I watch a lot of movies and I have been watching even more recently. I have found only two memorable movies from 2006 and that's V for Vendetta and Running Scared. Every other movie I have seen that has been released in theaters or straight to video for '06 has just...sucked. There has been a lot of movies I have been so excited about and I walk away dissappointed.

Hostel
Shes The Man
The Omen
Fast and the Furious: TD
Basic Instinct 2
Pirates of the Carribean: DMC
Click
Scary Movie 4
An American Haunting
Just My Luck
Pink Panther
Poseidon
Silent Hill
Bloodline *direct to video*
8 below
The Ringer
When a Stranger Calls
Kids In America *dissappointed, had so much potential*
Nanny McPhee *not my choice ugh*
Wolf Creek
Syrianna


I could do that all day if I wanted. Sure, I have seen some really good ones this year, but they were all released in 2005.

Satans Little Helper
Crash
Brokeback Mountain
Transamerica
Cry_Wolf

You get the idea..

Is it just me or is anyone else resenting '06 in the movies department?

Quoted from shelbyoops Shes The Man The Omen Fast and the Furious: TD Basic Instinct 2 Pirates of the Carribean: DMC Click Scary Movie 4 Just My Luck Pink Panther Poseidon Silent Hill When a Stranger Calls

You were actually excited about these movies? The rest I either haven't seen yet and wanna check out, or already saw and thought they were alright . The above however I could tell sucked just from the previews though.

I think the biggest problem is that there's no originality anymore, and people are running out of ideas, hence a lot of remakes and sequels. I personally think you should stear clear of remakes and high budget eye candy movies. ie. fast and the furious and pirates. To some extent you can't really blame it, because a lot of the landmark films for just about every genre and topic has been made. ie. The godfater for mob movies, Rocky for boxing movies, etc. But some good ones can still be made even if themes are repeated.

You have to shop around for good movies. usually, if they have a lot of special effects, there's no plot and it's probably gonna suck. Most of the really good movies are independent. Hollywood just keeps doing the same formula over and over. With all their dance and teen movies, and "bring it on" style movies. ie. You got served, stick it, etc.

There needs to be a lot of young independent filmakers who need to get their shots to make movies, which I don't think Hollywood is interested in ever given a chance. good plots and stories just aren't sexy. Hollywood just wants popcorn movies that they could throw at the dumb youth of America, who don't know the difference between good art and exploitation.

Well, at least Final Destination 3 isn't on that list. I loved that movie. The Omen, Silent Hill, and Poseidon were awesome movies, Scary Movie 4 I thought was hilarious, and I might watch When a Stranger Calls tonight.

I have to agree about the Pink Panther movie though...

Sean

Lol, I know, I know it's risky, but hey, if it kills me, we all have to die some time...

Sean

Quoted from Zombie Sean I might watch When a Stranger Calls tonight.

I HOPE you mean the original.

Nope, the remake. Haha. Half of my friends said it was terrible, the other half said it was scary. I like scary movies so hey, I might like it...As long as it makes me jump or makes me want to cover my eyes (though I don't do that anymore ::))

Sean

It's lack of originality and lack of creativity.  There hasn't been an original idea in years but talented filmmakers have still been able to create what looks like something new.  I mean, every film these days is getting a sequel and now that automatically merits a trilogy--and sometimes a quadrilogy even!  I've found that unless the trilogy is planned from the beginning, it usually doesn't work.  Lord of the Rings is one of the best trilogies of all time in my opinion because the whole project was planned out from the start.

Then you take the Fast the Furious.  The first film was okay(cause, you know, there's empty streets all over LA for racing), the second stunk, and the third?  Bow Wow?  Come on now.  I think it's just Hollywood throwing millions of dollars at filmmakers and telling them to recycle old ideas rather than trying to create new ones, or even alter them so they're brand new.

Alot of big-budget films just aren't impressive anymore.  Specifically the past 2 years there have been several 100 million dollar flops, and the ones that didn't flop have since been forgotten.  Who talks about "X-Men: The Last Stand" anymore?  Superman is gonna take a domestic loss of about $50 million.  The Omen spent two weeks in the top ten.  Two!  

Movie flops can be blamed on poor marketing strategies.  Bad movies can be blamed on lack of originality or creativity.

Quoted from tomson I don't think anyone sets out to make a bad movie! A lot of money is at stake and I'm sure everyone involved do their best.

