Movies, Box Office. How Important Is it?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

I have to agree with your statement, some of the best movies I have ever seen generally do not even break 50mil at the box office but movies like TF2 and Avatar (No flaming needed) rack in huge money basically for their visually effects alone.

People seem to lose focus on story and acting in place of the WOW factor in special effects. So when Hollywood makes crazy money on mediocre films it's sends the wrong message that great screen plays need not apply.

JMO, which should mean EVERYTHING...

That's just this generation, it's not just movies. It's also TV shows and video games, kids these days go ga-ga for pretty girls and special effects, they could care less about game-play/writing and story or character development. I can't complain though, I do enjoy a lot of those brainless action movies myself.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

That's just this generation, it's not just movies. It's also TV shows and video games, kids these days go ga-ga for pretty girls and special effects, they could care less about game-play/writing and story or character development. I can't complain though, I do enjoy a lot of those brainless action movies myself.

+1, it is the generation and I am part of the problem as well. Even though I try and see a broad range of movie I also enjoy the mindless popcorn flicks like TF2 and 2012. Oh well we are what we are.

[P@t_Mtl]

After reading a few of the posts so far, I want to add this to the conversation. Do you guys think then that everything done in the past 20 years with huge box office results should be considered with an *? Like some are talking about because of steroids in baseball and the records are tainted? Are the movies of the last 20 years tainted because of the WOW effect?

What about Lord Of The Rings? Big numbers, is it still a masterpiece or just another Transformers?

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

After reading a few of the posts so far, I want to add this to the conversation. Do you guys think then that everything done in the past 20 years with huge box office results should be considered with an *? Like some are talking about because of steroids in baseball and the records are tainted? Are the movies of the last 20 years tainted because of the WOW effect?

What about Lord Of The Rings? Big numbers, is it still a masterpiece or just another Transformers?

I think LOTR is in a rare class of films, great story, good acting, great special effects. But again this story has been around for many years (Hobbit). Most of todays action/sci-fi movies focus more on what they can do visually to entertain the audience instead of putting the story first and allow the rest to fall into place.

[Sushi_Overdose]

I think you should include :

10. You produce the movie and the only thing you want is to see your money coming back with more '0' than you gave.


Seriously, I don't really care, except that a total fail means that the director will have some trouble to get the money for his next film.

[Duffy12]

Besides possible sequels for Avatar, I am really hoping for an 'Extended Edition Directors Cut' do to its success that will include not only finished deleted scenes that had to be edited out do to run time, but also EXPENSIVE UNFINISHED SCENES that the studio would be very reluctant to do for the Blu-ray release.

Plus as an added bonus we just might get 3 new Star Wars 3D movies directed by the likes of Steven Spielberg!

Now how COOL would that be?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

After reading a few of the posts so far, I want to add this to the conversation. Do you guys think then that everything done in the past 20 years with huge box office results should be considered with an *? Like some are talking about because of steroids in baseball and the records are tainted? Are the movies of the last 20 years tainted because of the WOW effect?

What about Lord Of The Rings? Big numbers, is it still a masterpiece or just another Transformers?

Honestly? Lord of the Rings are benchmark fantasy movies that also happen to be well-done and feature stand-out performances. They truly are rare movies that deserve all the praise they get and the huge box office numbers they pulled down.

[P@t_Mtl]

I will admit that I am guilty as anyone else about the WOW effect. If one look's at my collection you can see I am part of the problem. But should we clearly blame kids for this problem? Are they the one that make Hollywood created these movies or is it everyone in general that is responsible for it?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I will admit that I am guilty as anyone else about the WOW effect. If one look's at my collection you can see I am part of the problem. But should we clearly blame kids for this problem? Are they the one that make Hollywood created these movies or is it everyone in general that is responsible for it?

I just know that back in the 80s and 90s we didn't have so much CGI or so many special effects in movies. I think technological advances are also to blame, as is Hollywood for pandering to the masses. George Lucas effect!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

I just know that back in the 80s and 90s we didn't have so much CGI or so many special effects in movies. I think technological advances are also to blame, as is Hollywood for pandering to the masses. George Lucas effect!

I sometime agree that yes we have been to taken with the visual and we have forgotten the other parts of what make a movie interestings. Maybe this is why we get so crazy when a movie like Lord Of The Rings come's along. Huge effect, big wow factor but with an actual story and with actors doing a wonderful job creating their characters. Maybe we now just expect these good performances in only lower budget movies when once upon a time, a good story and performances was expected in every movie. Ben-Hur had a wow factor but had everything else as well.

