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Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

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Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#361

Post by khazhoux »

uncletammy wrote: post #353
wombat-man wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's more relevant to talk about theaters showing current new movies because that's kind of what Hollywood is focused on. I'm in a more expensive city where a weeknight non-matinee will run $20 a pop for a current release. Comfort is average but food is pretty solid. Not Alamo, but similar service level. Not unusual for a couple to leave paying more like 80 after concessions.

Alamo food and service have absolutely tanked over the last year. They no longer prohibit phones during the film. In fact, now they require one to order food. They have completely undermined their entire value proposition. Alamo Drafthouse is a walking corpse.

Huh? Aziz Ansari is very clear that this is now a quiet zone and you'll get no more warnings.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#362

Post by spc476 »

jrowen wrote: post #203
vl wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There just aren’t as many good new movies. Is this true, or you just can’t discover them anymore because everything else competes for your attention? Arguably in the last decade more great content in both movies and TV shows produced than ever, it’s just so much, that it’s hard to choose.

I recently watched A League of Their Own and Die Hard . In my opinion, these movies are just categorically different from what's being made today, are still totally compelling start to finish, and really capture the magic and the high art of the golden age of cinema. I truly believe movies were just better 30-40 years ago. That was the era of "every second counts." Every second has meaning and purpose and adds someth…

Survivalship bias. Here's a list of movies released in 1985: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_1985>. How many of those are good? How many have you heard of? Here's a list of movies released in 2025: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2025>. Same questions.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#364

Post by Telemakhos »

mosura wrote: post #301
ozim wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With current TV setups or projector technology I basically have cinema in my living room. As a kid who grew up in 90’s I would say it is easily better than what cinema had back then. I don’t have that high expectations of sound/video as many people will point out that streaming kills the quality but for all its worth still much better than what I need to enjoy a movie.

Back pre digital I was once lucky enough to see Aliens on one of the private cinemas at Fox, and it was astounding. I think people underestimate how poorly operated most normal cinemas used to be, combined with maybe not the best prints etc.

I remember seeing In the Mood for Love on the big screen in my local arthouse cinema back around 2000. It was shot with analogue film and projected as such, and the sheer details of the textures were astounding. It's not a bad film on my 4k monitor, but I don't feel the same awe.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#365

Post by khazhoux »

Tadpole9181 wrote: post #231
WarmWash wrote: post #96

My fiance mentioned we haven't gone to see a movie in theaters in years and it would be fun to go. I checked what was playing and: 2 tickets, 2 sodas, 1 popcorn. $86 dollars. Don't know if I'll ever go to a conventional movie theater again.

It's not even price for me - I'm happy to pay for an experience. I'm more annoyed that the theater is basically the worst place to watch a movie now. The silver screen has a contrast ratio in the hundreds. A $300 consumer TV now looks significantly better than the blurry, muted, and muddled projector image. Then the audio at theaters is always totally blown out and overly bassy and siblant. Fine for action, I guess,…

I enjoy going to the theater to hear the guy next to me eating popcorn with his mouth open and maximum mandibular crunch. Also, I do enjoy the woman behind me that with her constant non-stop vocal reactions to everything onscreen (anything mildly sad --> "awww"; anything vaguely surprising --> "oooh"; ...).

Other highlights include the super bright EXIT signs flanking both sides of the screen -- helps me get immersed in the scene. The occasional loud bass rumble from the action movie playing one theater over also helps.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#366

Post by jghn »

mosura wrote: post #304
jghn wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, Avatar was literally what I was picturing when I wrote that. They're not good movies. But damn they're fun to watch in 3D, on a giant screen, and with great sound. That's not to say that all movies in this category are *only* worth watching in the theater like Avatar is. For instance I would have still enjoyed the recent Dune movies either way but they were a lot better with all the pomp & circumstance.

At that point what you are describing is a theme park ride. It only works a handful of times though before people get bored of it and want something else.

Pretty much. I only go to a theater about once every 2 years or so at most.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#367

Post by jrowen »

spc476 wrote: post #362
jrowen wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently watched A League of Their Own and Die Hard . In my opinion, these movies are just categorically different from what's being made today, are still totally compelling start to finish, and really capture the magic and the high art of the golden age of cinema. I truly believe movies were just better 30-40 years ago. That was the era of "every second counts." Every second has meaning and purpose and adds someth…

Survivalship bias. Here's a list of movies released in 1985: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_1985 >. How many of those are good? How many have you heard of? Here's a list of movies released in 2025: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2025 >. Same questions.

See my other comment on this, but I'm talking about the top of the form, the movies that have and/or will stand the test of time and be considered notable for some reason. Not the average of all movies made in a given year.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#368

Post by pclmulqdq »

bloomingeek wrote: post #284
tyjen wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last movie we attended people were incredibly disruptive throughout the film, to the point that it was difficult to focus on the film. Some people enjoy screaming, laughing, and talking as part of the experience, but it's apparently been normalized beyond my tolerance threshold. Add in the cost and overall movie quality decrease of Hollywood productions, and it's difficult to justify. Presently, we watch foreign…

Sort of off topic, but almost the same can be said for music concerts. During slower or softer songs, people can be heard talking and laughing loudly. I get it, they paid their money, same as us, but we didn't pay to hear them.

People call the classical music audience prudish for demanding quiet during performances, but IMO when you go to a concert it should be ok to shush people who talk during the quiet parts.

Re: Hollywood Enters Oscars Weekend in Existential Crisis

#370

Post by [deleted] »

socalgal2 wrote: post #230

If Sinners and One Battle After Another are up for movie of the year then it's no wonder no one is going. One is a fun but ultimately forgettable horror action movie. The other is a movie that just based on its major theme would attract less then half the country and even in those remaining is a very polarizing movie. It's up for best picture because to preach, not because it's actually good.

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