When I was younger, things seemed to be a lot more fun. Now, I’m not talking about having more responsibility now than I did then or something like that. No; I’m talking about the world around me.
If you went to the movies this summer maybe you noticed the same trend that I have. Everything seems to have gotten dark, more serious and more adult.
One of the most polarizing hits of the summer movie season was Zack Snyder’s interpretation of the Superman mythos in Man of Steel.
Whether the film is good or bad is a discussion for another day, but one thing is undeniable: this Superman is a departure from the classic vision of the Man of Tomorrow.
In the film, Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) is portrayed as a nomad and wanderer, struggling to come to terms with the powers that he has inherited from his Kryptonian ancestry. The movie does feature a lot of action, but it also features a ton of scenes with Cavill contemplating his place in the universe, growing a weird depression beard (a la Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises), and mostly being told by others to be afraid of his powers and hide them, yet always told he’ll rise up and save mankind.
Now, if I asked you if you wanted to have fun at the movies would you want to go see a film where the protagonist mopes, suffers from major identity crisis and is, for some reason, simultaneously praised as a Christ-like answer to the prayers of mankind?
I’m going to be honest; that movie doesn’t sound like it’s up my alley…at least not for a fun time at the movies.
Take for example another hit film of the summer: Iron Man 3.
Normally Marvel’s superhero flicks tend to be the lighter fair of the summer…but not this year.
This new installment, a follow up to 2012’s summer blockbuster extravaganza The Avengers, brings the normally witty and charming Tony Stark face-to-face with The Mandarin – a terrorist hell-bent on destroying the United States, as well as singling out the iron-clad hero. A cool premise.
The film itself, however, robs Downey Jr. of most of his charm and devil-may-care attitude.
In a strange move, the film decides to make Stark shell-shocked from the events that occurred last year.
Throughout the picture, Iron Man goes through an identity crisis (apparently a new fad approach for superhero movies) as well as going through numerous panic attacks.
Once again, this is not an argument on whether the movie is good or not.
I simply just don’t understand why movie producers, writers and directors feel that a film must be dark or more adult or more realistic to appeal to the masses.
The summer blockbuster season was created by films like Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind – all films that are certainly not lightweight kiddie films, but are definitely meant to be enjoyed by the entire family.
But it’s not just movies. Music seems to have gone maybe not in a tonally darker direction, but things have certainly become more adult.
At the recent VMAs Miley Cyrus performed her latest party jam “We Can’t Stop.” The moment seems to have been sampled after a viewing of the “Carebears” while high on cocaine.
She then did a risqué and much talked about twerk with Robin Thicke (who appeared to have borrowed Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice costume).
I understand that Miley Cyrus is far from a child star. The last thing she probably wants to do is appeal to the Disney Channel crowd that she once did. But, for the love of Pete, put some clothes on girl! There are children present.
At the risk of sounding old fashioned, I would just like to reiterate that families do watch the VMAs. Case and point: Will Smith and family.
There is a picture floating around online of the Smith family reaction to Cyrus’s twerk with Thicke. Will looks as though he’s just been punched in the stomach, Willow’s mouth hangs open in shock and awe, and poor Jaden looks as though he’s on the verge of tears as the once squeaky-clean Miley gets her dirty on with Robin Thicke.
True some of the best films, books and television shows of recent memory have been inspired by shall we say more adult themes and darker tones.
But would it kill pop culture generators to lighten up a bit or maybe try to keep in mind younger viewers as well as old ones?
Brian Laughran
Senior Viewpoints Editor