7 Uplifting Tentpole Movies

Tentpole movies get kind of a rough ride in terms of public perception. In the realm of cinematic releases, the term has become synonymous with the Big Bad Movie Studios sucking all the air out of the box office, and suffocating smaller, independent fare. They are associated with a bland, focus-group tested, homogenized type of filmmaking that blindly draws in the masses and force-feeds them pointless narrative junk food. Everything that’s wrong with the modern film industry can be blamed on the over-inflated budgets of the tentpole movie – isn’t that right? Well, not really. First of all, tentpole movies serve a purpose. In theory, it is the job of a tentpole movie to hold up, balance out and support the financial performance of a studio in any given year. The tentpole movie is supposed to give the smaller productions breathing space by giving the studio the financial confidence to invest in them in the first place. Supposedly, making something that is guaranteed to do big box office means the accountants are more inclined to gamble on projects that aren’t. Does it always work that way? Of course not. In uncertain economic times, studios find themselves chasing the tentpole rather than the balance – but this is a matter of emphasis on their part. Secondly, for all our complaining about the evils of the tentpole, they still perform exceedingly well when it comes to ticket sales. We still all flock to see them. Sure, it’s partly due to the sterling efforts of studio marketing departments, but it’s also because enormous, fun, somewhat bloated movies absolutely have their place in the cinematic firmament. If tentpole movies are perceived as junk-food, and smaller projects are more nourishing, it’s up to the audience member to manage their diet. We all love a burger and fries once in a while, after all – why else would there be fast-food joints on every street corner? But to refer to tentpole movies in such derogatory terms is to do a great injustice to the better ones. Not all of these giant movies are bad – in fact, some are really very good. For every half dozen crushing failures, like 2012’s John Carter, there is a creative and commercial success, like 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Though our cinema screens may be populated with Jason Statham movies, there is – occasionally - a Gravity. So, now that we’ve established the importance of tent-ole movies, let’s take a closer look at the other accusation regularly levelled at that film-type: tentpole movies have become increasingly dark and depressing in recent years. This argument really gathered momentum with the arrival of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, from 2005 onwards. These films – Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises – were box office behemoths, but were steeped in gritty broodiness. While they stand as incredible achievements in cinema – delivering complex, operatic narratives and fantastic filmmaking – they are dark, dark films. In fact, the whole argument is easy to make, as these days, tentpole movies generally feature warfare, pain, suffering and revenge. You could say that this is the case because cinema reflects the times we live in – and you would be right – but not all tentpoles are so soul destroying. Some are positively uplifting. As warfare, pain, suffering and revenge stalk their way around the globe in a very real way, it has never been more important to celebrate the uplifting tentpole movies that can provide a brief respite from the terrifying nature of humanity’s current reality. Here are seven of them, that might just help you through the day. E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) One of the all-time classics, E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial continues to make hearts swell three decades after its original release. The story of an unhappy boy and his selfless quest to aid a lost alien in his escape from Earth quickly won over audiences around the world, through the extraordinary combination of touching performances, stirring music, and the perfect amount of humour. All the standard themes are there – triumph over adversity, passion winning against faceless bureaucracy, and doing the right thing – but Spielberg brings the whole thing crashing home to us by shooting most of it from a child’s perspective. For the most part, the camera films from the eye-level of Elliott and his special little friend, and most of the adults aren’t even seen in detail. That simple framing decision puts us right in the shoes of our pre-teen hero, and gets us rooting for him all the way. It also means that the wider perspective - the global implication – is something only hinted at. This is a story told from the point of view of the child, and so the concerns of the adults are peripheral to his goal. He has decided that, regardless of adult protestations, the right thing to do is help E.T get home – and that is exactly what he does. The shady agenda of the mostly faceless grown-ups does not sway Elliott from trusting his instincts and following his heart. His friendship with the alien is one of the most tender and moving things committed to film, and the final reel never fails to make the souls of the audience soar. Men In Black (1997) If ever you feel that you need a little perspective in your life, Men In Black is the film for you. Funny, complex, and visually stunning - this movie succeeds in presenting a fully developed alternative world, in which immigration means managing the flow of beings from other planets, as much as from other countries. Following the path of a determined NYPD detective, the film reveals the existence of, not only a secret organization tasked with policing extra-terrestrial affairs on earth, but also of a vast array of aliens living undetected among human beings, throughout society. Earth then finds itself the battleground between two warring alien species, and only the Men In Black can save us – and them. What makes Men In Black so different – and uplifting – is that, for once, Earth is neither the instigator, nor the initial victim. Here, Earth is busily providing refuge, safety and opportunity to those that need it – rather than simply destroying anything that looks a bit different. Though the Men In Black serve to keep the existence of these aliens a secret from the general population, it is clear that some sections of society are tolerant, inclusive and good examples of acceptance and kindness – which is something the real world has desperately needed for a very long time. But, isn’t this all just a way of reinforcing our perception of ourselves as the centre of the universe? You might think that, until the delicious and beautiful final reel sees Barry Sonnenfeld’s camera pull back and back to reveal exactly what our position in the universe is. It’s most certainly not the centre – and that makes our efforts to provide sanctuary and support to our fellow living creatures all the more impressive. The