The Laws of Diminishing Returns.

Summer - Blockbusters - Massive Box Office Reciepts. Or so the formula goes. Yet 2011 has still to yield a film that people will rejoice for.
Perhaps people may argue that we started too early with Thor (May, in UK) or that we had not fully defined, as a cinema, a summer status, but this year has yet to really show its teeth. With two noticeable departures.

Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stanger Tides (2011)

Thor (2011)

Perhaps there's something in the water at the minute, or we are simply in a mode of nostalgia, but the world seems to be content to live in its past glories. 

Whether this is Marvel films, now free from its shackles and developing superhero epics similar to Spiderman's ten years ago, or Thor, the new breed, born of the renegade director, much as Hollywood cinema gave birth to the renegades of Bay et al in the 90s.

What to think of with all this? Where all the proper films? Well, the first idea to establish is that, like it or not, these ARE the proper films of the Summer, and for goodness sake, suck it up - they are enjoyable. Obviously, Christopher Nolan is being watched hawkishly on his take on the concept, but one must not forget that, 3D or not, Superheroes are designed to bring the world happiness, joy, the concepts that we somehow cannot forge on our own advances. 

Long live the superhero genre, as long as it taps into what we need to survive. 

Sequelitis

It has been a while, for sure, Blogspot, but this page refuses to die, and anger at the current state of mainstream Hollywood refuses to die either.

Sequels.

The word strikes an odd balance between love and hate into hearts. There is the familiarity of the known, that the characters are established, less exposition is needed, that the story will progress. These are, obviously, fallacies, for any high budget film must ultimately cater for a new audience as well. Looking at Steven Neale's work will show that there is a process of what he called "re-engagement" with texts that must go on in sequels. It may be hidden in a veneer of comedy / crises etc, but it is there. So why do we bother? Aside from the fact that cinema-going is a circular experience, from the familiarity of the foyer, advertising new experiences, to the smell of popcorn and the trailers that preclude every film, we are happy with what we know. There is safety, familiarity to it. Yet this can also lead to frustration.

Most recently, several internet message boards lit up with the familiar frustration of watching a Marvel adaptation, waiting until after the credits (as is now expected) and AGAIN seeing Samuel L Jackson enigmatically emerge from the shadows to dispense more SHIELD nonsense in anticipation for the 'Avengers' film - something that must go down as one of the all time meta-sequels, whenever it finally emerges.

However, to turn the gaze more directly to 2011, there are two films in particular that strike this reviewer as  un-needed sequels. The motive must purely be directed to the financial (as much as people may be loathe to admit it, SOME people in Hollywood do actually wish to make an entertaining tale as well as money.)

The Hangover 2

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

These films have relied on the goodwill bestowed to their predecessors. Whilst The Hangover is only a second in the fanchise, fans have put up with the theory of diminishing returns for PotC 2 and 3. The departure of Bloom, Knightley, Verbinski et al may be, to some, a pleasing thought, however to many of the long term fans, the removal of a salient aspect of fan fiction and speculation must bring nothing but revulsion. Why not name these the 'Captain Jack Chronicles'? Because the brand sells.

Likewise The Hangover. Bradley Cooper has clearly stated that the sequel should follow the formula of the first film, which may defy logic to the film literate. Cooper has, however, inadvertently stumbled upon the success of a Hollywood picture. 

Give the people what they want.

When one thinks of the great cinematic successes of the time, Cameron no doubt springs to mind. What people may not realise is that he played the same card in both his films. Titanic and Avatar may as well be the same films,as class / nationality / species divide two loves who are destined to be together, overarched by a much larger war / tragedy. 

What people need to realise is that the joy of Hollywood may not be in the new, but in the old and familiar. It therefore comes as no surprise to see that 2011 has more sequels than any other year. In any other camp (barring videogames) this would be a surprise. Hollywood, however, has refined it into a cheap, disposable commodity.

Now who's up for Transformers 3?