Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 8 hours ago, Thor said: Still no. 99.9%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayesian 1,363 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 I voted no, but largely on the basis that maybe 10-20% of mainstream films are enjoyable to me. If I were a studio exec, I frankly don’t know what I would do—other than insist that no film gets more than a $70 million budget so it doesn’t require making a shit ton of money at the box office to recoup the investment. The biggest box office hits now (as well as the misfires) are almost ridiculous in their contrivances to make sure not to offend some regional market or some group or demographic. Which on paper doesn’t necessarily mean the film will be “bad,” just that it will have really obvious pandering. Having said that, I appreciate that mainstream movies today generally have better “design” in terms of camerawork, editing, and sfx than movies predating Jurassic Park. (Exceptions abound, yes, and the music tends to be woefully worse, alas.) I also don’t mind so much how movies in the last three decades have become rather obsessed with backstory. There always seems to be a scene that explains why someone or something is the way it is, to bring closure to the plot. It’s never ok to just let something be just because. It’s like getting a little extra plot for your $12. I’ve become pretty selective about which mainstream fare is worth my time, with the result being that I’ve enjoyed almost everything I’ve seen in theaters or streaming—which is pretty damn little. Jungle cruise was good. So was Cruella. Looking forward to Free Guy. I doubt I’ll ever watch another superhero movie or tv show again, so sick and tired have I become after twenty fucking years of that shit. Avatar 2+ is going to be stellar, though. Anything Spielberg is worth a watch. Indy 5… NTTD… yeah, Hollywood can still grab my attention when it tries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUlyssesian 2,478 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Hollywood films are generally very poorly conceived I feel. There is nothing in them remotely challenging or original. Also the direction in most Hollywood movies is absolutely terrible. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 @TSMefford must be the easiest to satisfy - if he gets a good aspect ratio he's happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Using 2020 as an example, just because it's the most recent year we've left behind, there were plenty of excellent mainstream/Hollywood movies that made it to my top 30 list. I've never been able to understand the one-sided dismissal of either Hollywood movies or "arthouse" movies. There are values to be found in both, as long as you evaluate them on their own terms. However, I also don't understand people who only choose to watch ONE type of movie for their entire life. I just love film as an artform in all shapes and forms -- small, big, indie, blockbuster, arthouse, new, old, you name it. My top 30 of last year (Norwegian premiere dates), with the "mainstream" movies bolded, however one defines that: 1. A Hidden Life 2. Parasite 3. Color Out of Space / Soul 4. 1917 5. Om det uendelige [About Endlessness] 6. The Hunt 7. Relic 8. Undine 9. Et glass til [Another Round] 10. Breaking Surface X. For Sama / Last and First Men 11. On the Rocks 12. Sala samobójców. Hejter 13. The Gentlemen 14. Love and Monsters 15. Kunstneren og tyven [The Painter and the Thief] 16. Host 17. Selvportrett [Self Portrait] 18. Light of My Life 19. First Cow 20. Only the Devil Lives Without Hope 21. Monos 22. Uncut Gems 23. Young Ahmed 24. Underwater 25. Alone 26. She Dies Tomorrow 27. An Officer and a Spy 28. Tenet 29. Greenland 30. Let Them All Talk I don't think that's too bad, considering 2020 was particularly low on big blockbusters/Hollywood films, given the pandemic situation. My 2019 list has even more "mainstream movies" in the top 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 I don't have time to watch movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Just now, Jurassic Shark said: I don't have time to watch movies. But you do have time to call them 'garbage' nonetheless? Raiders of the SoundtrArk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 I've seen the trailers. That's enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 29 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: I don't have time to watch movies. Shark, you know that's bollocks! Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 41 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said: Shark, you know that's bollocks! I only watch films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 He, he...yeah, that's a long-running debate. I've always used the terms interchangeably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Jurassic Shark said: I only watch films. Keep saying bollocks like that, and you're going to be watching films out of the new one that I'll tear you! Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,337 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 3 hours ago, TheUlyssesian said: Also the direction in most Hollywood movies is absolutely terrible. Hmm, I've just seen a British disaster movie on Netflix about virus that needs to be contained in a series of apartment buildings. Watch it, it might change your mind about the quality of Hollywood direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 This becomes very self-involved now, but since I touched on 2019 earlier, I wanted to do a similar list of that year as the one I did for 2020 above. Mostly because 2019 is a more representative year than 2020. Again, the great mainstream/Hollywood movies in bold, and Norwegian premiere dates. 