No...Uwe Boll doesn't. ha ha.

But I've seen quite a few good films this year. And whether we could make a better film or not doesn't take our right away to not like a film, I don't think. We shouldn't be compared like that. That's like saying "Well, I don't really like that house." and someone saying "Well, can you build a better one?"

Not being a butt hole. ;D

-Chris

After watching movies in theaters for half the year now, I'm starting to believe the poor quality of films nowadays is more than just lack of originality. I think most filmmakers these days just flat out suck at making movies. Even movies I thought were good when I saw them in theaters, I've now forgotten because they just weren't anything special, just mildly amusing.

As of now, I've only seen three movies in theaters this year that I, personally, regard as noteworthy:

Hostel (way overhyped but good nevertheless; say what you like, it's just my opinion)
Lady Vengeance (probably shouldn't be here since it wasn't made by a Hollywood studio)
Clerks II

I have high hopes for The Descent. Hopefully, it won't let me down like so many others.

movies have been pretty awful for the last 2-3 years. in 1998-1999 i saw a movie almost every weekend... now? i think ive seen 4 movies in the theater this year. FOUR. i just rent movies now. its cheaper.

too many movies suck.  

Oh yeah..Ill get some crap for this...High School Musical...I just love it!!! You have to see it before you get it. Seriously. I didnt want to watch this at all...EVER. And Then I was forced one night...I fell in love...

I agree there were a lot of mvies this year said to be great and ended up very bad in my opionon. Iliked a few movies, The Ringer, Miami Vice, World Trade Center (sneak peek), The Benchwarmers and a few others i forget (not that good memory) but a lot of movies did have me walking away revolted. I think the ads for it and commercials ruin the movie if they advertise a lot and show some of the better parts. oh ya and V for Vendetta was good

Anyway, I've been impressed with this years offering and so have a lot of people. Just look at the box-office sales slide, it has almost completely bounced back. Ticket sales are up again and the movie industry was spared from a terrible death.  

-Zavier

edit: Cleaned up the thread, it was getting off-topic

99% of the movies I watch, I catch on video. Netflix is a wonderful thing. So of the five I've seen from this year, Over The Hedge was decent. I do have Hostel, A Stranger Calls, and Underworld: Evolution lined up, but I'm taking my time. I'm sure the number will grow as I get back to watching new stuff. I've got 46 from last year I've seen and there were some that worked for me. But lately, I've been going through IMDB's top 250 list and watching those instead. Caught some good flicks lately. Real good stuff. Curiously, there's nothing from 2006 on it.

I would like to think I've a pretty decent judge of film. God knows, I've seen a few. (for the purposes of sheer insanity, here's a list I made and keep up with...I'm sure I missed a couple). But from what I've seen the last couple of years, I've seen in pretty much every year. You have your share of a half dozen absolutely amazing films. I haven't seen one of those yet from this year. You have your popcorn films, your romantic ones that use the tried and true RomCom plot that dates back to at least "It Happened One Night" if not before, your sci-fi eye candy, your big budget action flicks that aren't worth watching more than once, and then everything else.

No one wants to make a bad film, but when you start with the vision and then move on to what the producers think everyone wants to see, something gets lost. Could I do better? I know I probably could, but what will it look like when it's released? Will it be the film I finished, or will it have been chopped up a little more to make it into something the producers think the kids who snuck in will sit through?

Who knows? The fact of the matter is that we're here to write films that are supposed to be good. When we hand over that precious script, it will be chopped to pieces by the director, producer, and everyone else who touches it until it will barely resemble what you started out with.

If you produced and directed it yourself, will you get a better result? Hard to say. Peter Jackson was behind all aspects of LOTR, and it worked. George Lucas was behind all aspects of Star Wars and it didn't always. It's a toss up. Are you really good enough to command the ship and steer it too. Everyone who touches a film has their own little contribution, and the more power that person has, the more that contribution will stick.

Here's a shocker. The Butterfly Effect was a great film. I loved it. It had a couple of shortcomings, but nothing too major. What ruined it? Nothing in the film. It was the public opinion of Ashton Kutcher that destroyed the film. He had been making a certain type of film to that point, and therefore his target audience went to see it and hated it. The film's target audience didn't want to see Ashton Kutcher.

