Movies

[Raza]

An interesting peek from an industry insider (Steven "Ocean 11" Soderbergh) about the State of Cinema (as opposed to "movies").

It sounds to me like this 'malaise' in Hollywood he speaks of applies to most industries today. It certainly applies to mine: Decision-making people at the top NOT having any love for the profession as a whole (the creators, the creative process, the players, etc.) and most importantly, not feeling their responsibility to take risks, and augment the field of possibilities for the future.

You definitely see it in the car industry as well. It's been a long time since a car company has put out a car that is markedly better than the old one.

Movies es are too expensive--to make and to go to--for studios not to play it safe.

[Chronopolitano]

You definitely see it in the car industry as well. It's been a long time since a car company has put out a car that is markedly better than the old one.

Movies es are too expensive--to make and to go to--for studios not to play it safe.

I don't know if you watched the vid, but he does counter this on several levels.
While some movies are, and HAVE TO be mega expensive, this does not in any way apply to many of the kind of cinema that needs to be funded for their sheer excellence of potential AS cinema.

It's just that there is so little funding, when there IS plenty of money to so do. There is no will, bcz there is little kowledge on the part of the excs about what cinema is as an art form, how it's made (creatively), etc.

Execs just wanna take home an even fatter paycheck, is all. He says: "They're concerned more with the horses more than with the race."

Now, if this mentality is the norm - and it does seem to be everywhere - then, this is what stagnation looks like. Status quo in the worst possible sense: repetition after repetition.
And it is having a negative effect within the culture as a whole, not just the movie industry.

Watches too. The same damn submariner day in and day out, with just different color bezels.
Every other micro-brand watches look more or less predictable: the permutation is severely limited, and not because the designers don;t have more ideas, but because the "audience" likes the repetition.

An astute thinker made the observation that we today we can imagine all sorts of apocalyptic catastrophes that will end the world as we know it, but we cannot seem to be able to imagine a different way of using money for the greater good - namely, fund those with ideas.
Used to be called PATRONAGE.

[Jeannie]

Used to be called PATRONAGE.

Now it's called Kickstarter.

Jeannie

[Drop of a Hat]

Predestination with Ethan Hawke. Very very well done.

"He's just a witness"

[93EXCivic]

I went and saw The Theory of Everything Friday night. I'd highly recommend it. A very good movie.

[Ryan]

Just watched the Bells of St. Mary's. Last night, White Christmas.

[hayday]

Birdman was very quirky and very entertaining. The acting is brilliant.

-hayday

[Mediocre]

Watched a couple on the flights to/from Beijing...

Guardians of the Galaxy - Fun, would recommend

Lucy - Not impressed, not recommended

November Man - Ok, but worth a watch if you are bored. Stereotypical spy movie

Maze Runner - Not sure what to think about it, interesting watch, but it felt like it was made so that they could build video games fromit

The Giver - Probably a decent watch, but I was biased since I have read the book more than once

[Ryan]

Just watched the excellent 20 Feet from Stardom.

[geoffbot]

Nightcrawler is excellent. Jake Gyllenhaal is a superb actor.