Merzbow Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 I love how they use Whedon as an example of someone defending the genre, as if he has any right being mentioned along with those three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted October 22, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 22, 2019 At least James Gunn did Slither, although that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted October 23, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 23, 2019 With apologies to Mr. Houchen for the double-bill, but Bob Iger responds! "Some of my best directors are black!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Danger Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 I mean, they're not wrong, but it's not like they're churning out Fast and the Furious films by the dozen to make a statement on the social exclusion of northern council estate tenants. It's been a cynical blockbuster lead market since Lucas jizzed out a rainbow and called it Star Wars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted October 23, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 23, 2019 That's hilarious. Thing is, just judging it on it's cinematic merits, Black Panther is even one of the lesser Marvel movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 22 hours ago, Merzbow said: I love how they use Whedon as an example of someone defending the genre, as if he has any right being mentioned along with those three. I mean, Firefly > The Godfather so... I think it’s getting to the point where the “real film” fans that are “haha” and “told you so”-ing everytime a film maker swipes out at superhero films, are as bad as the Marvel fan boys defending them. Its pathetic. Shock horror, massive films are not high art and exist only to make massive profits for corporations and it’s been that way for ages. Enjoy what you enjoy innit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Hannibal Scorch Posted October 23, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 23, 2019 Just re-watched Booksmart. I enjoyed it even more or a second watch and is now in my top 5 of the year. Cracking debut from Olivia Wilde and both Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are wonderful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted October 23, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 23, 2019 41 minutes ago, SuperBacon said: Its pathetic. Shock horror, massive films are not high art and exist only to make massive profits for corporations and it’s been that way for ages. Sure, but this era is a fair bit different, isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Danger Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 It is and it's proper shit that 'proper' films don't get a look in on the grand scale like in the original indie boom or in the late 80's/90's but the upside to that is that streaming companies are desperate to distribute those kind of films so there's still that avenue and it's extremely consumer friendly. It's mad that Scoresese can't get the Irishman made the conventional way but I'm chuffed I'll get to see it on my sofa for the £9 a month I pay Netflix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merzbow Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Yeah, this era is a much bigger monoploly owned by Disney/Marvel which is pushing out other films of all sizes from the cinema. I'm sure I've talked about it before here but that level of film between AAA and Indie is shrinking, there's much less room for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 43 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said: Sure, but this era is a fair bit different, isn't it. It is, but it’s the same for most avenues of entertainment. Coldplay are one of the biggest bands in the world and when their new album is released, it’ll get a million times more exposure and marketing than better bands who deserve it. I’m not disputing the facts at all, and there is of course a monopoly by the big studios, I just find this whole “See, even *name filmmaker* thinks they’re shit” a bit pathetic, that’s all. I think it’s unfair that Parasite, for example, won’t be released here until new year, but it is what is unfortunately. And we’re all looking at it through a biased spectrum. People who prefer independent films will say Marvel are evil. People who love Marvel will only argue the toss from their point of view. I just think it’s all a bit pointless. But it’s only my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted October 23, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 23, 2019 But there's a reason why three of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time are going after Marvel specifically. It's not pathetic at all. This is beyond 'big studio dominates the cinema' stuff. We're talking about a movie franchise which is unlike anything we've ever seen before, which sees three to five films linked or roughly linked to a central narrative being released A YEAR. This isn't like James Bond knocking a film out every two to five years, this is completely unprecedented. I can't recall a week at the cinema this year where there wasn't a superhero or comic book film of some description in the cinema. I know those haven't been all Marvel films but they mostly have been and I don't think DC's influence in all this can be downplayed. I actually don't care as much about the 'art' debate but it amuses me to see Marvel fanboys scrabbling desperately for Ken Loach's Wikipedia page so they can research a comeback at him. What I do care about, and the point that's being made by Scorsese and Loach especially, is that it is marginalising opportunities for smaller studio films and independents to make any impact with projects that are looking to be more artistically forward thinking. There have been so many flops over the last 4 or 5 years - good to great films that would normally perform well that have disappeared almost without trace. This isn't a coincidence, it's directly linked to Disney and Marvel especially. I don't think Disney and Marvel being called out by such influential voices will, unfortunately, make all that much difference. But if it increases the determination of independent filmmakers and studios to work harder on their films to get noticed and team together to elbow Disney out of the way a bit, and has some Disney fans question the influence of that company, then they will have done their job. I hope a lot more follow suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 I don’t think the film makers going after Marvel is pathetic. I find the whole rushing to say “See, even Michael Winner agrees they’re shit” completely sad. Again, just my opinion. And I agree, I don’t think it’ll make much difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members DEF Posted October 23, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 23, 2019 Bollocks, smaller films have rarely ever done business like blockbusters. Which is why all studios make blockbusters. Marvel make 3 a year, Warner make 3 a year, Disney make 3 a year etc. They all make a butt load of cash. Smaller movies have always had smaller releases and smaller returns. Absolutely there are more superhero movies being made but that's because they perform. Same way in the 80s there were hundreds of slasher movies made. Because they performed. Back in the slasher movies hey day there were people pissing and moaning that they were taking up screens from 'proper' films to. It amounts to 'I don't like something so I'm going to complain about it.' Marvel's dominance is undeniable but look at the top 50 grossing films last year. Yes of the top ten 6 were superhero films but the other 40 all made over 50 mil. In fact the next 25 of the top grossing films made over 100 mil. Only 2 of which were supers. Regarding the film makers making their feelings known it seems a little low class but understandable. I've always thought it better to lift something up you do like rather than belittle something you don't. It's not going to make a blind bit of difference though because the vast majority of people like these blockbusters. The same way when I was a kid everyone seemed to love The Mask when I thought it was a bit shit, they are just going to have to live with it like I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ColinBollocks Posted October 24, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted October 24, 2019 7 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said: What I do care about, and the point that's being made by Scorsese and Loach especially, is that it is marginalising opportunities for smaller studio films and independents to make any impact with projects that are looking to be more artistically forward thinking. There have been so many flops over the last 4 or 5 years - good to great films that would normally perform well that have disappeared almost without trace. This isn't a coincidence, it's directly linked to Disney and Marvel especially. This is it. I found last year to be unprecedented in terms of how hard it was to see smaller films because Marvel/DC/Disney were taking up almost all the screens. Of course Marvel is going to make more money, but what chance do smaller films have when you can only see them twice a day and the screenings are something like 10am and 11:30pm in the shit screens? This is going to cinemas in Edinburgh too, so I have a choice of 6 good cinemas, but even then it has proven difficult. I like superhero movies; I'm not as snobby about the genre as some. However, the saturation of the market is just big Disney trying to strangle the industry and gobble up all they can. It's not healthy for the film industry, overall. Not if you like films outside Disney blockbusters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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