The current state of cinema.

[Gustov]

Is it just me or does it feel as if the standard of films being commissioned are getting lower and lower?

This month I've seen the following which have predominantly been average at best.

-Hot Tub Time Machine 5/10
-Iron Man 2 5/10
-Price of Persia 5/10
-Ghost 6/10
-Bad Lieutenant 6/10
-Robin Hood 7/10

I understand that the sole priority of Hollywood is entertainment because it guarantees box office success, but I personally feel as if the industry is sacrificing storytelling to please its customers.

The pre-conceived expectations of the audience are often met, including jaw dropping CGI / Animation, a conventional 3 act narrative which is driven by the protagonists fight against his adversary and 9/10 topped off with a happy ending that answers all questions and leaves no room for audience interpretation.

Looking through my DVD collection I see films such as

Seven, Crash, The Prestige, LOTR, Gladiator, Heat, Fight Club, Casino, The Big Lebowski, City of God, American History X etc...

When am I going to see films like this at the cinema again

Looking at last years Oscars the only films that I thought were genuinely exceptional were Inglourious ********, Precious and District 9.

Thoughts?

 

[Richeh]

In all fairness most of the films you listed are nothing like your DVD's. Closest one probably being Robin Hood which got your highest score

Your watching the wrong kind of films imo

 

[Gustov]

In all fairness most of the films you listed are nothing like your DVD's. Closest one probably being Robin Hood which got your highest score

Your watching the wrong kind of films imo

That's pretty much been the films at the box office for the past month. If you look at the budget of Iron Man 2 I'm pretty sure it tops a lot of the DVDs I listed

 

[semi-pro waster]

I think that good films continue to be made but at the risk of perpetrating a cliche they're probably not all that likely to come from Hollywood and be the blockbuster releases of yore.

Of the films you've listed as exemplars at least a couple of them already demonstrate this possible trend - they're either "World cinema" or were considered relatively cult viewing. I believe that Hollywood will continue to make some good and even great films but dollar signs often seem to loom larger than storyline and I can understand that - if in trying to create a great film you alienate the core of your market then it's not a strategy likely to lead to your continuing success.

That's pretty much been the films at the box office for the past month. If you look at the budget of Iron Man 2 I'm pretty sure it tops a lot of the DVDs I listed

I'm not sure it was the budget he was talking about, more the style of film. The ones you'd selected from your collection are broadly intelligent story driven - the films at the cinema are comic book/story adaptations and light hearted romps as much as anything else.

 

[Abraham]

I'd rate Iron Man 2 above robin hood, and probably agree with your robin hood score. I've seen some pretty awesome films this year so far.

 

[Gustov]

if in trying to create a great film you alienate the core of your market then it's not a strategy likely to lead to your continuing success.

One could even argue that no one goes to the cinema see a particular film anymore. We go to the 'movies' because it has become a commodity and a part of our culture which allows us to pass up time. Hollywood doesn't do much for it's audience in terms of art, take a sculpture or painting for example which invite the viewer to take perspective. Hollywood is seeming to strive the audience of this participation which is quite frankly disappointing.

Personally, I like films that incorporate both, inviting the audience to interact with the narrative whilst keeping you entertained at the same time. A challenging task to say the least.

I'd rate Iron Man 2 above robin hood, and probably agree with your robin hood score. I've seen some pretty awesome films this year so far.

Iron man was in my opinion, no more than a a CGI fest with a dire storyline. Not that I expected anymore...

Does it also not tell you something if the films from the last month that I listed are all adaptations / flicks?

 

[Glaucus]

why go watch films you wont be interested in? Iron man 2 is brilliant 9/10, wouldn't mind seeing robin hood. As for the rest no chance I will pay money to watch them.

Grand Turino and law abiding citizen off the top of my head falls in to your dvd collection, they were at the cinema.
Outstanding films don't come out every month.

 

[Gustov]

why go watch films you wont be interested in? Iron man 2 is brilliant 9/10, wouldn't mind seeing robin hood. As for teh rest no chance I will pay money to watch them.

Seems Hollywood have their target audience bang on

For me to even consider rating a film 9/10, it has to relate to life (that's not saying I'm ruling out animation) in a way that I take something away from the film, much like a life experience. I watched Iron Man 2 and forgot about it 2 mins after leaving.

