Movies should provide intelligent escape
by Julia Mims, reporter

    Every weekend I look to see what new releases are out in theaters.

    Every weekend I am disappointed to see how many new “teenage” movies are overtaking the marquees.

    Teenage cinema is in a very sad state.

    It boggles my mind how people can go out each weekend and see the same movie, with a different title, over and over again.

    Each movie has basically the same plot of boy meets girl. Of course, the drama ensues while they must overcome some petty obstacle like money, race or stupidity; it’s usually the latter. Almost magically by the end of the movie, they live happily ever after.

    Star interchangeability is another reason why teenage cinema is lacking.

    It is the mark of a truly bad movie when we could substitute any of the main characters for anybody else and the picture would not change at all. I think Hollywood has a brief list of young actors.

    Apparently, directors randomly draw names out of a hat to decide which new hot star will appear in what new blockbuster movie.

    The overabundance of stereotypes in these films also bothers me.
    For instance, before the movie Road Trip even starts and you know four guys are going on this trip, almost everyone could come up with the different types or characteristics of the teenagers in the car.

    First, there has to be the sweet boy, then the cute guy who is overly obsessed with girls. Next, we have the perpetually stoned slacker with a brain, and finally the film could not be complete without the classic nerd.

    After I get roped into watching one of these movies, I wonder if I have ever met a person who fits exactly into one of these categories?

    The answer is no. Teenagers are not flat. We cannot be put into one mold and stay there. People cannot be described in one phrase.

    That’s what makes teenage cinema so bland. There is nothing new or creative, and if there is, that movie is avoided like the plague.

    Does Hollywood actually think teenagers are like this? It just annoys me to think some old man in a suit is sitting behind a big desk in a big office plotting out the next teen romance.

    He’s probably thinking, boy meets girl … yes, that sounds original.

    I don’t like the idea that Hollywood thinks it can throw a movie together in a week and expect me to pay $7 to see it.

    Furthermore, doesn’t it bother people that the soundtracks are better than most of the movies themselves?

    The producers know what they are doing by advertising soundtracks with teen movies. Marketers think that since a teenager is willing to watch an inane movie, he will willingly buy a CD also.
Don’t get me wrong. By no means is this situation entirely Hollywood’s fault. Producers want to make money. I know that. We are the ones who continually buy the tickets and keep these movies at the top of the weekend gross chart.

    I would just like someone to explain to me what is so appealing about these films. Is it the lack of choices or is it that we would rather see something that does not require investing much thought?
    Many people say they don’t go to the movies to think but to escape. Well, that may be so, but at least we could escape into something good.

    If I am going to invest two hours of my time, I want to spend it at something worthwhile.