The future of movies

[megabyteme]

Those of us in this community have free access to literally everything that comes out, has been out, or is otherwise difficult/impossible to find. That said, I have found myself with months now where nearly everything is poorly rated, a remake (poorly done), or just poorly told/written/directed/acted.

I realize that filesharing has made the major studios 'play it safe' in terms of moviemaking-- going with formulas that generate revenue while taking fewer/no risks in terms of coming out with new ideas. However, Hollywood is NOT the only source of movies these days-- nearly every country with running water and electricity has studios which are creating their own films. We also have Netflix and Amazon producing their own material, yet alone HBO and other traditional cable networks.

All this said, we *should* have an abundance of good, even great, material to watch. We simply don't.

Why? What will bring about the needed change?


I intentionally put this in Serious discussion because I believe it merits intelligent discussion-- and I don't have answers...

[Gribley]

Most new stuff involves either supernatural or just another Marvel spin for TV or Film. I watch `em as they are not totally bad and I have nothing better to do.

I would like more and lets be honest re-hashing stuff from our time is new to most and totally acceptable. I can think of several series that I would watch a reboot of just because the very slimmest core of the original show was still there. I`m old and just like to relive that youth thing now and again ;)

[megabyteme]

I managed to stomach about 2/3 of the new Papillon movie. It managed to incorporate most of the original's scenes while failing to capture the essence and even the time (to me, it felt like it was almost modern day instead of turn of the century) period. Nothing gained from the remake; *much* lost.

I'm not even in Idol's camp of 'it's gotta be old to be good'-- if the new version was the only one made, it would not be a classic, more of a movie-of-the-week. And I absolutely *love* the original.

[Gribley]

OK I`m not that old. Didn`t watch the 1973 version (at 1 yr old may not of been suitable) or even know about a remake. I`m more gone in 60 secs and Thomas Crown remake era :S Those I liked but I have no doubts the originals were probably better.

Now I am feeling all young and rebellious

[IdolEyes787]

I'm not even in Idol's camp of 'it's gotta be old to be good'. Hardly true. It's just logical that in the century and half they've making movies not every good one would have been made in the last five years.

As for the current sci-fi boom unfortunately it's mostly driven by boredom with the familiar unlike previous spikes which were driven by people having their imaginations piqued by technological change.
H.G. Wells-industrialization.The 50s early 60s - nuclear. The 70s- space exploration. The 80s- computers. Very little good comes from being bored. Witness this forum for an example.

Movies in general also suffer because of familiarity caused by the internet and the World ever increasingly becoming a smaller place.
A film now really has to work to get a sense of place right whereas previous just setting a movie in Africa would give a sense of the totally alien.

@Gribley Just curious. Does the fact that I wasn't born in 1960 mean that I somehow now can't read To Kill a Mockingbird?

Steel yourself for more bad news, Meg. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/new-line-wins-bidding-war-train-busan-remake-james-wan-1146253

Chance of these twats turning out a film with a faction of the soul of the orginal, less than zero.

[dion09529]

Those of us in this community have free access to literally everything that comes out, has been out, or is otherwise difficult/impossible to find. That said, I have found myself with months now where nearly everything is poorly rated, a remake (poorly done), or just poorly told/written/directed/acted.

I realize that filesharing social media has made the major studios 'play it safe' ....



fixed!

[megabyteme]

I realize that filesharing social media has made the major studios 'play it safe' ....



fixed!

Please explain.

[megabyteme]

Hardly true. It's just logical that in the century and half they've making movies not every good one would have been made in the last five years.

As for the current sci-fi boom unfortunately it's mostly driven by boredom with the familiar unlike previous spikes which were driven by people having their imaginations piqued by technological change.
H.G. Wells-industrialization.The 50s early 60s - nuclear. The 70s- space exploration. The 80s- computers. Very little good comes from being bored. Witness this forum for an example.

Movies in general also suffer because of familiarity caused by the internet and the World ever increasingly becoming a smaller place.
A film now really has to work to get a sense of place right whereas previous just setting a movie in Africa would give a sense of the totally alien.


Steel yourself for more bad news, Meg. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/new-line-wins-bidding-war-train-busan-remake-james-wan-1146253

Chance of these twats turning out a film with a faction of the soul of the orginal, less than zero.

