Who wants to see movies anyway?
There was a story about changes in the movie industry a couple days back. In it, the reporter said movie producers and theater owners were considering closing the "windows" between distribution venues. That is, shortening or eliminating the time between theatrical, rental, DVD, and TV releases. They're worried that the money is slipping and they have to change their strategy to shore up the bottom line.
I have two suggestions:
Make better movies.
Show me less in the previews.
The first one is obvious. Effects are fine, but dumb stories and lousy acting are ruining the desire to see films. Tell a good story, stop pandering to kids' perspectives, hire good actors, and rein in the self-absorbed among them to keep from making their personal lives become something you can't help thinking about when you're watching the show.
I can't watch Tom Cruise anymore because I suspect he's quite insane.
I dislike Meg Ryan because she went for Crowe during a movie and lost a better man for it.
Anyone from the Ocean's 11/12 cast has their head well up their own ass, so I can't but wonder how they must feel the world is lucky they came along to save us from anarchy.
Do I need to know personal junk about actors before I watch them pretend to be someone else for 90 minutes? I'd like to think if I heard anything about them, I'd want to respect them and know they act for the sake of the art (and a good living). Nobody on the "A" list seems capable of maintaining their integrity. Forget impressing the audience, even. How about being to sleep at night or spend the fabulous money you earn, or express an opinion about a cause without looking/feeling like a fake or a whore for it.
Then there's the trailers.
I didn't know Tom Hanks got rescued in "Castaway" and I would have rather wondered if, rather than when, he would get off the island.
"National Treasure" made no secret that they got the Declaration of Independence, so it became a chase. Whoopie.
The list is endless, but why tell me what happens? We sit in the theater and watch previews and say "maybe", "stupid", "rental", but most of the time, we say "well there's no point in seeing THAT one - they just told me the whole plot!"
Even the funny one-liners are all played out at the preview. You feel awkward hearing what would have been a funny joke, but now is just a punch line you've heard 20 times.
I think I saw most of the special effects from "War of the Worlds" in the preview, and since Tom Cruise is - in my opinion - fruitloops, that was all I needed to see of that movie anyway.
What films don't show too much? Better ones. "Million Dollar Baby" never let you know what was going on. Think of the better films you've seen. You probably didn't see too much in the trailer, and there was a little mystery left as you settled down in the dark.
There are other problems with the theater experience (stupidly high prices, poor service, rude behavior that goes un-punished), but I think that if theaters demand and show better movies, and if producers/directors/studios went the extra mile, we'd all come back.
Hollywood, can you hear me?
Be Nice.
I have two suggestions:
Make better movies.
Show me less in the previews.
The first one is obvious. Effects are fine, but dumb stories and lousy acting are ruining the desire to see films. Tell a good story, stop pandering to kids' perspectives, hire good actors, and rein in the self-absorbed among them to keep from making their personal lives become something you can't help thinking about when you're watching the show.
I can't watch Tom Cruise anymore because I suspect he's quite insane.
I dislike Meg Ryan because she went for Crowe during a movie and lost a better man for it.
Anyone from the Ocean's 11/12 cast has their head well up their own ass, so I can't but wonder how they must feel the world is lucky they came along to save us from anarchy.
Do I need to know personal junk about actors before I watch them pretend to be someone else for 90 minutes? I'd like to think if I heard anything about them, I'd want to respect them and know they act for the sake of the art (and a good living). Nobody on the "A" list seems capable of maintaining their integrity. Forget impressing the audience, even. How about being to sleep at night or spend the fabulous money you earn, or express an opinion about a cause without looking/feeling like a fake or a whore for it.
Then there's the trailers.
I didn't know Tom Hanks got rescued in "Castaway" and I would have rather wondered if, rather than when, he would get off the island.
"National Treasure" made no secret that they got the Declaration of Independence, so it became a chase. Whoopie.
The list is endless, but why tell me what happens? We sit in the theater and watch previews and say "maybe", "stupid", "rental", but most of the time, we say "well there's no point in seeing THAT one - they just told me the whole plot!"
Even the funny one-liners are all played out at the preview. You feel awkward hearing what would have been a funny joke, but now is just a punch line you've heard 20 times.
I think I saw most of the special effects from "War of the Worlds" in the preview, and since Tom Cruise is - in my opinion - fruitloops, that was all I needed to see of that movie anyway.
What films don't show too much? Better ones. "Million Dollar Baby" never let you know what was going on. Think of the better films you've seen. You probably didn't see too much in the trailer, and there was a little mystery left as you settled down in the dark.
There are other problems with the theater experience (stupidly high prices, poor service, rude behavior that goes un-punished), but I think that if theaters demand and show better movies, and if producers/directors/studios went the extra mile, we'd all come back.
Hollywood, can you hear me?
Be Nice.
posted by deanlilja at
10:30 PM
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