Are Movies today better then ones made over 30 years ago

Well, sometimes when I get together with my friends, this subject comes up. The majority feel while the special effects may be better now, that sometimes the actual storyline is sacrificed for the sake of them. I personally will take a good story over a good effect any day. The special effect shouldn’t take you out of the moment, but should just be part of the world where the story takes place.

Those campy old sci fi movies can be a lot of fun to watch.
 


Movies are much faster paced now, even compared to movies made as recently as the 80’s.

I have found it hard to watch some older movies as a result. They just don’t hold my attention.
 
Every period of time has its share of really good and really bad movies. It would be interesting to compare lists of films from different years and see how many or what percentage you have seen or would even want to see.
 


A lot of current films are ruined by turning 75 minutes worth of story into 105 minutes worth of film. They weren’t afraid to just put out a short film years back (more than 30 years though). But, there are still some really good films coming out these days & a lot of the ones we once enjoyed haven’t really stood the test of time.
 
Unless it is part of a Disney property, majority of films are not going to get me to the theater. I miss the days when I was running out to see a film I know part is the stage of life I am in, but also a lot are the movies. Even with all the streaming services, I don't want to see a lot of modern movies. Most don't grab my attention. The last film that actually forced me to put my laptop down to watch it was Spotlight. That came out what 2 or 3 years ago?
 
I enjoy some of the high action and CGI movies that are made nowadays but nothing can compare to a good storyline with strong acting IMO. So many of the older classics can be watched over and over again while I'd say that those strong character-driven movies are rare lately. Not gone but rare.

I agree that some of the old sci-fi movies are fun to watch. I love the old Godzilla movies and the movie Them has surprisingly good effects for its age. Plus there are classics like Manos and the Creeping Terror. ;)
 
Depends on the style of movie. Yes the big-budget movie with special effects seems to dominate the box office. They often become lowest common denominator where they may be made for overseas box office as much as domestic receipts.

But then there's the fact that the cost of making movies has gone down with high quality digital video with processing to make it look like film. There are a lot of good movies made on a tight budget, but it's hard for many to get the kind of publicity needed for wide release.
 
I've become a regular viewer of TCM. Here's the conclusion I've come to: There are really good and really bad movies from all eras, but the mediocre movies of the past are much more entertaining than modern day mediocre movies.
 
I like both older and newer movies, but I definitely agree the pacing has changed a lot. And while I can admire good special effects, I'd give the nod to a great story with limited effects over a flashier sequel.

My DS would vote newer all the way. He refuses to watch anything in black & white. :snooty:
 
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I stick to the older movies, primarily 1939-60's. I am not into smashem up action, overt sex, or gore so that lets out a lot of today's movie fare. I am not a big fan of prequels, sequels or reboots for CGI purposes either. I know they remade movies in the past, but generally there was a twist like converting to a musical or a period piece.

Today's casting seem to be limited to the primary "stars" which to me tend to be look alikes with the similar facial and body types. The star finds his niche that make money and takes similar parts. Today's actors can't or won't take the chance of doing anything else. Older movies have character actors/actress playing a variety of parts and are more of ensemble casting. You could see your favorite star in a variety of different parts. For example take Cogswel_Cogs' favorite of Casablanca. Bogart could do the drama of Rick, gangster villain in Petrified Forest, suspense of Noir in Maltese Falcon, and even romantic comedy of Sabrina.
 

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