[- - e r i k - -]

WTF?

[The Godfather]

It's a free country?

[TETENAL]

I don't get it.

[Buckaroo]

I take it Norbit is a recently released movie.

[Nodnarb]

Lucyyyyy you have som splaining to dooooo.

Still don't get it either.
Are you joking that Norbit got to #1? Have you seen it? I haven't so I surely can't comment on it.

[powerbook867]

The trailer looked really funny, but Rotten Tomatoes has really bad numbers on it...

Looks like a rental to me, but there has been a lacking of funny movies in the past couple of years.

We need something to laugh about, even if it is Eddie Murphy in a fat suit..

[OldManMac]

Let me take a stab at it. I think you're wondering how such mediocre "entertainment" made it to the top spot in the movies. Both Norbit and Hannibal Rising have been panned severely by the critics, for good reason, IMHO, yet they made it to the top. Am I right?

[Cold Warrior]

American movies are popular all over the world. You will find these kinds of movies topping the charts the world over.

[Jawbone54]

Hollywood is the #2 reason that my beloved country is getting dumber. Box office results often give the clearest indication of that.

In case you're wondering, the #1 reason is Fergie.

[KeyLimePi]

Well e r i k, while I don't share your tastes in more important matters...

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Am I the only one who does not like big saggy breasts around here*?

...I will say I agree with you that the offerings in American's cinema have been on the decline for years. Fortunately we've had a few recent films to be proud of ...The Departed, Babel, Children of Men, (the latter of which I think is only partially American). Now, as to why American audiences still pay for drivel and overlook good films...well, that I can't answer.

[Eriamjh]

Movies this time of year are usually cheaply-produced piles of horse crap. In a time of year when going to movies should be higher because of crummy weather, the movies are of the lowest quality.

I'm not saying the summer movies are much better. Lately, nothing but drivel has been coming out of Hollywood. Lots of flash, but no substance.

Of course, I can't think of a time when it really was much different.

[Chuckit]

There are three good movies a year and 105 crap movies. Two of those three movies will come out in the fall. So, crap movies make it to the top just because there's nothing else to make it to the top.

[Atheist]

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi 

Well e r i k, while I don't share your tastes in more important matters...



...I will say I agree with you that the offerings in American's cinema have been on the decline for years. Fortunately we've had a few recent films to be proud of ...The Departed, Babel, Children of Men, (the latter of which I think is only partially American). Now, as to why American audiences still pay for drivel and overlook good films...well, that I can't answer.

Ah yes... the old "back in my day... everything was better" argument. I would argue that there is an equal percentage of bad movies every year... regardless of when.

[MindFad]

Saw Hannibal Rising last night. Wow, what a stinker. Big let down. Ah well.

[hickey]

am I the only tired of seeing eddie murphy dress up like woman, especially fat women?

I got old a while ago.

[wolfen]

I don't think the quality of American movies has changed substantially over the past 20 years. However, the foreign films have definitely gotten worlds better in that time. It's at this comparison that America looks worse over time. Ideally, cinema (not just cinematic effects) should improve with time. But not if Americans want "the same old thing." And they do. Our moviegoing audiences have never been hungering for the subtle and deeply insightful plot.

[- - e r i k - -]

I am of course referring to Norbit. A movie that made my blood boil from the moment I saw the stable of sh*t comedies: The bold red font. Then I saw Eddie Murphy. Was he killed in 1996 and replaced by a cgi puppet? Is Satan cashing in on the deal that made him famous with Raw and BHC?

Why are people still paying to see this shell of a man waste celluloid and make a mockery of American audiences?

And the trailer looked really funny? Maybe you saw some different trailer than me, or maybe my vision was distorted by my eyes trying to backflip into my skull, but that was so far removed from comedy that I really can't believe people are born with the capacity to even laugh at it. Even less with it.

[paul w]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Then I saw Eddie Murphy. Was he killed in 1996 and replaced by a cgi puppet? Is Satan cashing in on the deal that made him famous with Raw and BHC?

He was actually pretty funny in Bowfinger. The paranoid, inflated ego parody of himself especially.

[- - e r i k - -]

And I'm not even complaining about American movies. It's just that - while you have no problem producing great TV comedy - you seem to be unable to translate that to the big screen.

Please prove me wrong by listing some genuinely funny non-animated American comedy movies. I know there are some. Hmmm. Anchorman was pretty decent. And I guess Life Aquatic and M*A*S*H qualifies as comedies.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

And I'm not even complaining about American movies. It's just that - while you have no problem producing great TV comedy - you seem to be unable to translate that to the big screen.

A lot of movies start out funny, only to sink into mediocrity once the plot starts to take hold. You get a half-hour of funny and the rest is formula, designed to appeal to as many people as possible.

