The summer of 2019 has offered a plethora of films to entertain the masses, but there has been a strange trend in recent releases. Films such as "Godzilla: King of the Monsters", "Aladdin", and "Dark Phoenix", which can be considered standard blockbusters have been receiving middle-of-the-line to flat out bad reviews from critics and audiences, and for "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" and "Dark Phoenix" this had led to lower-than-expected showings at the box office. But it goes further than that; "Toy Story 4", part of a beloved franchise and from a studio known for making juggernaut hits, is reported to come in less than expected at the domestic box office. Are audiences turning their backs on blockbusters or are they just not going to the theaters? Could all of this be blowback from "Avengers: Endgame"'s performance critically and monetarily; for comparison did a similar instance happen in 2009 with the release of "Avatar"? Does this foreshadow anything for upcoming blockbusters?
Great article idea. As a side note, I keep seeing articles about how the summer theatrical rerun of Spirited Away has been beating Toy Story 4 in the Chinese market. Does this speak to a difference between newer movies versus older ones? Different expectations? Is it the cost of movie attendance? There are many different angles to take on this topic and I would be excited to see where it could go. – Eden5 years ago
Awesome idea! I like the final note on whether you think this is part of a wider trend. Can you explain a little bit more what you mean by this? What do you think might be causing it? I think needs to be drawn out a little bit more. Also, can you think of another example of this happening (other than now and 2009) and if so, what does this suggest about their being some sort of trend of flops following major successful blockbuster releases like Avatar and Endgame. – Elpis19885 years ago
This honestly sounds like a great way to discuss online streaming services and a possible lack of creative ability in the current media landscape! There’s many ways this can branch out, good luck! – rosiemanuouiha5 years ago
With next month marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, this seems like an appropriate time to critically examine the fascination generations of writers and filmmakers have had with the moon. What is it about space travel that was so interesting to Jules Verne when he wrote FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON? George Melies was certainly inspired by Verne when he made his pioneering short film A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902). Melies actually allows his characters to land on the moon, not just circle around it as in the Verne original. It was Fritz Lang who first showed audiences the possibilities of rocket travel in his 1929 German silent film WOMAN IN THE MOON. What is the relationship between these works of science fiction and the scientific facts? And what insight have writers and filmmakers provided about humanity's relationship with the rest of the universe?
As long as movies have been a popular form of entertainment, there has always been a standing genre that a majority of movies released at the time fall under. With movies like Endgame and Logan providing a sort of pseudo conclusion to long running movie series that have been keeping viewers hooked and willing to watch anything wearing a cape or having -blank-MAN in the title; I can't help but wonder what everyone thinks is coming next. Is it already here and I've missed it? Maybe there's someone who's been around the block that already sees it coming? P.S. Anyone else feel like Logan acknowledged this by being just as much a western as a superhero movie as a way to send off not just Hugh Jackman but also the mainstream state of the genre as a whole?
This is one of my favorite talking points with other film-lovers! I've always been interested in the films people choose to promote and the, for lack of a better term, eras of films that come out of it. If I could add anything to this topic, I think it would be questioning what it takes to make a shift like this in entertainment; does something have to happen in the world or in society for the masses to change the films that they want to see, or is the creation of a film-era just the luck of the draw? – Tyruss20155 years ago
Seeing how popular culture is flourishing in the waves of 80's revival culture with television hits like Stranger Things, movies like Bladerunner 2049, and a new brat pack, how long will this movement last? Is quality entertainment and/or art coming from this movement and what might be the next driving force of popular culture. Will it be another renaissance or a new set of genres?
Really interesting topic! Love both Blade Runner and Stranger Things. The soundtrack for Stranger Things is especially interesting with it's synthesized sound. Maybe the renewed interest has to do with the fact the 80s are now old enough to be nostalgic to middle age and older adults, as well as intriguing to young viewers who weren't alive during the time period. – Sean Gadus5 years ago
I think the study of "nostalgic" movements such as this can be really interesting. I think the key really is that these movements gain traction at a time when audiences are the best mix of younger consumers who view media from before they were born as a novelty, and older consumers experiencing nostalgia for the era. It might be interesting to look at how 80s elements slowly creeped into the mainstream before hitting it's stride - in particular with the introduction of 80s music in Marvel films and action films in general. – Kayleigh Hall5 years ago
In the past several years, we've seen the production of movies such as "Hidden Figures", "Hacksaw Ridge", and "Dunkirk", just to name a few. All of these movies have the fact that they were based on a true story in common. These are only a few of such movies, with easily a dozen others having come out within the past decade, or even less, within the past five or so years. What is it about these "true story style movies" that has made them so incredibly popular within the past ten years? What aspect of society does their popularity stem from? Is it just filmmakers trying to come up with viable movie ideas, or is there a deeper societal meaning that contributes to their success?
