When video games took over a generation of young people's brains, then developed better graphics, and became ever more realistic, immersive, and addictive - I wondered (feared) what kinds of negative fallout might come to our 21st century.
Here is but one: Gen X and Z cannot seem to tell a cogent story. They can't visualize, write, or direct, a cogent story or narrative to save their lives. Surrounded, 2023, is a classic example of this
They can prop up an uber-violent, open-ended, mostly nonsensical adventure. They can have the hero (or heroine in this case) do a bunch of fighting in the pitch dark, they can have maniacal Comanche's just cut-and-run much the same way absurd surprises and widgets drop in and out of their video games. They can make every cacausian character in the film - except the murderous bank robber - a one-dimensional, ignoramus, bigot who can't tell a petite, slender, black woman with an eleven inch neck from a black man.
But they cannot tell a simple story. Nor, do they have any eye for cinematography. Nor do they have a clue about casting the correct actors in a role.
Not even with a sure hitter like Jamie Bell acting his heart out, as the verbose outlaw, Tommy Walsh, could they make this a cogent story where you gave two-***ts what happened to any of them.
Furthermore, with numerous opportunities for literally magical cinematography in the stunningly beautiful Southwest high desert, they could not manage to produce one Divine sunset, sunrise or landscape to somewhat counter balance the constant human ugliness, and to help validate the heroine's strong faith in God. It's actually really sad, just what a fail 'Surrounded' is.
This dud of a movie played out like a dumb video game in western-wear. It insults our intelligence, not to mention actual history, as the macho-woman handily fells her opponents one after another, then rides off on a magical horse (seriously! It just showed up out of nowhere) with the prize.
This movie was violent and BORING; just as most video games are. That's a pretty serious consequence, folks, of video game cretinism. American movie-making (and us unwitting viewers) are paying for the dumbing-down and video game addiction of Western civilization.
Here is but one: Gen X and Z cannot seem to tell a cogent story. They can't visualize, write, or direct, a cogent story or narrative to save their lives. Surrounded, 2023, is a classic example of this
They can prop up an uber-violent, open-ended, mostly nonsensical adventure. They can have the hero (or heroine in this case) do a bunch of fighting in the pitch dark, they can have maniacal Comanche's just cut-and-run much the same way absurd surprises and widgets drop in and out of their video games. They can make every cacausian character in the film - except the murderous bank robber - a one-dimensional, ignoramus, bigot who can't tell a petite, slender, black woman with an eleven inch neck from a black man.
But they cannot tell a simple story. Nor, do they have any eye for cinematography. Nor do they have a clue about casting the correct actors in a role.
Not even with a sure hitter like Jamie Bell acting his heart out, as the verbose outlaw, Tommy Walsh, could they make this a cogent story where you gave two-***ts what happened to any of them.
Furthermore, with numerous opportunities for literally magical cinematography in the stunningly beautiful Southwest high desert, they could not manage to produce one Divine sunset, sunrise or landscape to somewhat counter balance the constant human ugliness, and to help validate the heroine's strong faith in God. It's actually really sad, just what a fail 'Surrounded' is.
This dud of a movie played out like a dumb video game in western-wear. It insults our intelligence, not to mention actual history, as the macho-woman handily fells her opponents one after another, then rides off on a magical horse (seriously! It just showed up out of nowhere) with the prize.
This movie was violent and BORING; just as most video games are. That's a pretty serious consequence, folks, of video game cretinism. American movie-making (and us unwitting viewers) are paying for the dumbing-down and video game addiction of Western civilization.