OK, enough, I call shenanigans.

You'd think that Hollywood is either brain dead (quite possibly) or just too damn greedy (more than likely) to continue to write and produce the same DAMN movie at least 7 times in the last 20 years.

17 Again? Why, haven't I seen this before? ???
Hell yes, about 7 or 8 times before, and they keep making the same movie. :P

Actually, no, I haven't seen "17 Again", but do I really need to?
Wow, an frustrated adult, who had a difficult if not awkward adolescent/high school life and now regretting or having difficultly with his (financially successful) adult life, somehow through magic, space time continuum or some other completely unbelievable circumstance reverts back to a younger age OR switches their age/body with their younger son/daughter or sibling.
And in each one, they get to re-experience the hell of what is called high school.

Off the top of my head these movies not only have the same premise, but follow a almost dead-on similar plot.

Freaky Friday (original) w/Jodie Foster
Freaky Friday TV movie w/Shelley Long
Freaky Friday w/Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan
Vice Versa
Big
13 Going On 30
18 Again (or 19 again, not sure but George Burns was in it)
Like Father, Like Son
*(thats not all, I know theres more, but can't think of them right now).

At the very least, I'd expect, or at least hoped Hollywood would make an attempt to make this tired premise somewhat fresh. Adding something, anything different to the formula. But with "17 Again", no such luck.

The only ones from this genre that were worth a warm poo was the original Freaky Friday as it was an somewhat original concept (for Disney, back then anyway), and Big as it was played and fleshed out to a reality that the other films didn't have the intelligence or creative insight to explore.

Pretty amazed that we're letting them get away with this sort of junk without calling them on it.
Well, thats my rant anyway... :-X

I was supposed to drop a couyple of my kids off to see this movie at an out of the way movie theatre. When I got there I couldn't figure out what I would do until it was time to pick them up...so I went in to see the movie as well. I was pleasantly surprised by it! Not too badly done at all and I even found myself laughing at least twice (out loud).

I agree that Hollywood just keeps milking the public on the same themes though. I have no real issue as long as they do it well and they can bring something (or someone) fresh to the screen.

I have no real issue as long as they do it well and they can bring something (or someone) fresh to the screen.


That's the problem.  Most of the time, they DON'T do it well. :P

The Son and I were talking about this yesterday I think.

I was completely sure it is going to be a box office bomb, but then The Son said something that made perfect sense! This movie is for teens and 'tweens who are completely infatuated with Zac Efron! It doesn't matter that the movie is the same premise as so many others, it is the actors that are drawing movie goers - and will ultimately stake the movie companies claim on the box office. These same viewers spend tens of thousands of dollars on The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana (well, their parents do actually) and High School Musical(s). This movie isn't made for my generation - it is made for my Son's generation. So it doesn't matter if it is a good remake or bad... these kids just want to see their idols.

So what if it is a remake of what we have already seen? We aren't the ones that are being catered to. And honestly, if I don't want to see a movie that has the same premise of countless other movies I have seen - then I just don't go see it. Remember: we have to pay to go see the movie, so that leaves the decision in your hands. You don't want to see it? Don't go then. Simple as that! ;)

The reason why Hollywood (music, movies, tv) sells us low-quality products is because they think we like stuff like that so they think we want the same thing on the next product!

If movies like Tropic Thunder didn't make money, then they wouldn't sell it to the masses. The movie is horrible on all accounts, but guess what? $$$, so the people behind the scenes are thinking that the next movie like that will make money.

When people don't speak up, the people on top think they've found a formula that they will ware out until people don't like that formula no more!

As many times as the horse's asses who buy movie tickets will go to see it!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/12/happy1.gif

As many times as the horse's asses who buy movie tickets will go to see it!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/12/happy1.gif


Pfft! Max!!! You just called teens and 'tweens horse's asses! :o :P

My daughter is 6 and she thinks the whole premise of this is hysterical - hey, it's new to her!  My point being, that as long as there are younger generations that think this is a new concept, they'll keep rehashing it.

Hollywood is dead. They can't think of anything original.

The Son and I were talking about this yesterday I think.

I was completely sure it is going to be a box office bomb, but then The Son said something that made perfect sense! This movie is for teens and 'tweens who are completely infatuated with Zac Efron! It doesn't matter that the movie is the same premise as so many others, it is the actors that are drawing movie goers - and will ultimately stake the movie companies claim on the box office. These same viewers spend tens of thousands of dollars on The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana (well, their parents do actually) and High School Musical(s). This movie isn't made for my generation - it is made for my Son's generation. So it doesn't matter if it is a good remake or bad... these kids just want to see their idols.

So what if it is a remake of what we have already seen? We aren't the ones that are being catered to. And honestly, if I don't want to see a movie that has the same premise of countless other movies I have seen - then I just don't go see it. Remember: we have to pay to go see the movie, so that leaves the decision in your hands. You don't want to see it? Don't go then. Simple as that! ;)

Understand your point, but I'm a bit concerned if we believe or let the same shlock be dumped on our kids or teens, then what real advance in movies or entertainment can we ever expect?
It's OK for Hollywood to continually crank out the same stuff with the mentality that well, once the adults are done, we can load off the same tired crap on the kids and so on and so on?

At some point, if we ever hope to see something, anything creative or worth spending $ at a theater, we have to speak with our wallets and convince the untalented movie producers we want something better, for us AND our kids.
If we think its OK for our kids to go see this, then they will just crank out more of the same as they always do.

Understand your point, but I'm a bit concerned if we believe or let the same shlock be dumped on our kids or teens, then what real advance in movies or entertainment can we ever expect?
It's OK for Hollywood to continually crank out the same stuff with the mentality that well, once the adults are done, we can load off the same tired crap on the kids and so on and so on?

