MovieChat Forums > The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) Discussion > Please Stop Comparing to other movies.

Please Stop Comparing to other movies.

posted 11 years ago by BuzzHanks
13 replies | jump to latest

Has it ever occurred that maybe one can look a little too much at thinking about it and that there r people who have not seen the movie that it is compared to? For example, with Avatar, there was a huge comparison with it and Pochahauntus (sp?) and i had NEVER seen Pocha, nor had any desire at all to see it or Dances with Wolves. Same with Star wars in regards to comparing it with Eragon. Just because Pocha is a beloved Disney classic, or SW is the most phenomenal and industry changing movie ever does not mean that you are supposed to see it, which is how most critics and movie goers seem to act, even if unintentional. Maybe some people want to see movies that are "rip offs" because they see something different in them that these others movies did not have, or executed the same idea in a different way that the person likes, or potentially could like better than the original. You do realize that there is only so many stories that can be told, eventually they r all gonna start looking alike, but like Dumbledore tells Harry in Ootp: "It sin't how you are alike, it's how you are not"

Those films may be similar but they are each aimed for a different audience. While this film may be admittingly in the same audience target as its percieved rip offs, it does have elements that make it unique if one is willing to look close enough and give it a chance. Considering that the books were quite popular that must tell you that enough people love it enough to consider it unique in some way, also considering my previous points. And again, maybe some people were into the type of things that it is similar to, but perhaps could have found Hp to be too long and boring (which most people I know actually think so), Twilight to be too bland (need I say more, you know the naysayers), or Buffy to be too weird, campy, or in my own case, b4 my time and just was not interested in it, along with the other comparisons here, in the first place for w/e reason.

[–] lilyelcybailey 11 years ago

Here, here.

I really enjoyed it. Thought this movie was great and made me read the series. Can not put the books down now.

[–] KazLuigi 11 years ago

You don't have to compare it to other films or books to see how bad it is. TMI is a bad movie to me because it's blandly directed, has poor third rate Whedonesque dialogue, it doesn't feel the least bit original or interesting. The lead actor is completely uninteresting and not very good, the lead actress is bland and doesn't have a strong enough screen presence to lead a film like this. Worst of all it's a dull and vapid film that's hard to finish.

It being completely unoriginal is actually the least of it's problems. I can take unoriginal if a film is clicking.

[–] BuzzHanks 11 years ago

I do agree with you about the directing, but i must ask u: How many times have u actually seen the movie? Because i felt very similarly to you, but then i gave it another chance and looked at it as its own thing, pretending that the comparisons did not exist, and actually loved it, despite some flaws

for ur second and third points, remember that there are some people (me included) who have NEVER watched nor had any desire to c Buffy at all. And Lily Collins, especially compared to Kristen Stewart, is a great actress and is perfectly well casted, same with Jamie as Jace, if you ask me, Jeremy Renner in the Avengers and everything he does is bland, i normally cannot notice the "acting" being broken from the illusion of something, and for him, i could tell by the second & third words he said in The hurt Locker, AND Thor, and Avengers that it felt more like a drama production than an actual movie, at least to him. Fyi, this movie actually had a story to it, which is more than i can say about the Hurt locker, and my father, who HATES these movies actually liked it, same with like all people i know that saw it, esp. those who read the book.

[–] showderkari 11 years ago

Forgive me if this reply is very late but your answer has really piqued my interest.

First of all, about Jeremy Renner. Everything he does is indeed bland, and it is NOT because of his acting but because of the writers portraying Hawkeye as a character. If you've even bothered to look, Jeremy Renner even blatantly complained about his role in the Avengers. So don't you DARE say that Jeremy's acting is bland, because one thing I can say for sure is that his acting is sure as hell better than the actors in this movie. Woops.

This movie does have a story to it - but a rather uninteresting one. I haven't read the books (nor do I intend on reading it as The Infernal Devices is way better and I'm getting Clockwork Prince in a couple of days time) and nor will I ever will. Clary in this movie is perceived as a whiny girl, with a lack of development regarding her character and her backstory.

For Jace, he is terribly miscasted. Honestly, I was looking forward to Jace as I've heard that he was one of the more interesting characters in the series apparently, but in here, this really proves it wrong. The acting was bland, dialogue badly delivered and is as wooden as a tree.

I would go on further, but I might probably upset your feelings regarding this movie so instead, I'll let you think about it.

Send my regards to your father and your 'people that you know who saw the movie' by the way.

Oh god. Here we go again.

