Why is it that every single "Indie" film I come across, every SINGLE one mind you, has the word "Pretentious" written in the tag-space? What on earth makes a film pretentious? What does the word "pretentious" mean, exactly? Well, I just so happen to have a dictionary here with me, so let's dig in, kids.
Pretentious: "1. Making claims, explicit or implicit, to some distinction, importance, dignity, etc. 2. showy; ostentatious."
Hmmm. Doesn't seem to be answering my question too well. How about the word "pretense"?
Pretense: "1. a claim: pretension: as, he made no pretense to being infallible. 2. a false claim or profession: as, a pretense of friendship. 3. a false show of something. 4. something said or done for show. 5. a pretending, as at a play; make-believe. 6. a false reason; pretext. 7. pretentiousness."
Well, if your going strictly by dictionary deffinition alone, I'd say the mainstream stuff that the nameless, faceless "they" of hollywood keeps spewing forth is more pretentious than most of the small studio, indie movies. Granted, some of it is pretty darn whiny and has no point (i.e. the whole "Home" speech in Garden State) What are movies if they AREN'T pretentious, if you're going by the number five deffinition of pretentiousness? "A pretending, as at a play"!!!??? MOVIES ARE PRETENDING!! Aren't they?