JOHNSON: Rise of metamodern films
Todd Phillips' "Joker: Folie á Deux" came to theaters this past weekend and has confused some viewers. To better understand this movie and others like it, one must understand metamodernism.
Metamodern cinema emerged as a direct response to postmodernism's irony and cynicism, shifting from self-awareness to something more genuine and complex.
The era of modernism in cinema spanned from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, peaking in the 1960s. The films of this era were an earnest and simple recount of a story, often following a heroic man who defeats his rival and saves the day.
When the sincerity of modernism began to fall flat because films were too formulaic and audiences wanted more depth and complexity, the progression was for postmodernism to fill the void.
Postmodernism emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, bringing a more satirical and nihilistic approach to film. It also experimented with genre-blurring, a notable example being Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction."
Postmodernism started a shift away from predictable cliches and toward unpredictable storytelling. The films began to have a more critical and hyper-aware essence that opposed the traditionalism that was modernism. Though this was a refreshing change at first, the constant subverting of expectations eventually became the new expectation for viewers. So, there came again a need to reimagine the frameworks of film.
Metamodernism started at the beginning of the 21st century and was an amalgamation of elements from modernism and postmodernism. This new balance of raw and direct motivations of modernism with the complexity and playfulness of postmodernism is the golden ratio.
A clear example of metamodernism is "Everything Everywhere All at Once," directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. From the first frame, this blockbuster film is extremely referential and experimental, which are hallmarks of postmodernism. This is intertwined with simple yet profound emotions like love and regret, staples of modernism. Using these two methods together made this movie metamodern.
While some films, like "Everything Everywhere All at Once," graciously adapt metamodernism, others exploit its layered and complex narratives to alienate casual audiences. Some films beg the question of whether they are made for the sake of good storytelling or to display the filmmakers' knowledge of extremely niche references and vague symbolism.
Darren Aronofsky's 2017 film, "Mother!" is widely considered deeply pretentious. The story is muddled with abstract symbols, leaving audiences confused rather than curious or introspective. The film focused more on fitting in as many vague messages and allegories as possible rather than telling a compelling story.
There is an important difference between films that are thought-provoking and challenge viewers to dig deeper and films that are just made to stump audiences completely to stroke the filmmaker's ego.
Film has endured as a form of media because it prioritizes audience entertainment. Filmmakers who purposefully alienate viewers to prove their intellectualism are jeopardizing the natural order of the movie business.
But metamodernism can be applied to more than just the cinematic world. People subconsciously find themselves trying to strike the perfect blend of irony and sincerity, especially college students, who face pressures both academically and socially.
Young adults' attachment to curating an online image that is the perfect amount of effortlessness while passionately pursuing their education mirrors metamodern techniques in film.
Students are also at an interesting place in life because there is not only so much ambiguity surrounding life post-graduation but also so much excitement and genuine emotion. Similarly, metamodern films often try to replicate society's uncertainty about the future while still showing hopefulness for what is to come.
Metamodernism in film, a blend of modernism and postmodernism, is the closest cinema has come to accurately capturing the nuances of the real-life experience. It reflects the way life can be so extensive and insignificant, yet it is in that paradox that life has the most meaning.
Lina Johnson is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Science majoring in communications. Johnson’s column, “The View from Rutgers,” runs on alternate Mondays.
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