Straight Outta Compton
(2015), Mission Impossible V (2015), Terminator V(2015), Jurassic World (2015), or as I prefer calling it Jurassic Park IV, and two Kurt Cobain documentaries hit theaters this
summer. During those lazy hazy days of summer theater goers embraced a
proliferation of reboots and sequels of intellectual property from the 90’s. While
both NWA and the Terminator film series began in the 80's one could argue both had their largest cultural impact in the early 90’s. Poltergeist
(2015), Fury Road (2015), and Vacation (2015) are all derivatives of film
series with strong ties to the 80’s that hit theaters this summer too. With
the exception of Fury Road (2015) none of
the 80’s recycled movies performed as well as their 90’s counterparts both
critically and financially. Of all the recycling that occurred this summer at
least Straight Outta Compton is an original
story and screenplay. However, its marketing and appeal has largely been fueled
by the nostalgia for the late 80’s and early 90’s gangsta rap found on the film’s
soundtrack.
Both
the Terminator film series and the Jurassic Park film series had to wait several
years to produce their respective sequels. This was necessary to let the stink
from previous iterations fade away. The Hollywood studio bean counters correctly
surmised that their franchise’s name recognition would outlast the memory of
shitty sequels.
Studios
are driven by data and cash. This may come as a shock to some who have been
reading the countless editorials this summer deriding Hollywood for its misogyny
and racism. While these articles are very accurate in their observations of the lack of representation on the big screen they are miles off as to
why it occurs. It’s not a conspiracy by bigots who seek to oppress marginalized
groups. Studios decisions right, wrong, or indifferent are purely based on what
they perceive as the best way to make most cash for themselves and their share
holders. I only mention this because this rational is why I lament the success
of the 90’s rehashes. They made money which means Hollywood will drag out of
moth balls every piece of I.P. they had laying around from approximately 30
years ago.
My youth has become nostalgia.
Generation X is now doing what the baby boomers have been doing for decades. Trying
to recapture their youth in some diluted attempt to forget the march of time
and the inevitably of the end drawing nigh.
Full disclosure
of my own hypocrisy, I cannot wait for Star
Wars: The Force Awakens. At least its seventies nostalgia and not 90’s nostalgia
:/
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Thank you & have fun at the movies.