The Marvelization of Cinema
A video essay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tmxfVWDgMM
Thank you. I damn tired of these neverending comic book sequels and I would like to see some good new original films that don't involve some dumbfuck superhero.
shareLOTS OF NEW ORIGINAL FILMS...SOME OF US ENJOY COMIC BOOK FUN AS WELL THOUGH.
shareHowever, there is still far too much emphasis on this jaded superhero genre.
shareNOT REALLY...THERE ARE LIKE 3 OR 4 SUPERHERO FLICKS IN THEATERS A YEAR....THE EMPHASIS COMES FROM THE PEOPLE BITCHING ABOUT A HANDFUL OF FILMS IN A SEA OF FILMS OF EVERY GENRE.
sharehttps://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/film/2023-2024/g:%2dsuperhero/
2023-24 movies, "Superhero" tag excluded.
They've got several planned for 2026 & 27 already including more Avengers more Batman more Joker more blah blah blah:
Upcoming superhero movies: every Marvel, DC, and comic book movie in 2024 and beyond
https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-superhero-movies/
THE EXISTENCE OF SUPER HERO FILMS DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE EXISTENCE OF SCI FI FILMS....NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.
HALF A DOZEN HERO FLICKS A YEAR IS not a lot.
Meh, we don't need 10 Avengers and 20 Batman films. Move on. If I was the dictator of Hollywood I would ban all sequels any sooner than 10 years after the original.
I live in Hollywood. There are plenty of screenwriters with fresh new ideas who are being ignored so the studios can churn out this vomitous drivel.
I LIVE IN THE WORLD...SCREENWRITERS EVERYWHERE...NOT JUST L.A.....FRESH NEW IDEAS ARE OFTEN DRIVEL AS WELL...PLENTY OF FOLKS ENJOY A LITTLE SUPER HERO DISTRACTION....MYSELF INCLUDED...GLAD NOBODY VOTED ONAN FOR ENTERTAINMENT DICTATER.
shareDude, the corporations are milking the hell out of it.
BOT JUST L.A.
DUDE, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE WAS FUCKING FANTASTIC AND IT JUST DROPPED...I AM STILL RIDING SHOTGUN WITH THE GENRE.
shareDeadpool is the most pretentious of them all. Pansexual my ass.
Deadpool: the pansexual superhero who has never had a non-heterosexual experienceshare
Movies don’t come any more self-satisfied than Deadpool. From the air of smugness that pervades this Marvel adventure, you would think it was the first picture to break the fourth wall or feature a profane, badly behaved hero.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/11/deadpool-the-pansexual-superhero-who-has-never-had-a-non-heterosexual-experience#:~:text=In%20the%20comics%20from%20which,in%20his%20choice%20of%20partners.
OPINIONS....YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY....SO ANYWAY...MY ASSHOLE LOVED THE FILM...REGARDLESS OF WHETHER DEAPOOL LEGIT GRABS DICKS OR JUST JAWS ABOUT IT.
shareThis is not just my opinion. It's the topic of the thread.
shareTHE THREAD IS PENNED BY A MORON...THE VIDEO IS PRODUCED BY ANOTHER.
WHEN DID DUDES GET SO BITCHY AND WHINEY?
😉
I literally just gave you a rateyourmusic link to a bunch of movies released in 2023, 24 that are not superhero. It specifically excludes any movie tagged as superhero.
shareWe're sorry, but your IP address (redacted) has been automatically blocked from this site because our firewall has detected there could be unusual activity from your IP address. Please note that an IP block does not mean that your Rate Your Music account has been banned. IP blocks can happen for several reasons:
ouch that was harsh
So , just for stats , how many superhero tagged movies were excluded?
That's weird.
>So , just for stats , how many superhero tagged movies were excluded?
According to RYM data there were 34 Superhero movies released between 2023-24.
Lol. I know that other movies are being made. I'm saying the superhero genre has become stagnant, with the same characters redone over and over (sorry, how many movies do Batman & Joker require to tell their jaded story?). I'm saying it's run its course and it ties up talent and resources in projects which would be better used on new talents with new ideas.
It's a money machine. Do something new!
I don’t know, I guess I’m the last guy standing with the comic book and Star Wars movies. I just love them, they are big loud action packed escapist pictures and if most people consider them ‘low brow’ so be it. I guess I’m low brow, I’ve been called a lot worse.
But damn, I don’t always feel like weeping through a Schindler’s List or Cries And Whispers…movies can be fun and silly too! I like my capes and Jedis, no apologies. Not every entertainment needs to be terribly sad and dire. That’s really not entertaining at all!
"I guess I’m low brow, I’ve been called a lot worse."
yeah, there was "pedophile", but that was just a dumb word the NYPD and the judge used.
NOT FUNNY,WEIRDO.
shareYou are hilarious, making lots of buddies ‘Big’ Mike😉
sharecome on shogun, admit you smiled a little when you read that...
shareNo, you totally hurt my feelings on the internet. I’m currently curled up in a ball in the corner of my garage, gently weeping. It hurt so badly! All I can do is listen to John Mellencamp and cry right now!
‘A little ditty ‘bout Jack and Diane, two American kids growing up in the heartland…
Jacky’s gonna be a football star, Diane is debutante in the backseat of Jacky’s car…’ and so forth.
I’m sure I’ll survive🙃
DUMB BORING VIDEO...PASS.
shareI’m probably revealing myself to be a ‘dumbass American’ stereotype but when people call movies ‘cinema’ it really annoys me, I don’t know why.
‘Cinema’ just sounds like something a fancy French guy would say. Just say ‘the movies’ or ‘films.’ What, I’m watching Die Hard over here in my Beret chain smoking long fancy cigarettes?!?
Please stop saying ‘cinema,’ it’s goofy.
Really? My impression of you is of someone who has an appreciation for cinema. I thought you'd like this video essay. It's a very thoughtful exploration of why some movies work and others don't.
Give it a chance.
ANYONE WHO DARE EXPLAIN WHY SOME MOVIES WORK AND OTHERS DON'T DOESN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ART OR FILM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
shareThat's not the case here. It's a thought provoking deep dive into cinema and why people respond to certain kind of movies but not to others. You're dismissing it out of hand and depriving yourself of a deeper understanding of cinema. Like I said, give it a chance. At least watch a few minutes and make an informed decision before you decide to reject it.
shareTHE MATH IS EASY,BUD.....ME WATCH MOVIE....ME LIKE OR NO LIKE MOVIE....EVERYTHING ELSE IS FALSE INTELLIGENCE.
shareI gave it a chance, I lasted about seven minutes.
No offense, I appreciate when people post links and I thank you for the effort. It’s just that some people try to come off as authorities about random stuff and I get bored and annoyed quickly.
Also, posing in front of gigantic bookshelves is a poser move. You know that guy never read any of those books!
Well at least you gave it a chance.
shareI did try. And again, I appreciate posters who link interesting stuff. Thank you very much, sincerely👍
I just found the guy’s premise to be flawed. Some movies are just big explosive action adventure, I’m fine with that. Sometimes heavy duty dramas where you know, the wife has cancer or there’s a rape or suicide…it’s just all so goddam depressing. Life is a bit of a shot to the gut on the daily, I like fun movies just to forget it all for 90 minutes.
I'm usually looking for something in the middle. I don't want the big explosive marvel superhero stuff, but I also don't want the heavy 'your wife's got cancer' punch in the gut stuff. I want movies that make me feel joy and excitement and make me think, but that are about normal everyday people just in interesting circumstances. My favorite movies are probably crime dramas, mysteries, or heist movies. Like Heat or Ocean's 11 are my ideal movies that leave me feeling good or at least satisfied after I'm done watching them.
shareIt seems we have similar tastes in
movies.
I LOVE horror and crime movies but in real life I’m not a bad person, for real. I did commit some crimes but I was young and stupid then. I’ve been totally honest and decent for like 25 years.
I just admire movies that are scary or thrilling. Horror and comedy are the two most difficult genres, try to scare a person or make them laugh…that’s a difficult script to write!
You know of any good Heist movies?
shareThief starring James Cann was terrific, I don’t want to spoil anything but the ending was terrific.
I thought very highly of Heat but, as I have said before I think including family drama and kids and wives really slowed the movie down. Honestly, do you even know your buddy’s wife’s name. I certainly don’t, that shit ain’t my business.
To Live And Die In L.A. was top notch, it was about counterfeiting and corrupt cops. It was a good novel as well, one of those rare cases where the movie was better than the book.
I've been always meaning to watch Thief but for some reason I never have. And I've got 'To Live and Die in L.A.', I've downloaded it like 2 years ago and still haven't gotten around to watching it.
Have you watched Inside Man (2006) with Clive Owen? That's a pretty good heist movie.
But my favorite is actually a show that I've seen earlier this year. It's called Money Heist. It's a Spanish (Spain) TV series. It is the ultimate heist story. The whole heist takes place over an entire season, and there are like 4 seasons. It's insane. I normally don't like foreign language films/shows, but this one was worth it.
To Live And Die In L.A. is really excellent, it’s about Detectives that swear an oath to be honest and serve the public but when they find themselves alone with millions of dollars they do what a lot of guys would. It’s a really good novel and an even better movie. Nice cast too, really terrific.
No, never saw Inside Man. I do enjoy foreign stuff though👍
I dunno. I'm not watching a 30+ minute video about Marvel, but cinema is doing fine.
Underneath that top layer of $100m+ Hollywood blockbusters that get the bulk of the attention (because they also get the bulk of the marketing), everything is ticking along quite nicely thank you.
Marvel / comic book movies are just the current incarnation of the Hollywood blockbuster that's been with us since Jaws or Star Wars. If you got rid of them tomorrow morning, they wouldn't be replaced by films aimed solely at adults like some people seem to imagine. They'd be replaced by a different form of family entertainment blockbuster. And that's fine. It kind of makes sense that the most popular films are in that category.
The other stuff is still out there. It's just not in actual cinemas (movie theatres) as much. And that's a shame. But that's a tech thing. The genie is out of the bottle thanks to streaming. There's nothing to be done about that now.
Now, in my humble opinion, most people would be better served by treating their media consumption like they treat their diet. You can't live on marshmallows alone. You need your proteins and your nutrients. But that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with marshmallows.
And if you see a person eating a marshmallow it would be foolish to think 'Look at that twat, just eats marshmallows.' He's probably eating something else at home.
What are some contemporary movies you'd recommend that you consider good?
shareHERE TODAY,BARBIE,I'M TOTALLY FINE,BOY KILLS WORLD,ABIGAIL,ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD,TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL,EZRA,REVERSE THE CURSE,AD ASTRA,LET HIM GO,SUZE,THE IRON CLAW,ROAD HOUSE,DINNER IN AMERICA,THE WHALE,DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE,THE FABELMANS,QUIZ LADY......
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
OF COURSE...FILM IS ART AND ART IS SUBJECTIVE....SO THIS WHOLE EXERCISE AND DISCUSSION IS SILLY.
I've seen about half of those and the only ones I really liked were Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Fablemans. I still haven't seen Deadpool and Wolverine but I'm looking forward to it. The rest are either not interesting to me or are woke (diversity trash). Like 'Here Today' might be a good movie, it has Billy Crystal in it so that is nice, but it turned what would normally be a same race pair into an interracial pair which is an example of forced diversity. And I no longer have any tolerance for forced diversity, so I wouldn't be able to enjoy this movie. And most movies these days artificially shoehorn racial and sexual minorities into them so there is not much left for me to watch.
shareYou having almost zero tolerance for any movie or show that portrays a non-white person is essentially your problem. You've made a prison for yourself and rendered yourself incapable of enjoying almost anything.
share"You having almost zero tolerance for any movie or show that portrays a non-white person is essentially your problem."
I was giving my opinion of how I feel about movies. I didn't make any comments about what others think or how they should feel about anything so what is the point of you reminding me that this is my problem? Stop being a weirdo.
I didn't say you did. I just pointed out that you've trapped yourself in a prison of your own making and rendered yourself incapable of enjoying almost anything.
shareI don't have any control in what I like or don't like. Or what bother me or what I find repulsive. It is what it is.
I just find myself alienated from contemporary culture so it's difficult to find stuff that I can relate to. My friends and family feel the same way so it's not just me. It's like we were all transported into some alien world that we just don't vibe with.
Not much you can do then. Keep droning the same old movies. It's not anyone else's responsibility to change all of entertainment for you.
share"It's not anyone else's responsibility to change all of entertainment for you."
Again, what is the point of this comment? Did I say that? No. I just told you how I feel and for some reason you're trying to twist it into some argument? Am I not allowed to complain without you turning it into a fight?
Chill the fuck out. It's weird.
[–] Skavau (12652) 5 hours ago
You having almost zero tolerance for any movie or show that portrays a non-white person is essentially your problem. You've made a prison for yourself and rendered yourself incapable of enjoying almost anything.
HE'S RIGHT.
[–] curiousMInd101 (1896) 5 hours ago
I don't have any control in what I like or don't like. Or what bother me or what I find repulsive. It is what it is.
I just find myself alienated from contemporary culture so it's difficult to find stuff that I can relate to. My friends and family feel the same way so it's not just me. It's like we were all transported into some alien world that we just don't vibe with.
AN ALIEN WORLD POPULATED BY NON WHITES AND WOMEN?....FUCK OFF DUDE...SKAVAU IS BEING TOO NICE...YOUR REPULSION IS FUCKING PATHETIC.
NOT BUYING YOUR SWILL,CHONGO.
No one asking you to. I'm not judging you for what you like or don't like, I would appreciate the same courtesy.
Why is it pathetic to not like diversity? What is this constant obsession with diversity in this fucked up culture?
I don't like it. I used to, but I got sick of it, and now I don't. I don't want to see it. Fuck you if you can't accept that.
YOU WILL GET NO SUCH COURTESY FROM ME,YOU HATEFUL FUCK.
DIVERSITY IS A BUZZWORD FOR PEOPLE YOU DON'T LIKE FOR IRRATIONAL REASONS.
🫤
shareOh there's tons. It's probably pointless to recommend any simply because people have different tastes. I'm an arthouse / cult cinema kind of chap, myself.
But I'll name some anyway, because you asked: Aftersun, Return to Seoul, Godland, Enys Men, Titane, The Beast, Hoard, Perfect Days, The Zone of Interest, Past Lives, Other People's Children....
I could go on for paragraphs actually. I still really, really like films.
And, again, while these may not be to your taste, there's so much stuff being made, there's always going to be something to find if people just look a little beyond the marketing and the hype of the Hollywood blockbuster. (Although it's OK to enjoy that too.)
I agree, the big ‘tent pole’ action pictures get the bulk of the marketing, toys, other associated commercial endeavors (it’s often Buger King cups or sorting similarly sily)
but smaller pics are still being made and can be very entertaining.
Yeah. Exactly. They get all the marketing. They always did. From Star Wars onwards. Remember the Batman (1989) marketing? It was mental.
The only thing that's really changed is in the distribution. It's definitely harder than it used to be for people to get their smaller budget pictures into cinemas / movie theatres because audiences prefer to watch that stuff at home now. A trip out to see a movie is an 'event' for people now. They want to see a film that's appropriate to the occasion.
But the other stuff is still out there if people want to find it instead of kvetching all the time.
I think you are standing on steady ground, the ‘small’ directors and producers are still certainly making good movies.
Funny thing about ‘smallish’ low budget movies, they tend to be passion projects, the people involved tend to be fully committed to the project. They are NOT fucking about making outlandish demands with ridiculous 50 page contracts and NO green M&Ms and dumb nonsense like that.
I do love the big $200 million dollar action movies but I have a proper appreciation for the small horror and crime movies.
I think my problem is how we find movies today. Back in the day you would go to the video store and you could walk shelf to shelf and find something to watch. It would be just a normal American movie. Nothing foreign, nothing "ethnic", just normal American movies with interesting stories from different genres. It was so much easier to find something good back then. Now I don't really know how to find stuff. Scrolling through endless lists of movies online feels like a chore to me, it's so tedious, so it's like there are too many movies and not enough movies at the same time. Today I mostly get my movies from this pirate website where I get all my TV shows from, but they have a movie section too. They only upload one or two new movies per day, but most of the movies that I see don't interest me or are filled with forced diversity which I can't tolerate anymore.
shareWell, I'm not going to have a conversation about 'forced diversity' or your distaste for non-American movies, other than to say I think you're limiting yourself there. But that's your business. It's no skin off my nose.
I will say, however, that you may have a point about the way we find films. Algorithms can hide stuff and the fracturing of the streaming service market means films that may be interesting to an audience are on a service they aren't subscribed to. You're not the first person to tell me they have trouble finding stuff to watch.
I think people probably do have to be a touch more engaged than back in the day when you could pick up a box, read the blurb and say 'That'll do.'
But it's not an insurmountable problem. And the films are there.
People should take note of IMDB/Serializd/Letterboxd userscores more often - and understand what they like in movies and shows. Userscores can be a big red flag as to the quality of a movie/tvshow.
shareI find Letterboxd very useful. Not so much overall user scores for me personally, but you can also find people with similar sensibilities to yours and take note of what they're watching, or browse through its endless user-generated lists.
shareI personally think part of it is the failure of the film/tv sites to properly utilise tagging systems. The total opposite of music which has become dominated by nerdy people tagging bands, albums, songs with genres and styles into online databases.
Music is broken up into genre, subgenre, subsubgenre etc. Movie categorisation is mostly still the film equivalent of "rock", "pop", "jazz", "classical", "world".
And in the end, you get incredibly in-depth and useful internally consistent tools for people to find new music.
You may be right. It's not a problem I particularly encounter myself.
I don't tend to find films by scrolling through the streaming service offerings. I can quite imagine that would be a frustrating chore. Enough people tell me it's a problem for me to believe them. Algorithms are not the best and, yes, perhaps that is about tagging.
Letterboxd has JustWatch integration. So that's how I tend to find things myself. I prefer human curation to algorithms, so I look at Letterboxd lists, use the filter to see what's available on my streaming services, and voila. But it does take that touch more engagement (although conversely, thinking about it now, it probably saves time).
Oh, and I also still pay attention to what's critically acclaimed and doing well at various film festivals and the like. Y'know, the more old-fashioned film discovery tools are still valid too.
This is marvelization.
https://youtu.be/mhko3m7D6UA?si=tVeiV0V07FTX_h7Q
That was pretty good.
share