I think this is my new number one pet peeve: movies with titles that's just some guy's name. The current example of this is "Michael Clayton". "Ooh, I can't wait to see that "Michael Clayton!". "What's that about?" "Some dude, I don't know". Not exactly "Die Hard", is it?
I don't get this. And I especially don't get how you write a script and you're so jazzed by the name you've given your main character, you think that it will make a good title. "What should I name this chick...hmmm...how about Mary Reilly? Damn, that's a hot name, yo, I gotta name the movie that!" Yes, Kevin Federline wrote "Mary Reilly" in my little scenario.
I just don't understand the thinking on this. And I've noticed that in general, I have not seen the movies with titles like these. Never saw "Dolores Claiborne" or "Miss Potter". And is it any coincidence that Julia Roberts' career started to go south when she did "Mary Reilly" and "Michael Collins" back to back? (I guess "Jerry Maguire" is the exception to the "normal name" titled movies sucking)
Now, I want to see "Michael Clayton" because it's getting good reviews, but a lady friend of mine doesn't. She wants to see "We Own the Night" (which is getting bad reviews). Now how am I supposed to convince her? "But it's Michael Clayton. You love guys named Mike." It would be much easier if I could go: "I don't know about 'We Own the Night'. How about we see 'Shirtless Clooney' instead?"
There is one man who we should put in the hall of shame for this, and he is Liam Neeson. He has not only starred in "Michael Collins", "Kinsey", and "Rob Roy", but "Ruby Cairo", "Ethan Frome", and "Nell" too! Neeson is the Barry Bonds of "normal name" titles! You can just plop your script for "Gary Smith" in his mailbox and you got your lead.
The worst offender of all time though is "Antwone Fisher". Why? Cause the guy who wrote it is Antwone Fisher! The ego on that motherfucker. Seriously, if I wrote a script about my life called "Irwin Handleman" by Irwin Handleman, I'd kill myself. Hopefully, I'd at least have the decency to give it a more accurate, exciting title, like "Horny Half-Jew".
6 comments:
Hopefully, I'd at least have the decency to give it a more accurate, exciting title, like "Horny Half-Jew".
What is the other half? Do you practice both sides?
The other half is black woman, that's why we get along so well.
My mom's a good Catholic girl.
Don't make me chuckle, irwin . . . oh, no, here come the laughs. Hee hee! :)
I have been having the SAME thought about how annoying it is that they named this movie Michael Clayton!
I've been annoyed with "Michael Clayton," too, but only because I work with a guy named Mike Clayton and he is decidedly un-George Clooney-like.
Julia Roberts did make a comeback with Erin Brockovich, though... as for the other movies you mentioned, judging solely from previews, We Own the Night is to The Departed as The Kingdom is to Syriana.
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