I have not seen that one, actually it slipped past me altogether. Will grab it for tomorrow night. :)

As for your points on the number of decades of film making and only so many films becoming classics-- there's merit to that, but look at the sheer quantities we are deluged with currently. It's hard enough picking and choosing what to watch yet alone keeping up with half of what comes out on a monthly basis. Sadly, I rarely find myself more than entertained by *anything* over the course of a year. And my bar is far lower than yours: I'll feel satisfied with 2 hours of mindless entertainment (like The Meg, for example) while a more critical eye will shun such a movie.

I don't remember the last film that had come out that rises to the level of the original Papillion, Cool Hand Luke, Shawshank (just kidding :devil: )... Usual Suspects, Private Ryan, Good Will Hunting, Forrest Gump, The Professional-- all have something special throughout which we haven't seen in quite some time.

Dare I say that we have reached the point of cinematic fast food? Something that is empty, non-nourishing, disposable and short-lived instead of satisfying, enjoyable, thought-provoking, and made with great care. I think so, sadly.

[nQQ]

Filesharing doesn't make them play safe, its a zero revenue stream so they won't consider that. The movie industry has always had an attitude of when find a winning formula stick with it - hence why many films had multiple sequels of varying success. Now we have the same but they just change the title rather than add II, III, etc. Remakes have always happened, even in the same series - the plot lines of the new star wars are very similar to the originals.

It could be said that we have run out of original concepts - but they try, like the game themes Clue, Pacman, Battleship and hangman - I eagerly await noughts-and-crosses and tic-tac-toe (not!!)

[MacGyverSG1]

Yeah, the studios like to blame piracy if the numbers are down. But they can't do that right now. Piracy actually has a positive impact. It's free advertising. I still buy movies that I really like. No lost revenue there. They like to count every download as lost revenue, but 99% of downloaders would have never purchased it anyway.

[nQQ]

Also saves been disappointed after watching a trailer and finding all the best bits of the movie were in that and the rest is just filler.

[lkumarg]

Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe

This movie is from china and i enjoyed it a lot , More than most of the super human movies that is coming out lately

[PMG7]

This question may now have a different slant. With the pandemic having closed everything down and studios hemorrhaging money, a lot won't survive. For the ones that do, their future projects will most likely be financially cautious. This doesn't even take into account the cinemas, will there be many left?
There is a chance here that with possibly far fewer movies being given the green light, that we may get a bit more quality.

Here's hoping.

[j2k4]

For what it's worth - though I haven't DLed anything at all in several years - I don't think Hollywood, or whencever the media emerges, is capable of producing a product free of ideological content.

I say this speaking primarily of the large-dollar, 'big star' productions, wherein expectations are great.

I can't remember not being disappointed more than a very few times in the last couple decades.

[IdolEyes787]

If you want some insight as to how Hollywood works I suggest Googling something along the lines of "how China effects the movie industry". You know there is some truth to it when such vastly disparate forums as the Heritage Foundation and The Atlantic come to the same conclusion.
Seems you don't have to live in a dictatorship to still be effected by it.

[j2k4]

^Troof^

[IdolEyes787]

The Chinese made the studio remove all references of the zombie epidemic starting in China from World War Z because clearly no global pandemic besides every single one could start there.

[j2k4]

Geez, 15 years ago we'd have been trafficking here for debate, argument and exchange about everything afoot; this would have made a nice little detour...

[j2k4]

...Oh yes, and these days, no one can be fussed to do it, or do it right, one.

[kernowkid75]

Original scriptwriting has died.

[Zupper]

The trouble for me with the latest movies is that most seem to have a Woke messages imbedded in it somewhere. What ever happened to entertaining films. More and more theses days I watch the back catalog of movies, CGI is not a requirement for a good movie.

[IdolEyes787]

A script shouldn't include things that are put there expressly because the scriptwriter feels that those things are somehow now expected from him. ie Q doesn't need to be ghey. I'm sure the entirety of the Bond audience was fine with Q's sexuality never being a topic.

[Zupper]

I watch the trailers because it give a good indication of how Woke the Movie will be, an instant turn off for me is the politically correct duo, one black guy teamed with a white woman.


Also saves been disappointed after watching a trailer and finding all the best bits of the movie were in that and the rest is just filler.