1. The House That Jack Built 2. Alita: Battle Angel 3. Once Upon a Time....in Hollywood 4. Ad Astra 5. Tara Para Morir Joven [Too Late to Die Young] 6. Maradona 7. Hotel Mumbai 8. They Shall Not Grow Old 9. Manbiki kazoku [Shoplifters] 10. Aniara X. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes 11. The Mule 12. Nanfang chezhan de juhui [The Wild Goose Lake] 13. Beats 14. Holiday 15. Sorry We Missed You 16. The Irishman 17. Joker 18. Disco 19. Lazzaro felice [Happy as Lazarro] 20. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 21. Vox Lux 22. La cordillère des songes [The Cordillera of Dreams] 23. 6 Underground 24. In the Tall Grass 25. Glass 26. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 27. Rambo: Last Blood 28. Beoning [Burning] 29. Arctic 30. The Favourite Again, a pretty good percentage. Raiders of the SoundtrArk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 7 minutes ago, Thor said: 20. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Are you saying this is a good film? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 It's the "worst" of the sequels, but still a good film in my opinion, yes. Raiders of the SoundtrArk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 Perhaps I should consider watching it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Do it, if only for the nano second of Williams dressed up as Oma Tres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,222 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Anyone have an idea what would be the raw number of mainstream films released in a typical (recent) year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 20 minutes ago, Thor said: Do it, if only for the nano second of Williams dressed up as Oma Tres. I could have petitioned more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 5 minutes ago, Glóin the Dark said: Anyone have an idea what would be the raw number of mainstream films released in a typical (recent) year? Worldwide, or in individual territories? What do you regard as "mainstream"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,506 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 6 minutes ago, Glóin the Dark said: Anyone have an idea what would be the raw number of mainstream films released in a typical (recent) year? No idea, but it would be an interesting statistic to behold. And as Fartie says, one would need to define 'mainstream' first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,533 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 Just now, Thor said: ...Fartie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 Just take the number of good films listed by Thor and multiply by 100. Glóin the Dark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,222 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 1 minute ago, Naïve Old Fart said: Worldwide, or in individual territories? Released anywhere, I suppose, but only counting their first release so that we're not recounting individual films over multiple years. 4 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said: What do you regard as "mainstream"? Not for me to say! Whatever the original post demands... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 Yeah, whatever I demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMefford 1,509 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 6 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said: @TSMefford must be the easiest to satisfy - if he gets a good aspect ratio he's happy. Ha! Not necessarily. I have gone through phases on which movies are legitimately good/bad etc whatever to me. As far as this question: I think it's been awhile since I wrote a novel on here, so here ya go. It's in the spoiler if you want to read the long, rambly, version: Spoiler I used to be pretty casual about movies a long, long time ago. I loved them and wanted to make them myself, but still relatively casual in hindsight just watching popular stuff in theaters. Then I got into Independent Films and Art Films and what not back like 10 or so years ago and so many of those were so mind blowing and so impactful to me and really felt like they actually meant something. For a good long while, I truly thought that this is what all cinema should aspire to be. I did still watch blockbusters, but it was more so for the "going out with friends" thing than it was about the movies themselves sometimes. Honestly though, in part because of the pandemic and all the struggle and crazy crap I went through, I simply was not in the mood for anything dark or sad or impactful and all that sort of stuff. I started a darker series at one point because I'd heard so much about it, but just couldn't watch anymore at the time. I did make an exception here or there and I'm glad I did in those cases, but mostly I was craving light fun and entertainment more than anything. The escape that a lot of people sometimes refer to films and television as. So I watched a bunch of rom-coms, action movies, blockbusters, etc. when I had the time and some of them were, I'll admit, probably shit. I enjoyed the hell out of them though (in many cases in spite of, and not because they might be shit) and if you enjoy something can it really be that garbage? So, I guess where I'm at now is somewhere in between casual films (mainstream) and the art films. I think the last year has honestly given me a new appreciation for films that are purely mindless fun that I don't need to think about, but I'm also adding back in those more meaningful films as I go. It just depends on how I feel any given day right now. Sometimes I've worked my ass off and I'm absolutely drained and don't want to think about anything. So I watch something that fits that bill and I enjoy it. Other days, I have a project that isn't fulfilling or bores me slightly and I come back looking for impact and meaning and I'll watch that. Now, do I have a problem with how corporate things are sometimes and studios crushing creativity? Of course, but there's not a