This sounds like a compelling topic! I was once told by someone that movies often reflect the ideologies and beliefs of the society at that point in time. For example, films in the late 80's and 90's were all about a dystopian future which reflected societies worries about technology. Similarly, biographical movies have certainly seen an uplift but it might benefit you to think about the common themes which are shared by all of these movies. – simonmalik5 years ago
Something possibly worth exploring in this proposal is the inherent artificial nature of adapting stories for an audience. As Picasso is credited with saying, “Art is a lie that helps us realize the truth.” With this vein, it may prove helpful for the topic to delve into how these “true story” pictures stretch their own basis in truth. Nonetheless, an interesting idea to nurture! – jgpolk5 years ago
It's because people are curious about history, and enjoy seeing "True Story Movies", even though the trueness of the story or stories in question can be stretched and/or twisted to the point of exaggeration. – WSSfan5 years ago
Adding to what has already been mentioned by commenters above, 'truth' is obviously subjective and one of the problems with 'true story' or 'based on a true story' films is discerning the agenda behind them. Whose truth are we seeing? In a time when alternative news is under attack, frequently labelled as fake news (or worse) and even words are being weaponised to drive home official narratives, it's more important than ever to be a critical thinker and make up one's own mind. We've recently had the 6th of June D-Day commemorations and I was reminded of when, in 1994, I accompanied my (then) girlfriend to France as she was covering that year's commemorations for her newspaper. Once the official services were over, we met some fascinating old men and women - French, German, British, American, in fact so many nationalities it would take a long time to list them all. I heard some truly moving stories, not just acts of bravery in the face of fire, but also heartwarming tales of empathy and compassion from those who saw past the horror and went to the aid of the 'enemy'; saving lives and, in the process, making life long friends. There I was, sitting amongst soldiers, airmen, resistance fighters etc, and realising that these real 'true' stories might never be heard, let alone made into films. – Amyus5 years ago
Unless it's really well done or in-line with the artstyle, CGI in anime is ugly, easily noticeable, and immersion-breaking. Whenever I see it, I can't focus on anything else but the mess of the 3d rig in a scene. A prime offender is Goblin Slayer – which replaced the protagonist completely at times with a poorly rigged and stiffly animated CG double. I believe one reason for this is budget constraints, but I see it as a negative trend within the Anime industry. What can we do about it?
There's heaps of examples to use too, particularly idol anime like Love Live and Lil'Pri. It's definitely improved, but still needs work. – Andi5 years ago
9/11 drastically changed the action genre, which was previously filled with the blowing up of beloved buildings and terrorist attacks. Talk about how 9/11 changed the genre, how it evolved to fit a changing world, and if you believe we'll ever return to a world reminiscent of Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day"
This is fascinating. I would love to both read and write under this topic. It be especially interesting to consider films that in some way reference 9/11, either directly or with some kind of tribute (and equally interesting to consider those that do not). – badaster5 years ago
An interesting topic. Probably the way to address it is to compare several movies that covered terrorist attacks prior to 9/11 with changes after 9/11. But probably also in looking at post-9/11 movies would be the need to see how they were received at the box office. – Joseph Cernik5 years ago
Some movies give a tribute to 9/11 by making the movie about those on one of the planes that were terrorized that day. Other movies pay a tribute to 9/11 in a less obvious way by making their movie less about the blowing up of buildings and terrorist attacks and more about the bringing of people together within a nation for the common good. But still both types of movies pay a great tribute to the memory of 9/11. – autenarocks5 years ago
Compare and contrast the dystopian worlds of the film, Minority Report, and the anime, Psycho-Pass, and the conflict of predetermining criminal acts and passing out judgment against people who have not committed crimes, yet. PreCrime implements a system where potential criminals are apprehended according to the psychic abilities of the "precogs" while the Sibyl System measures the mentalities of the populace and calculates the likelihood of individuals committing crimes according to their "Crime Coefficient" index. How do these stories depict a future where judgement is passed before the crime even happens? What is the significance of the protagonists–John Anderton of Minority Report and Akane Tsunemori of Psycho-Pass–and their journeys as they gradually realize the flawed nature of the system they believed in?
if someone should choose to tackle this topic, i think that it could also be interesting to include an analysis of predictive policing––arguably a precursor to the systems in these imagined dystopias––which has been slowly growing in global influence. – ees5 years ago