I know there will be many people reading this thinking I'm a right snob and that's fair enough. Although I believe it is this type of audience who are responsible for half the crap Hollywood churn out.

Grand Turino and law abiding citizen off the top of my head falls in to your dvd collection, they were at the cinema.
Outstanding films don't come out every month.

Neither have anything on any of the films I've listen from my collection (although that's down to personal opinion)

 

[Antar Bolaeisk]

It's like everything else, 60% of the films will be terrible, another 35% will be watchable to good with the next 4% being great, and the last 1% being fantastic.

Note: Percentages plucked from the ether.

 

[Smit]

Seems to be of the same quality as it always has been for me.
Some really good/funny/enjoyable movies mixed in with loads of movies I don't really like.

 

[JC-Retro]

Big problem today, is that if you have a go at some movies which are popular (but in your opinion - rubbish), you get called 'elitest' or a 'movie snob.'

I think there is plenty of good films that have been made over the last ten years and some have been great (eg. The Departed, Changeling.)

The problem is, there is today (unlike the years before) a lot more rubbish being put out there. Rubbish that is sugarcoated in teenage sensationalism, like Transformers 2 or terrible non-scary films (that have been rammed down people's throats in advertising) like Paranormal Activity.

So don't give up on movies, even if the film industry seems to be lacking with the craft-side of things these days.

 

[Gustov]

Big problem today, is that if you have a go at some movies which are popular (but in your opinion - rubbish), you get called 'elitest' or a 'movie snob.'

I think there is plenty of good films that have been made over the last ten years and some have been great (eg. The Departed, Changeling.)

The problem is, there is today (unlike the years before) a lot more rubbish being put out there. Rubbish that is sugarcoated in teenage sensationalism, like Transformers 2 or terrible non-scary films (that have been rammed down people's throats in advertising) like Paranormal Activity.

So don't give up on movies, even if the film industry seems to lacking with the craft-side of things these days.

Content removed!

 

[Kev_19]

IT has been a poor start to the summer blockbuster season. Is there anything good to look forward to this summer?

 

[Makunouchi]

That's pretty much been the films at the box office for the past month.

You're going to the wrong cinema then. Find a Picturehouse theater near to you and start watching some decent films

 

[Abraham]

You're going to the wrong cinema then. Find a Picturehouse theater near to you and start watching some decent films

shouldn't even need a picturehouse, four lions has been on general release.

there isn't much still to come this summer in terms of good big films, toy story 3 is probably where my money's going as best of the summer

 

[daz]

Ritzy at Brixton and the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square play a lot of classics and world cinema.

Alternatively, sign up for Lovefilm and go through all the great films you've missed in the past. In the last month I've rented:-

The Seven Samurai
Live Flesh (Carne Tremula)
2001 A Spacey Odyssey
Rear Window
Raging Bull
The Lives of Others

All superb films.

 

[Antar Bolaeisk]

IT has been a poor start to the summer blockbuster season. Is there anything good to look forward to this summer?

shouldn't even need a picturehouse, four lions has been on general release.

there isn't much still to come this summer in terms of good big films, toy story 3 is probably where my money's going as best of the summer

Inception

There are some big kids films during the Summer such as Shrek 4 and the aforementioned Toy Story 3 but I don't think it's going to be much of a Summer for films. In fact the only other film I'm looking forward to this year apart from Inception is Tron 2.

 

[Demoniser]

You will always have mediocre movies, games and music. It doesn't matter what entertainment industry they come from.

The mediocre movies while pretty average pay for the studios to stay afloat and make the 'fantastic' movies that come out every so often. Also not every director/script writer/producer out there is fantastic.

Sadly hollywood and the movie industry is a cash cow to allot of people.

If every film that came out was fantastic, 10/10 stuff then they would all eventually become average as our standards change and we start to look for something 'better'.

That being said i would love for less of the focus nowadays to be on making money but sadly its jut the way it is at the moment .

 

[Kev_19]

Inception

There are some big kids films during the Summer such as Shrek 4 and the aforementioned Toy Story 3 but I don't think it's going to be much of a Summer for films. In fact the only other film I'm looking forward to this year apart from Inception is Tron 2.

Any link to a trailer for Inception?

 

[Antar Bolaeisk]

Any link to a trailer for Inception?