damn thing I can do about that. I'm human and humans don't any damn sense, so I can also enjoy the final product for what it is, because it's done and I can't change it. So why not? I can also have criticisms of those things while also overall enjoying said things. Look, I've seen some pretty damn good mainstream films. I've seen some god awful independent films. It doesn't matter who's doing it. Either industry can and does make something bad. And yes, I do still legitimately hate some things or have problems with certain things to the point that it ruins them, but I'm specifically not naming anything because good and bad or so different for everyone. Basically, I appreciate both mainstream blockbuster type films and arthouse / independent films for what they each are and what different things they bring to the table. Would the best films even be as good if we didn't have the brainless stuff or the bad stuff to compare it to? I dunno, but I just sit back enjoy both, for the most part, these days. So, I voted no, because I still enjoy most of the mainstream films in a certain way. I can do that and also enjoy art films, independent films, etc. Just depends on the day, but there's a place for both. And I can also still criticize both kinds of media and how they're produced, because neither the mainstream world or the independent world are without problems. HunterTech and Jurassic Shark 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 4 minutes ago, TSMefford said: Basically, I appreciate both mainstream blockbuster type films and arthouse / independent films for what they each are and what different things they bring to the table. You're referring to aspect ratios, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMefford 1,509 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 44 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said: You're referring to aspect ratios, right? Sure! Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 1,059 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 No, there have been plenty of garbage movies made since cinema began. It may feel that way because films are made differently these days, multiplexes allow for more films to be seen and social media/cable/ streaming also gives a viewer more chances than say 30 years ago. But I’ve questioned why I’ve wasted 2 hrs watching films from the 30’s thru the 80’s just much as I have with cinema the last 20 years. Jurassic Shark and TSMefford 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 Of course, the poll question doesn't make any implications regarding the quality of the films of yesteryear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundlefly 2,385 Posted September 11, 2021 Share Posted September 11, 2021 4 hours ago, Thor said: It's the "worst" of the sequels, but still a good film in my opinion, yes. Wow, you ranked it over The Favourite... BTW, 99% is just too much. TSMefford 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,370 Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 13 hours ago, TSMefford said: Basically, I appreciate both mainstream blockbuster type films and arthouse / independent films for what they each are and what different things they bring to the table. This statement sound to a little bit like in Blues Brothers: "We play both kinds of music, country and western." First of all, Independent film ist not necessarily arthouse. I would consider most independent films trash, but on purpose. I would even question, if you could call for example Fox Searchlight productions independent or arthouse movies. If one seriously starts thinking about all these categorizations it really becomes difficult. Is Bladerunner 2049 mainstream? Sure. Was the first Bladerunner mainstream when it came out? I couldn't tell. Probably yes. I think, the term Mainstream has more to do with the reception of a movie than with how the movie is made. A successful arthouse film can become mainstream. An independent film can become mainstream. You can produce movies for the mainstream. These are probably the movies in scope of the title statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,692 Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 (Original question) No, and it would be nice if we focused on the positive things. Same goes for those endlessly complaining about 99% of scores being rubbish, and lamenting about how so much crap is released (I'm referencing a prior discussion here). Just ignore the stuff you don't like! Raiders of the SoundtrArk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 12, 2021 Author Share Posted September 12, 2021 17 minutes ago, Richard Penna said: Original question Thanks, I try to be as original as humanly possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,370 Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 3 hours ago, Richard Penna said: (Original question) No, and it would be nice if we focused on the positive things. Same goes for those endlessly complaining about 99% of scores being rubbish, and lamenting about how so much crap is released (I'm referencing a prior discussion here). Just ignore the stuff you don't like! Very good point. Let's focus on the good one percent and ignore the rest. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,337 Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 When I look at one single year from the Seventies, I see theatrical releases from Scorsese, Altman, Pollack, Spielberg, Coppola, De Palma, Allen, Kubrick, Fellini, Bergman, and the list goes on. What do you mean things haven't changed?! Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,222 Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 6 hours ago, AC1 said: ...one single year from the Seventies, I see theatrical releases from Scorsese, Altman, Pollack, Spielberg, Coppola, De Palma, Allen, Kubrick, Fellini, Bergman... Which year was this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,222 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 23 hours ago, AC1 said: ...one single year from the Seventies, I see theatrical releases from Scorsese, Altman, Pollack, Spielberg, Coppola, De Palma, Allen, Kubrick, Fellini, Bergman, and the list goes on... Okay, I'll rephrase: was there genuinely a single year with such releases somewhere in the world, or does this represent a look back at the 70s through slightly rose-tinted glasses? Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Don't you guys have anything better to talk about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 21 minutes ago, Glóin the Dark said: or does this represent a look back at the 70s through slightly rose-tinted glasses? There's also the issue of whether those were actually the movies that made money. We tend to forget it nowadays, but the early-to-mid 70s did have their own version of a big blockbuster: the disaster movie. Glóin the Dark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick1Ø66 4,718 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Tarantino considers the 70's to be the absolute apex of cinema. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,222 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 So do I. 36 minutes ago, Disco Stu said: Don't you guys have anything better to talk about? *Briefly surveys Disco Stu's recent posts* Ahem... Jurassic Shark and Nick1Ø66 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,337 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Glóin the Dark said: Okay, I'll rephrase: was there genuinely a single year with such releases somewhere in the world, or does this represent a look back at the 70s through slightly rose-tinted glasses? I would say that every year in the '70s kinda looked like that. Sure, not literally released in the same year, some movies were released sometimes a couple of months in the previous year, or in the next. And if Pollack wasn't present a given year, we got one by Ulu Grosbard instead! 31 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said: Tarantino considers the 70's to be the absolute apex of cinema. Many do, you know, the New American Wave et all. 50 minutes ago, Chen G. said: We tend to forget it nowadays, but the early-to-mid 70s did have their own version of a big blockbuster: the disaster movie. I didn't forget those at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 25 minutes ago, Glóin the Dark said: *Briefly surveys Disco Stu's recent posts* Ahem... I'd post more if anyone was having interesting conversations! *blows raspberry* Bayesian and Glóin the Dark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,337 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Disco hates the '70s because back then Spielberg didn't make movies about presidents yet. Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,222 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 28 minutes ago, AC1 said: I would say that every year in the '70s kinda looked like that... Your list does paint a somewhat exaggerated picture of the decade, because those directors simply didn't make enough films to have a release roughly once a year. It would be more like one every two years, on average, and of course that counts all of their films, including many which are not all that special. Certainly there were dozens of other directors releasing great films throught the 70s besides those you mentioned, but the same is true for recent years too. The 2010s saw releases by Tarantino, Anderson, McQueen, Sciamma, Haneke, Ramsay, Reichardt, Pawlikowski, Ceylan, Lee, Lee, Leigh, Kiarostami, Zvyagintsev, the Coens, Dardennes and Safdies, Tarr, Schrader, Loach, Malick, Martel, Hou, Decker, Cuaron...the list goes on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Guernsey 2,284 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 I appreciate that's not really the point of the question, but surely judgement is better done with hindsight? Lots of films, scores, TV shows, paintings, sculptures and artistic endeavours of every sort are basically mediocre or worse, but time lets the best ones stick around. Not to mention all the artists and composers who were hugely famous in their day but are largely forgotten now. For a more recent example, seen Avatar. I think it's still one of the top two or three highest grossing films of all time (although I concede that can be a meaningless statistic for any number of reasons, not least of all inflation, number of cinema seats, ticket costs... etc.) but who actually is clamouring for more Avatar films? It did stunningly well but I don't know if anyone really talks about it any more. It never became the cultural icon of, say, Star Wars or Indy or Star Trek or whatever. So, yeah, some large percentage of most artistic output is crap and the same is true of movies, but there's so much of it that it's hard to meaningful discern what is and isn't, but almost by definition it'll be the case (although 99% seems a bit mean!). HunterTech 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,079 Posted September 13, 2021 Author Share Posted September 13, 2021 4 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said: who actually is clamouring for more Avatar films? It did stunningly well but I don't know if anyone really talks about it any more. @Thor? 4 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said: although 99% seems a bit mean! Blame the YouTuber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Guernsey 2,284 Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 1 minute ago, Jurassic Shark said: @Thor? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Avatar and am quite interested to see the sequel... but I find it hard to believe that most members of the public are desperate for another 5 (or however many it is!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now