Tropic Thunder (2008)

Filmic reflectivity involves the exploration of the inner workings of Hollywood as a means of attracting an interest from the mass audience; something that Tropic Thunder unremittingly achieves. Not only is the script constructed from one-liners of ongoing humour and absurdity, but the cast (consisting of Ben Stiller and Jack Black) excel in constructing situations that are so illogical, we almost forget that we are watching a product of their misfortunes- creating the film Four Leaf set in Vietnam.

Inevitably, filming does not go as calculated, and once the director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) dies, the actors are driven into disequilibrium, facing the ‘Flaming Dragon’ gang in their province of the Golden Triangle. The humour spawns from the characters diverse cultural representations which merge tightly together creating a ‘Tropic Thunder’; not a thunder of rage and darkness but one of obscene humour and absurdity which connect with us directly. What could have easily been a film of meaningless gags and torture actually resulted in a potent summer blockbuster showing significance from its opening.

Suburban Girl (2007)

There is a reason the producers changed the title of the film from The Girls Guide to Hunting & Fishing to Suburban Girl. Where the former paints a picture of life and nature, the film has taken this and transformed it to adapt to Brett Eisenbergs (played by Sarah Michelle Geller) more restricted life as an ambitious New York editor who falls for the charms and security of Archie Knox (Alec Baldwin). Through a series of organised chapters, Brett offers the presumed female audience mutual identification through personal issues that the audience will empathise with as existing in their own lives. Although the performances from both Sarah Michelle Geller and Alec Baldwin were satisfying, the narratives transition between solemn and humorous issues unfortunately turned a potentially pleasing romantic story into something more perplexing, obscuring the real emotion and energy that the film could have offered.

Resident Evil : Extinction (2007)

Resident Evil: Extinction follows the path of Alice (Milla Jovovich), who is now alone in the desert wastelands of the remains of the United States. Alice now has superhuman strength and psionic abilities gained from her brief imprisonment by Umbrella. With a whole new locale in the desert with an isolated fill, the film tries to somehow fill this sense of isolation with a rather complicated, hi-tech series of action sequences which actually erased what was a least a little scary from the previous two films.

Where the first films used the locale to create a sense of tension from this mindless creatures, the setting in this film relies so heavily on its action sequences and technology that it somehow loses its sense of purpose, disorientating the feel that made the series unique in the first place. It’s even more humorous how the film pays homage to the likes of Day of the Dead with their experimental ‘zombie’ but turns away from what made them films work into something unnecessarily complex and technological as if to develop on something that was already good in the first place. Resident Evil: Extinction without doubt tried to be ‘different’ from your average zombie horror film, but its own technology got in the way of what could have been a reasonable sequel to a series that has never quite set off anyway.

8 Mile (2002)

8 Mile, directed by Curtis Hanson and written by Scott Silver, is a film with a familiar formula, in which the want-to-be performer (Eminem) first fails at his dream, then succeeds, is unhappy in romance but lucky in his friends. Jimmy Smith Jr (Eminem) plays a rather authentic youth who is rejected by his culture, and society at large, having only his dream to aspire to. This is not the first time, however, this type of film has featured popstars aspiring for a deeper ambition. Britney Spears and the Spice Girls have both tried to translate their musical careers into acting, but none as successful as Eminem.

What works with 8 Mile is it doesn’t overplay the notion of success. Yes, Eminem is exposed as a true star at the end, but the camera still sees him carrying a garbage full of clothes as if to symbolise a future full of success that has not quite reached him yet. The 8 mile in the films title, therefore leads us to believe that this is an autobiographical account of Eminem's life remains largely unknown but his role in the film will impact on represents a success that is always near, but just that extra 8 miles that we have to strive for. Whether the film the lives of many, particularly those who dream but never see them come true. Success is something that we all strive for, but our past and ourselves at large are the biggest obstacles in our dreams coming true and these are key themes that underpin the film. Overall, 8 Mile is a gritty, down to earth hip-hop drama and is surely not a victim of its own success.