Paul Schrader Explains Why “I Don’t Need To See Another ‘Justice League’ “

Filmmaker Paul Schrader isn’t exactly a contrarian, but his opinions about contemporary films don’t always flow with the common wisdom. But as the man who gave us “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “Mishima,” and “Bringing Out the Dead,” he’s earned the right to ruffle a few feathers. Looking out over the current blockbuster, four-quadrant landscape, it’s not hard to imagine that Schrader dispirited by what he sees, but believe it or not, he’ll go so superhero movies. Sometimes.

In a new interview with The Irish Times, Schrader invokes the late, revered critic Pauline Kael, who once prophesized that “trash” would become the norm in Hollywood. That said, Schrader will indulge in that trash, to a point….

“Film was very different when Pauline was writing,” he explained. “I well remember her line about trash becoming all we were going to get. She never imagined that trash would prevail over everything else.”

“I’ll go to watch ‘Black Panther‘ because that’s something I haven’t seen before,” Schrader added. “I went to watch ‘Wonder Woman‘ for the same reason. I don’t need to see another ‘Justice League.’ I have less interest in seeing a second or a third one of anything. But I am interested when they’re making a new mould, like a black superhero or a female superhero.”

So, maybe all Schrader wants to see is progress at the multiplex, and frankly, that’s something we should all be asking for.