Genre Research: Kissing Booth

 

The Kissing Booth is a modern pinnacle of rom coms, so I started my genre research by rewatching the first 2 minutes of this film. This is a 3-movie series with a book trilogy counterpart (which I read and watched all 3 movies and all 3 books), which were all equally as bad as the other. While watching the first 2 minutes I took notes on all the shots presented and oh my gosh does it make sense why I hated these movies.

Establishing shot with zoom out zoom in, canted shot, close up (labor room), tilt up, tracking shot, close up, close up, two shot (use of editing mainly for clip), establishing, zoom out zoom in jump cut, close up photo collage zoom in, master shot, over the shoulder, over the shoulder, establishing, mid shot, POV, close up tracking, over the shoulder, mid shot x5, long shot low angle clockwise pan, mid shot clockwise pan, low angle clockwise pan, close up clockwise pan, low angle clockwise pan, (time skip now on other axis) low angle clockwise pan, (went back to other axis so it didn’t matter that much I guess) mid shot clockwise pan, other axis mid shot clockwise pan, low angle clockwise pan, close up clockwise pan, low angle clockwise pan, master shot, close up, three shot, two shot, axial cut, close up (of cast), axial cut to close up, mid shot tracking, close up, four shot, long shot, close up tracking, long shot, two shot, close up, four shot, four shot, close up, mid shot, mid shot, establishing shot, establishing shot zoom in, establishing shot, establishing shot zoom out, (WERE SPINNING AGAIN WHY!!) low angle clockwise pan, close up clockwise pan, low angle clockwise pan, (another time skip to other axis) low angle clockwise pan, two shot clockwise pan, low angle clockwise pan, close up of legs clockwise pan, two shot clockwise pan, master shot, two shot, establishing shot, low angle mid shot, close up, three shot, mid shot, mid shot, jump cut mid shot, master shot, close up, POV, close up x3, long shot, over the shoulder, two shot, close up tilt down. 

Kissing Booth Beginning Sequence

There is way too much going on within the first 2 minutes. The average shot duration in these 2 minutes is 1.38 seconds. The shots switch around way too fast, and I actually start to feel dizzy when watching the Dance Dance Revolution sequence of them growing up.

The beginning of the movie does little to even introduce us to the characters as well. We just get a rapid fire of events that have happened like Lee and Elle fighting or breaking their leg on their scooter. We don't know anything about the characters other than Elle and Lee are best friends and Elle likes Lee's older brother. We know nothing about any of their personalities.

In my opinion, I think this is one of the most overhyped rom coms of all time and its cinematography to its writing is abominable. After watching this film, I know that I will not be using a lot of short duration clips and I will avoid starting my film off at the very beginning of the main character's life.

The plot for this film is something I like though; MC is in love with BFF's brother but can't date him because of a childish set of rules they made up when they were younger. Realistically, this could've been an amazing film, but it was terribly executed.