Screenwriting 101, which
is about as far as anyone gets anymore, talks about the “lose everything
moment”. That moment when it all looks
black, the character is dead (apparently),
the program has been initiated, the bad guy is walking away, the dog dies (almost) – and then at the last second
good triumphs.
.
It is an annoying ploy,
particularly in Series movies (Spiderman, X-Men, Divergent, Vampire movies)
because a sequel means the hero must live.
But never mind.
.
The point is that the
“lost everything moment” is my least favorite moment in a movie. Because you know it is coming, you know it is
fake and it’s stupid.
.
Walking Trevor is New
York on the week-ends is like that – especially at night. The drunks are out and fighting. The crazies are high and lunge to say hello
to the dog. Someone with vomit on their
chin is asking for bus fare to whatever place they think might make me part
with $10. Trash is strewn about. Some girl in too high hells is screaming into
a cell phone and will invariably look up and say “What the hell are you staring
at?”. The halfway house across the
street is locking out the drunks who clamor outside and yell at passers
by. And that is a good night. (ie. my very own All
is Lost moment)
.
The next morning the
street is full of vomit and trash and the occasional walk of shame. (ie. A Glimmer of Hope shows up.)
.
And in the afternoon it
seems like a reasonable city to live in. (ie. Happy Ending).
.
And then Saturday night
comes and it all happens again (Sequel)
.
I hate that movie.