[Turnaround]

following up on the threads about "what did hollywood learn this summer" and they don't make films like they did in the 70s --


i also complain about the junk that hollywood makes, but with dvds i find myself watching and buying more subwoofer pounding, zero calorie action films than ever before. they wouldn't make it if we didn't buy it. you guys think it's your fault too?

 

[rezzy]

Well I would'nt say it's my fault. IF I see a bad movie, (the trailer usually tips me off) I'm not goin' to subject myself to seeing it again. Have you noticed that EVERYTHING goes to home video, good and bad, regardless of box-office receipts? I Dunno, maybe it's the current crop of new-jack producers hypnotizing moviegoers. Seems to be a bit like the music industry also. Keep buying crap and they'll keep making it.

 

[David_Hanlon]

I think it would be our fault if Hollywood had had a good summer this year.


They put out basically nothing but sequels, and thought that people would just lap it up. That didn't happen, and hopefully they get the message (but I doubt it )


I love a good action movie, but I'd like to see one that is well done, and has a decent spin on the usual story line. Even sequels can be ok, but they have to move the story along from the previous instalment.


X2 and Matrix Reloaded both did a good job from that perspective IMO, but T3 was atrocious. Very contrived, and reduced to a parody of T2 in some respects.


As for original stuff, well, there was maybe some that I'll rent (Hulk), some that I'll buy (DareDevil, Finding Nemo), but nothing that would draw me into the theatre.

 

[hoss]

Actually, in contrast to Rezzy, its usually the trailer that "RIPS me off", not tips me off. How many movies have you seen a good trailer for, only to go watch the flick and realize that the scenes they showed were the only redeeming part of the movie.

 

[apg]

"The Two Towers", as a sequel, did very well in theatres, and is #1 in DVD sales. Quality does sell...


On the other hand, I never saw, and none of my friends saw, or bought the DVD of, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". I suspect the numbers that "they" put out sometimes...

 

[JohnFR]

Given a choice, Hollywood would rather play it safe and do sequels and remakes rather than something new and maybe creative. True creativity is risky I suppose. I paid to see T3. The best I can say is that I wasn't as disappointed as I expected to be. It was a bit of a parody, as if the filmakers knew they couldn't top the first 2 Terminators so why bother trying. Instead, put in a few inside jokes referencing the earlier movies.

 

[Chino]

I definitely think the DVD buying public is to partly to blame, myself included. Horrible movies like 2fast2furious will surely make their money back on video, which is a shame because this summer ought to teach someone a lesson.


As far as T3 goes I was pleasently suprised, I thought it avoided most sequel pitfalls rather deftly in fact I enjoyed it more than T2. Daredevil however IMO is at the top of the "hope they learned something" list. You can't just take the star of the moment and stick him into a time honored characters role and have success every time. Daredevil was trite and contrived EVERY step of the way.


As far as LOTR:TT goes I would hardly categorize it as a sequel by the hollywood definition of the word.

 

[FredProgGH]

Hi, my name is Fred and I watch crappy movies. God, that does feel good.

 

[Aliens]

Quote:

Originally posted by Chino IYou can't just take the star of the moment and stick him into a time honored characters role and have success every time.

This is so true, but I can't see it changing especially if they have sex appeal, which most do, and sex will always sell. Look at the reality garbage wanna be stars and the exposure they get. What ever is hot the studios will push and you can't blame them. This leads me to think we are becoming even more sick mentally as a society when so many are seeking attention and will do practically anything to get it. Maybe worse yet, so many will watch others totally humiliate themselves and everyone around them and get great joy out of it.

 

[David_Hanlon]

Quote:

Originally posted by Chino As far as T3 goes I was pleasently suprised, I thought it avoided most sequel pitfalls rather deftly in fact I enjoyed it more than T2. Daredevil however IMO is at the top of the "hope they learned something" list. You can't just take the star of the moment and stick him into a time honored characters role and have success every time. Daredevil was trite and contrived EVERY step of the way.

I like DD because of it's darkness and moral ambiguity. The hero has obvious weaknesses, both physical and mental. He is not 'indestructible' and not entirely sure that he is justified in his actions, though he wants to think of himself as a good guy.


These are good elements for creating drama. I thought, by comparison, that T3 was trite and contrived (contrived to create more sequels )


Also DD was filmed on a tight schedule, and was essentially low budget for an action film, especially compared to T3. With more studio support, the visual effects would have turned out better.


But... this is not a thread about specific movies...

 

[yubyub]

Quote:

This leads me to think we are becoming even more sick mentally as a society when so many are seeking attention and will do practically anything to get it.

Becoming? Man, we've been a very sick society for quite a while now.
Quote:

Maybe worse yet, so many will watch others totally humiliate themselves and everyone around them and get great joy out of it.

This is humanity.


Quick story: I was walking back to my office after a meeting yesterday, and noticed that people along a particular block kept looking up in the sky. Being the curious sheep that I am, I looked too, and found that people were staring into a large window, behind which there were many women taking an aerobics class.


Listen: so I take a few minutes to finish my cup of coffee before returning to my office, and sit off to the side near this window. I'm watching people. Now, much to my surprise, most people don't look for long - just long enough to see what everybody else is looking at. A few men act like they've never seen a woman before. A few minutes later, a group of firemen walk toward the event. I can plainly see that the vast majority of these men are married. When they get a good look at the window, they stop and ogle for a few minutes.


But that's not the surprising part.


After the group leaves, one guy from the group stood there an additional minute, virtually drooling, waving his arms and yelling, trying to get the attention of one of the women. I was both shocked and chagrined.


Sex definitely sells. We're still a society run by basic primitive urges. I'm not surprised at all that Hollywood makes movies to cater to these urges. You've gotta make a buck.


-Jon

 

[yubyub]

Quote:

Hi, my name is Fred and I watch crappy movies. God, that does feel good.

That almost caused me to filter my coffee through my nose. A great laugh.


-Jon

 

[Aliens]

Quote:

Originally posted by yubyub Becoming? Man, we've been a very sick society for quite a while now.

Uh Jon, I think you need to read my post again. I did say we were sick, just becoming sicker.

Quote:

After the group leaves, one guy from the group stood there an additional minute, virtually drooling, waving his arms and yelling, trying to get the attention of one of the women. I was both shocked and chagrined.

On a similar note, I never understood catcalls guys give women as they walk by. Do they really think some babe is after someone who can only howl and utter stupid remarks? Talk about primitive behavior.

 

[yubyub]

Quote:

Uh Jon, I think you need to read my post again. I did say we were sick, just becoming sicker.

Ja, sorry, my poorly expressed point was that we passed an "insanity" point quite a while ago. That's what I meant - I'm not sure why I chose to type what I did...
Quote:

On a similar note, I never understood catcalls guys give women as they walk by. Do they really think some babe is after someone who can only howl and utter stupid remarks? Talk about primitive behavior.

An even sicker idea is this: why do men use bad pickup lines? Because they work often enough that it's worth it to use them.


Somewhere out there is someone who actually responds to catcalls...


-Jon