[skatalite]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Excuse me? I enjoyed Transformers 2 more but I think There Will Be Blood was much better. Kind of odd to compare the two anyway, wasn't TWBB a 2007 release? Oh and from Twitter -
boxofficemojo

Between 'Avatar,' 'Sherlock,' 'Alvin' and more, Dec. 25-27 was the highest-grossing weekend of all time... http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime...s/top12sum.htm 25 minutes ago from CoTweet

Haha I'm not making fun of those who genuinely liked "Transformers 2," but it's a poor excuse for a movie. Acting = bad, writing = bad, action = bad. Effects were great, sound was amazing, etc. But just like the first one, the action was almost hard to watch due to how it was "filmed." I couldn't tell what the hell was going on.

While I enjoy my big-budget action fests, I want substance in the movies I see. By comparing "Transformers 2" to "There Will Be Blood," I was showing that, not only do people have keen tastes, but no taste at all in some cases. Not saying you don't, I'm sure you're just a fan of film, but I know several people who walked out of "There Will Be Blood" because they thought it was going to be an action movie and it wasn't. Or they didn't like it because it was "too slow." Etc.

Originally Posted by dolphinc

I have to agree with your statement, some of the best movies I have ever seen generally do not even break 50mil at the box office but movies like TF2 and Avatar (No flaming needed) rack in huge money basically for their visually effects alone.

People seem to lose focus on story and acting in place of the WOW factor in special effects. So when Hollywood makes crazy money on mediocre films it's sends the wrong message that great screen plays need not apply.

JMO, which should mean EVERYTHING...

I agree, dolphin. Well said.

[masoud90]

If you like a certain kind of a movie and you want more of those type of movies made, you pray to god that it makes a lot of money. Entertainment + Money are like a mom and dad. Without both, movies aren't made (babies).

[Elvis]

Well box office sure does not make a great movie. I just watched "Moon" and it was the best Sci Fi of the year!

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

After reading a few of the posts so far, I want to add this to the conversation. Do you guys think then that everything done in the past 20 years with huge box office results should be considered with an *? Like some are talking about because of steroids in baseball and the records are tainted? Are the movies of the last 20 years tainted because of the WOW effect?

What about Lord Of The Rings? Big numbers, is it still a masterpiece or just another Transformers?

That is becoming subjective. Just because a movie gets big numbers shouldn't mean it is automatically because of a wow factor. It is also subjective whether someone believes a movie deserves the big numbers.

Anyways, I like to see a movie I love succeed because I want to see it succeed. Getting a sequel out of the success is a bonus of course and the best thing to come out of those big numbers.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by killowertz

That is becoming subjective. Just because a movie gets big numbers shouldn't mean it is automatically because of a wow factor. It is also subjective whether someone believes a movie deserves the big numbers.

Anyways, I like to see a movie I love succeed because I want to see it succeed. Getting a sequel out of the success is a bonus of course and the best thing to come out of those big numbers.

But like I mention as number 9 of my original post, movies are so subjective to start with to judge them, so would box office alone be enough to say what is the greatest movie of all time? Because of box office (adjusted of course) is Gone With The Wind then the greatest movie in history?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

But like I mention as number 9 of my original post, movies are so subjective to start with to judge them, so would box office alone be enough to say what is the greatest movie of all time? Because of box office (adjusted of course) is Gone With The Wind then the greatest movie in history?

Box office has very little to do with whether or not a movie is incredible, all it really says is that people liked a movie and were willing to give it repeat viewings. I mean come on, does anyone here really think Titanic is the best movie ever made? I haven't seen it but I still think the answer is no. Silly pubescent girls!

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Box office has very little to do with whether or not a movie is incredible, all it really says is that people liked a movie and were willing to give it repeat viewings. I mean come on, does anyone here really think Titanic is the best movie ever made? I haven't seen it but I still think the answer is no. Silly pubescent girls!

I agree but also believe most people do judge the greatness of a movie based on it's box office success. Look at all the other forums on this site that do just that.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Box office has very little to do with whether or not a movie is incredible, all it really says is that people liked a movie and were willing to give it repeat viewings. I mean come on, does anyone here really think Titanic is the best movie ever made? I haven't seen it but I still think the answer is no. Silly pubescent girls!

But that was the point I was trying to make, since it's so impossible to judge what is the greatest movie of all time because truly each and everyone of us would have a different answer, should we then not use box office results? Or that just make no sense?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

But that was the point I was trying to make, since it's so impossible to judge what is the greatest movie of all time because truly each and everyone of us would have a different answer, should we then not use box office results? Or that just make no sense?

That's the best thing about movies, to me. There will never be a clear-cut #1 movie of all-time. Most critics seem to think it's Citizen Kane, I think it's a New Hope and I imagine almost everyone on this forum has their own #1 all-time movie.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

But that was the point I was trying to make, since it's so impossible to judge what is the greatest movie of all time because truly each and everyone of us would have a different answer, should we then not use box office results? Or that just make no sense?

I think there is really no answer to that question as everyone will have a different take on their greatest movie of all time. My favorite is the first Godfather which to me had everything I adore in a film.

Other's would disagree and there are people out there that think TF2 or Avatar is the greatest film of all time.