Is Hollywood Out of Ideas?

This week on the Shootout blog there's a discussion about how the Oscars have so drastically dropped in popularity, and how they can be saved. As I was considering this, I started to reflect on all the movies that were celebrated at the Oscars this year and all the movies we anticipate in the coming year: comic book adaptations, novel adaptations, sequels and threequels, remakes, sequels of remakes. I have to ask: Is Hollywood out of ideas?

Maybe the reason we don't watch the Oscars any more is because there's nothing new to see any more. And when we do get a breath of fresh air at the movies, it's certainly not coming out of Tinsel Town. Look at Juno, which won the Oscar for best original screenplay -- its author, Diablo Cody, had never written a screenplay before in her life. I think it's telling that Hollywood's best-paid writers who so sanctimoniously walked off the job earlier this year can't come up with anything nearly as inventive as someone sitting at home punching away on their laptop.

Maybe adapting a sequel of an adaptation and remaking it isn't the best way to capture the imaginations of your audience any more. Maybe worrying about the Oscars is concerning yourself with the symptom rather than the disease. Maybe it's time to evict all the writers and producers out of Hollywood and bring in some fresh blood.

Josh Brolin Directing?

I am a big fan of No Country for Old Men, so I was obviously curious what Josh Brolin would do now that he's made a name for himself.

I have to say the video you have on your website of Brolin talking about the short film he directed, which played at South by Southwest, sounds pretty fascinating. I hadn't really heard anything about it, but in many ways it sounds like the same kind of movie as No Country -- a point Brolin even speaks to. I'm usually not into short films, but this one sure has me intrigued. My only complaint? After listening to Brolin talk about it, I want him to star in it!

Anyways, that's definitely the coolest thing I've seen come out of SXSW so far (other than the stuff that was also in Sundance, which I'm not counting). What do you guys think?

Celebrity Endorsements Can Matter

While I think that only an idiot would support a candidate based on a celebrity's endorsement because that candidate won an Oscar or did a cool movie, I do think people might be influenced by a celebrity endorsement if they respect the celebrity for other reasons such as intelligence, their values, similar ideologies, etc. For example, many would be influenced by Bono's choices as many identify with his ideas and good works. I for one, have always agreed politically with Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, and while I wouldn't pick a candidate based solely on their recommendation, I would certainly take a closer look at someone they're supporting because I know we think similarly. So don't count out the power of those endorsements -- Oprah has a lot of sway!