Or are most of the new films released utter brain rotting drivel?

I ask because I’ve not seen many adverts up until recently; I only see those with the sound muted during the TdF coverage.
Now there is Pacific Rim, with exo-suits that wrap themselves around you, complete with fairy lights, to do battle with Transformers style robots, who just happen to appear from somewhere. The End, seemingly more of the same; and what looks like a remake of Hot Fuzz with yet more robots.

After seeing the trailers I want to avoid the films even more. I just worry about the crowds of slack-jawed popcorn cud chewers who will watch them…

I just worry about the crowds of slack-jawed popcorn cud chewers who will watch them…

Why? Sometimes it’s fun to switch your brain off for 2 hours and watch robots fight aliens with laser guns and death rays. Films don’t always have to be thought provoking, challenging or anything other than pure fantasy entertainment.

It has always been thus! They just seem a bit more all-pervasive as all the cinema’s are multiplexes run by the same corporate behemoths that own the distribution networks. Vested interests innit?

There’s still plenty of decent stuff out there. They’re just not going to show it at the local enormoplex

Get a Love Film subscription. Then you’ve the added bonus of not having to sign over the deeds to your house for a tub of popcorn and a Diet coke

I just worry about the crowds of slack-jawed popcorn cud chewers who will watch them…

Don’t worry about them. They’ve got X Factor and Big Brother. Their cup doth truly runneth over

Oh… and there’s still decent stuff out there from the big studios

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM9sKpQOuEw[/video]

it’s just you, they make shit films by the 100s every year, fortunately amongst all the chaff there is some wheat.

I’m looking forward to Pacific Rim, it looks to be good light entertainment. still don’t worry, I’m sure there’ll be some icelandic miserablism or some gay cowboys eating pudding for those who don’t like their films to be any fun 😉

like food, there is plenty of mass produced junk, but some nice stuff if you prepared to look–

I’d suggest doing some googling of a random year back in the day to see what films where doing the rounds in the cinemas. I’d wager the mindless dross ratio would still be pretty high.

like food, there is plenty of mass produced junk, but some nice stuff if you prepared to look–

And, just like food, even though some times you wish to dine on an exquisitely presented plate of devilled quail’s spleen on a bed of organic quinoa with a jus d’arrogance, there are also times when you’d just kill for a fat, greasy doner with extrachillisoss

“gay cowboys eating pudding”

Well I’ve never heard it called that before.

http://www.rushmovie.com/

I’m hopeful

ivornardon2 – Member

Well I’ve never heard it called that before.

That is a reference to one of the kinematographic greats. But it’s probably too highbrow for this lot 😉

A Good Day to Die Hard – turned off after 30 minutes, seems to be happening more and more these days in the Fatt household

Pacific Rim looks like a chortle, although the similarities to Neon Genesis Evangelion are almost offensive.

That Rush movie looks proper good

what is icelandic miserabilism ? Night Shift was a very subversive and funny series….

Guillermo del Toro is an good director so I am hopefull for Pacific Rim.

The mainstream stuff advertised on TV is nearly always junk.
Bit like pop music… the crap they play on the radio is all you’ll hear if you take what you’re fed, but there’s better if you look for it.

It’s me too, but I blame it on the fact I’m getting older rather than pointing the finger of blame elsewhere 😉

Studios are still making plenty of films I enjoy, it’s just the crop of Summer CGI-fests that do nothing for me. The “we can do anything” novelty of CGI wore off years ago. A film without decent plot and characters is only half a film

Kermode podcasts anyone?

to do battle with Transformers style robots

I thought they were doing battle with prehistoric lizards?

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing it. Probably on Film 4 in about 3 years time.

The “we can do anything” novelty of CGI wore off years ago. A film without decent plot and characters is only half a film

This I really agree with – bunging in more effects doesn’t make a great film and unfortunately the advent of 3D is making the whole shooting match even worse.

