Disappointing Trends in Movies

[Elf Witch]

I am with the others who don't like jerky camera movemnets. I get sick to my stomach watching them.

I also hate "dark" movies not the content but the mood lighting. You spent 80 million to make it and you can't afford to buy light bulbs.

I hate the trend to cast waifish females in fighter rolls and I really hate when they cast an over 40 male and the lead female is 19.

I am sick of nudity and cheesecake shots in some films. I am not a prude and I don't mind it if it is content but just to sell sex to make the movie appeal to little boys bugs me.

I also hate people who can't get their bottom planted in their seat before the previews start. That way they are settled before the movie starts. And why does the person with the tiny bladder have to sit in the middle of the row.

Talkers, cell phones and crying babies are also annoying.

And someone else said bringing children to certain films. I was horrified when I saw Basic Insrinct and some morons brought there under 8 daughters to the film.

 

[Arnwyn]

As someone who really enjoys good fight choreography, count me as another vote against the cinematic obsfucation of action.

Yep, this is the biggest for me - especially in martial arts movies, when it drives me almost insane (one of the local newspaper reviewers calls it the "death of a thousand cuts" when she criticizes such movies).

Many of the other things listed here are also minor peeves of mine.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Yep, this is the biggest for me - especially in martial arts movies, when it drives me almost insane (one of the local newspaper reviewers calls it the "death of a thousand cuts" when she criticizes such movies).

Many of the other things listed here are also minor peeves of mine.

I think this maybe overcompensation, too much, too long, too much wire-fu, so now you have this. :\

 

[Hijinks]

May I add the folks that

* chew popcorn with their mouths open. It's a small kernel. You can put it in your mouth, then close your mouth, then chew. Do you really not know how LOUD that is to the person sitting behind you?

* Slurp their soda when there's nothing left but a few drops and ice. See above about loudness.

* Open their cell phones/PDA's/whatevers just to see what time it is. It's very bright in a dark theater. Buy a watch.

I admit I'm guilty of talking. But I'm trying to work on it.

I was overseas in 92-93. I came back and Jurassic Park was at the dollar theater. I hadn't been able to see any recent movies while overseas so I went to see it. Unfortunately, there were 4 teenagers right behind me who kept saying things like "Oh this is the part where the raptor eats the guy..." Erm. Thanks.

 

[Desdichado]

A couple of years ago, some friends and I went to see Shall We Dance? (the Japanese original, not the pointless American remake) at the local second-run theater.

I saw--and relatively enjoyed--the American remake. I've never even heard of the Japanese version.

Doesn't sound pointless to me.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Kids in movies they have no reason to be there for. I was in Mr and Ms Smith and some idiot brought their kids in to see it. !?!?!?! Man you gotta be sick to expose your kid to that kinda violence so early on. I'm no prude, but I think it's wrong for 2-9 year olds to be in there.

A buddy of mine saw The Devil's Rejects and saw so-called "parents" with kids in there.

 

[billd91]

I concur 100% - watching TTT & ROTK last weekend it was very noticeable that the less armour an orc had, the more damage resistant it was! While plate-armoured orcs were guaranteed to drop dead from a single blow, naked orcs could keep running with seveal arows in them... ?!?! This was very annoying.

Well DUH! The naked orc with the arrows in him was a higher level...

 

[Zander]

Either switch the DVD to regular stereo, or invest in a 5.1 audio system. That's not a problem with the movie, it's a problem with you playing the wrong soundtrack and not getting the right balance between the various sound elements. Of course, many DVDs don't come with a 2.0 stereo option anymore, but 5.1 digital audio systems for DVD/TV systems have come way down; $100-150 will set you up nicely.

I've got a Toshiba DVD player and it has three sound modes one of which is dialogue. This eliminates almost all cases of the soundtrack overwhelming the speech. On the rare occasions when it's not enough, I check the subtitles.

 

[Zander]

Oooooh movie peeves...

Waif-like heroines who are supercombatants beyond all reason in a fight.

The general trend of all male characters being complete and utter boobs while wise and caring women save them from themselves.

Blatant political agendas tucked away in movies that have nothing to do with the story/characters/setting.

I couldn't agree more. However, as politics are taboo on these boards, I won't expand.

I will say that I belong to the HSFC (Hate Shaky Filming Club). It completely ruined the fight against the cave troll in FotR.

 

[Rackhir]

One thing that has been a pet peeve for a long time is the "When the monster should have been absolutely positively killed for the last time, it will get up once more to menace the heroes". A related peeve is the "OH MY GOD! THE MONSTER ISN"T DEAD!" shot that they seem obligated to include at the end of pretty much all horror movies.