At some point, if we ever hope to see something, anything creative or worth spending $ at a theater, we have to speak with our wallets and convince the untalented movie producers we want something better, for us AND our kids.
If we think its OK for our kids to go see this, then they will just crank out more of the same as they always do.


And I also understand where you are coming from, however - when we were kids the same tired, overused concepts were just the things that we loved - because it was New To Us.  Furthermore, almost all movie concepts anymore have been used, just presented in a new light. All romances you will find pretty much repeat "Pride & Prejudice", with character changes and updates. The same goes for what we now see happening. You can't fault a company that sees the benefit of the Demand their product has. And when in Demand - money changes hands and people prosper.

'Big' and 'Vice Versa' were the only two that I really loved out of all these switcheroo type movies.  '13 Going on 30' wasn't bad, but it was more or less a female version of 'Big'

I will probably see '17 Again' though when it comes to DVD becuase I like fun family type comedies

http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss167/MCola2004/17again.jpg

'Big' and 'Vice Versa' were the only two that I really loved out of all these switcheroo type movies.  '13 Going on 30' wasn't bad, but it was more or less a female version of 'Big'

I will probably see '17 Again' though when it comes to DVD becuase I like fun family type comedies


Yeah Vice Versa was my favorite of the late '80s wave of "kid switch" movies. It had a quicker pace, was pretty entertaining (and funny) the whole way through... plus the contrast was even bigger because it had an actual kid instead of a teenager. That made it more fun. ;)

What's even more ironic is that the son Charlie was only 11 and yet he seemed older/cooler acting than Josh in Big (who was I think 13). Maybe it was since he was into hard rock and stuff. Judge Reinhold did a great job too as the kinda young, divorced overworked dad who had to temporarily relive a much tougher childhood.

The Son and I were talking about this yesterday I think.

I was completely sure it is going to be a box office bomb, but then The Son said something that made perfect sense! This movie is for teens and 'tweens who are completely infatuated with Zac Efron! It doesn't matter that the movie is the same premise as so many others, it is the actors that are drawing movie goers - and will ultimately stake the movie companies claim on the box office. These same viewers spend tens of thousands of dollars on The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana (well, their parents do actually) and High School Musical(s). This movie isn't made for my generation - it is made for my Son's generation. So it doesn't matter if it is a good remake or bad... these kids just want to see their idols.

So what if it is a remake of what we have already seen? We aren't the ones that are being catered to. And honestly, if I don't want to see a movie that has the same premise of countless other movies I have seen - then I just don't go see it. Remember: we have to pay to go see the movie, so that leaves the decision in your hands. You don't want to see it? Don't go then. Simple as that! ;)


I kinda agree, but most stars usually appeal to people a shade younger though. Musicians are that way - like teens might tend to dig the edgier stuff done by rockers, rappers or pop stars in their 20s/30s... while the actual teenage stars are most often liked by little kids or tweens.

The early Britney Spears was like that. She's my age and technically my generation, but it was the little girls who were like 9 year olds at the time that seemed to be her biggest fans, not other 17 year olds like me (my tastes were already kinda set). I wouldn't have been caught dead back then listening to her or the Backstreet Boys (who had some songs I secretly liked!  ;) ).

Of course there's always exceptions, and anything that's big is gonna have lots of different fans (i.e. adults who just casually like it), but I'm talking more about the hardcore majority. I imagine it's the same thing for Zac and alot of these HSM actors.


Plus, the industry usually does stuff to death until it's totally unprofitable anymore. ;D

^ How times change!  My 17 year old daughter and her friends swoon over Zac Efron. They went to 17Again just because he was starring...and enjoyed it immensley!

I also expected that when I went into the theatre that I would be one of the oldest in there....wrong again! There were some much older couples in there without any younger people sitting with them.....

^ How times change!  My 17 year old daughter and her friends swoon over Zac Efron. They went to 17Again just because he was starring...and enjoyed it immensley!

I also expected that when I went into the theatre that I would be one of the oldest in there....wrong again! There were some much older couples in there without any younger people sitting with them.....


Oh, that's true. :) Did you generally like it? It actually does look like a fun movie (even if it's not exactly an original premise). I think it's 'cause it's something everyone can relate to in one way or another - i.e. wanting to do something over again or go back in time. My earlier posts were more about entertainers in general as opposed to the movie itself. Yeah, Zac is a good looking dude, I can see why she's like it for that reason, lol. ;)

I guess you really can't narrow down a fanbase that easily, people shouldn't typecast. If a movie or a song sells let's say 1 million, that's alot of different people! Then more maybe "kinda like it" but didn't buy a copy.

Oh, that's true. :) Did you generally like it? It actually does look like a fun movie (even if it's not exactly an original premise). I think it's 'cause it's something everyone can relate to in one way or another - i.e. wanting to do something over again or go back in time. My earlier posts were more about entertainers in general as opposed to the movie itself. Yeah, Zac is a good looking dude, I can see why she's like it for that reason, lol. ;)

I guess you really can't narrow down a fanbase that easily, people shouldn't typecast. If a movie or a song sells let's say 1 million, that's alot! Then more "kinda like it" but didn't contribute to sales. Obviously that's alot of different ages and types of people.


I thought it was well done and very amusing in parts. :) I certainly didn't exit the theatre feeling I had wastedy time.

The show "Do-Over" also had a similar premise, though I actually liked the show, but canned after a few episodes

God, what do girls see in Zach Efron? Lol. I'm jealous!  :-X