2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

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  • 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

    I apologize if this has already been addressed, but I had a thought. 2010 has been a slow year for movies, and why is that? Is it because of the writer's strike after-math? Thoughts welcome.
    Looking to take the "Bono" off my screenname.

  • #2
    Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

    I feel like people say that every year. Most likely, it's because we remember the great movies and forget the bad ones, so it seems like Hollywood used to make better movies as a whole. In truth, they've been putting out lots of crap since the beginning.
    QUESTICLES -- It's about balls on a mission.

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    • #3
      Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

      I agree with Knaight. But I also personally think that it has to do with age and the time when you become a screenwriter. I can only speak from my own personal experience but I think the movies you see when you're younger always appear more impressive because of your smaller backlog of moviegoing experiences. They always end up taking a special place in your heart. But as you grow older and build a bigger foundation of movie knowledge -- as you pass through your more cynical twenties -- coupled with becoming an analytical screenwriter -- you soon start to get short on movies.

      Every generation complains about how movies aren't how they used to be. And every generation's "best" moviegoing years are always the movies they saw when they were young.

      I recall watching a TV program where the host would chat to different critics every week about the latest releases. One particular week had a movie columnist and a tough theater critic review Terminator 3. The theater critic never watches movies and never even heard of the Terminator series. And he was blown away by Terminator 3. He couldn't stop talking about how great he thought it was and what an amazing spectacle it was. The columnist lamented about how terrible the movie was and how it's nothing special for those who are used to those kind of movies. The theater guy and columnist argued a little about the movie.

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      • #4
        Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

        Originally posted by Why One View Post
        I can only speak from my own personal experience but I think the movies you see when you're younger always appear more impressive because of your smaller backlog of moviegoing experiences. They always end up taking a special place in your heart. But as you grow older and build a bigger foundation of movie knowledge -- as you pass through your more cynical twenties -- coupled with becoming an analytical screenwriter -- you soon start to get short on movies.
        Nice. You just blew my mind.

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        • #5
          Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

          Originally posted by Why One View Post
          ... Every generation complains about how movies aren't how they used to be. And every generation's "best" moviegoing years are always the movies they saw when they were young...
          I get that in my coverage/notes (when I used to bother with that sort of thing).

          People said one of my scripts was like E.T., another said it was like Star Man. An oldster said it reminded him of The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original from '51).

          The winner is: The oldster was the most correct.

          My influences in fashioning the story were Stood Still and Medicine Man, '92, with Connery and Bracco.

          Each gen has their own HOMB (History of Movies Began) date.

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          • #6
            Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

            Originally posted by Why One View Post

            I recall watching a TV program where the host would chat to different critics every week about the latest releases. One particular week had a movie columnist and a tough theater critic review Terminator 3. The theater critic never watches movies and never even heard of the Terminator series. And he was blown away by Terminator 3. He couldn't stop talking about how great he thought it was and what an amazing spectacle it was. The columnist lamented about how terrible the movie was and how it's nothing special for those who are used to those kind of movies. The theater guy and columnist argued a little about the movie.
            Wow, this is great. I wish I could go back to a sort of blank slate where even things like TERMINATOR 3 would blow my mind. More than that, I wish I could forget some of my favorite movies so that I could watch them for the first time again. I saw things like STAR WARS at such a young age that I don't think I experienced all of the magic on the first viewing that I should have. I don't remember being blown away by the reveal of Luke's father, I just remember thinking the Ewoks and light sabers were awesome.
            QUESTICLES -- It's about balls on a mission.

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            • #7
              Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

              Originally posted by Why One View Post
              I recall watching a TV program where the host would chat to different critics every week about the latest releases. One particular week had a movie columnist and a tough theater critic review Terminator 3. The theater critic never watches movies and never even heard of the Terminator series. And he was blown away by Terminator 3. He couldn't stop talking about how great he thought it was and what an amazing spectacle it was. The columnist lamented about how terrible the movie was and how it's nothing special for those who are used to those kind of movies. The theater guy and columnist argued a little about the movie.
              I refuse to believe this actually happened...

