Why is it so hard to make good movies?

[Revmen]

The last three movies I've seen was Mirrors, X-files and Star Trek.

And they are complaining about piracy?! I should be paid for wasting my time seeing that crap. dfegad

[mrlouie]

Yeah and whats up with all the crappy remakes and/or part II, III ??? how about some kinda new idea, the only movies worth paying for now seem to be in Indie theaters, and trust me im no "oh i only watch indie art films" i love movies with monsters and strippers and car chases and vampires and things blow up ...but damn at least write a good story.

and what the hell is up with the price of a coke and popcorn at a movie ????



louie

[Sounds Great]

There are a lot of good movies out there. Choose better movies.

[Freematik]

Agreed with the dude above me, those movies were bound to suck.

Mirrors? I have no idea what that is, unless it was that dumb horror movie where things jump out of mirrors. Of course that's gonna suck...

X-files was out like 230 years ago, and Star Trek is bound to disappoint fans and just confuse others...

You shoulda chose Wolverine, now THAT was a movie....

-Tom

[voicegenius]

You do realize some of the best movies never make it to the big screen...

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by voicegenius

You do realize some of the best movies never make it to the big screen...

I agree 100%.

And there are a billion factors...

First, ask yourself what is wrong with major labels and the music they put out and then substitute that for movie studios, there's your answer.


-a

[Animus]

Got tickets for Terminator for tonight! Hope is doesn't disappoint.

[iluvatar]

Originally Posted by Revmen

The last three movies I've seen was Mirrors, X-files and Star Trek.

And they are complaining about piracy?! I should be paid for wasting my time seeing that crap. dfegad

Why is it so hard to make good music? The last 3 cd's I bought were Nickleback, Daughtry, and the Pussycat Dolls. I should get paid for listening to this crap.

Use some discretion when choosing movies to watch. You wouldn't listen to a crappy manufactured radio band, just because Mr Radio DJ told you to, right? Why do that with movies?

-Dan.

[GeorgeHayduke]

Originally Posted by Revmen

The last three movies I've seen was Mirrors, X-files and Star Trek.

Big budget + focus groups = Lowest denominator

(I haven't seen any of those though)

[timtoonz]

No shock here.

Movies like music are made for a specific target audience. The bigger the budget, the bigger and broader the target audience has to be. Would YOU want to spend $100 million making a movie that only appealed to, for example, session musicians?

Star Trek will make a ton of money. That means they did their job well of designing a movie that appealed to the audience they were aiming for. If you're not a part of that audience, well then guess what -- the movie wasn't for you. As they say, go find better movies that appeal to your tastes.

I've worked in the movie business for years and even written a few. Some people like'em, some people hate'em. The same movie one guy holds up as a beacon of hope for the lost art of cinema is the same film somebody else namechecks for the imminent downfall of the civilized world....

But money, in my opinion, explains why right now the best 'cinema' is being done for the small screen instead of the big screen. When you're spending 2 million an episode instead of $100 millon, you can afford to target a smaller, more selective audience. And when you're going to be back next week with another installment, you can challenge your audience a little and make them think, instead of worrying that it's your only shot so you better dumb everything down so nobody gets left behind. Making a 'smart' movie that's also a 'popular' movie is something of a modern miracle, and I'm kinda surprised it ever gets done at all.

Mind you, I liked the Star Trek film... And I think 'Dumb and Dumber' is one of the best films of the last 20 years... So whadda I know?

[dft3670]

It's not hard to make a good movie.

It's hard to write a good story.

Get a Netflix account. Go in and hit the independent and foriegn films. Just start picking anything, don't even read the plots, just pick a few dozen movies. It is amazing the stuff you will see. Some of it is just fantastic. Others suck and some are just plain weird. Don't just look at titles from the last few years. Look at stuff from the 80's and 90's. Here are a few titles to try out. I'm not saying your going to like them, but they are unique stories and characthers.

Eagle vs. Shark
The Station Agent
Outsourced
Fido (one of my all time favorites)
Momento
The Lives of Others
Kitchen Stories

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by dft3670

It's not hard to make a good movie.

It's hard to write a good story.

Yup, movies have come into the same issues as music. You can spend millions on a massive production and get the best sounding record known to man. But it is very hard to write a good song, and without that, the rest is useless.


For movie suggestions, check out this thread:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-...end-movie.html

[voicegenius]

Originally Posted by dft3670

It's not hard to make a good movie.

It's hard to write a good story.

Get a Netflix account. Go in and hit the independent and foriegn films. Just start picking anything, don't even read the plots, just pick a few dozen movies. It is amazing the stuff you will see. Some of it is just fantastic. Others suck and some are just plain weird. Don't just look at titles from the last few years. Look at stuff from the 80's and 90's. Here are a few titles to try out. I'm not saying your going to like them, but they are unique stories and characthers.

Eagle vs. Shark
The Station Agent
Outsourced
Fido (one of my all time favorites)
Momento
The Lives of Others
Kitchen Stories

Most definitely... I can't tell you the many times a movie "visually looked" good, but the story was just ca-ca... Which is 90% of movies...

[Makinithappen]

Yep... the reason that I tend to rent a lot of documentaries.

