Haven't I Seen You Before?

The confusion started about a week ago as I was watching a movie trailer about a magician. J blurts out that he wants to see the movie since he likes Ed Norton. It’s only after the quick MTV-esque edits that we realize the stars of the flick are Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. But wasn’t there a movie out a few weeks ago about a magician? What’s the difference between The Illusionist and The Prestige? The titles are even similar and just how many magician movies have come out in the last 10 years that we have to be bombarded with magic movies within weeks of each other.

I know there is probably a flaw in the Hollywood studio system that put films with similar topics in production at the same time. Competition must lend a hand in making certain topics relevant. Did you hear Warner Brothers has a Mama and Papas biopic coming? We should do something. Why else would there be Capote and a year later Infamous? How much Truman Capote can we take especially since Philip Seymour Hoffman was so wonderful as the soft-spoken yet manipulative author? What unanswered questions were left in Capote that Infamous can shed new light?

My earliest memory of this dates back to the Freaky Friday spin-offs of Vice Versa (1988) and Like Father, Like Son (1987) both starring the 80s craptacular babes Fred Savage and Kirk Cameron. As a youngster, I was a fan of Trapper John, M.D. Gonzo was super hot in my eyes. Over the years, however, Trapper John morphed into St. Elsewhere then ER then Grey’s Anatomy. Apocalypse Now became The Deer Hunter and then Full Metal Jacket and then Platoon. Mandy Moore played the President’s daughter in Chasing Liberty (2004) within months of Katie Holmes (before she was abducted by Tom Cruise) rehashing the same plot in First Daughter.

CSI was a great show but isn’t it the same as CSI: Miami and CSI: New York. It’s just crimes in different cities. Not much differs considering that the plot advances so briskly that there is little room for character development. Gary Sinise can make it work while David Caruso offers supper club quality acting. I expect him to say “Try the meatloaf. I’ll be here all week folks.” Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is dangerously close to 30 Rock despite the format differences.

It’s unacceptable that moviegoers have to put up with ridiculous remakes of everything from children’s favorites, classic cinema to 70s TV sitcoms. Why must you cram Flags of our Fathers down my throat when Letters from Iwo Jima is coming out soon? Watching two movies with the same subject is redundant if you have nothing new to share. It’s especially hurtful when one production is better than the other. I’d rather be an original Diva than a brokedown version of anyone else.

All I’m asking for is some originality in writing and programming. Challenge me and yourself. I crave creative riveting material. I want to be shocked, amazed, tearful and most of all moved. Show me something new. I deserve it and so do you.

What shows or movies give you a case of déjà vu ?