I'm possibly waivering off topic, but the point is this. Somewhere out there are those half-dozen films from 2006 that are awesome. The Godfather of 06, if you will. Apparently, we haven't found them yet. And we won't find them looking in horror. So Hostel, Stranger Calls, FD3...these films won't be the cream of the crop. It's almost always in drama. I mentioned that IMDB list? Read it sometime. Almost 100% drama with a smattering of other genres. You're looking for great films in all the wrong places.

Quoted from George Willson I would like to think I've a pretty decent judge of film. God knows, I've seen a few. (for the purposes of sheer insanity, here's a list I made and keep up with...I'm sure I missed a couple). But from what I've seen the last couple of years, I've seen in pretty much every year.

Holy Creeping Crap. That is some undertaking to remember every single movie you've watched!

I also tried to write down everything that I watched before. I was bored at work and so started marking off all the movies I have watched in one of those movie/dvd review books. I think I made it to the "C" section and gave up...

Also, I 100% agree about selective and target audiences. There are 2 fantastic movies out there that flopped because it was aimed at the wrong audience:
Butterfly Effect
Wicker Park

Two fantastic movies, right there.

You know what, maybe I'll go back and start marking down all the movies I've seen again...

Quoted from George Willson I would like to think I've a pretty decent judge of film.

Quoted from George's List Barbie of Swan Lake Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus Barbie: Fairytopia Barbie: Mermaidia

So guess who rules the Netflix que at casa Willson haha.....

Haha...

For the record, Swan Lake was pretty good, but Pauper and Pegasus really sucked. The franchise made a bit of a come back with the Fairytopia/Mermaidia tales, but we'll see what happens with their upcoming releases (which I'm sure I'll watch).

And just to let you know, I'm lucky enough to have the first three on video at home (so I've seen them a hundred times) and the other two came from the library.

Clerks II seems like the most underrated film this year and all said and done it will probably make more than about 50% of those releases mentioned.

Superman and Pirates will out it with the box office revenue alone. Kevin Smith has always had poor box office because nobody has the balls to play his films even here in Canada. I wanted to go see it, I really did but our "Galaxy" theater isn't getting it. I've already seen it through alternative means but I want to see it on the big screen with an audience.

How can the films be bad if they're making so much money?

I think today's industry has lost originality and follow the basic premise and throw away good plot points for the junky Hollywood film plot.

Some films are good and some are bad but if people keep buying them... you know the rest. Stop buying them and you won't know how bad they suck.

I find it borderline pathetic to pay money to see Uwe Boll's films if you know going in that it will suck. Some people post on here and say "This film will suck" They go see it just to come back here to say I told you so.

I deliberately watch films people say are bad because I find them to be as much a learning experience as good films are. Good films show you the right way to make a film. Bad films show you the wrong way. If you watch enough of both, you will recognize this more and more as time goes on. This will enable you to make a good film out of the genre of your choice instead of the good films always coming out of drama.

Maybe if Uwe Boll went back and spent a few weeks watching nothing but great films, he would turn out something that everyone would love. I'll bet we could figure out a way to improve this years' films if we just figure out what about them flopped. It's one thing to talk about films that suk, but it's another entirely to discuss what could have been done better. That's part of the learning experience. Don't just go to be entertained. We're trying to break into the business. Go to learn too.

Quoted from Steve-Dave There needs to be a lot of young independent filmakers who need to get their shots to make movies, which I don't think Hollywood is interested in ever given a chance. good plots and stories just aren't sexy. Hollywood just wants popcorn movies that they could throw at the dumb youth of America, who don't know the difference between good art and exploitation.

I disagree with that. Although it may be hard as hell for a filmmaker to break in Hollywood is always on the lookout for talent. They are always interested in buying independent films to show.
They do this with micro studios. Most major studios have mirco studios, Fox has Fox Searchlight, then there's Sony Pictures Classics, Warner Independent, etc.

Hollywood doesn't market these independent films to a wide audience, but rathter to a specific target audience. Say an independent movie costs a million dollars to make and ends up grossing five million dollars. Major studio movies that cost tens of millions have to meet that price in ticket sales plus profit (hopefully) The risk of producing an indie is far less than a major studio one.

But even most micro studio movies aren't truely "indepedent films"a budget of a million dollars is a ton compared to most indie budgets.

Shelby, this time last year I thought 2005 was crap for movies. A lot of good movies come out in fall and winter. You may need to broaden your taste in film to find the good ones. A tip most movies released between january and march aren't very good.
Were you expecting Citizen Kane when you went to see She's the Man?
Go to film festivals, read reviews, avoid the name Uwe Boll in any of the credits.

