Maximalist films have flourished in the post-pandemic cinema landscape, but when and why did they become so popular? As we look at the films that have garnered significant attention this award season, certain shared characteristics start to emerge.
A notable feature among many of the titles competing for prestigious awards in recent years is their deliberate embrace of maximalism. Films like RRR, Babylon, and Everything Everywhere All at Once are prime examples, showcasing grand, intricate storytelling. But what exactly defines a maximalist film? In this article, we delve into the defining traits of maximalist cinema, using key examples to highlight these characteristics.
Elements like alternate realities, scenes that suggest there’s always more beneath the surface, parallel universes, and massive casts are some of the features that define this genre. This trend has resonated with audiences, leading to considerable box office success. With all these components in play, one must ask: why did audiences suddenly gravitate toward maximalist cinema in 2022?
Of course, maximalist films didn’t emerge out of nowhere in 2022. This genre, which traces its roots back to classic fantasy musicals, has long had a presence in popular cinema. However, its significance in mainstream cinema has waxed and waned over time, depending on the prevailing entertainment preferences of each era.
Post-pandemic era and maximalist films
For audiences craving cinema and more in the post-pandemic era, maximalist films have been widely embraced by modern moviegoers. Their atmospheres align perfectly with the idea that anything can happen. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended everyone’s sense of what is “normal,” making the unexpected a regular part of daily life.
Maximalist films reflect this instability, offering a semi-comforting cinematic universe that resonates with our current reality. Watching these films provides a sense of relief, showing that you’re not alone in feeling that everything isn’t quite right, that the world itself seems out of balance.
Characteristics of maximalist films
When we talk about maximalist films, we refer to intense works that blend multiple genres, overwhelm us with messages, feature large ensembles of actors, and weave together different events happening simultaneously. These films often explore various dimensions, universes, and realities. In many ways, they represent the opposite of minimalist cinema.
Today, we’ve compiled a list of 9 powerful films from this genre for you. Let’s take a look at the unique universes these films introduce, along with brief descriptions of each.
Hard to Be a God (2013) – IMDB: 6.6
Hard to be a God is a 2013 science fiction film directed by Aleksei German, who co-wrote the screenplay with Svetlana Karmalita. This is the director’s final film, based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky.
The story follows a group of scientists sent to the planet Arkanar to guide the progress of a civilization stuck in its Middle Ages. The most crucial rule of their mission is that they are forbidden from intervening violently. As they attempt to save the local intellectuals from persecution, they are forced into a direct confrontation with the oppressive government. The film explores a central question: What would you do if you were God?
Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truth (2022) – IMDB: 6.7
Bardo is a 2022 black comedy-drama film written, directed, and produced by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography and also received a nomination for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. It is currently available on Netflix.
The story follows Silverio Gama, a renowned Mexican journalist and documentarian living in Los Angeles, who returns to his hometown with his family to receive a prestigious award. However, Silverio experiences a deep existential crisis, reflecting on his career and accomplishments. This introspective journey blurs the lines between reality and fantasy for Gama. In this surreal exploration of memories, Silverio must reconcile his past and present, find his place within Mexican culture, and embrace his values.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – Dr. Parnassus (2009) – IMDB: 6.8
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a 2009 fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and co-written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown. The film grossed approximately $65 million, doubling its $30 million budget.
In London, Doctor Parnassus’ traveling troupe offers audiences a chance to enter the “Imaginarium,” a fantastical world where dreams come true and are shaped by the mind of Doctor Parnassus. Valentina, Doctor Parnassus’ daughter, shares stories with the dwarf Percy and assistant Anton, revealing that her father has lived for over a thousand years. After falling in love with a mortal woman, Doctor Parnassus made a deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth. However, part of the agreement is that on his child’s sixteenth birthday, the devil will claim his life. As Valentina’s sixteenth birthday approaches, Doctor Parnassus strikes a new wager with Mr. Nick in an attempt to save her.