And naturally, how you react to a comedy depends to an extent on your culture. I generally find British comedy to be fairly mind-numbing.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by BlueSky 

A lot of movies start out funny, only to sink into mediocrity once the plot starts to take hold. You get a half-hour of funny and the rest is formula, designed to appeal to as many people as possible.

And naturally, how you react to a comedy depends to an extent on your culture. I generally find British comedy to be fairly mind-numbing.

I agree with you, and I think that the reason they always sink into mediocrity is that they always become too preachy. There's always a message they're trying to get across, and they're becoming more transparent over the years.

Example: Click.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by BlueSky 

And naturally, how you react to a comedy depends to an extent on your culture.

Of course I appreciate this fact. But Eddie Murphy in drag singing "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?" shouldn't be funny in any culture consisting of people over the age of pre-school.

I also appreciate the fact that FAT PEOPLE = FUNNY still in the most obese country in the world*. And they say Americans don't get irony.

*Yes, Australia's a close #2. Go team!

[Stogieman]

Originally Posted by MindFad 

Saw Hannibal Rising last night. Wow, what a stinker. Big let down. Ah well.

That's funny, I saw Ghost Rider last night... and liked it. Can't figure out why. (It might have to do with someone else buying my ticket. ) My expectations for this movie was really really low but it turned out to be a good popcorn flick.

[flyordiedays]

It's not an American movie, but I saw Pan's Labyrinth Thursday night and absolutely loved it. I recommend it.

[Atomic Rooster]

Norbit is already on most critics worst 10 list of 2007 and it's only February. I understand it's very bigoted and racist but black people can do that.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Stogieman 

That's funny, I saw Ghost Rider last night... and liked it. Can't figure out why. (It might have to do with someone else buying my ticket. ) My expectations for this movie was really really low but it turned out to be a good popcorn flick.

I saw that yesterday too. Hardly great cinema, but it was enjoyable enough. Pretty much a by-the-numbers superhero flick with a slightly gruesome bent.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I agree with you, and I think that the reason they always sink into mediocrity is that they always become too preachy. There's always a message they're trying to get across, and they're becoming more transparent over the years.

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Of course I appreciate this fact. But Eddie Murphy in drag singing "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?" shouldn't be funny in any culture consisting of people over the age of pre-school.

You hit it on the spot. I recall reading something about movies that are "family-oriented" do a lot better at the box office these days. In the case of "Norbit", the parents are going to take their kids to see it, and if it has a preachy message all the better I suppose.

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally Posted by flyordiedays 

It's not an American movie, but I saw Pan's Labyrinth Thursday night and absolutely loved it. I recommend it.

One of the best films I've seen.

Many good films coming out of Europe and elsewhere but Merikans love cheesewhiz not Gouda.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by BlueSky 

In the case of "Norbit", the parents are going to take their kids to see it, and if it has a preachy message all the better I suppose.

What in the world would Norbit's preachy message be?
a) Fat people are inherently funny
b) Asians are racists
c) It's ok to sell your soul

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

What in the world would Norbit's preachy message be?
a) Fat people are inherently funny
b) Asians are racists
c) It's ok to sell your soul

Really fat black people don't need to wear bottoms.

[- - e r i k - -]

On the topic of Bold Red Text™ being the logo-equivalent of a warning-label saying: "Mindless comedy ahead", I can't be the only one noticing this. When did even start?

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

What in the world would Norbit's preachy message be?
a) Fat people are inherently funny
b) Asians are racists
c) It's ok to sell your soul

Hell I don't know, I haven't seen it. That's why I said "if".

And I thought fat people were inherently jolly.

[paul w]

Hey the only film I saw recently has been Mafioso, an Italian film from the 60s briefly rereleased here in a couple threaters. Absolutely brilliant though.

So don' look a' me, ok?

[- - e r i k - -]

[powerbook867]

Great, now the studios are going to ruin another perfectly good color..."Red's done, lets beat the crap out of blue for a bit!"

If I want truly depressing and serious, I'll watch cnn for a while.

Norbit looks like a stupid comedy. Just plain dumb. Sometimes I don't want to watch something I actually have to think about...I do enough thinking at work.

Totally off topic, Pan's Labrynth is amazing flick.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

On the topic of Bold Red Text™ being the logo-equivalent of a warning-label saying: "Mindless comedy ahead", I can't be the only one noticing this. When did even start?

The earliest example I can think of is another Eddie Murphy movie, The Nutty Professor. I kind of suspect it was American Pie's all-red logo that made it really popular, though.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

The earliest example I can think of is another Eddie Murphy movie, The Nutty Professor. I kind of suspect it was American Pie's all-red logo that made it really popular, though.

I was just about to say that funnily enough.