Movies
2011 was thin gruel.
I don't think I've ever seen a year with so much animation and so many weak titles. Seven out of the ten best grossing films were remakes. There were a few bright spots like Terrence Malick back in the thick of things with The Tree Of Life, but when you start looking forward to the likes of Hobo With A Shotgun you know the pickings are fairly poor.
Also the studios were absolutely shameless in targeting adolescent boys. Captain America, Thor, Transformers 3, Green Hornet, Green Lantern, X Men, Conan, etc etc. A seemingly endless assembly line of super hero and CGI monster truck flicks, no doubt with action figurines available at burger joints. Yawn. Truly a lousy year for moviegoers.
On the precipice.
We've been watching a ton of films lately. Not traveling as much as before and it being winter and all, plus the fact that just about any movie you want to see is available online for free, kicking back with the old lady and a bowl of popcorn is an awful lot of cheap fun. We've got catholic tastes and most anything appeals to us if it's well made, except that the Mrs leans toward older classics and westerns while I slightly prefer newer drama, but with tens of thousands of titles to pick from, finding suitable entertainment is never a problem. Praise jeebus for IMDB and DivX.
There's a real interesting trend that I've noticed in the past several years. I'd state right off that as a crackpot psychologist this is just my personal opinion for what it's worth, but as I said I'm watching a veritable shitload of flicks.
Ever since films were made the motif of scary high places was used. It was usually utilized as a metaphor for overreaching like with Jimmy Cagney in White Heat or just as a dangerous predicament such as Cary Grant being chased all over Mount Rushmore in North By Northwest. King Kong is fairly self explanatory. The Matrix, Stranger Than Fiction, the list goes on. But lately, especially in the last several years, the plots of a very large number of films involve a possible death dive from high places and once you know this it just jumps out at you. Like I said I've been digesting hundreds of efforts. Always the camera is close to the action at the top of a building or cliff, bringing the viewer right to the edge of disaster. This just occurred to me today so I haven't written down any titles as I viewed the flicks. But recent examples off the top of my head are 127 Hours, A Perfect Getaway, The Other Guys, Tower Heist. I know there are a whole lot more.
stranger than fiction
Somehow movies have always had the possible ability to sense the future. I think that capability has increased exponentially in the last few years, probably concurrent with expansion of consciousness and increases in technology. We're certainly at some very scary crossroads right now. Being one step from disaster from high places in so many films can't be just a coincidence. It may be an overused, intentional tried and true plot metaphor or subconscious presaging of future events. You be the judge if you like to experience movies. But watch how often you see it.
from the trailer for Men in Black 3
I don't think I've ever seen a year with so much animation and so many weak titles. Seven out of the ten best grossing films were remakes. There were a few bright spots like Terrence Malick back in the thick of things with The Tree Of Life, but when you start looking forward to the likes of Hobo With A Shotgun you know the pickings are fairly poor.
Also the studios were absolutely shameless in targeting adolescent boys. Captain America, Thor, Transformers 3, Green Hornet, Green Lantern, X Men, Conan, etc etc. A seemingly endless assembly line of super hero and CGI monster truck flicks, no doubt with action figurines available at burger joints. Yawn. Truly a lousy year for moviegoers.
On the precipice.
We've been watching a ton of films lately. Not traveling as much as before and it being winter and all, plus the fact that just about any movie you want to see is available online for free, kicking back with the old lady and a bowl of popcorn is an awful lot of cheap fun. We've got catholic tastes and most anything appeals to us if it's well made, except that the Mrs leans toward older classics and westerns while I slightly prefer newer drama, but with tens of thousands of titles to pick from, finding suitable entertainment is never a problem. Praise jeebus for IMDB and DivX.
There's a real interesting trend that I've noticed in the past several years. I'd state right off that as a crackpot psychologist this is just my personal opinion for what it's worth, but as I said I'm watching a veritable shitload of flicks.
Ever since films were made the motif of scary high places was used. It was usually utilized as a metaphor for overreaching like with Jimmy Cagney in White Heat or just as a dangerous predicament such as Cary Grant being chased all over Mount Rushmore in North By Northwest. King Kong is fairly self explanatory. The Matrix, Stranger Than Fiction, the list goes on. But lately, especially in the last several years, the plots of a very large number of films involve a possible death dive from high places and once you know this it just jumps out at you. Like I said I've been digesting hundreds of efforts. Always the camera is close to the action at the top of a building or cliff, bringing the viewer right to the edge of disaster. This just occurred to me today so I haven't written down any titles as I viewed the flicks. But recent examples off the top of my head are 127 Hours, A Perfect Getaway, The Other Guys, Tower Heist. I know there are a whole lot more.
stranger than fictionSomehow movies have always had the possible ability to sense the future. I think that capability has increased exponentially in the last few years, probably concurrent with expansion of consciousness and increases in technology. We're certainly at some very scary crossroads right now. Being one step from disaster from high places in so many films can't be just a coincidence. It may be an overused, intentional tried and true plot metaphor or subconscious presaging of future events. You be the judge if you like to experience movies. But watch how often you see it.
from the trailer for Men in Black 3
posted by nolocontendere at 12:54 PM
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