[–] BuzzHanks 11 years ago

Thank u for ur comments. To critique ur answers, as u have not actually read the books, how do u know that Jace is misacted and tbh, Clary is supposed to be like that in the books, as she is just discovering this world and she is trying to fit into the world, hence why she likes going out to the club (in the book at least, and initially in the movie as they were heading in that direction b4 she saw the symbol). I found the story in both book and movie way more interesting than the Hunger Games, which was way more "typical" (Goblet of Fire, Brave, Battle Royale, american Dragon jake long etc.) had contained that story of competition and fighting to the death. Heck, aside from death ,u could almost say that it is like Pokemon becuz of the competition and games aspect. Take a look at others here: http://ca.askmen.com/top_10/celebrity/movies-that-the-hunger-games-rip ped-off_5.html

Now, MI is not that original i'll admit either, but at least it is interesting in showing hidden world within our own and feels like it could happen. Plus with the angel aspect of it, it feels more unique overall. Let's face it, a lot of these fantasy movies r a lot alike, but HG felt more typical as it iso use basicly a survival movie. with even blander characters. Good and perhaps better acting yes, but nothing special. At least this here was fun to watch and interesting.

As for Jeremy Renner, well I also saw him in The Hurt Locker and he was bland there too. Quite a few people particularly agree with me on that. Same with The Town, Bourne and angel. He was actually ok in Mission impossible, but overall its not (just) the writing and i did actually know about that interview. So what if he is nominated for an oscar, maybe the academy people r wrong as i'm sure u've disagreed with them at some point or another. Take a look at these examples here:

http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-oscarsworstfilms/3/

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/28/who-didnt-deserve-an-oscar-the-hu rt-locker-or-crash

http://www.timeout.com/london/film/20-of-the-worst-oscar-winners-in-hi story

[–] KazLuigi 11 years ago

Are really trying to say that TMI is better than The Hunger Games films? Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course but I find that opinion quite laughable. The Hunger Games films are far better written, smarter, way better acted and directed, even the one with too much shaky cam. Katniss Everdeen is a more interesting character than all the faux Whedon TMI character combined. There is nothing interesting about TMI and nothing even remotely fresh or new. It's a half baked CW show turned into a 60 million dollar movie.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Chris451 11 years ago

My dad has taught me that "the less information, the better".

While I found your whole argument to be specious, this made me reject it completely.

[–] BuzzHanks 11 years ago

Oh really how is that invalid? If you think about it, the more you think about something, then the worse it gets. Plus with the whole information thing do u really need to know the whole movie b4 u see it for example?

[–] BuzzHanks 11 years ago

Ask urself these questions:

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by something because you knew ALL the factors surrounding it and you wasted time in figuring out the best way to do? (Don't get me wrong, u DO need to spend time thinking about things, but consider the following questions)

Have you ever found success in something because u did NOT have all the information, or rather discover something by mistake?

Have you ever considered that in movies, the heroes/villains DO not have all the information which leads to their GROWTH?

Not to be preachy, but is life not about the journey and not the designation? If you have too much information, you will likely find urself lost and looking too much at the negative or positive side of it, as there will ALWAYS be positive and negative effects to everything, and it is because one does NOT know at least some of these traits on either spectrum that they grow and define who they are.

Do not get me wrong, you do need some more information at times, but what i am essentially saying here is that one does not commonly NEED to know a lot of information about a certain thing, for it takes away all the enjoyment, celebration and growth associated with it.

[–] jpopky-680-846005 11 years ago

Some movies you think about. They are called films, and lots of people love them because they express new ideas and directors' and writers' viewpoints, and are not bland retelling of books where the best thing you can say after the movie is, "Oh, so that was it".

I am all for mindless entertainment at times, but to many Twinkies for the brain is a terrible thing.

Ladies and Gentlemen take my advice
Pull down your pants and slide on the ice.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] BuzzHanks 11 years ago

Thanks for responding. What I do agree with u on is that it should have strived to be different which it actually tried to do with the books' own content and the adding on of the symbol and Bach being a shadow hunter, etc. but it did come across as definatly feeling like it had two directors directing each halfs of the movie, or a conflict of the writer and director's viewpoints like u said. Ur comment perfectly sums up y the Pixar movies r so beloved because they do have all of those elements u talked about. It does seem like Hollywood these days is denying that, only assuming that things will make money when they will not, and with all of these failings of book adaptations, one would think that Hollywood would have learned what makes HG & Hp work and these not (just a hint for those reading this here who may b involved, it is NOT their popularity; this movie, and the Percy Jackson & eragon movies proved that).

The reason why I care so much about this movie, my love of the series aside, is because I see potential for it to get better. It has the good ideas, but it just needs the right execution. Ur comment also brought something else to my attention: that it strives to just be an adapation of the book. Thats also a problem with next to all fans who want a straight copy and paste book adapation film thats extremely loyal to the book. Sometimes it just does not work that way. It needs to take a combination of the old with the new, which this film tried to do, but again needed a better polish up and effort with the script and directing.

I thank u for responding btw :).