Movies are changing. More remakes, rip offs, repeats, franchise boosters, nostalgic wastelands (which I actually like) but seems to be suffering more are what we see before the actual film and I don't mean trailers that give away entire plots or the best jokes. I'm talking about the poster and just before that - The Title.
Walking past a gigantic poster on the underground for 'Bad Moms' made me angry, especially as I had to see it everyday. Not only is that the incorrect spelling for the UK but it's so uninspiring and frankly, boring.
The posters was just faces. That's it. Yes there were a group of great women, including a favourite of mine, Kathryn Han, but the poster was lame. I suppose it did exactly what it said on the tin. A group of women, mums (note the spelling) who will be bad in the film.
That seems to be the trend. Slap 'bad' or ‘dirty’ in the title and you know it's going to a gross out, mind numbing comedy.
It’s not just the generic ‘bad’ words being used, films are basically being called something very basic. The Hangover anyone? I thought that was good until the sequels ruined its unique-ness. Films like Horrible Bosses could have had a great title but it was just that, with the pointless sequel to follow. And although Office Party looks good, it will be just like any other generically named film. Basic title, basic plot.
It's the same with sequel. Original title with '2' behind it. So when you look at 'Bad Neighbours 2' you know what you'll get. The exact same film but with a little something added. To be fair I judged the first Bad Neighbours like crazy. The trailer was appalling and the poster was s***. The title was the cherry on top of the bs. But I saw it and some of it was funny and heart-warming. It could have been called something else. The lazy s*** title dragged it down.
It's disappointing to hear that the sequel to Trainspotting is called T2. A more imaginative title could have been created but they chose that!
I know why this is happening. Studios panic that the audience is becoming more stupid so things have to be simplified. I'd the title is more than two words no one will understand. If sequels are given different names no one will know it's part of a franchise or related to another film. This is ludicrous.
The same goes for the posters. If Matt Damon's face doesn’t take up the entire poster no one will know that he's in it and that we need to see it because he's in it.
I long for the day when poster art wasn’t just for cinephiles. The point about posters was brought up ages ago. Poster art is now something of the past or a time for creative to design ‘alternative’ posters that actually become well liked, much more so that the originals. Looking back over books of marvellous posters from yester year, makes me think these are being ‘dumbed’ down too. As I said, no one will see a movie unless the most famous person’s face isn’t on the poster.
I just needed to get that out of my system. Now the Bad Moms poster has gone, I await the next waste of space to placed there. Most likely a similar sort of film. Same story, new cast, less interest.