More and more they fail to live up to their hype. They fail to entertain most above the mental age of 18; ironically the kid’s films work on the more subtle levels satisfying both the kids and the adults. Screenplays seem primarily concerned with either showing the breasts of the lead-role, be it male or female, or the latest CG firework-display. Dialogue is like that of teenagers. One-word. One-line. Sexual reference. Gibberish. I mean, what “big” films are on the horizon? Spiderman. Batman. It’s odd to think that we have a multi-billion dollar behemoth like Hollywood with it’s guns solely aimed at the adolescents.
But on the otherhand, I see TV shows now with better production, better acting, better writing. They have new ideas, they experiment, and they last longer than 90 minutes.
Cinema is dead! And the grave of Hollywood will be one wirth dancing on!
Like most things, if you want the exceptional you have to go look for it. It’s out there. Check out the Sundance Channel or Rotten Tomatos. Google “greatest foreign films” or “best of independent cinema”.
And even the best on TV – Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Boss etc. – often barely scratch the surface philosophically.
Exactly what I would have said. Especially about Sundance.
People often say, “Such and such is so much worse these days!” Such and such could be rates of violence, musicianship or the quality of cinema. With the things like violence, statistics usually proves that wrong. As for musicianship and cinema, I actually think they’re getting better and better, though admittedly if you only see/hear what’s popular, you wouldn’t be able to tell. Independent film, because of modern technology as well as modern sensibilities, is often able to achieve an emotional atmosphere basically unheard of in earlier cinema. It’s sometimes hard to find, but if you search enough, you’ll be amazed at the beauty you can find in modern cinema.
There are more movies being made now. I am pretty sure A LOT more. So more trash. But my sense is also more good films also. it is possible that the ratio is worse, but I would still guess that more good films are being made now, or at the very least are accessible now, given that it is easier to see films from other countries. I think something else that can contribute to the feeling films are worse is that so many bad ones are in your face. Or mediocre Hollywood films are in your face through all media, on buses whatever. This constant clanging hype will make it seems like we are being attacked by poor tastes, bombarded by it. But around and outside all this noise there are signals and as far as I can tell a lot of them.
You know, I was thinking about it, and I’ve realized that not only is it just incorrect that cinema is getting altogether worse (though it’s still arguable that popular cinema is getting worse), it’s also an ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY that people think that, imo. Let me explain:
When Van Gough was alive, not a single art critic appreciated his work. He sold not many paintings at all, got very little recognition, lived his life in poverty, etc. And, if you think about it, there have always been people who would think that the present is not as good as the past – It’s basically a human past time to say, “Oh, back in the day things were so good.” So, just imagine this: A man is walking along with his friend, bemoaning the loss of beautiful art in the modern age, and Van Gough is sitting on a corner with his paintings up for sale, nobody’s buying them, and the man just completely ignores Van Goughs masterpieces, continuing to rant about how art has lost its charm.
And now, imagine you’re that man. Imagine all the Van Goughs you’re missing out on as you lament the loss of the art of cinema. I assure you, you are that man. Don’t give up on cinema, there’s a Van Gough out there waiting for you to find it. It would be an absolute tragedy for you to miss out on the beautiful art of your age, imo.
1] Go to Rotten Tomatoes
2] Click on dvd on the menu bar [at the top] and scroll down to “best of”
Here you will have access to “top movies” by genre, from year to year, the “best movies of all times”, movie award winners [golden tomatoes, academy awards, cannes etc.], top rated movies in theatres today, top rated new dvd releases etc.
You can click on the movie, read a synopsis, read all the reviews etc.
Man, there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of great movies out there.
French cinema is developing well.
Un Prophète probably has the best dramatic arc (and thereby also the best ending) of all the films I’ve seen.
Don’t judge it by the American trailers, they would make War and Peace seem like a mickey mouse blip, just watch the film, you’ll be overwhelmed.
(FJ - It’s Van Gogh, not Van Gough… even though I can see why you would spell it like that given how Americans pronounce the name)
Van Gogh’s critics weren’t wrong just because his work became popular. They’re not inherent masterpieces. Cinema isn’t fine art anyway. It serves as a marketing vehicle for the most part; but your note about “popular cinema” might be more accurate as to what I have in mind anyway…
