Do-Over!

I'd like to discuss a new sort of phenomenon that has taken hold of this particular summer blockbuster season; the Do-Over. Between this May and August, we have, and will be, treated to a re-do of "The Hulk" with Eddie Norton, an already legendary reinterpretation of the iconic Batman character The Joker by the late Heath Ledger, and even a subjunctive dramatic representation of a story vaguely reminiscent of the situation in Florida a couple of presidential elections ago in "Swing Vote".

While this is a refreshing change from the constant sequels which typically plague the summer season, it is almost frightening how quickly the American people are now able to forget and begin anew- or even more precise- to reconcile. We have had films made regarding the attack on the Twin Towers without even having reaching the 10-year mark.

Are we, as a collective society, losing our memory, or even blending our stories together? These new movies act as almost memorials dedicated to things fictional and historical; we have no need for stone columns anymore. We have celluloid. These new reboots of The Hulk and The Joker aren't reminding us of their predecessors; they are erasing them. Even within these films, history has begun to back-peddle; proposing new and fictional ways of solving situations which have lowered out country's international prestige. Got a terrorist problem? Bring the troops home and send Iron Man instead. Summer popcorn suddenly tastes somewhat bitter.

I'll leave you with a quotation from the downtown-rocker, Stew:

"Life is a mistake only art can correct."

Is cinema correcting our collective mistakes as a society? Maybe. But for the next three months of sun and surf, it's much easier to step inside the theatre and erase our cares and woe with some candy and high budget special effects.