Hollywood need to start addressing US problems rather than emphasising others'

Academy Awards 2013 (Image: prweb.com)

The films released in 2012 have been reflected and honoured in the past four weeks. In the last month, we discovered who were victorious at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and most recently, the Academy Awards. Films such as Les Miserables, Lincoln, Argo, Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook were among the biggest winners. During the Oscars, Daniel Day Lewis flew the flag for Britain, defying all odds by winning a record-breaking three leading actor gongs. Skyfall also did well, most notably with the overwhelming success of its soundtrack by Adele - which also won a BRIT music award for song of the year.

Unfortunately this isn't a blog post where I rave on about the film industry. Personally, I don't have any problems with the films itself, but every year, after watching these award ceremonies, I cannot help myself but to be increasingly annoyed with Hollywood and its effect on today's society. Films have been a powerful influence on people which makes the industry worth trillions. Everyone has a favourite film or two, whether it's a comedy, drama or thriller. I too, enjoy putting my feet up and watch a "good film", in my terms.

Why one is so annoyed with Hollywood, you may wonder. The film industry in America has been a talking point among avid film goers, newspaper critics and academics - whether it regards to representation of cultures and identity - two topics I feel rather passionate about.

Hollywood has a long list of "bad guys" in their films. In the 1980s for example, Europeans, particularly Germans and Russians were common "baddies". Now we've been in the 21st Century for 13 years, Middle Eastern characters are the new "bad guys". It's pretty convenient and seems newsworthy in the eyes of Americans. In the 1980s for example, Russia and the United States were involved in a Cold War while the start of this century has seen US try and conquer terrorism in the Middle East in Afghanistan and Iraq. In both instances, the people in America were understandably in support of their government as the news portrayed Russians and Middle East as the distinguished enemy - that is until they realise that Wars can affect economies something rotten. Hollywood, ignoring the financial impact of conflict, takes advantage of the news and crowd-please their way to critical acclaim.

The films released in 2012 followed a similar pattern of pleasing Americans showing how great they are and how other nations, which have been recently exploited in the news, are part of "them" in the "us versus them" theory. This is shown less in films like Silver Linings Playbook, although it shows how two ordinary American citizens deal with their recent misfortunes in an admirable fashion. Lincoln shows an inspirational true story of a former American President who abolished slavery. Argo shows how American film makers defy all odds and rescued US hostages in Iran during the infamous 1979 revolution while Zero Dark Thirty is a film about the CIA's mission to kill terrorist Osama Bin Laden.

The last two films I mentioned are the ones which I question most. It's not the films itself as they have won so many awards for a simple reason that they are excellently made. However, Hollywood has a terrible habit of delving into isolated incidents which have shamed these countries.

Zero Dark Thirty (Image: digitaltrends.com)

Let's take Zero Dark Thirty, for example. American and British troops are set to leave Afghanistan in 2014, yet this film reminds all of us why America, and other countries went to the country in the first place. We all condemn what happened on September 11, 2001, but it staggers me how many films retells that tragic event. Flight 93, United 93 and World Trade Center were all released in 2006 alone, reminding people what happened five years previous. To me, Zero Dark Thirty is one film too far. It is unfair to the people of Afghanistan (and Iraq), which explicitly exploits their citizens, some innocent getting tortured to death. Also, it's unfair on the families affected by 9/11. They don't want to see that day dramatised on the big screen. It may be a "good film", but I can only see America on a conquest and saying "we were right in going to Afghanistan", therefore "mission accomplished".

Argo followed similar tactics to Zero Dark Thirty. Although it boasts a great selection of producers, directors and writers, it is a film reminding the world what happened thirty-four years ago. Being half Iranian myself, I was intrigued to hear fellow Iranians' reactions. Although they enjoyed the film, they felt embarrassed by their identity. I can only see this concept as Americans being heroes getting US hostages out of a highly chaotic Tehran. It may be "typical Hollywood", but could be potentially dangerous in the future. America and Iran hold a very fragile relationship. So much so, lots of sanctions have been put in force, leaving Iran lacking vital funds to grow as a country. With rumours heating up every day about Iran's nuclear ambitions, if there was concrete proof they had deadly weapons, America can enforce military action, mirroring their involvement in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014. Argo may be an exceptional film, but the timing isn't. Certainly, there isn't such thing as "good timing" but politically, the film could be damaging.

Hollywood doesn't need to exploit other countries' problems. Iran in 1979 was a dark time for the country - do we need to be reminded? Hollywood has create some excellent films but they are constantly in denial over how great the United States is. US is a fantastic country, however, Hollywood rarely focus on America's problems. Would there be a film about their ridiculously high gun-related crime rate? Guns are a huge feature in Hollywood blockbusters. Film icons such as Bruce Willis and so on show how possessing guns proves your masculinity and security - films such as Die Hard doesn't have many morals.

In British films, Britain likes to show off their problems with crime films based in South London and social issues in the north. Films such as This is England reminds the English of their attitude towards "them". No country is perfect, but with an industry as powerful and influential as film, Hollywood needs to focus on the positive points of countries which aren't the US. They could focus on the fact that people in Iran actually admire the US. Los Angeles is known as Tehran-geles and Western culture is increasingly accessible in Iran's major cities. Hollywood ignores this but tend to focus on their drawbacks, i.e. the country's politics. That may give films such as Argo plenty of awards, but it also shows Hollywood's ignorance.