A challenge for any celebrity actor is getting people to watch your film and not think "Holy crap, it looks like Tom Hanks went through hell on that island!" but instead think "Is that Fed Ex guy gonna die there!?!?!" It's a catch-22 of being a famous face and a credit to any production bold enough to create a new film world by populating it with barely known or recognizable faces instead. It's a challenge that either the production or actor takes on, and make no mistake, it's certainly something viewers up to and including the Academy take notice of. And then, there are the directors/producers who seem more interested in running the large-scale equivalent of a local theater group. And while I can't begrudge these individuals for favouring quality (They do tend to choose well....) it compromises whatever believability they might've had with their film to a degree. Don't believe me? Let's talk to the Tim Burton players.... This pairing....well, get used to it, I'm sure we haven't seen it for the last time. If you can set your watch to an actor showing up in a movie, it's not so bad. Sometimes, it can be well-played for atmosphere or laughs. (The latter, usually.) But if you can literally expect a whole crew of people to show up in a film... I suppose it can be a matter of taste if you really did watch "Sweeny Todd" and think "Why are these same people not in every story ever playing desperately similar roles!?!!? Why can't both a Victorian Children's Fantasy book and 1970's Gothic Soap Opera have the same people!?!?" Maybe you did. By the way, don't miss your afternoon meds. There's a huge difference between watching, say, "Star Wars" and saying, "Man, I would love to see Harrison Ford in another movie as a "Devil-may-care" rogue archeologist. He'd be perfect!". Instead, this is like saying, "You know who would be great in the "Justice League" Movie? The entire cast of the original "Star Trek!" Not to distract you from what may be some of the funnier thoughts you've had yet today, but back on track: Burton's "Players" (Who to be fair have Christopher Lee in their number, and that is pretty cool.) meant that, for example, "Dark Shadows" couldn't really be taken seriously from the start: It was never going to be "Dark Shadows", it was going to be what's imagined when a bunch of drunk gothy kids knock back absinthe and say "Y'know what would be AWESOME? If Tim Burton did "Dark Shadows." And actually, if that did happen it explains everything about the movie. Burton's not the only guilty one; Has anyone seen "Halloween" as presented by the Rob Zombie Theatre Company? These "Family production" exercises just compromise a movie to being a cutesy-"Let's put on a show" kind of entertainment. They may be good, but you'll never think of them on their own terms. They're fan-pleasing exercises and fun at best - But they aren't the worlds of Sweeney Todd, Collinwood, or Laurie Strode - They're people play-acting them. There's an alternative that's even worse. And that's if you populate your movies with your old friends who can't get work anywhere else. Not that I'm talking about anyone in particular. Make your movie an incredible and real place. Cast outside of your circle of friends. Or if you're Sandler, put some of that budget towards casting comedians who've been relevant sometime after 2002. Thanks!
In a parallel universe where game shows' final jackpots and consequent fortunes depend on knowledge of obscure music trivia and Jon Pertwee/Tom Baker Doctor Who episodes, I've probably gone rich, insane, and am now a powermad despot. But happily we're not there, so I'm actually rather pleasant. Really.
