History SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism / FIlm

* ''Film/AugustRush'' is idealistic [[TastesLikeDiabetes in the extreme]], to the point of being implausible - a 12-year-old learns to compose full symphonies and play multiple instruments without any musical training, AND he gets admitted to the Julliard School (not their preparatory program, like other pre-college musicians would, but the ''college itself''), ''and'' his cutesy piece manages to impress a 21st-century composition faculty so much that they get him a reading with the New York Philharmonic? ''And'' [[spoiler: it happens to be the same concert his mom is playing, and which his dad attends]]? [[TastesLikeDiabetes No wonder]] so many critics panned it.

* "{{Film/Serenity}}" and really, the series, are about an idealist (Malcolm Reynolds) struggling with the balance between the two. For all his words about how he'll take any job, he seems most motivated by the ones that don't pay much in the material sense.

* ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' is the most cynical western ever made, or at least a very strong contender for the title. There are three gunslingers in this story: a young GunfighterWannabe who [[CampingACrapper kills some unarmed bastard on the john]] and ends up skipping town, swearing tearfully to never pick up a gun ever again; a pompous EvilBrit who turns out to be greatly padding his past exploits and eventually gets run out of town as a joke; and an [[RetiredMonster old pig farmer]] who reverts back to his AxCrazy side and scares the everloving shit out of ''[[TheDreaded everyone]]'' when he does, viewers included.

* ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' is the most cynical western ever made, or at least a very strong contender for the title. There are three gunslingers in this story: a young GunslingerWannabe who [[CampingACrapper kills some unarmed bastard on the john]] and ends up skipping town, swearing tearfully to never pick up a gun ever again; a pompous EvilBrit who turns out to be greatly padding his past exploits and eventually gets run out of town as a joke; and an [[RetiredMonster old pig farmer]] who reverts back to his AxCrazy side and scares the everloving shit out of ''[[TheDreaded everyone]]'' when he does, viewers included.

* The 2007 Disney film ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' falls squarely in the idealistic side of the column, being just a bit {{Anvilicious}} in its commentary on the world's need for optimism, especially in matters of romance. Then again, this [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped doesn't necessarily make it bad]]. Another interpretation is that it's a story about Giselle, an extreme idealist, and Robert, an extreme cynic, meeting each other and both having their extreme views tempered by exposure to each other, reaching a more moderate compromise in the end.

* For TimeTravel movies, compare ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' with ''Film/TheButterflyEffect''. The former is an idealistic take on how one makes the future, and the latter a cynical speculation to the statement in question. Their soundtracks also help telling their audience the moods they are portraying.

%%* ''Disney/MeetTheRobinsons'' was not a bad movie, but it was almost ''ridiculously'' idealistic.

%%* Contrast ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'' with ''Film/KingKong''.

* ''Film/BladeRunner'' is fairly cynical, with a heavily {{dystopia}}n interpretation of the future and GreyAndBlackMorality at best. The ending is slightly more positive, though, because the film is ultimately about an AntiHero [[HeelRealization realizing the error of his ways]].

** ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': Leans ''heavily'' on the idealistic side, with the heroes being able to reverse the effects of the previous film through ThePowerOfFriendship, some [[spoiler:HeroicSuicides]] and good old fashinoed HeroicResolve to boot. Overall it's a great callback to ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', and the conflict between Cap and Tony is resolved when it's confirmed that [[spoiler: Tony [[HeroicSacrifice would jump]] on the wire to save his fellow teammates]]

** ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': Leans ''heavily'' on the idealistic side, with the heroes being able to reverse the effects of the previous film through ThePowerOfFriendship, some [[spoiler:HeroicSuicides]] and good old fashinoed HeroicResolve to boot. Overall it's a great callback to ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', and the conflict between Cap and Tony is resloved when it's confirmed that [[spoiler: Tony [[HeroicSacrifice would jump]] on the wire to save his fellow teammates]]

** As a whole, the franchise tends strongly to the idealistic side, which provides an contrast to Creator/MarkMillar's very cynical [[ComicBook/TheUltimates Ultimates]] comic book run, which a lot of the movie continuity takes elements from. However, there are still some [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet moments]], if the endings for both ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' are any proof.

** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'': The most cynical film in the MCU to date. VirtueIsWeakness, following idealistic principles ("we don't trade lives") and refusing to forgo love and compassion in favor of the "simple calculus" will get half the universe killed, while coldly accepting what needs to be done no matter the cost will grant victory.

* ''Film/Joker2019'', in contrast, swings so strongly to the cynical that it's entirely nihilistic, with the [[RayofHopeEnding only light]] at the end of the tunnel being Bruce starting his journey to Batman to combat the new Clown Prince.

* ''Film/Joker'', in contrast, swings so strongly to the cynical that it's entirely nihilistic, with the only light at the end of the tunnel being Batman eventually springing up.

** In contrast, ''Film/BatmanForever'' and ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' are heavily on the idealistic side

* ''Film/TheHunt'' is critical of human behaviour and prejudice, particularly when it comes to assumptions and gossip. A little girl named Klara rapidly develops an [[PrecociousCrush unhealthy obsession]] with her kindergarten teacher, Lucas. After she kisses him on the lips during school playtime, he is quick to rebuff her infatuation. [[NotGoodWithRejection In a childish rage]], she unwittingly implies to the head teacher that he has sexually abused her. This lie begins to [[SnowballLie mutate and grow]], and Lucas is ostracized by his community. Even though it's proven he's not a pedophile, and Klara eventually openly admits to making it up, he is still voraciously hated by some of his peers.

** ''Film/BatmanReturns'' on the other hand is even more cynical to the point of nihilism and is even more dark than the original despite that the film did have a few campy moments but at the Batman loses the girl, ends up being forced to do even more killing, the one person he loves ends up being morally ambiguous, and everyone hates him again thanks to The Penguin via the murder of The Ice Princess.

** ''Film/BatmanReturns'' on the other hand is even more cynical to the point of nihilism despite not being as dark as the original with more jokes and campy idiots instead of corruption. However Batman loses the girl, ends up being forced to do even more killing, the one person he loves ends up being morally ambiguous, and everyone hates him again thanks to The Penguin via the murder of The Ice Princess.

* The 1976 film ''Film/{{Network}}''. Talk about your cynical films! But the craziest thing of all about that film is that the film was actually considered a SliceOfLife docudrama by TV news people, which makes sense considering Paddy Chayefsky (who wrote the film's screenplay) [[ShownTheirWork consulted with actual reporters and behind-the-scenes TV news people]] while writing his script.

* For a BlackComedy, ''Film/HorribleBosses'' is ultimately surprisingly idealistic. [[spoiler:Only one character is capable of murder.]]

** ''Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah'' is nearly cynical to the point of dead-seriousness. Godzilla dying would cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt via literal SuperPowerMeltdown, an evil creature hell-bent on destroying everything (his name ''is'' Destroyer), and the death of Godzilla's son. Godzilla dies and the evil monster is dead, but Godzilla's son succeeds him, ultimately giving Japan the future it deserves.

* ''Disney/MeetTheRobinsons'' was not a bad movie, but it was almost ''ridiculously'' idealistic.

* Contrast ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'' with ''Film/KingKong''.

* Even more surprisingly ''Film/{{Batman}}'' also fits on the idealistic side, although not quite to the point of ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', but for Batman's actions, he becomes publicly loved and gets the girl, and ComicBook/TheJoker is dead. Although he had to take the cynical route of killing people to get there. It is mostly cynical, but it too is a case of EarnYourHappyEnding