the same reaction... Nobody has ever made a film like this before, we are in the business of making movies that are successful at the box office, and we don't know if this will make money, it's too different. Finally, I got up the nerve to make one of these films myself. It is now streaming on Prime Video, Comcast, Cox Cable and Spectrum/Charter. I realized perhaps it is both impactful and controversial. It has received as many 1's as 10's on imdb. I am not talking about these films; I am making them. I know I will never make the greatest film ever made or even the most artistic, but I will definitely make some of the most important and today, yes today, I am training others to make films like this, films that I "Hope" will change the world for the better.
EEAAO for me is like a live-action cartoon which has really terrific roles for under-represented actors. I love Michelle Y and her costars but the movie does feel so unhinged at times that I truly lost patience after awhile. A movie this reminded me of that was far more constrained but hilarious and wonderful for all the right reasons is TAMPO PO. It's like if Sergio Leone made a cooking competition show. EEAAO is much grander and bolder but, like I said, as a GexXer, I found it difficult to sustain. Felt like I was a pinball being thrashed around a machine for 2 hours.
My future still involves leveraging value in a free and distributed economic system unburdened by unbalanced power dynamics.
Be it film, alternative health or private banking when the fix is in the fix is in and we all know a fix when we see it. The oracle of Omaha likes I fix as well as any major movie studio or the prevailing legal pharmaceutical system. You gotta get out of it before you get into it. The revolution will not be televised.
I was asked to compare Everything Everywhere All At Once, Smile, and Barbarian for their ability to last. My basic answer was that the movies with the most relatable elements will last. They’re all fun and entertaining in their own ways so that might save them. EEAAO has universal themes even if its style quirks might not last. Smile has a universal concept but it is in danger of running flat. It might lose effectiveness over time. Barbarian is so specific to a specific set of experiences that I don’t think it’ll last for that reason. But all are creative and new enough. However, I don’t live in Florida and Crawl works because it’s about survival. Jaws, though effective, I was more scared of Piranha because I live in lake country. Jaws works because of the relationships within. That lasts. Game of Thrones is about Home and Family. Train to Busan will last because of that relationship between Father and daughter. Blah blah etc. I could go on.
Universal themes matter. I think that’s what’s missing from a lot of movies now. Truth. Tone and Intent matter. Truth.
I hear you. My love for those films is first and foremost that they are batshit crazy in a good way and otherwise so much of the culture is bland and boring and repetitive. I think bold works last even after others catch up and that boldness has become commonplace. That's when the universal themes are most needed.
The two films I feel will survive, but only in a cinephile's circle albeit, are Aftersun and The Whale. Comparatively The Fablemans just doesn't have the gravitas to really etch onto the hearts and minds...
Many films spearheaded change. Speaking from mid 20th century on, from The 400 Blows, and Breathless, to The Wedding Banquet and Pulp Fiction to Moonlight and many others. In the ecosystem that these films existed there were bigger counted audience numbers, more distributors, more critics, in essence a bigger petri dish where things grow. I am not sure that EAAO can truly be that film right now by itself? Where and what are the missing ingredients to make that energy come back? The old ones aren't resurfacing? To start actual "viewing" numbers would be a breakthrough both fiscally and critically. People throw the YouTube view numbers around like crazy. WHat's it going to take the cinema tech industry to do the same ???
"Where and what are the missing ingredients to make that energy come back?" -- That was the original title for this entire newsletter. HopeForFilm was a little catchier though.
Yes the missing ingredients have been decimated / axed / purged - whereas in this moment my faith in one film (EAAO) changing things is tiny. The only entity that can bring the tech sector in line from total control is the gov't. A Roosevelt like gov't ????
They sTaff correctly. oops.
Started an online magazine to build my roadmap to utopia. As always, thank you for your inspiration, insight, and striving for a better future for film. (and thus the world)
https://mailchi.mp/65575bd8f585/prim-magazine
https://primmag.com/
I will check it out Taylor. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for taking the time Ted. It's still in the nascent stages but I'm stoked at the potential. Figured giving people striking visuals and a different, hopeful perspective might peak American interest in cinema as a necessary and impactful artform and build community. As Jeanette Wilkerson said, "the only way we develop a palette, is to develop a palette." Anyway, keep on imagining new worlds, my friend. Brick by brick.
I dream of a future without acronyms.
Hahaha. I will take that under consideration.
Talk is cheap, but when you take action, you open yourself up for criticism. I always knew what kind of films I wanted to make. I knew it decades ago, and whenever I put those projects on a producer's desk or before the decision makers in the industry, I always got the same reaction... Nobody has ever made a film like this before, we are in the business of making movies that are successful at the box office, and we don't know if this will make money, it's too different. Finally, I got up the nerve to make one of these films myself. It is now streaming on Prime Video, Comcast, Cox Cable and Spectrum/Charter. I realized perhaps it is both impactful and controversial. It has received as many 1's as 10's on imdb. I am not talking about these films; I am making them. I know I will never make the greatest film ever made or even the most artistic, but I will definitely make some of the most important and today, yes today, I am training others to make films like this, films that I "Hope" will change the world for the better.
EEAAO for me is like a live-action cartoon which has really terrific roles for under-represented actors. I love Michelle Y and her costars but the movie does feel so unhinged at times that I truly lost patience after awhile. A movie this reminded me of that was far more constrained but hilarious and wonderful for all the right reasons is TAMPO PO. It's like if Sergio Leone made a cooking competition show. EEAAO is much grander and bolder but, like I said, as a GexXer, I found it difficult to sustain. Felt like I was a pinball being thrashed around a machine for 2 hours.
Tampopo rates as one of my fav viewing experiences, even if I was home in bed!
It's one of my fave movies about food. Plus, just the thought of it makes me want to get Ramen:)
My future still involves leveraging value in a free and distributed economic system unburdened by unbalanced power dynamics.
Be it film, alternative health or private banking when the fix is in the fix is in and we all know a fix when we see it. The oracle of Omaha likes I fix as well as any major movie studio or the prevailing legal pharmaceutical system. You gotta get out of it before you get into it. The revolution will not be televised.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbZVdj_d62M
The R2U definitely starts with somewhere...
Sorry if that's a downer - just what came out...
First part of mission complete, Sir. Now what?
Get things done. It is always get things done.