LEGO Movie (2014) When the hit theme song of a film is entitled “Everything Is Awesome,” you know you’re in for an uplifting experience. Yes, technically, the story sees the bad guy use the song as a tool of oppression - but the meaning of the song is turned around by the end of the film, once the good guys prevail, and the power of creativity and uniqueness is once again free for all. In the world of LEGO, Lord Business is intent on using a terrifying weapon, known as the Kragle, to bind all citizens into compliance. They live in a world where they must blindly follow the instructions, and never go off plan. His final, master scheme is fast approaching implementation, but a small band of Master Builders – and ‘regular guy,’ Emmet – fight to stop him. In order to win the day, the team must overcome their internal differences and politics, accepting and supporting each other’s unique talents and abilities, before inspiring the rest of the world to do that same. Harnessing the very stuff that makes each individual unique makes them – together – much more powerful than the dastardly Lord Business, who has no choice but to understand the error of his ways. The LEGO Movie provides action, humour and the most definitive ‘happy ever after’ in memory. But there’s still room for a sequel, in which everything will inevitably be awesome once again. Ocean’s Eleven (2001) Desperate times call for desperate measures. Personally, I loathe sexism in cinema and view each incidence of it as perpetuating that social ill in the most insidious of ways. Ocean’s Eleven contains that sexism at its very core, but in an overall package that is, unarguably, an uplifting tentpole movie. It is a ‘David and Goliath’ story, as a rag-tag group of underdogs take on the big, bad corporate enemy. It is a film in which there is crime and a specific target, but little to no violence. These guys execute a plan to strike at a bad guy, using their wits and talents to succeed, instead of machine guns. As the tale twists, and we realize that the gang have achieved their main goal, we share their elation. While their grins may initially seem smug, leaving the bad guy standing in a vault surrounded by flyers, their emotion standing at the dancing fountain the following evening is not. Our anti-heroes wander off, one by one, having potentially changed their lives for the better, and proven that respect, talent and intellect will always trump brute force. Ghostbusters (1984) Three routinely underestimated parapsychologists save the world in a triumph of good over evil – what could be more uplifting than that? It works because it comes from the pen of Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, and boasts Ivan Reitman behind the camera. It also works because it showcases excellent performances from Aykroyd, Ramis and Bill Murray – as well as Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts. It’s hilarious, gentle, and entirely unique – all of which lends itself to a positive viewing experience. The real uplift comes from the premise, however. The Ghostbusters are battling evil – but that evil comes from the spectral plane, encouraged by creatures from another dimension, not from their fellow man. This is not a film about one group of people battling another, this is a film about one group of people battling the unknown forces of darkness. Sure, our heroes must confront bureaucrats intent on shutting down their operation, but that is simply symbolic of the consistent dismissal they have faced from hordes of sceptics. As they triumph over the real evil, they take comfort in the fact that they have proved all those sceptics wrong, saving the world in the process, while making us laugh. When the 24 hour news cycle is filled with very real horror and chaos, who are you going to call? Ghostbusters. Twister (1996) Sometimes, life spirals out of control, and we find ourselves caught in the maelstrom. Wouldn’t it be great to think we could deploy some kind of strategy to bring it all under control? That’s what Jan De Bont’s Twister gives us, and the effect is so uplifting, the storm clouds literally dissipate before our eyes in the final reel. Two dedicated, married storm chasers on the brink of divorce find themselves thrown together in the pursuit of a particularly spectacular series of tornadoes, while they try to finish the development of an early warning system that will save lives. Having experienced first-hand the deadly power of these weather phenomena, the pair battle the elements to tame the twister. Twister uses the perfect balance of humour and drama to weave this tale of science versus nature. It’s all a wonderfully tight roller-coaster ride of action and emotion, but as we cling on tight to speedy narrative, we realize that these storm chasers aren’t trying to fight nature at all. Their system works with the tornado – feeding the funnel with tiny monitors to relay vital information about how the mysterious and ferocious destructor works. As is reinforced by an ill-fated exchange with a rival team on a highway, it’s not about competition and beating the enemy, it’s about working together toward a common goal. As Twister ably demonstrates, that’s where humanity does its best work. Apollo 13 (1995) They don’t come more uplifting than this. Quite simply, this is a film that reminds us what we are capable of. While we spend our days fighting over money, oil, land and religion, we forget that - for a while, half a century ago - we started sending human beings to the moon in a tin can. President Kennedy set the goal, impressive minds rose to the challenge, and man walked on a surface other than Earth. It remains one of the most mind-blowing things, to look at the moon hanging in the night sky, and know that human beings have been there. It’s mind-blowing, but not the only inspiring tale to come from that time. In many ways, it is perhaps more inspiring to view the tale of Apollo 13 – whose crew flew to the moon, but nearly didn’t make it back. This is a story that makes you proud to be human – even in these awful, dark times – because it stands as a record of a moment in history when we achieved the seemingly impossible. We sent more men to the moon and, when their craft began to break down in the depths of space, we brought them back, alive. These men, who came heartbreakingly close to their dream, only to watch it sail past the window - then worked with those on Earth to get home. Those on Earth – including an astronaut bumped from the mission – worked together to find solutions that would save the lives of their colleagues. Those men survived. Our journeys to the moon did not. But, for that brief period, humanity was incredible. Yes, there was continuing global conflict – there always is – but we were focused on something other than killing each other. We were focused on the moon, and it made us a better species. Apollo 13 is an opportunity to revisit that time and hope that, maybe, we could be that better species again one day.