Why Do Movies Feel So Different Now?
Thomas Flight・2 minutes read
The movie Top Gun: Maverick stands out in 2022 for its traditional values and lack of irony, representing a rare modernist film amidst current trends. Postmodernism in film critiques traditional narratives and presents more complex and ambiguous storytelling, leading to the emergence of meta-modernism as a response to navigate the blend of narratives in the hyper-modern world.
Insights
- Maverick in "Top Gun: Maverick" stands out for its lack of irony, self-consciousness, or subversion of tropes, presenting a straightforward sequel that aligns with traditional values of individualism and determination.
- The evolution from modernism to postmodernism and now metamodernism in film reflects a shift in storytelling styles, with meta-modernism embracing elements of both while emphasizing connections, community, and a balance between sincerity and deconstruction in narratives.
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Recent questions
What values does modernism promote in film?
Individualism, freedom, determination.
How does postmodernism challenge traditional values in film?
Questions narrative, presents nihilistic themes.
How does metamodernism differ from modernism and postmodernism in film?
Balances optimism and deconstruction.
How does meta-modernism navigate the hyper-modern world in film?
Acknowledges multiverse, blends narratives.
How does "Everything, Everywhere All at Once" transcend genres in film?
Views genres as storytelling tools.
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Summary
00:00
"Top Gun: Maverick - Modernist Sequel Film"
- Top Gun: Maverick features a big movie star portraying a man who rides a motorcycle, poses behind American flags, and uses determination and teamwork to overcome challenges.
- Despite its success, the movie feels out of place in 2022, with discussions often mentioning that they don't make movies like this anymore.
- The uniqueness of Maverick isn't in the actors flying their own aircraft, as this wasn't the case even in the original Top Gun.
- Maverick's distinctiveness lies in its lack of irony, self-consciousness, or self-doubt, with no subversion of established tropes or anti-hero elements.
- The movie is a straightforward sequel, not part of a multiverse or spinoff trend, making it a rare modernist movie in today's landscape.
- Modernism in film aligns with traditional values and storytelling structures, promoting specific values like individualism, freedom, and determination.
- High Noon, a 1952 film, exemplifies modernism through its portrayal of American values, individualism, and civic duty in the face of challenges.
- Postmodernism in film, exemplified by No Country for Old Men, questions traditional values and storytelling, presenting a more nihilistic and uncertain narrative.
- Postmodernism arose as a response to questioning traditional values in a changing world, with a shift towards more complex and ambiguous storytelling.
- Meta-modernism in film reacts to both modernism and postmodernism, incorporating elements of both into a new narrative style that reflects the current cultural shift.
15:13
"Postmodernism challenges narratives, Metamodernism offers balance"
- Postmodernism questions the value of narrative itself, challenging the idea of objective truth through science and reason.
- Postmodernism critiques modernism by questioning overarching narratives that explain the world.
- Postmodernism analyzes the rise of fascism in the 20th century and its narrative impact.
- Postmodern films deconstruct storytelling methods, breaking the fourth wall and using irony and self-awareness.
- Postmodernism leads to skepticism of narrative, resulting in deconstructed storytelling in films like Pulp Fiction.
- Postmodern films remind viewers of the constructed nature of stories and the control exerted by directors and actors.
- Postmodernism's deconstruction can lead to cynicism and a lack of sincere engagement with narratives.
- Metamodernism emerges as a response to postmodernism, oscillating between modernist sincerity and postmodern deconstruction.
- Metamodern films use self-reflexivity to construct more effective arguments rather than solely deconstructing narratives.
- Metamodernism balances optimism and emotional sincerity with postmodern deconstruction, offering a new perspective on storytelling.
30:52
Navigating Meta-Modernism in Modern Storytelling
- The hyper-modern world, influenced by the Internet and social media, presents a blend of traditional, modernist, and post-modernist narratives simultaneously, leading to the emergence of meta-modernism as an attempt to navigate this new perspective by selecting positive aspects from each philosophy and acknowledging the multiverse around us.
- In contrast to deconstructing genres like No Country for Old Men, the film "Everything, Everywhere All at Once" transcends genres, viewing them as tools for storytelling rather than confining boxes, as seen in the Western sequences of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" where conventions are both deconstructed and celebrated to entertain viewers.
- Meta-modernism, as described by Daniel Kwan, reflects the inundation of narratives in our lives, emphasizing connections and a sense of community, not as a conscious style or technique for artists, but as a natural evolution in cultural attitudes and storytelling that enriches the experience for those who engage with it.
