The trouble with movies

[IHateMyJob2004]

Topic borrowed from here

Hollywood is in a monster slump at the box office, with revenues declining consistently for some time now. Some say it's because folks are choosing to watch movies at home on DVD. Others say it's because Hollywood has abandoned adults, catering only to the teenage crowd.
Maybe this makes me an old fogey, but I think this sounds just about right. I'm not sure it's entirely an age/demographics problem, but I do think Hollywood needs to produce higher quality movies. Action films have pretty much abandoned any semblance of storytelling to chain together spectacular special-effects sequences. Reviewers used to say this was true in the early 90s, but it wasn't until some point later that big-budget action flicks just gave up on plot. I remember sitting stunned in the theater at the first summer blockbuster that really did this?can't recall the name?and then every new action movie I watched since was like that: indecipherable. Meanwhile, Hollywood seems to have practically abandoned the mid-line movie, the non-blockbuster flick that's not an indie film. Dramas like "Million Dollar Baby" and "Cinderella Man" don't get made so often anymore. I've resorted to watching TV dramas and renting DVDs of shows like "24," which are usually way better than most movies.

So what do you think is the trouble with the movie business? Discuss.

I have to agree with the idea that hollywood only caters to kids. The last movie I saw that was funny due to dialog and not someone tripping over something was The Holy Grail. OK, that's going to far, but watching people fall down wqhen you are 28 just isn't funny anymore.

As for the speciall effects driving movie sequences, how about Harry Potter (debate begin) and Star Wars Episode 1.

Any thoughts?

 

[Mucho]

I rarely go to the movies mainly because its has become too expensive, here in Toronto two tickets, popcorn and soda cost about $35 on a saturday night.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Mucho
I rarely go to the movies mainly because its has become too expensive, here in Toronto two tickets, popcorn and soda cost about $35 on a saturday night.

Let's see. Connecticut Coats on a Weekend night for two:

Popcorn, two sodas, $8. Tickets are $8 each. So, about $25 for two.

I don't think that's to bad. It's worth it in many cases though. Depends on the movie though.

 

[cjgallen]

The MPAA would have you think that piracy is ruining the industry, not sh!tty movies :roll:

 

[chuckywang]

The Hollywood bubble is about to burst!!!

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I just realized. Some awesome movies form the past (my childhood years) were Labyrinth and The NEver Ending Story. The best thing about htem though is it invoked a childs imagination. I've seen Harry Potter and several other kids movies. They do almost nothing for a child's imagination these days.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: cjgallen
The MPAA would have you think that piracy is ruining the industry, not sh!tty movies :roll:

They've got to blame someone.

 

[BlueWeasel]

I just don't go as much anymore because of the crap they put out nowdays. Maybe I'm being anal, but generally if the reviews are really bad, I don't bother trying to see it in the theater.

 

[David Brent]

netflix is much cheaper per movie, and i have over 100 movies in my queue. i've got plenty to watch.

 

[Anubis]

i havent been to the thearter in like a year

why?

mainily because im lazy, i mean id like to see the movies, however i really dont have a desire to go see them in the thearter anymore, ill either rent them or wait for them to come to TV, however i havent actually rented a movie in well over a year, and i now dont have cable, hehehehe, and no i dont download them either


there have been very few MUST SEE movies released in the past 5 years, that and the near 10$ a ticket price, dealing with annoying kids in the thearter and then general pain of it all isnt really worth it

 

[2cpuminimum]

Lord of the Rings, Matrix, and spiderman did pretty well. It's just been a while since a string of good movies came out. Most of what's out these days is trying to capitalize on saleability of large explosions and actresses with big... names. Harry potter books are good, what irritates me about the movies is when they add something that wasn't in the book and doesn't really help with the story/characters, and then cut out key clarifications that were in the book.

 

[Kadarin]

The theater is expensive, and a hassle to go to when I have a perfectly good 36" Sony WEGA XBR at home with a home theater system. I'll wait for the dvd, thanks.

 

[jjzelinski]

I hate the crowds of a theater. One the credits roll and the lights come up I feel like I've shared some "experience" with a room full of people I don't care to know. It's almost makes me panicky, and I get the same effect sometimes when I go into a Wal-Mart full of weird, ugly people...

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I went to see Star Wars and was very disappointed in the explosions. My bass shakers have spoiled me.

 

[Muadib]

I last went to the movies to see EP3. It cost me $9 for the ticket, and another $9 for something to eat. And it was just me!!! Normally it cost me twice that. And this was during the day, and I had to sit next to a smelly woman!!! I had to see it though, and in fact saw it twice. However, blockbusters like that are few and far between. Most movies today just don't have that must see now quality.

I can wait for the DVD which is usually around $16, and it's mine!! You can't beat that.

As for the quote in the op. Cinderella Man has made less than $35 million, and is without a doubt a bomb.

 

[Siva]

I just took my girlfriend to Batman Begins. It was $14 for the tickets and nothing for the food cause we ate dinner before hand (why overpay for gross food when you can overpay for an expensive restaurant).

Anywaysssssssssssssss, the price of movies will never keep me away, there are plenty of theatres, in fact most of the nicer ones, that offer matinees or student discounts which make it possible to see a movie for $6-7 dollars. I often want to see a movie on a random day with nothing to do, but don't end up going just because nothing good is out. The industry sucks, more and more I see foreign films and enjoy them much more than a domestic blockbuster with no substance. Batman was an exception in that it was good, just because it does some measure of justice to the comics.

 

[Legend]

I rarely go to the movies mainly because its has become too expensive, here in Toronto two tickets, popcorn and soda cost about $35 on a saturday night.

Matinee with no fatty snacks = 5.25 where I live. I probably spend a few bucks on gas getting to it tho because there's so much road construction in Knoxville right now.

It's still kind of expensive.

I hadn't seen any movies for a year until last month. Went to blockbuster and got a pass for $15. Rented like 40 movies (i was between work and school, I had the time). Now that's the way to save money.