I found I should go to the movies again, next week maybe. What to watch?

[raybright]

totally agree that the point with series is the amount of time they take to tell a story and flesh out the characters. Just think Sopranos. How could a movie even begin to look into somebody's mind from all those angles, and play with your sympathy over months and months, pulling you in and then leaving you disgusted again.
Although some movies can be nice little pieces of art. Looking forward to Grand Budapest Hotel. Anderson's fantastic but I wouldn't want to immerse myself into his world longer than a bag of popcorn.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by PeterParker 

I found I should go to the movies again, next week maybe. What to watch?

Pompeii, it's exciting (popcorn film) and best suited for the Big Screen.

[subego]

Originally Posted by raybright 

totally agree that the point with series is the amount of time they take to tell a story and flesh out the characters. Just think Sopranos. How could a movie even begin to look into somebody's mind...

Something like Analyze This. IOW, fluffy.

Watched the Oscar night through and through...

American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave seem great. "Her" sounds dopey, in spite of the good criticism. I still adore Cate Blanchett, sort of, so this Blue Jasmine might be great, dunno...

[Shaddim]

I'm happy for Cate, but I refuse to watch any more films made by Allen.

[andi*pandi]

American Hustle was enjoyable. Blue Jasmine was well acted, Cate really did a good job, but it is not a cheerful movie. (I didn't pay to see it, fwiw.)

fwiw = for wife I went !?

12 years a slave, anyone? Nebraska?

[andi*pandi]

fwiw: for what it's worth

:-(

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by P 

All true, and it has only accelerated lately. Movies these days are designed for one of two purposes: A light-hearted summer movie, with little artistic value, or a formulaic Oscar nominee. The ones that do not follow that form - Inception is a great example - often become great, but Nolan had to come off the success of The Dark Knight to get funding to make it.

I'm not personally put off by the blockbuster/Oscar/indie formula of movies. I think I'm much more drawn to the idea of something that lasts longer than two hours.

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Essentially, I'm paying zero and getting most I need, just not immediatly after airing.
I prefer watching a TV show season w/o waiting a week for every new episode. Drives me nuts to wait. I need to be able to watch the full season within a few weeks.

-t

Wink, wink.

Originally Posted by mattyb 

No. Sort-of. Depends. Can't remember where I saw it but apparently writers have the power for TV series, directors have the power in movies.

And therein likes one of my biggest problems: I hate the writing of modern movies.

I also hate the writing of nearly all modern music, but at this point maybe I'm just breaking out my cane.

And ... does anyone actually goto someone else's house to watch a film nowadays? Dunno if its because I'm an old fart, but a film in a cinema, a bite to eat and maybe a few drinkies are far more enjoyable. I only goto watch the 'must-see-on-a-big-screen' type films in a cinema.

I haven't stepped foot in a theater in 12 years.

Originally Posted by PeterParker 

TV companies chose movies and shows according to season of year, day of week, and hour of day. They know habits of people, they usually encourage to watch more broadly - and, like anyone, if people want to watch Action or Sci-Fi all day long, they can.

Also a big part of the formula.

We used to have to listen to the radio or a select collection of tapes/CDs if we were bored on the road. Today, I can connect my phone to my car via Bluetooth, then select from thousands of songs, podcasts, or audiobooks based on my preference at that very moment.

Movies are still telling us, "Here's what we want to talk about. Watch me." Meanwhile, there are limitless TV shows for us to consume when we want and where we want.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

People care about movies still, but the current age of television offers something unique – shows as beautifully shot and directed as movies but with more fleshed out characters and longer and deeper story arcs.

I can't speak for everyone, but what you're describing is what I would have preferred all along. It's much easier to feel a significant attachment to a character when there's a long-term investment in their well-being. It's just that the technical quality of TV lagged behind for so long.

Now people with DSLRs are filming masterfully shot short videos for YouTube.

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

I still like movies, but between the cost Shaddim mentioned, add in the cost/hassle of a babysitter, and well, we only go 1-2 times a year. We go to kid movies at matinees or with discount coupons. Frozen was pretty good. We bring our own candy and water, but buy the popcorn.

As for folks gathering at someone's house to watch a movie, I've noticed that drop off as well, but thought it was also due to the "married/kids" thing.

I'm sensing that getting older is playing into the decisions of a lot of us on this forum.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I'm not a binge watcher, either. I'm also so used to the cable format that watching network shows is brutal – I'm was half-way through the first season of Heroes and couldn't finish because I was sick of it (about 18 episodes in). Its very stretched out and suffers from it.

Otherwise, for stuff like House of Cards, I never do more than an episode a day. Works out pretty well about, as I was just mulling over the last episode on the drive to work this morning.

I think someone else referenced missing the water cooler conversations about popular shows week-to-week, but that's probably gone for good, so I won't bother lamenting its passing.

All the drawbacks considered, I do like the fact that I'm able to binge watch, and you're able to take your time. It's choice, which is something we never had.

[Jawbone54]

I saved this to Pocket, then forgot to post it: Most Americans have yet to watch any best-picture Oscar nominee: poll

It may be one of the best years in recent memory for high-quality Hollywood film, but two-thirds of Americans have yet to see any of the movies nominated for the best picture Oscar, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Sunday.

Among those who responded to the online survey, Somali piracy thriller "Captain Phillips" was the most-watched film, at 15 percent. But 67 percent said they had yet to see any of the eleven films in the poll.

[Shaddim]

I watched them all, except Philomena and Nebraska, and IMO of the ones nominated, Gravity should have won with American Hustle a close 2nd. Unfortunately, 12 Years a Slave had already been on the big screen not too many years ago, but it was previously titled The Passion of the Christ. I didn't like it then, and still don't care for it now. I'm just not into films where brutality and sadism are the primary focus.

[subego]

I completely don't need to see that movie.

And in terms of seeing the nominated films, I have seen not a one.

In fact, except for a couple movies at the Chicago Film Festival I was invited to, I don't think I've seen a movie in the last year. I don't have the patience anymore.

[OAW]

Of the Best Picture nominations the only ones I've seen are 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, and Captain Phillips. I enjoyed them all ... especially the first two for very different reasons. What film should or shouldn't win is always so subjective. So I won't really comment since I haven't seen them all. I can say that I'm certainly not displeased at the selection. It was a powerful film without question.

OAW

[ShortcutToMoncton]

12 Years a Slave was amazing. I did not at all equate it to passion of the Christ and did not hear that comparison before but could be me. American Hustle was flawed and somewhat jumbled but overall a good film - I felt the Wolf of Wall Street was easily superior.

Somewhat oddly, although 2013 was a very good year for movies I felt the second Hunger Games might have been my most enjoyable experience. It was a fantastic film and surprisingly dark and mature - in my opinion it surpasses Nolan's Batmans as the best modern big-budget series.

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Are movies still a big deal? Do people care anymore?

Nope. 90% of the movies and TV shows in the last 15 years have been awful. They're extremely annoying, they involve too much "audience," the movie themes are completely un-original, the content on both movies and TVs is over-regulated, and the take-home messages in a lot of these casts are very selfish.

That's why I have never paid for TV service and do not plan on doing so.

As for movies: I'm getting ready to rid my living room of my blu-ray system, and just replace it all with a carpet.