I’m sure I’m not the only one to say this and no doubt I’ll be the last but: “where has all the originality gone in film?”

For those of you that don’t know I used to work at the cinema in Ashford and took full advantage of the free films and saw an awful lot of good films. Since I left all those years ago I’ve slipped out of the practice and thought about going to the cinema over the Bank Holiday weekend and catching up, I soon changed my mind.

Looking at the ‘big’ films of the year it’s sequel heaven, the main offenders being Spiderman and Shrek’s third instalments – and confirmation that a 4th Shrek is in process and I’m sure another spidey film will arrive in 18 months. I know why it happens – a film of a certain nature gets picked up by a studio and green lighted for two. Judging by the success of the first instalment a third is green lighted and the fourth according to the performance of the sequel. Am I the only one who thinks that’s nuts?

Surely The Godfather 3 is enough of a lesson for film makers about where to draw the line? No – They’re filming a follow up to Batman Begins yet… technically isn’t Batman the follow up? Another Superman film is also in discussion. The annoying thing about Batman Begins is, for me, the idea of Christopher Nolan becoming part of a franchise when he was once such a great writer and director with Memento and Insomnia to his name.

Then there’s this. Tintin, the Belgian comic, is to be made into 3 films with Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson to direct. Not that I’m going to sit here and criticise the choice (though one will make it an epic and the other overly sentimental) more the notion of it needing to be done.

Why must directors and writers chain themselves to sequels instead of original ideas? It’s not like they’re hard to come by – I’ve written three screenplays myself including one about a narcoleptic backpacker.

I’m currently reading a book called Easy Riders and Raging Bulls about the golden age of the writer / director when Scorsese and co were just starting out and recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in films.

I’m not saying that films of quality don’t get made anymore but they’re getting harder and harder to see – especially living in Ashford. If it’s not a sequel it’s another stupid horror / thriller film that’s identical to the last or another Will Ferrell movie. I blame Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson.