MovieChat Forums > Film General > Anyone else remember when movies were fu...

Anyone else remember when movies were fun?

posted 7 years ago by [deleted]
16 replies | jump to latest

I guess that makes me sound old....

What i mean is, most movies are written to have some deep, purposeful "Message" behind them. Even today's Avenger stuff kinda go all friendy dramatic: love your coworkers etc... I suppose TRANSFORMERS skip the message serving part....

Anyway, I think back to Raiders of the lost Ark, maybe even Star Wars, where they did stuff that lead to other stuff, the ride was fun getting there, they kicked butt in the end, and it was over. Almost NO messaged pushed on you, just a fun, entertaining ride.

Have movie scripts gotten too serious for themselves to have fun in it?
Maybe I'm over thinking this?

[–] Hyori2 (2) 7 years ago

I remember, and your exactly right all these upcoming scriptwriters are writing too many plots with heavy messages that are supposed to be deep, but it makes me want to stop watching them because they lack "heart", and fun like you said.

In many ways these films also feel very artificial and fake at times because the writers are trying to hard to make a film that will win them an award.

I like some movies with messages, but I miss the days where people made something that was truly meant to be "entertainment". I still believe movies should be a getaway to escape from the stresses of our reality.

And no your not over thinking this because it's a problem that almost all of my friends and family have notice about the state of current cinema.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

True! I, too, enjoy many message movies, but, yeah, we could use more flat out ENTERTAINING movies. You don't go ride a roller coaster to learn about something deep within yourself, you do it to have fun!
Oh well. I'm voting with my wallet. :)

[–] Hyori2 (2) 7 years ago

Lol yes that's always a good idea, I am also voting with my wallet. I honestly haven't been very interested in the recent movies and I use to basically go to the movies so much I practically lived there.

Everything you said is true, and I've noticed TV is the same way, not a lot of stuff appeals to me anymore. These companies are remaking things to death and are ruining them. They have zero creativity. No new ideas.

I would love to have those entertaining movies again lol. Movies also used to be in such a demand they were literally "block busters" with lines of people around multiple streets corners and every crevice of the building. I don't know why but I loved seeing so many people excited to see movies.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Yeah! It was a SOCIAL EXPERIENCE to be in a packed theater with fellow live people, laughing, crying, even CLAPPING at parts in movies. SO RARE now. THAT is the kind of movies I want to make. AND watch.

I was going to mention TV, but quit watching it a decade+ ago so I don't know what it is doing these days. When I quit, 50 cop shows were devided by faked, dramatic reality stuff. Probably still that way?
TV shows used to be episodic complete stories, not continuing on forever. Other shows I knew that continued forever were called SOAP OPERAS - designed to sell soap.

Maybe with all the sad ticket sales lately there will be a new renaissance in coming years....

[–] brux (14724) 7 years ago

The problem with most of TV and the movies is that they are selling platforms, and they try to appeal to everyone, and they stuff as much lecturing and selling as they can, along with action, violence and sex - and they dumb movies down to the point that it is very rare that there is anything that is more complicated than a 5th or 6th grader can comprehend, because that is their target demographic. Our media system is not a brainwashing, selling, herding and surveillance system.

[–] torn_and_frayed (5) 7 years ago

If you haven't yet, see IT. It definitely has that funhouse movie experience you're talking about.

[–] Dreadnoughtus (10) 7 years ago

Yes, movies are still fun.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 7 years ago

Yes you're definitely overthinking this.

😎

"I Am the FBI."

[–] brux (14724) 7 years ago

I am the exact opposite. Sure, I can enjoy a fun movie,
but I like movies that are works of art and literature, that
have ideas and complex feelings and moral situations, and
I do not like movies that go against that - like criminal
movies like the Godfather, etc. I think has a lot to do with
why we have such a corrupt and violent society.

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

I gave my 22 year old nephew a copy of Scarface to check out... after watching it he asked me what he was supposed to "learn" from it!

He wanted the movie to lecture him on something... He expected it... The idea that the movie could be just a portrayal of something, without necessarily being an endorsement was completly alien to him!

It's a very limited and infantile way of approaching art...

Also, separately, movies these days do lack heart and are far less sensual than in the past (don't get me started on this)... They're way too nerdy, but that is partly because mainstream culture has become a nerdy culture anyway...

But there are still movies with heart being made. The Finest Hours had more heart and was more fun than any comicbook movie from the past 10 years... as just one example...

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Yeah, I guess it changes along with society's needs and interests too. Makes sense.

AND, I DO KNOW my aging has a lot to do with it, where as I USED to be thrilled with action in movies - it was exciting, new, and fun when you're young and haven't seen much of life. Now older, I'm harder to impress. A CGI comic book guy jumping and defying gravity, punching an alien spaceship back across the sky just comes off empty and fake. Maybe if I was 16 that would be really cool.

Maybe it is that older films relied on REAL peril? I see Indiana Jones running in front of a REAL prop rock instead of an AMAZING LOOKING fake CGI one, and just feel more excitement there.

Messages can be cool and all, but would like to see more fun - other than Transformers style.... then again, Transformers, and Fast and Furious ARE selling in the billions, so maybe that is where the fun is that people like?

[–] CountJohn (602) 7 years ago

Personally I think movies these days often have less going on thematically than movies of the past did, so I don't really agree with the premise of the OP.

[–] [email protected] (267) 7 years ago

Movies are still fun

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Caught the new THOR (not a fan, but others wanted to go) in a crowded theater, and the whole place had fun! Lots of laughter from everyone, excitement, smiles at the end.... I don't really follow any superhero anything, but they succeeded in making a "crowd pleasing" film, maybe modeled after Guardians of the Galaxy style fun? Anyway, it seemed bold going from hard serious to action with comedy, but at least it was a fun ride.

Dare I saw, THIS is what we need more of.