              How old was this critic, 12? When you say he's a theater critic, do you mean he reviews puppet shows in someone's backyard?

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              • #8
                Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

                Originally posted by Knaight View Post
                I feel like people say that every year. Most likely, it's because we remember the great movies and forget the bad ones, so it seems like Hollywood used to make better movies as a whole. In truth, they've been putting out lots of crap since the beginning.
                I can see what you and others on this thread are getting at, but I don't think it's just nostalgia. It's not only the bad ones, there aren't that many great movies to remember either.

                Shouldn't there be a lull because of the writer's strike? I just think it's happening now.
                Looking to take the "Bono" off my screenname.

                Comment


                • #9
                  2010, The Beginning?

                  The Writers' Strike really cannot be blamed for Hollywood's woes.

                  Nor, would I think that the American economy is to blame.

                  There are many good films being produced; but, the Hollywood studios have been concentrating too much on sequels, remakes, comic books, graphic novels, crude humour comedies, and splatter horror, over the past decade.

                  Celebrity stars don't help. Just because someone gets their every move reported in gossip news doesn't mean that they can act. Yet, to cash in on all of that free publicity, these clowns get signed to star in Hollywood films.

                  2010? It's certainly not "the beginning"! It's the end of a miserable decade.
                  JEKYLL & CANADA (free .mp4 download @ Vimeo.com)

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                  • #10
                    Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

                    Originally posted by ProBono Writer View Post
                    I can see what you and others on this thread are getting at, but I don't think it's just nostalgia. It's not only the bad ones, there aren't that many great movies to remember either.

                    Shouldn't there be a lull because of the writer's strike? I just think it's happening now.
                    There are at least two great movies in theaters right now. INCEPTION and TOY STORY 3. Those will easily stand the test of time.
                    QUESTICLES -- It's about balls on a mission.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

                      @ Knaight -- I agree. That's why I said "many". I don't think there was anything that'd qualify as more than 'okay' in theaters this year up until this point.

                      @ Fortean -- Not trying to blame the strike for all the Hollywood woes, just saying there should be a palpable impact, and I think we're starting to see it.
                      Looking to take the "Bono" off my screenname.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

                        I might be wrong, but I think the number of films produced each year out of Hollywood has been dropping since the recession and writers strike hit. I think they got used to purchasing less, and it's become more of a standard to buy projects that have actors attached (= less sales). Hard to blame them--it naturally seems like a smarter bet to grab a project that already has talent on board. Which it makes it that more important to write in characters that are attractive to play.

                        Like everything, there are advantages and disadvantages here--the biggest being there's less scripts being bought. But think about a movie like the Matrix, which is one of my favorites. If a studio has waited for a talent package to come with the script before even buying it, we might not even have that movie today. I don't think Neo was an exciting character to play for an actor. Will Smith turned it down. Nicolas Cage turned it down. Sean Connery and Sandra Bullock also turned down roles as Morpheus and Trinity. Luckily in this case, the actors did not drive the show--the studio wanted to make the movie and cast it until the pieces came together. That's why I have bad feelings about how studios just wait for attachments before diving in. Actors attach themselves to scripts all the time that I don't think they're right for.

                        And Fortean said above that he doesn't think the economy is a driving factor, but rather the studios desire to pump out sequels/remakes/comics/adaptations/etc. Well, I think that is an economic sign. It has to due with risk, and I think studios now more than ever are attempting to avoid risk (yet we still see blockbusters like Prince of Persia fail). There IS less money. There have been numerous mergers this decade and studio woes--MGM can't even finance a new Bond movie, which is freaking guaranteed to make money! Which is all made even stranger by the fact Hollywood was posting record profits last year--so I really have no idea what's going on (investment money still dry despite record profits?)

                        A little rambling, I know.

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                        • #13
                          Re: 2010 is the beginning of the movie doldrums

                          I think it's just a slow year.

                          Toy Story 3 was great. Everything else was either just good, forgettable or terrible.

                          We still have the big winter rush, so there's most likely a couple good films on the horizon. But regardless, this is certainly no 1999.

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