The Tragedy of Trilogies

Can I get an "amen" from all the poor folks in the audience? As a young married couple expecting a baby, sometimes we just don't get everything we want. Alisa doesn't get to have all the clothes and make all the crafts she wants, and I don't get to buy all the books or go see all the movies I want. But really who needs those distractions when your so in love? ;) I wouldn't trade what I have for all the movies and books in the world! Sadly, that means I can't keep you guys as informed as I'd like in your movie choices. Alisa and I saw Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted this weekend in the cheapies, and by this point most of you don't even care. Regardless, you will still get my opinion on the movie. However, while I was watching it my thoughts also turned trilogies. Why is it so hard to make three exceptional movies in a row? Stay tuned for the answer ;)

OK, Madagascar 3. Let me explain... No time, let me sum up. ("Buttercup is set to marry Humperdink in little less than half an hour.") Overall, I was actually impressed by the film. I've said it before, Disney needs to watch their back because Dreamworks keeps coming out swinging and this movie was no exception. I liked it more than the first but not as much as the second. It was fun, light-hearted, and, well, cheesy.  There were, of course, a few things that bothered me. First of all, they don't even bother to mention any of the new characters introduced in the second movie. As a result, the four main characters only desire is to suddenly find a way back to New York. Secondly, the whole indestructible-women-as-the-bad-guy thing is getting kind of old. I thought it was a little much with the old lady in the second movie, and it was even worse in this one.

However, I did love one underlying message that they were able to bring across in the end. Throughout the whole movie, the four main character only desire was to get back to their zoo in New York. (They tie up the trilogy with this point, which would be true if the second movie didn't end the way it did.) When they finally get there, they realize they really don't want to go back. They are no longer the same and no longer satisfied with their old comfort zones. Some of you out there may be wishing you could return to something or some time from the past. But if your living life the right way, you'll never be satisfied going back. Life is an adventure, and adventures are designed to change you for the better. Don't spend your time wishing for the past. It's a lovely message. I'd recommend at least Redboxing this one. If you have kids, it's a must.

You'll notice that both my negatives and my positives deal with the movie as the end of a trilogy. I think the most difficult task in Hollywood these days is writing an effective narrative over three films. So, here are the lessons you need to learn if your planning on making one yourself anytime soon.

Rule #1

 Keep the Same Font:

It probably all started with Back to the Future... one second Marty Mcfly's girlfriend looks one way, pop in the next movie and suddenly she has transformed into Elizabeth Shue. Talk about killing the illusion! It's essential that if you want a good trilogy: LOCK YOUR FOLKS DOWN! I'm not a big Katie Holmes fan, but even I can't help feeling disillusioned when suddenly Maggie Gyllenhaal showed up in The Dark Knight. It kills the magic people. If you cast someone, keep them! Oh, and that goes for directors too! I know it's not a trilogy, but really five different directors for the Harry Potter series?! A little continuity, please ;)

Rule #2

Do No Copy/Paste:

Sometimes when a joke gets a lot of attention in the first movie, writers like to bring it back again in the next.... and again and again and again! I don't care how hard I laughed the first time, if I had heard one more "Why's the rum gone" joke in the Pirates of the Caribbean, I would have screamed! When the same elements of a movie show up over and over again, no one feels like the story is going anywhere.

Something I loved about the new Madagascar movie was the subtle hints at the first movie. Remember in the first movie when the main four characters are captured and shipped off to Africa and they wake up in their crates? In this third movie, they do the same thing with a bunch of Interpol police. I got it right away and laughed out loud; Alisa didn't remember, so it was like a special treat for me. On the other hand, here's another movie that breaks this rule. We watched the first Mission Impossible movie last night, and I realized Ethan Hunt gets disavowed in EVERY movie! I mean, the movie are still incredible (No, the second isn't included), but how much better would it be if they switched thing up? Let's stick to subtle reminiscence, not blatant copy/paste.

Rule #3

No Double Spacing (and watch your margin size ;)

This one is short and simple: if you're going to make a trilogy, don't wait ten years after the first movie and then shove two more movies down our throat in two years. I'll give you the best example why in three word; MASK, OF and ZORRO! The first movie was incredible! If they had made the sequel timely we could have gotten an incredible trilogy out of it. As it is, they waited til Antonio Banderas was old... "non-Zorro-y," the second movie tanked, and we didn't get a third. Other examples? Pirates of the Caribbean and The Matrix... and look how those ended up! The longer people have to remember how incredible the first one was, the harder it i to match it with two more films. I'm not saying Lord of the Rings is a perfect trilogy in this regard, but I would describe it as "the highest degree of proficiency, skill, or excellence, as in some art" (Yes, that is a dictionary definition of perfection.)

Rule #4

Have a Rough Draft:

There are basically three types of trilogies. The first kind is a perfect progression of narrative where the three movie move a long in seamless connection. Think of your Lord of the Rings or your original Star Wars movie. Then the three movies are completely unrelated that ensure something new and great each time. For example, the Indiana Jones trilogy (please don't ever mention the fourth one here... ever!) And finally there is your, "We made one movie and it was incredible so now that we made a lot of money lets make more and try to connect it all together." This usually results in a breaking of rule number 3. Can you guess which of the three I disapprove of? I worry because it looks like that is the way the Kung Fu Panda series is going. Either make all three movies a cliff hanger or not at all. I hate when the last two movies are perfectly connected (with a huge cliff hanger), but we didn't get that in the first. And so far I can't think of a movie where that turned out well.

Rule #5

Progression of Epic...ness

You know, I can only think of two trilogies where I liked the last movie most. (Indiana Jones and the original Star Wars... I guess that's true of the newer ones too, but in that case I refer to it a hating the least.) I either love the first movie most (i.e. Pirates, Back to the Future, new James Bond, Bourne Identity and Matrix (I watched it edited.)) or the second most (i.e. Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight, Toy Story 2 and so on). I think it is more of a challenge to movie makers more than anything. It's hard because the first movie has to be good and each has to get progressively bigger and better. In the case of The Dark Knight, we got a great first movie, an incredible second, and then left with just a great third one when I was expecting mind-blowing. If the narrative expands in the second, the third feels small like it isn't bigger than the second. That's my challenge to you movie makers! Make me an epic trilogy of progression!