Just last week I finished my film analysis work for next year's Sundance Film Festival.
I always look forward to the Fall season because it means I get to watch and analyze anywhere from 50 - 100 films made by some incredibly talented independent filmmakers.
After this 3-month long film-watching marathon, I can honestly say I do remember all the films I watched -- to a certain degree.
Some of them have such strong plots, I can still recall every beat even months later.
Some had powerful cinematic techniques that literally give me goosebumps when I think about them.
Sometimes 3 of the films feature the same actor, so I'm kinda forced to remember them.
(literally i felt like i was going crazy when i saw the same guy in 3 wildly different films back-to-back. he chose well though because all those films ended up in my top 10)
Some of the films were filmed in my apartment complex and I'm like whoaaaaa inception (one i'm pretty sure was actually filmed inside my old apartment, another was filmed on the street across from where i currently live)
But the ones that left the biggest impact on me are the ones that kept me thinking about them long after the film was over.
So let's get into what makes a film memorable, and why the "why" behind telling a story is so important.
Why I Chose My Top 10 Films
At the end of the screening period, I have to send the senior programmers my top rankings.
The first few came to me easily, as they usually do.
This may be contradictory to literally everything I've said on my blog up to this point... But the best films aren't always the best-crafted stories. At least in terms of the typical, expected story structure.
My favorite film I got to watch this year was very untraditionally structured. It had several protagonists, the plot was mostly episodic, and it covered so much ground that it left lots of areas feeling underdeveloped.
Despite this, it was the first submission I've watched twice. Once for analysis, and a second time for my own enjoyment.
Some of my other top-ranked films weren't even particularly well-done in terms of filmmaking, but they were positively memorable for one reason or another, so they made it to the top of my list over several other films that were more professionally done.
One that made it into my top 10 was actually a film I only rated 2/5 stars.
Which conveniently leads me to this comment I got on my last post:
For those of you who read my hot take on Joker: Folie a Deux, you know I actually enjoyed that film a LOT despite its many, many flaws.
But I'll tell you right now, if I read the Joker 2 script for a contest or for a studio, I'd be trashing it.
So why is it that I liked it as a film?
Because the story's purpose -- its theme, its message -- outshined all the imperfections.
This is mainly due to the Todd Phillips' powerful and striking filmmaking, which visually conveyed and emphasized the story's themes in a way a screenplay simply cannot.
Why Films Have More Room for Error
With a screenplay, you're literally just looking at words on a page.
The writing is doing all the heavy-lifting, and there's nothing else the writer can rely on to tell the story.
I've mentioned this in another post, but there are some benefits to this because it means the reader has to use their imagination to envision how the completed film would look, which (in my experience) is usually better than how the film actually ends up looking.
To quote myself directly 💅:
A script may read super well, but making into a film would be disappointing, or even impossible. I've been a story analyst long enough to see scripts I've read be released as films, and they NEVER live up to the expectations I had for the story when I read the script.
Which taps to the importance of choosing the right creative leadership for a film.
A script, no matter how good, is still only a blueprint.
It can’t convey the emotional depth of an actor’s performance, the immersive atmosphere of carefully executed cinematography, or the rhythm and pace of a skilled editor’s work.
It’s the director’s vision that will interpret and elevate the script, translating words into a cinematic experience.
This is why a mediocre script can actually work incredibly well on screen, or alternatively why a great script can be underwhelming on screen.
When a filmmaker has a strong reason for telling a story, it shows. When they don't, it really shows.
The collaborative nature of filmmaking adds so many more layers to a story than a screenplay can provide, allowing a film greater opportunity to "get it right" (or wrong)
In a screenplay, the only thing that matters is how well the story is told. A film isn't restricted to being measured by this metric alone.
So when I'm analyzing a film, I'm looking at it beyond just how good the story would be in script-form.
And when I'm analyzing a screenplay (not for a studio), I'm not taking into consideration how it would look on screen -- unless it's to the point where I'm wondering why the writer didn't just write a novel.
But in both mediums, the most important thing is WHY the story is being told, and how clearly that is expressed.
Why the “Why” Matters
What is a "why?"
Most commonly, it's a theme.
Themes are the main "why" for telling a story because it's the strongest and most direct way to leave an impact on the audience.
A clear theme elevates a plot from a series of events into something meaningful that the audience can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
............. So, okay, obviously not every story has to be that powerful to be considered good or memorable.
However, it should leave the audience with something to continue thinking about when the story's over.
But there's more to a "why" than just a theme.
In my favorite film, FACE/OFF, the theme is the least appealing AND least focused-on aspect of it.
The emotional arc / theme of the film is portrayed through John Travolta's character, who transforms from a workaholic who's disconnected from his family into a man who's learned how to balance his life between his career and loved ones.
But guess what -- I actually find that idea super boring and overdone. So why does this film work so well if the theme isn't that strong?
Because the concept is the real "why."
The "why" was to make the most bad-ass, ridiculous movie ever about a man whose face is switched out with the face of the criminal he's been hunting down for years.
The filmmakers' "why" was not to tell the story of a man who learns to love his family (and if it was, it would've sucked)
Everyone involved in this film knew exactly what movie they were making, which is why it works so well.
Whenever I think about FACE/OFF, I don't think about the character arcs, I think about the insane stunts and the uniqueness of the concept.
This goes to show that, even if your story isn't saying something unique with its themes, the unique approach to telling the story is what makes it memorable.
So whether a story leaves us thinking deeply about a universal truth,
or gives us a killer speedboat chase with giant explosions,
the underlying why behind the telling of a story is what stays with us.
It’s that commitment to a clear vision that ultimately makes a film unforgettable.
What are some of your favorite films, and what do you feel is the WHY behind them?
Leave your answer below!
Christmas Story with Chevy Chase. The "Why" I believe is the challenge a family faces with Christmas.