Every time I see a commercial for the movie "Raising Helen" I feel a surge of violence.

What kind of premise for a movie is this?
"Let's make a movie about a woman who thinks that she is empowered and independent, but inherits her sister's children in a manner that could never happen in the real world. Then she'll find out that she's more empowered when she has these children. And we'll throw in some really stupid jokes that the commercials will repeat over and over again."
"Great! Let's go to work!"

Or how about that other movie about the empowered young woman who follows her dream to become a hip-hop star despite impossible odds and discouragement from her mentors?

Is it just me, or are movies getting stupider and stupider by the year? By the YEAR! Such moronic and predictable concepts for movies! Who here agrees with me? And, more interestingly, who does not agree with me and is looking forward to seeing this masterpiece?


Edit- It has been brought to my attention that this might be more appropriate in the movie forum... But as I don't really go there it didn't occur to me. And it's not really a discussion about the movie itself as it's a discussion of the state of "entertainment" in my country. But whatever.

[ 05-19-2004, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: Illumina Drathiran'ar ]

LOL...don't get too violent there...

Actually, I make it a point of following the media, and the trends that come about. Yes, there are plenty of moronic movies out there, but the thing is there have been plenty every other year, too. Empowerment through children is one that they have thrown out there over and over again for women. Ever seen Baby Boom with Diane Keaton? Same general premise. I wonder which gender is behind the planning of these films. ;)

Sitcoms, romantic comedies, raw action flicks, reality TV, etc. All of them are generally made with the lowest common denominator in mind. There are exceptions of course, but for the most part they have been putting this junk out at least since TV has existed.

Does this mean you don't believe that Spiderman is for real either ? :D

Thank god we have movies like HellBoy and Van Hellsing then to even things out...

no wait... [img]graemlins/saywhat.gif[/img]

[img]smile.gif[/img]

I agree, but it is inevitable : as time goes on there will be fewer and fewer ideas that haven't been made into films yet. It's the same with songs: why do you think bands are doing so many covers and remixes of 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s songs these days?

Anyway, the films I like are like X-Men - a new story based on characters surrounded by nostalgia from my childhood - those sorts of films might have cliched storylines - but the setting is quite unlike most other films and the advance of technology is allowing better and better special effects - there is still hope for some innovation yet.

Mass media = for the masses
masses = mobs
mobs = stoopid

The problem I've seen with movies recently is unlike the old classic black and white films, where the actor had to be able to 'act,' these walking twists have special effects to help smooth the rough edges. Take the Star Wars: Clone Wars film as a prime example. Lucas, get back on the medication. I'm no Star Wars fan, but I look back on the first three and the characters had a certain style, class, and presence on-screen. Cary Grant, David Nivin, William Holden, Tony Curtis, Gary Cooper, Claude Rains, Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins (Shadowlands, Howard's End...NOT Bad Company), Anthony Quinn, the list goes on. These actors had, and for some, have, great presence on the screen. They give more than a cookie cut clone such as some actors roaming about now. Sadly, the era of class has died, and this is what we're left with.

my brother and I have had this same discossion over and over, it seems that they have run out of Ideas for new movies, and are either to the point of re-making old movies, or using the same concept from movies to make a whole new movie. I agree, it is getting old to watch the movies that you know there is no possible way that could happen in real life, but then there are a few movies that even though it is impossible, they are still good, have not seen the movie Raising Helen, but have seen the preveiws, and have to say, I would not watch it, even if it was the last one on earth, I would just read, which I prefer anyway. from what I have seen on the preveiws, it looks like a new version of three men and a baby, only the roles are reversed :/ my thoughts on it anyway

I mean, my God. I wouldn't be able to see that movie. I would be forcibly removed from the theatre because I would be sitting in my seat, whispering things like "There's no legal precedent for this" and "Are they suggesting that the principal is the one who grades students? Or that he just intervene personally to give them all A's? That's awfully corrupt of him. Is that the kind of man who she wants to date?" and "My God, she's stupid" to whatever poor soul might be sitting next to me. Or my friend who would come along to help me make fun of it. Either way.

I was watching Blade 2 the other day, and i couldn't help thinking how they completely drained the vampire subject. We've seen so many friggin vampire movies, they thought they'd give it a totally different approach. Instead of vampires with their usual special abilities, you can now see em running around with big machineguns, and they're better in martial arts than Jacky Chan. Since when do vampires need guns ? Since when are vampires specialized in martial arts ? The vampire concept has been drained all the way to the bottom, so now they come up with this.

Mind you, i enjoyed the movie, but it didn't have much to do with vampires as vampires are intended to be.