Jump to content

Am I the only one finding cinema releases lacking?


Recommended Posts

I have been a Movie Pass holders for several months now, and I use to love to go to the movies. However, within the past 2-3 months, I have noticed a marked lack of good, quality films. Occasionally, you'll see a descent summer blockbuster or some such, but more and more often I'm finding it's a bunch of sequels to movies that weren't good the first time around, or original pieces that are simply weird or too far out there.

 

Meanwhile, on TV and streaming, we have a lot of great shows that are hard to put down. They seem to keep coming as well, and rarely do I find one that I hate. I'm actually considering getting rid of my movie pass subscription, because it feels like I'm dragging myself to see some of these movies simply to justify the monthly fee.

 

Am I the only one who has found that TV and streaming seem to be surpassing cinema in quality content as of late?

Edited by Landon D. Parks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

I've been saying this for 10 years... Outside of oscar bait, there ain't nothing to see in the theaters. I use to go at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, there was so much great content. Then it slowly turned into crap and today, I only go if there is a film print or something extraordinary like a GOOD movie, imagine that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

how about watching an European or Asian movie instead? maybe even some drama or documentary?

I don't know how many European films are distributed in the area you live, there may very well be none outside the American blockbusters....

the American "independent" movies are generally quite good so maybe you could find one of those at least :lol:

 

the main problem with Movies vs. TV Content is that movies have to be forged to a standard form and lenght whereas tv series have much more freedom and possibilities to handle complicated storylines and lots of interesting characters

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

I think a lot of this is based on the fact that TV, particularly OTT TV like Netflix and Amazon, has recently got a lot better. These companies are trying to outspend each other and it's led to a virtuous circle of very, very good television.

 

Would something like Altered Carbon have ever been possible before this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it actually playing in a theatre near you? We have 726 locations, so there's a good chance it is.

 

How many tickets can we put you down for Macks? How many friends, and family can you bring?

 

As you can see we have a limited marketing budget so the director is making personal invites via the internet. :)

 

R,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks good, Richard. Playing at 5 theaters within a 10 miles radius of me. You know I'll be there for it. Personally, I have liked your previous films a lot. I'm a sucker for family-type films, which might be one reason why I'm disappointed in the cinema offerings - most are either horror knock-offs (I love good horror and thrillers too, but the keyword there is 'good'), sequels to superhero movies, or the latest Bruce Willis action flick - none of which really spike my interest.

 

Most of the good family-type fare is now either a TV series (Once upon a time, Lemony Snicket, etc.) or direct-to-video. Then there are my all-time go-to shows Game of Thrones, Supernatural, X Files, etc.

 

Plus I'm now hooked on The Crown. Netflix is really stepping up its game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OP, don't know?

 

I don't go to all that many movies anymore. I went to the 2 last Star Wars and some other one I can't remember. I get the DVD's for free from the library and watch at home...as many movies as I like from the entire state full of libraries.

 

I like films like High Noon, La Strada, Godfather. Lots of the old school BW where they had to make it on acting and a story. Recently saw Naked City and loved it.

 

I don't like all the bullshit, super human special effects movies that are beyond reality. All they have is special effects as far as I'm concerned. It is like these guys that take photos with a ND filter on their cams and blur up the water to look smoky. They all start looking the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still like to go and see movies at the cinema. I don't go and see any of the garbage sorts of films full of CGI and no plot or interesting character and story. Seen all the recent Star Wars movie, and recently went to see 'Darkest Hour' which was great. It is actually good for you to get out.

 

The last time I went to the movies a few weeks back it was full and I sat next to a woman who wanted 2 chairs to herself, ponged of ethanol, and when I pointed out I needed the chair next to her, she very grudgingly hefted an enormous bag full of (presumably grog) bottles off the chair, and then whinged to me that I'd interrupted her enjoyment of the start of the movie, and also sighed loudly every time she wanted to spread out in her chair, so to speak, and kept bumping into my leg .... but aside from all that I enjoyed the movie.

 

I've lately discovered a place that shows 16mm and 35mm prints and although it's a bit of a drive I might start going there whenever I can. I still consider it a bonus if a good film is shot on film. It means a lot to me. Even better if projected on film. A film has to have soul to be entertaining. Darkest Hour has that. It's an honest film. The worst films don't have soul because the director/scriptwriter don't really 'get' what life is about ... what people are. Life is about struggle and frailty and toughness and fortitude and love. If you've got that, and you do it with sincerity, you've got a picture that's going to at least pay for itself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could have you on a small radio show I run to talk about it. Could be fun

 

Lucky for you, I'm a media whore, I'm there!!

 

R,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks good, Richard. Playing at 5 theaters within a 10 miles radius of me. You know I'll be there for it. Personally, I have liked your previous films a lot. I'm a sucker for family-type films, which might be one reason why I'm disappointed in the cinema offerings - most are either horror knock-offs (I love good horror and thrillers too, but the keyword there is 'good'), sequels to superhero movies, or the latest Bruce Willis action flick - none of which really spike my interest.

 

Most of the good family-type fare is now either a TV series (Once upon a time, Lemony Snicket, etc.) or direct-to-video. Then there are my all-time go-to shows Game of Thrones, Supernatural, X Files, etc.

 

Plus I'm now hooked on The Crown. Netflix is really stepping up its game.

 

Try and get there for 5:30, then you can watch the pre show on elephants I put together.

 

R,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

I grew up with comics in the continental European tradition, like Tintin, Asterix & Obelix, Lucky Luke and Spirou etc, so for me DC and Marvel never meant anything. And in today's tentpole cinema there is almost nothing but that, so for me the last years have been challenging. I'm just not that interested in Ant-Man or Avengers etc - I have no relationship to them. Dressing up in a suit and being invincible just doesn't carry a lot of dramatic conflict for me.

 

I also became a father 2 years ago and between family life and work, it's very hard to get away to the cinema these days. I think I've been twice last year, which is shockingly bad for a cinephile. I have huge gaps in my film watching from the last 5 years, which didn't use to be the way.

 

In any case, I do see a slight return of the more drama-oriented movies like The Post, Spotlight etc, so there seems to be interesting work happening besides all the superhero stuff. For awhile it just felt like cinema was the same as big tentpole Marvel stuff. I'm glad there seems to room for other stuff still.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

 

I also became a father 2 years ago and between family life and work, it's very hard to get away to the cinema these days. I think I've been twice last year, which is shockingly bad for a cinephile. I have huge gaps in my film watching from the last 5 years, which didn't use to be the way.

 

Yes, with three kids I'm extremely picky about how I waste time. In the past year I've made it out for Blade Runner, The Last Jedi, and Phantom Thread in 70mm. Comic book movies aren't even a consideration. Nice thing is my wife lets me go down in the basement almost every night and watch something on my projector for an hour or so. Last night was Kill Bill.

 

And no matter how good it is, if a movie isn't shot in a style I like, I won't see it in theaters.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only movie based on comic books I like is 'Superman' (1978). A picture with heart and soul. It was made with a bit of tongue in cheek, even in its day, this idea that Superman was 'good' and pure and kind, in a world that needed saving ... but it worked.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curious. Do you retain a firm like Brigade for that? What is the PNA fund in percentage terms to the budget?

 

I only need to invite about 100, 000 people and we're there!

 

R,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...