Almost all movies suck!

I'm pretty critical about movies, and feel that only about 20 or 30 really good movies have ever been made. It always seems to be due to the dumb story. Why is it so hard to write a good screenplay? There are many great books out there, so whats the problem?. There has always been good actors, and now with computer CGI effects it seems that anything could be done, but I know the writers will screw it up no matter what. They seem to have the most trouble with endings. Even with the masterpiece 2001 A space odyssey, they blow the ending. We're expecting to learn the meaning of life, to see God! But what do we get? A old man snoozing in bed, and a flying space baby! WTF? With the state of computer effects, and some good actors, I think it would be kool to do something really wild and unbelievable, such as the wars in heaven when Lucifer and his followers rebeled against the big guy, and the other angels. No earth involved or soap opera crap thats always thrown in. Are the Hollywood writers up to doing an Epic story like this? Nope. can't see it.

 

I think one of the big problems with endings if films is that you can't please everybody. The majority of film goers want a happy ending even if it sticks out like a sore thumb. I like a tragic end once in a while.

 

I agree with you that most movies suck, but probably not for the same reasons. I just don't go see that many movies because I know I'm not going to enjoy them.

 

Most movies aren't classics, but if they entertain me for a couple of hours I'm happy. But!!! If it is a movie I will purchase for my DVD collection I am very picky - I own few "new" movies.

What are the movies you like? Perhaps we can give you some recommendations? I love discovering new movies that are really good.

 

Actually my main complaint about most Hollywood movies is that the ends are so concrete. Nothing is left to the imagination. I'd rather leave a theater being able to think about what a film means rather than have everything wrapped up so tidily in the end.

 

Here's what I want in an ending: The end of Planet of the apes, when they come upon the Statue of Liberty! Thats a great ending. I would love to see really epic SCI-FI movies, but they don't exist. Many have a great premiss, but the story quicky falls apart. Here's a short list of what I do like:

Planet of the apes (original
2001
Apollo 13
Glory
The Patriot
exorcist
The omen
Casino
Good fellas
The ten commandents
Ben hur
shawshank redemption
Forrest Gump
The Right Stuff
The Green Mile

 

That's a great list.

How about some entertaining reality documentries? "Enron, the smartest guys in the room" recently blew me away and left me thinking about it for days.

 

"Enron, the smartest guys in the room" - this one is amazing. I love documentaries because it is probably an extension of my enoying reading about history. I have Ken Burns' Jazz series and enjoy that from time to time.

I am the same way about movies; I am very picky about what I like and don't like. I have been this way for a while, so for me it is not just getting older. It is a wonderful feeling watching a movie and being totally blown away by it, a more recent example for me would be The Green Mile (1999)

 

Wow, you figured me out with only my post?????? Good job! I do like documentory's, History flicks, and the "meaning of life" sci fi epics. Here's A pet peave:

You have a disaster flick, and the whole world is ending. The movie always focuses on a small group of people in soap opera style. This just kills me. The biggest event in human history, and all we see is Sue's problem with alcohol, or Jim's issues with life! Please!!!!! I guess this is to "humanize" the movie. Give it to me Documentory style, or like a news report, and keep all the social garbage out. Leave that to chick flicks!

Edit:

"a more recent example for me would be The Green Mile (1999)" Yep! Added!

 

Here is predictable, formulatic, feel good filmmaking at its best.

C'mon. The last half hour is so predictable that you know exactly what is going to happen. You just sit and watch it unfold, but there are no real surprise. This one is so overrated it isn't funny.

All IMHO

EDIT: just because I think it's by the numbers doesn't mean y'all can't enjoy it. DVD Beaver compaision of 4 versions

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare7/shawshank.htm

 

Here are 10 of my favorites which have a good replay factor for me

The Third Man
Gosford Park
Wonder Boys
Goodfellas
The Train
Great Expectations (David Lean)
The Producers (original)
To Kill A Mocking Bird
Stalag 17
Mister Roberts (great ending)

 

Good movies have endings that don't try to sum everything up. The general populous wants to see a film that will tie all the loose ends together, and work totally against how real life works. But no art-house film is going to satisfy that need, because they are more honest and artistic. They bleed with human emotion, whereas all of this crap you're suggesting (Lucifer, what?!) is just more of the same crap we deal with every day.

Almost all movies suck, yes; the only good ones, most people never see. That's because most people wouldn't understand them.

No, I'm not trying to be pretentious. I'm just telling it like it is.

 

"They bleed with human emotion, whereas all of this crap you're suggesting (Lucifer, what?!) is just more of the same crap we deal with every day."

What?

I suggested something that has to do with bibical theology, as it would be a Pseudo-historical type movie. And I enjoy history. Did you read my post? It would be like nothing ever produced! Did you think I was suggesting some kind of horror flick?

Your answer is art flicks? That only dumb people dislike? I'm sorry but you do sound very pretentious as well as condescending. Thanks for the threadcrap though.

 

The studios do endless "market research" to see which characters and endings gain the most positive audience reactions. What fun is that?

 

Another trick I recently caught onto was joining Netflix. There's a lot of sampling I can do very cheaply because they've got an extensive library. And when I get tired of selecting movies, they also have a ton music DVD's.

 

How about the Seventies films that used to be on TV all the time?

The Sting
The Godfather Saga
Little Big Man
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
The Three Musketeers
The Four Musketeers
Chinatown
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Breaking Away
The Longest Yard/Semi-Tough/Hooper

 

Some good movies there too!

 

Yup. They always seemed to be the Movie of the Week (along with James Bond films). My Mother and I always watched The Sting and The Three Musketeers.

A few others I like from TV, and aren't on DVD. are "Paperback Hero" (the Cdn. one), "The Jericho Mile" and "Drive-In" which was always a hoot.


Another good ending is the original version of "The Manchurian Candidate".

 

I won't touch that, or the thread will likely be locked.

On existing movies, have you seen The Station Agent? If you crave documentary style films, what about The Thin Blue Line? Or for 'end of the world' type films, have you seen Threads?

I do like all the films you've suggested, but I haven't seen The Patriot, so I couldn't comment on that one.

 

Well, I did say "Pseudo" historical

I'll check out some of those suggestions...

 

Time for you to start watching some foreign films, They do tend to be less formulaic, at least the ones that make it to the American market. (I keep in mind that we tend to see the "greatest hits" from overseas and not their equally banal popcorn fodder.)

I think American movies are better than ever, due to the rise of the independent/Sundance film. There are enough non-theatrical outlets now to make such films financially viable. You just won't see them at your typical suburban six-screen cineplex, which is seemingly restricted to movies that can be summarized on Taco Bell collector cups.

Then there's the cable channel TV show/movie hybrids, from SOPRANOS to THE WIRE to DEADWOOD to ROME.

All in all, my Netflix queue is pretty full.

 

geez, I can name over a grand that I love and cherish...
I hafta disagree with you on this one.

 

I think most movies are hampered by one unavioidable obstacle:

expectations of audience members not there to "accept" what the filmmaker gives him, but instead desires reinforcement of his own worldview.

 

Yep.

At the risk of offending you (and I do not know you at all), I don't think anyone who appreciates movies (and who has watched his/her share of movies from different eras) would state that there have been only 20 or so really good movies in the history of the cinema. A statement like that suggests to me that you don't really like movies -- that you only like a handful of movies but in general you do not like movies.

I would tend to agree that a vast majority of movies today can use much improvement. But that has always been the case.

 

Only 20 or 30 great movies ever??? That's the most shocking thing I've read on this board - well, except maybe for that claim that the Who doesn't have a lead singer...