Hahaha yeah, She's The Man Didnt have high expectations...I just thought it would be a little bit special...but no. Really, That was a crappy list. I just couldnt think when put on the spot to make a list but Hostel was prolly the biggest let down of them all. The trailers are all action and screaming, when really it was mostly about 3 annoying party guys wanting to drink beer and rub up aginst something. Ugh!

There are 4 films currently in theaters I really want to see and this weekend I am going to go see all of them...maybe I'll walk away satisfied with ONE of them...doubt it tho.

Quoted from shelbyoops That was a crappy list....I just couldnt think when put on the spot to make a list....

What?  "On the spot"?

You started the thread, man.  Maybe you should have taken a little more time -- done a little more research.

To many people post any old thing that pops into their heads.

Just a thought.

all I can say is I would rather watch the fast and the furious 3 over the English patient, shakespeare in love, or most art house piece of shit movie any day of the week :)

Well, that's probably because the English Patient sucked. What did it do right? Let's give it that angle. It developed some solid characters and created some decent situations. But I could never buy in to the "we're meant to be together so leave your husband" story. I could never feel for the guy's situation. I always felt like he brought it on himself. Shakespears in Love was an overproduced love story, but it also excelled in the character development. I think we're straying off-topic though.

I just saw the remake of "When A Stranger Calls"...

Man was that acting horrible. I couldn't catch any of the characters' emotions, and my whole family (including some relatives) were laughing so hard when they were standing in the little glass birdcage thing and the children were crying as they were watching the lights turn on in each room or whatever. It was priceless. The only good parts, I thought, was when the guy finally got in the house and started going after Jill. And who the hell was the killer!? They showed his face up close for like a minute as if we were supposed to know who he was! I was very disappointed in this movie...yet, I didn't really have any hope for it from the start.

And I had to stop watching Darkness Falls for that movie...

Sorry to get off topic, but I just wanted to say that. Now continue with your thread, please.

Sean

I think I've walked away disappointed quite a few times in 2006.

I caught some "premiere surprise" showings of Firewall and Prime...and I remember playing Big trouble in Little China in its entirety in my head halfway through both movies. Especially Prime was terrible.

I was excited about V for vendetta and Silent Hill but both left me numb and uninvolved, though neither is a bad film.

PoTC: DMC was decent, but no way near the first one.

The best film I saw this year has to be Lonesome Jim by Steve Buscemi. Anyobdy seen it? Casey Affleck and Liv Tyler stars. Really a great little film.

But I don't know if last year was any better.

Quoted from Death Monkey But I don't know if last year was any better.

I though '05 was a great year for movies! Cry_Wolf, Sin City, Transamerica, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, American Pie: Band Camp, Satans Little Helper, Saw II,

Well Sin City was amazing, and the 40 year old Virgin was great, but Cry_Wolf, Saw II and AP: band Camp were rather atrocious.

Actually I think most of the good movies of '05 came outside of Hollywood. Except King Kong and Batman Begins.

the Descent is probably my favourite film of '05.

Quoted from Death Monkey the Descent is probably my favourite film of '05.

Man you Europeans are so lucky, the Descent just came out here, but I have already heard so much about it from other people from Europe.

I did see the director's last film "Dog soldiers" Which was a great Werewolf movie, not as good as mine, but still good  ;D

Quoted from The boy who could fly Man you Europeans are so lucky, the Descent just came out here, but I have already heard so much about it from other people from Europe. I did see the director's last film "Dog soldiers" Which was a great Werewolf movei, not as good as mine, but still good  ;D

Well not all of us, The Descent didn't even open in my city.

I totally loved the film. It has a nice build-up (maybe a tad long for modern films) and just a great claustrophia to it. And it has really gorgeous cinematography.

Dog Soldiers was lots of fun (ranks right up there along side Ginger Snaps 2 and the Howling when it comes to Werewolf movies), but The Descent is a much more serious and complete film. And the ending (NOT the American ending!) is just spine-chilling!

Don't miss.

So do you know that the American version of Descent will have a different ending? I think the previews I've seen look cool.

Yeah, I think I read the American cut is gonna have a different ending. Or it's more a case of omitting a scene that makes up the final ending. And that scene is very important.

Still it's a great film, but I remember the director's cut just left me in awe. Not because it's a twist ending really, it's just so....apt.