Why Being a Filmmaker Might Mean You Don't Like Captain America: Civil War

Does being a good filmmaker mean you won't enjoy films like Captain America: Civil War?

Four years ago, I was about to enter college, I hadn't I started being a filmmaker, it was then I saw what is still one of my favorite films: Marvel’s The Avengers. Now, this year I am about to graduate from college and just saw Captain America: Civil War. A massive disappointment to me. Just like Batman vSuperman. Is it me or is it them?

On the one hand, I think I’m holding both to a consistent filmmaker standard. I've always been super critical of my superhero movies. I hated Spider-Man 3 and Iron Man II and III I am a longtime superhero fanboy and loved Marvel’s the Avengers because it was faithful to the comics: Superheroes being superheroes, bickering, fighting each other, then fighting the common threat. Captain America: Civil War was nothing like the comic book Civil War. The comic book was a dark story about two good men on opposite sides who so believe they’re right they are willing to do whatever it takes to stop the other. Stories that tell deep stories in a compelling way are important to me and I think the superhero genre is capable of doing that and it's sad they aren't. 

But on the other hand, maybe I’ve just changed as a filmmaker. The difference between then and now is that fans and critics agreed that Spider-Man 3 was bad. But critics and audiences love Captain America: Civil War. Yet I don't. Like I’ve written about elsewhere, I have been told by my friends with increasing frequency that I am always disappointed in movies. The first of the Avengers films I was excited at a giant love-letter to superheroes. Have my standards for filmmaking become so high that I can’t enjoy normal movies?

If so, maybe it's worth it. In the past four years I've really grown as a filmmaker. I've made great short films that I'm proud of (like Kelly vs the Philosophers). I've changed as a person. That's what you expect when you go to college.

You may like Captain America: Civil War. But regardless, I think the lesson for aspiring filmmakers is that if you really have the high standards you need to make great films, you’re going to be disappointed in a lot of movies along the way. Which is going to be rough, because we want to make movies because we love watching movies. And it makes it harder to watch movies.

I wanted to love Captain America: Civil War just as much as I loved Avengers all those years ago. But if it means I become a better filmmaker it’s worth it.

What I Learned at the Tribeca Film Festival

Tribeca Film Festival is something that every aspiring filmmaker loves. For five extra bucks on a ticket (and an hour in line for rush) you get to prove to everyone that you love movies more than everybody else and explain to them perfectly legitimate reasons why your movie didn’t get in but should have. Who cares if you liked the movie? The bragging rights are worth it.

So this year, my first time going, I got all this and also watched movies at Tribeca Film Festival I really liked and helped me improve my craft. Here’s what I learned from the movies I saw.

ADULT LIFE SKILLS – EXECUTION IS EVERYTHING

I loved Norah Ephron and so really wanted to see the movie that got her award this year (given to great female directors). Tribeca Film Festival’s Adult Life Skills was the kind of movie I normally hate, done so well that I really liked it. Few movies irritate me more than dramas about dysfunctional, privileged, dissatisfied people engaging in naval gazing. But this movie had real spunk, creativity, real, legitimate drama, endearing characters and great humor

MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE – STYLE SUPPLEMENTS SUBSTANCE

I was interested in this Tribeca Film Festival movie because I’m really interested in knowing more about Scientology. But the movie began with the documentarian admitting that nobody in the church would talk to him, so the whole movie was about he and some ex-Scientologists attempting to re-construct the goings on in the church. There are a lot of good filmmaking tools used. But the best part was when the Scientologists started following them around with video cameras.

SOME THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MOVIES

Waiting in line for Tribeca Film Festival rush tickets to My Scientology Movie I didn’t think I or my friend were going to make it in. There were too many people ahead of us. Then there seemed like a miracle: a lady offered my friend and I a free ticket. My friend insisted I take it even though it meant I might get to go in without her.

Yes, it is totally legitimate to take way too many pictures
of yourself at the film festivals.

But then there was another moral dilemma: behind us we discovered there was a group of friends behind us who all had tickets except for the one friend who would have to stay behind and attempt to get rush tickets. My friend looked at me and told me that I could solve that problem for the lady right there. And reminded me that if my whole group of friends went into see a movie I would be praying someone gave me an extra ticket to join them. I really wanted to see the movie. But I had just heard a sermon on how Christians should be a different kind of community who make different—more generous—choices.

I decided to give her the ticket, trusting that what God willed would happen.

And guess what? My friend and I got in anyway.

Life lesson: movies, and bragging rights about movies are worth the extra five bucks. But loving people is more important. Even more than the Tribeca Film Festival.