Week End (1967) – IMDB: 7.0
Week End is a 1967 black comedy film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Mireille Darc and Jean Yanne, both well-known French TV stars. Ranked number 3 on Cahiers du Cinéma’s Top 10 Films of 1967, the film stands out as a classic of the French New Wave.
The story follows Roland and Corinne Durand, a married couple who leave the city on a Saturday to visit Corinne’s dying father in Oinville. Having poisoned him over the years to secure their inheritance, they are convinced he will die that weekend, and they want to ensure their mother doesn’t alter the will in her favor. Unbeknownst to each other, both are engaged in extramarital affairs. Corinne is unaware that Roland plans to kill her and split the inheritance with his mistress. Their journey becomes a satirical critique of bourgeois values, filled with chaotic and surreal events.
On the Silver Globe (1988) – IMDB: 7.2
Adapted from Jerzy Żuławski’s The Lunar Trilogy, this 1988 fantasy science fiction film was written and directed by Andrzej Żuławski. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, it is often regarded as a classic of maximalist cinema.
The story follows a small group of cosmic explorers, including a woman, who leave Earth in search of freedom and to establish a new civilization. However, their dream is doomed from the start. One by one, they die, but their children return to a primitive native culture, forming new myths and worshipping a new god. Later, a space bureaucrat, seeking refuge from a broken heart, arrives to find that the explorers’ descendants have been enslaved by bird-like creatures called Cherns. Society is divided into rigid classes, and the people await the arrival of a messiah. Eventually, a new candidate is chosen and begins to live as a god, at least for a time.
The Adventures of Tintin (2011) – IMDB: 7.3
The Adventures of Tintin is a 2011 animated adventure film based on the comic book series of the same name by renowned cartoonist Hergé. Directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, the film had a massive budget of $135 million and grossed an impressive $374 million worldwide. The production was widely praised and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score.
In the story, Tintin purchases a model ship called the Unicorn from a market stall for one pound, unaware that Mr. Sakharine is eager to buy it from him. Willing to go to any lengths, including murder, Sakharine kidnaps Tintin and his loyal dog, Snowy. Tintin must find a way to escape, retrieve the ship, and embark on a thrilling journey to Morocco aboard an old cargo ship.
Sorcerer (1977) – IMDB: 7.7
Sorcerer is a 1977 thriller film directed and produced by William Friedkin, featuring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, and Amidou. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound.
The story centers on a group of outcasts from various backgrounds and nationalities who are working at an oil drilling operation in South America. When a fire at the drilling station spirals out of control, four of these men seize the opportunity to earn enough money to escape by transporting six crates of unstable dynamite through treacherous jungle terrain in two aging trucks.
The Holy Mountain (1973) – IMDB: 7.8
The Holy Mountain is a 1973 historical fantasy film directed, written, produced, co-edited, and starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, who also served as the film’s set designer and costume designer.
In this surreal film, a Christ-like figure traverses a bizarre, grotesque world filled with religious and sinful imagery. He encounters a mystical guide who introduces him to seven wealthy and powerful individuals, each symbolizing a planet in the solar system. Together with the hero, the guide, and the guide’s assistant, this group of nine renounces worldly pleasures. They embark on a quest to find the Holy Mountain, where they plan to dethrone the gods who reside there and attain immortality.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – IMDB: 8.1
Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 dystopian action film co-written, co-produced, and directed by George Miller. Despite its substantial budget of $180 million, the film grossed over $400 million worldwide. It won 6 Oscars and received numerous other nominations, amassing nearly 250 film awards and over 230 nominations in total.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the film unfolds in a desolate desert landscape where humanity is fractured and everyone fights desperately for survival. In this harsh environment, two figures stand out as potential saviors: Max, a taciturn man haunted by the loss of his wife and child, and Furiosa, a determined woman who believes that traversing the desert could lead her back to her homeland and a better future.
