Before I begin this blog, I want to start by saying that I do not believe Martin Scorsese’s analysis on marvel movies was exactly accurate. He said that marvel movies are not cinema and compared them to a theme park experience. I do think that because of marvel’s success it has dominated Hollywood and has become a staple for film among a lot of young Americans to the point where exploration becomes neglected. Oscar Issac stated that Marvel movies have replaced big comedies at the box office. This is a little more accurate and addresses the situation a little bit better. Entertainment has an important purpose in every society and is successful because it fulfills a social need. I chose this topic because I wanted to address the controversy around people considered “film bros” and the lack of interest in the exploration of foreign films.
What is a “Film Bro”?
A film bro is defined by the urban dictionary as a person (usually a man), that views themselves as a huge film nerd while having mostly surface-level knowledge of movies. Their favorite movies include underrated gems such as the dark knight, pulp fiction, inception, and Jurassic Park. Some are defined by their dislike of marvel because of its success and others are defined by their love for them. Sometimes mentioning how much the film “Logan” deserved the best picture at the Oscars. This archetype’s creation follows the wave of apps, brands, and other products that young adults have attached to their personality and way of life because of how much technology has integrated itself into our daily lives.
Marvel’s Success
Marvel’s modern-day success started in 2008 with the first iron man movie and over the course of 11 years pulled in 25 billion in sales worldwide by acquiring A-list actors for lead roles and requiring viewers to watch multiple movies to understand the overall context of the universe. For a lot of people marvel movies hit home and elicited an emotional response and it is important that those people are validated in their love for the movies despite opinions. The issue is when marvel movies are placed at such a high standard that it overshadows films that offer more nuance and context to our lives.
American Film vs. International Film
American film is not unique in its focus on entertainment geared cinema, as other countries are well aware of the need to turn a profit. What is unique about America is its place as one of the largest markets for film studios and draws in people from around the world. This is why “Film Bros” and Marvel fans clash, Marvel does not just get money from American sentiment, it is from world sentiment. Which naturally overshadows old classics that may not feel as relevant to some people as watching a mighty Norse god become overweight on-screen because of trauma-induced depression. Film bros are enforced with the idea that their detest of marvel movies makes them a more informed film critic rather than appreciating all genres of movies for their true purpose: how they make people feel. Rather than continuing my hatred of romantic comedies I decided to pick apart why people loved them so much while browsing social media, in between work, and from classmates. Although I may never sit down and binge the movies mentioned I can still be open to appreciating the insights they have on the genre.
From directors in Taiwan to production houses in France, the international film world aims to tackle the issue of cutting the fat on real-world experiences down to a medium that can be visually contextualized for all to see. We should be grateful for the number of worlds we can explore through the globalization of film.
MDST 485 Class Blog 