Movies are not what they used to be, Hollywood is changing, both for the better and for the worse. One of the things that is increasingly close to disappearing since classical Hollywood is the power of movie stars, the star system. Don’t get us wrong, of course there are still big movie stars in Hollywood, but it is clear that important movies are less and less dependent on them. Yes, we still see star casts and prestigious movies are always filled with the best names. However, movies whose only argument is to have stars are becoming less and less common, or at least have more humble intentions.
That last great triumphant film with a classic, hard, direct, simple and powerful star system is almost 20 years old now. We are talking, of course, about ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’, a film that is almost completely forgettable, which, however, earned a remake in a rather changed series format on Amazon Prime Video last year that, it must be said, was not very interesting. The reason was obvious, we have always only cared about one thing (well, two, actually) about ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were two gigantic stars, they are today and they were even more so 20 years ago. He was the most desired man in the world and she was the woman. The merit of the film was, simply, bringing them together as a couple in a story that dressed as a murder thriller with a marital dispute. However, what we continue to remember the film over the years is for its ability to do what films most commonly did before, simply rely on the charisma and beauty of its protagonists. ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ is a shameless proposal of this, of showing Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie divine, spectacular, rocking the coolest (forgive the technicalities) at every moment. Forcing that strange balance of creating abundant eroticism in each scene while never ceasing to be a film suitable for almost all audiences.
But, it must be said, the merit of ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ is not just about showing off Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie through their images, but about having forced a romantic chemistry so believable that, well, it ended up being true. Brad Pitt left Jennifer Aniston, a sweetheart of America, for Jolie… And yet, few did not understand him or criticized him. The quintessential couple of modern Hollywood was born. One that, now we know, ended quite badly, but that for years represented the ceiling of the star system in Hollywood and of what we now call Power Couple.
Maybe ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ is Hollywood history for reasons that are not very commendable, but it is undeniable that it is. ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ is one of the movies leaving Netflix on July 1, so it’s the last chance to watch it and discover this whole story.
Rafael is an expert in film, series and video games. He is into classic and auteur cinema, although he doesn’t miss Marvel or the current Netflix hit due to professional deformation. He also has a geeky side, as proven by his specialization in anime, k-pop and everything related to Asian culture.
By generation, sometimes he has to write about current musical hits, from Bizarrap to Blackpink. It even has its erotic side, but limited, unfortunately, to selecting the best erotic series and movies. But he doesn’t limit himself there, since he also likes to write about gastronomy, travel, humor and memes.
After 5 years writing for Fotogramas and Esquire, the truth is that he has already done a bit of everything, from interviews with international stars to mobile phone presentations or tastings of oil, insects and, yes, with luck, wine.
He trained in Audiovisual Communication at the University of Murcia. She later continued at the Carlos III University of Madrid with a Master’s Degree in Research in Media. In addition to beginning a doctorate on sexual representation in arthouse cinema (which she never finished), she also studied a Master’s degree in film criticism, both at ECAM and at the Writers’ School. Before, he cut his teeth writing on the Cinealacarbonara blog, continued in media such as Amanecemetropolis, Culturamas or Magnolia Magazine, and dedicated all his efforts to Mutaciones Magazine since its foundation.
He joined Hearst in 2018 and managed to make a name for himself in the editorial offices of Fotogramas and Esquire, where he continues to write about everything he likes and is asked to do (which often coincides). His good or bad taste (depending on how you look at it) also led him to get into the world of gastronomy and video games. In short, he likes to entertain himself.