[SFTPH]

What i have to ask is WHY spend $11.50 to watch and listen to dialog on a giant screen and killer sound system? EFF THAT! Rent or buy art flicks to enjoy at home but go see the big budget SFX movies in the theatre, where they belong. I pay to see and hear things that don't exist in the real world. When I want entertaining stories I read or rent.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by dft3670

The Lives of Others

That was a very, very nice film. It looked great and the sound was excellent. The only "bad" thing was that I don't speak German. I heard it's being re-made? If so they have an awfully high standard to live up to.

Originally Posted by dft3670

It's not hard to make a good movie.
It's hard to write a good story.

I'll second that. I see too many poorly conceived projects come into my place (with really bad production sound, but that's another story).

[voicegenius]

Originally Posted by SFTPH

What i have to ask is WHY spend $11.50 to watch and listen to dialog on a giant screen and killer sound system? EFF THAT! Rent or buy art flicks to enjoy at home but go see the big budget SFX movies in the theatre, where they belong. I pay to see and hear things that don't exist in the real world. When I want entertaining stories I read or rent.

The ONLY reason I go to movies, now, is for big budget movies like Terminator, Star Trek, Transformers, etc... Anything that's dialogue driven is a rental, which is 90% of movies...

[AllAboutTone]

A good movie you can watch over and over, a bad one you wanna trash it before the end. I have really been into a lot of movies lately now that you guys have brought it up, I fell in love with Blu Ray / Projection / and a 8 foot screen. O I forgot the 5.1 surround sound. Staying at home is so much fun now, here lately I have found Blu Ray as low as 8 or 10 bucks a piece at pawn shops, Blockbuster and Walmart has some for 10.00.

[Animus]

Originally Posted by Animus

Got tickets for Terminator for tonight! Hope is doesn't disappoint.

Well, it totally disappointed. Had potential but epic fail.

[Stevil]

Originally Posted by Animus

Well, it totally disappointed. Had potential but epic fail.

my expectations were pretty low & it turned out better than i was expecting. anytime you start playing with time travel yer gonna wind up with plot holes you can drive a truck thru.

i appreciate that with these "series reboots" they are at least trying to find a way to move forward with the franchise without taking a total dump on the original series.

[protools21]

Originally Posted by Revmen

The last three movies I've seen was Mirrors, X-files and Star Trek.

And they are complaining about piracy?! I should be paid for wasting my time seeing that crap. dfegad

Man i seen mirrors as well (luckly i didnt pay for it) but that movie sucked huge balls! i was like "what the hell is this?" but shoot for the new terminator movie just seen it and its pretty good...

[combfilter]

Originally Posted by dft3670

The Lives of Others

That is a REALLY good movie for so many reasons. I loved it.


Anyway, am I the only one that's, let's say, less than fond of "prequels"?

[protools21]

Originally Posted by combfilter

That is a REALLY good movie for so many reasons. I loved it.


Anyway, am I the only one that's, let's say, less than fond of "prequels"?

Nah im with you on that one too...They usually tend to suck...and when i say suck i mean really bad lol

[JustinAiken]

Star Trek was pretty good... but I'm not a fan at all, so I wasn't disappointed, and I didn't think it was confusing at all...

Go get Netflix and add these to your queue:

Romance:
Once
Before Sunset
Before Sunrise
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Garden State
Science of Sleep

Comedy:
40 Year Old Virgin
Knocked Up
Wedding Crashers
Borat

Crime:
Godfather I and II
Goodfellas
Scarface
American Gangster
EVERY QUENTIN TARINTINO MOVIE (fanboy )
True Romance

Foreign:
Amalie
The Professional
Grave of the Fireflies (this WILL make you cry)

Art:
Muholland Drive
A Scanner Darkly

Action:
Watchmen
Equilibrium

Eh, done typing, but there's some great movies to get started... of course half of those are classics that you should have seen by now.... but that's still a list of some of my favorites...

[narcoman]

best film I've seen this year?


"complete history of my sexual failures" ... brilliant award winning $50 budget documentary

second best?

Star Trek!!



Some people like cool indies, some people like mind blowing movie drugs....

i like both !!

[usefullidiot]

Originally Posted by Revmen

The last three movies I've seen was Mirrors, X-files and Star Trek.

And they are complaining about piracy?! I should be paid for wasting my time seeing that crap. dfegad

You should stop going to see crap...find a local independent cinema..there are more good movies in this world that you can imagine...

Saw "Religulous" today....great film (doco)

everytime I go to the movies there are about 10 films/docos that Id love to see if i had the time..

Its like saying all music is shit cause Britanny/Pussycat dolls/avril is shit

WAKE UP!!!!

[Revmen]

Actually I see alot of movies and have seen almost all the movies that are recommended in this thread. But movies that should be seen on a huge screen are almost always disappointing. I want to see a movie with great special effects, lots of violence, a good story and without any political correctness. But I guess that won't happen any time soon.

[voicegenius]

Originally Posted by Revmen

Actually I see alot of movies and have seen almost all the movies that are recommended in this thread. But movies that should be seen on a huge screen are almost always disappointing. I want to see a movie with great special effects, lots of violence, a good story and without any political correctness. But I guess that won't happen any time soon.

Rent Team America...

[Revmen]

I've seen it, and I liked it too.

[JustinAiken]

All of the Parker/Stone movies are hilarious

Cannibal the Musical
Team America
Orgasmo
South Park
Baseketball

Watch them all!