Why? Sometimes it’s fun to switch your brain off for 2 hours and watch robots fight aliens with laser guns and death rays. Films don’t always have to be thought provoking, challenging or anything other than pure fantasy entertainment

Well, my brain doesn’t get enough varied stimulus plodding away at my day job, so I look to my entertainment to turn it ON rather than off. Yeah, it’s tough being me… 🙂

I love escapist films, I’ve enjoyed many brainless blockbusters, but you have to have more than just giant monsters battling. I liked Transformers for instance, cos of the comedy supporting characters. But as for battling robots – well I’m pretty grown up now, I’ve been watching this stuff for 30 years, I’ve seen a LOT of stuff get blown up, y’know..

Do you have a local “independent” type cinema – like one of the picturehouse chain?

Still lots of good films coming out – although summer blockbuster season is maybe not the best time for them

Molgrips, try sudoku. It’s mind bending stuff.

Molly. When a man is tired of exploding helicopters, he is surely tired of life itself

If you like to think, give Cloud Atlas a go. I thought it was very good.

The two that I’m hopeful about are “Now You See Me” or whatever it’s called (well, the trailers looked good) and “World’s End”.

I think my wife wants to see the former, so at the very least I should get a trip to the cinema out of it. Maybe I can pull the “your choice last time” gambit and get to go see Edgar Wright’s latest next month.

Railing against massive budget CGI-fests is all well and good, but it could be worse. Imagine a world where all you could watch was ‘quirky’ low budget British ‘comedies’

*shudders*

Was a huge Neon Genesis Evangelion fan in my student days so fully intend to go see Pacific Rim, on the other foot I also thoroughly enjoyed the beautifully moving, thoughtful and superbly acted Lincoln, came out feeling genuinely enriched by the experience. Horses for courses.

I can understand the industry’s dilemma; with every new film widely pirated online the minute it’s in cinemas the big studios are definitely moving towards ‘spectacle’ films that really benefit from being shown on the big screen. See the current flood of superhero flicks for evidence of this.

A cerebral character based drama translates perfectly well on your laptop so people are that bit less likely to download it and to go see it at the Cinema instead.

As a consumer base we tend to get the products we deserve.

hatter, that argument assumes it has to be one or the other. It doesn’t. Hollywood can make spectacle films that also have plot, characters and some depth. I know it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but Inception is a prime example. The very reason Pixar films do so well is that they have the visual spectacle and there’s plenty of story for the grown ups.

I’m sure the trailer for Pacific Rim was designed to keep me away. I’m resigned to the fact I’m far from target market.

hatter, that argument assumes it has to be one or the other. It doesn’t

Agreed, Inception is an example of where the original premise was well worth turning in to a film.

However, there are only so many great plots and ideas out there and now the studios are under huge pressure to crank out big spectacle pieces regardless of whether they have a brilliant appropriate screenplay ready to roll.

Inevitably they will at some point end up grabbing onto an existing bankable IP with ready made characters and plot themes (see superhero movies again) or having to crowbar characters and plot into the required CGI whizz bangs, at which point we have the crux of the problem this thread’s about.

Why don’t the studios makes films with “real” stunts and real stuntmen? Has anyone done a barrel roll in a car since Live and Let Die? Are insurers not ready to risk it anymore? I’m sure a few big stunts cost less than having a team of CGI whizz kids holed up in a dark room for months on end. I’d love to see an action film with proper stunts in it. I remember being bitterly disappointed by the lack of exciting driving in Drive.

Has anyone done a barrel roll in a car since Live and Let Die?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYC_CBNtiM[/video]

Car chases? James Bond?
Surely the sort of crap the OP is posting about?!

I’m sure a few big stunts cost less than having a team of CGI whizz kids holed up in a dark room for months on end

I bet it doens’t!

No he wants more of this.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS1RIyR6uW8[/video]

Iceman looks good, story of Richard Kuklinski, I’m planning to see that. Summer blockbusters are OK, turn up, switch off brain and watch the explosions, what’s not to like?

What I find annoying is the fad for 3D, it all seems a bit pointless and hurts my eyes too.

turn up, switch off brain and watch the explosions, what’s not to like?

It’s boring. Man of Steel was ruined because of the ridiculous video game CGI sequences that irritated rather than entertained. I appreciate that some people like that sort of stuff though, but I left the cinema realising that my days of enjoying summer blockbusters are probably behind me.