I recently ventured into the so-called "Christmas film fair" to see how the market's doing, especially since I’ve written two scripts with a festive theme. Let me tell you—big mistake. I was not prepared for the wave of disappointment that awaited me. Watching the Christmas movies from the last two or three years, especially this year, left me thoroughly shocked.
The issue isn’t that they’re too sweet (a little sugar is fine) or that they rely heavily on the usual clichés—Christmas trees, Jingle Bells, and those unavoidable holiday sweaters. Honestly, that stuff’s mandatory. The real problem? These films are a perfect storm of primitive and soulless. Think of dialogue so vapid it makes elevator music sound profound, and action so monotonous you wonder if anyone remembered Christmas is supposed to be magical.
It’s non-stop chatter, too, as if the scriptwriters are terrified that a single pause will dissolve the Christmas spirit entirely. Oh, and let’s talk about the dialogues. They’re an odd mix of copy-pasted Wikipedia tidbits about traditions and meaningless small talk. Riveting, right?
Another head-scratcher is the casting. The leads often look so mismatched you can almost hear the audience thinking, Really? These two? And then there’s the obligatory "diversity checklist." Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for inclusion. But when every movie forcefully squeezes in a representative of every race and ethnicity, it stops feeling authentic and starts looking like someone’s checking boxes on a spreadsheet. It’s unnatural, overdone, and—let’s be honest—distracting.
Meanwhile, my delightful, modern scripts—A Road for the Christmas Tree and The Christmas Pizza—sit here, brimming with life, warmth, and actual storytelling. So, here’s my question to producers and companies: What on earth are the criteria for buying these bland, lifeless scripts? Because someone shelled out serious cash for them, wasted our time, and actively chipped away at our collective taste.
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It's naive not to understand what's going on at Disney. Do you really think that there are people working there who don't know how to make successful films and cartoons?
Many people know that Disney m...
Expand commentIt's naive not to understand what's going on at Disney. Do you really think that there are people working there who don't know how to make successful films and cartoons?
Many people know that Disney movies are advertisements for amusement rides, toys and merch. this means that creativity and profit for Disney in the cinema are in last place.
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well the good news is... they are looking for scripts and willing to pay a motza for crap. Imagine what they are willing to pay for a great work! My mind boggles, my mouth waters...
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Rebecca James - you are 100% right, we are seeing the re-birth of true indie character-driven storytelling! It's exciting times for people outside the studio.
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Arthur Charpentier Hey Arthur, I get that creative Hollywood accounting is firmly in place to get them out from paying back end deals, but between Snow White and Cap 4, you're looking at a loss in the...
Expand commentArthur Charpentier Hey Arthur, I get that creative Hollywood accounting is firmly in place to get them out from paying back end deals, but between Snow White and Cap 4, you're looking at a loss in the neighborhood of half a billion dollars. Toys and merch are sitting on a shelf collecting dust and no one is going on rides if they can't afford to get into the park. Star Wars is pretty much a dead leg thanks to the feminine Force so where is the change going to come from?
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Philip David Lee
Disney still has a lot of money from parks and toys. And movies and TV shows are long and expensive commercials. In general, the Disney movie business makes a profit, but this is not their main goal. Their goal is to promote parks and toys.