They did the same thing last year putting Wish, Marvels, Napoleon and Hunger Games in like a three week span of time. These are likely better movies but when you do this weekly pack thing you limit your screen and attention count.
Also by seeing this it reminds me I have to see Conclave, Anora, Memoir of a Snail, Heretic, and Small Things Like These
The problem is with Hollywood today is that it's incredibly formulaic and it is an institution that isn't willing to take a risk nor make movies for adults, coupled with the fact that we live in a largely illiterate, instant gratification, narcitistic, and sophomoric society. Audiences don't have attention spans because it's a generation built on the constant dopamine hits of tiktok videos, instagram reels, and snapchats. It's a swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe society we're living in that has incredible bandwidth for multitasking and running a million different programs at once, but has zero processing power to think, to analyze, to critique, or to reason.
Take for instant the last two films I've viewed that are currently streaming on The Criterion Channel... two Ida Lumina staring vehicles one being The Man I Love (1947, Raoul Walsh) and the other being Moontide (1942, Archie Mayo). Both wonderful and both have several scenes where characters are just "being" and interacting and going about the ho-hum mundane aspect of life, but we get solid dialogue, excellent character building, and tone and mood that is set up which matches the stories. We also get characters who exist beyond the purpose of serving self interest, but live in a world in where people's words and actions have moral impact and consequence to others as well as the larger society and there is a cultural compass that weaves its way through the narrative without necessarily preaching.
This is entirely different from films today where we have characters who use ironic and sarcastic humor to wink at the camera while promoting worship at the alter of self and the ego who are bombastic and the coolest cats in the rooms are those who can squash everyone else. Sure, there's good guys and bad guys, and most of the storytelling is one dimensional where a team of comic book heros, each one equally in love with themselves, join forces to defeat some evil that is going to take over the world or blow something up, or chase after some macguffin that holds the ultimate power to destroy the world and all of the universe... maybe the item is a ring, maybe its crystal, maybe its even some 20 year old biscuit rotting away in someone's fridge. The go-to narrative structure of these films is as follows:
1. Start with action scene with good guy making sarcastic and ironic jokes while fighting back guy. 2. Good guy struggles a bit in massive CGI fight scene with bodies flying around, explosions going on, special effects of shooting powers out of hands, etc and nothing feeling like it has any tactile mass. 3. In the aftermath of fight we get a backstory or a bunch of expository plot-only dialogue to explain what's going on and why the villain wants the 20 year old rotted biscuit that holds the key to destroy the world and why the reluctant hero feels the need to go after him, largely because he needs to satisfy the ego. 4. A second fight scene in which the good guy realizes he needs help. 5. A scene of gathering up a "dream team" to fight evil and we get sophomoric banter and "bro talk" of rival superheroes engaging in a male or even females acting like male pissing contests. 6. Something happens where they earn each other's respect and can now move forward to the next part of the paint by numbers formula. 7. The superhero bros, bro it out, and then we get a 10 minute scene of nothing but explanation of telling us how the good guys are going to go after the bad guys. Basically we are told what we are about to see in the CGI vomit fest of noise, volcanic colors, and loud music. 8. We get a 20 minute action sequence full of insane fast edits, zero blocking, zero mise en scene, zero spatial relationship of these characters and shooting magical superhero powers out to their environment, etc. 9. Everything slows down and then we get the good guy just about ready to kill the bad guy, but delivers a cool speech before hand. 10. The superhero bros, bro it out again and then there's build up to the next film.
Rinse and repeat. And it's all complete garbage. I would think people would be burnt out with this and somehow desire more intimate films that actually have good dialogue, have realistic plausible situations, have characters with real personalities and quirks, and have something worthwhile to say about the human condition and are able to strike an emotional and intellectual chord with an audience that has an ability to analyze and critique.
Sadly, with the exception of some smaller budget, indie, or Netflix films, we really don't see much of this anymore. The last big wonderful Hollywood film was Top Gun Maverick, which yes did stay in formula, but within that formula took itself seriously enough and was grounded in realism enough to make a genuine statement on the human condition.
Anyway. To get back on track and answer the real question, I obviously want theaters and film to survive, but if all we're going to get are Marvel films, the newest Star Wars thing, and Unthawed 4, then it really doesn't matter to me. When I go to see films now, I'm not paying money to see new stuff, but rather to go and see the great classics. The last few movies I watched in the theater I believe are The Thing (1982), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and Gone With the Wind (1939).
Also, hopefully, we'll all have a better idea of where the economy is going after Wednesday too because like it or not, movie-going is a very VERY easy expense to cut out if people are struggling to make ends meet or are laid off from work or see their costs of basic necessities of living go up by huge amounts. Love it or hate it, the economy dictates everything and all things in life are interconnected and interlinked... interlinked... within cells interlinked. Interlinked... within cells:
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"A candy colored clown!" Member since Fall 2002 Top 100 Films, clicky below
you gotta give it up for their business model, tho; they’ve been fighting a losing war ever since the tele came on the scene. that’s a long time to die. i hope i get as much advance notice.
Fandango recently sent me a viewing survey, and honestly, most of my answers were 'none of the above' - in 2025 I'll catch Mickey 17 for sure - If Petzolds next one is released (and plays here) I'd go to that. And then whatever Fathom big screen classic calls to me. But none of the movies included in the survey jumped out at me as 'must see', more were of the, I'll wait and check them out from the library or stream them, variety.
But for the remainder of 2024 - Nosferatu, at the end of the year, is about the only one guaranteed to get me back into the theater. I'm also reading good things about Nickle Boys and The Brutalist, so those are strong possibles for awards season.
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Completed Extant Filmographies: Luis Buńuel, Federico Fellini, Satyajit Ray, Fritz Lang, Andrei Tarkovsky, Buster Keaton, Yasujirō Ozu - (for favorite directors who have passed or retired, 10 minimum)
But for the remainder of 2024 - Nosferatu, at the end of the year, is about the only one guaranteed to get me back into the theater. I'm also reading good things about Nickle Boys and The Brutalist, so those are strong possibles for awards season.
I’m looking forward to Eggers and The Brutalist, as well, though a bit sceptical either will live up to the hype.
Yeah, I do, but only for older films or movies that I have a good idea that I'll like. Otherwise I just can't justify spending the money being poor and broke. For instance the last three films I've seen in the movie theater are The Thing (1982), Lawrence of Arabia, and Gone With the Wind.
I'm just not going to spend money I don't have on something in the theater, unless it's really special. And so much of what's in the movie theater these days are silly action films from The Rock or the newest Marvel whatever, which just leave me numb and empty.
Hollywood is delulu!
I go to the movies if it sounds as if grown-ups have attempted to make something interesting. Recently, I enjoyed Heretic. Conclave was ok, but the ending was ridiculous.
I actual go to the theater because of my technologically induced adhd. I can’t concentrate unless I am forced to put down mynn be phone.
According to the latest estimates, the 5-day weekend will bring $422m to the box-office, by far an all-time record, ahead of 2018’s Thanksgiving stretch which grossed $315.6M.
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