Just a week ago I was looking forward (not) to all the house construction, the mold removal and the weekend. And now, here I sit, with the finale of Survivor: Pearl Islands playing in the background, and the weekend is basically over.
Just saw Big Fish tonight, over at the AMC Century City here in Los Angeles. I have to say, I wasn’t as loving it as I thought I would. The ending was emotional and was great, but what happened leading up to that great ending was not all I was hoping for. My problem with the movie can be explained with a term I’ve invented myself called The Dream Factor.
The Dream Factor (Dre * em * fack * ter): Any event that happens over the course of a narrative only to not have any real meaning or substance whatsoever, when the ending is eventually revealed. Examples? Try Vanilla Sky.
I hate movies that have an ending that nullifies everything that came before it. In the aforementioned Cruise movie, we watch Cruise experience all these moments only to find out that in the end, he’s really been dreaming it all. It cheapens the ending, and doesn’t work for me. It’s an easy way out.
In BIg Fish, without giving anything away, you basically are given a ton of these stories to experience only to realize that it’s not these stories that really matter at all. They’re a theme, less than an actual important story element.
What can I say, I’m jaded. Can’t remember the last time I saw a movie and didn’t overanalyze structure, character arcs or timing.
You gotta love Hollywood.
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I’m off to Chi-town a week from Monday to spend the week with the wife’s family. Should consist of sitting in the house watching FOX NEWS because when you’re in Chicago for the winter break, it’s usually twenty below zero outside. With snow.
Yee-hah!
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