Are Cinemas_Theaters still Alive in your Area?  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 01:21:44 am
content: once ins our area there where like almost more than 10 huge movie theaters, now it's like there's just about 2 of them.with the advent of cheap huge LED TV's & affordable 1080p/ 4K Projectors you can now take the Cinema experience in your own home. Also the annoyance of some movie goers, like those cellphones or talking about the movies itselfmakes it going to the movies a bad experience for some.Given that you have your HT setup in your home, are you still willing to go the Movies?

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 01:41:36 am
content: Quote from: mengfei on July 19, 2023, 01:21:44 amNope.I don't want to watch that many of the new movies. Simply not interested in them. The few I do want to watch - like John Wick 4 and Dune, I simply wait for the DVD.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 02:47:37 am
content: Quote from: xrunner on July 19, 2023, 01:41:36 amDVD?! You know it isn't 1998, right? We have HDR 4k Blu ray now with object based audio that works with as many speakers as you can fit in the room (13 in my case, plus subs).I still very occasionally go to the cinema, but mostly to hang out with friends or take the kids to a movie they just can't wait for. Most cinemas in my city have comfy power-reclining leather seats with oceans of room, and they serve alcohol if you prefer that over fizzy sugar water.

author: Kim Christensen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 02:57:56 am
content: There's still a couple around here. But what annoys me most is all the commercials and previews they put in at the start. So unless it's an unpopular movie, so you can arrive late and avoid all the crap, it's just not worth going. The only reason I went last time is because I got a gift card.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 05:22:06 am
content: Yes.But i don't go anywhere as much as i wanted to, the main reason are the movies themselves.However one of the cinemas around here has at least two nights a week for special projections (documentaries, mini festivals, anniversary of something) and i've gone like 8 times to those, and two to major movies this yearfor example, i see that next week they'll start a month long festival showing the LOTR trilogy for the 20th year anniversary, and another one for all Miyazaki movies because (i don't know why)I'd much rather see that than indiana jones and the dial of doo-doo

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 06:13:10 am
content: Recent movies are unwatchable. They became tools of ideological subversion.Each movie these days, no matter the subject, will insert an interracial family, or bringing nazi out of the blue, or picturing men as weak, or as total jerks, or women with unfeminine behavior, or white bad, or adding LGBTQ+ characters, and so on. Usually a combination of more than one of these.Movies have become nothing more than 90 minutes of brainwashing disguised as a story.

author: Tizian
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 06:35:21 am
content: BuongiornoSi vado al cinema ed a teatro, il fascino del grande schermo e del vedere in gruppo una rappresentazione od un film è sempre presente.Anche il cinema all'aperto adesso che fa caldo ed in inverno il cineforum.Sembra però che i grandi registi stiano calando, o forse fare un film è troppo costoso senza effetti speciali digitali, magari divento vecchio.Guarderò il prossimo di Nolan sul progetto Manhattam.Buona vita

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 09:37:34 am
content: I do still go to the cinema now and then, but not as often as before. Probably go four or five times a year. It isn't too expensive it's just massively more convenient to watch something at home.

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 09:49:29 am
content: my last visit to the Cinema was 2019 lolSince I've got a projector & a blank white wall in my room, i opted to wait it out & watched it in my own private idahoAFAICR the my last Cinema was Imax 3D....some avenger movie i guess

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 09:51:55 am
content: Quote from: Tizian on July 19, 2023, 06:35:21 amin the near future AI will take over the cinemas....Oh! it's happening Now!

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 10:25:23 am
content: I enjoy the cinema; weirdly, it was one of the things I found I really missed during the Covid lockdown. I found myself craving getting out of the house, and just having something new to watch... a way to escape a thoroughly crappy real world into a fantasy one, just for a few hours.It's obvious the industry is still recovering from a couple of years' worth of dramatically reduced productivity, of course, but that's getting better now. This week my local cinema is currently showing a new Mission Impossible, a Spider-Man, an Indiana Jones and a Transformers, plus a handful of other movies that aren't 'big' popcorn munching franchises.Ironically even though I do have a true 4K projector and a Dolby Atmos system, I don't go to the cinema any less often since installing those. I just enjoy a better experience when I watch movies at home than I would otherwise.The things that have put me off the cinema from time to time have nothing to do with the likes of Netflix, or the difference in picture and sound presentation between home and theatre. Instead it's the little things...- the fact that, every single time, I ask for a medium popcorn and have to go through the "it's only 50p more..." upsell. I hate this, and I'm sure the staff do too.- the quality of popcorn has gone down, but of course, the prices haven't. In fact the ticket price at my local theatre is still very good indeed despite recent increases, but I'd rather pay another £1 and enjoy a better overall experience.- during a number of screenings we've had to put up with a deliberately intrusive "screen checker"... someone wearing a hi-viz jacket wandering into the theatre and very obviously pointing a camera at the audience, presumably to try and spot recording devices. This happened 3 times during one particular showing, and I didn't go back for 6 months after that. I'm paying good money for a few hours' worth of immersion, it's not OK to break that, and don't dare try to use the 'c' word to justify yourself if the movie is already on file sharing sites.

author: Bryn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 07:29:40 pm
content: Plenty of cinemas around here in Glasgow including the little Grosvenor Picture Theatre in its West End are still alive and kicking, despite a global pandemic and bootleg DVDs floating about.But what am I saying... I've not been to the cinema in over a decade and I don't give a toss about what so-called "blockbusters" come out these days.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 07:56:59 pm
content: There are a couple of cinemas in my town with a population of about 186k.I've never been much of a film person. I used to go with friends every now and then, or watch a DVD, again with friends or family, but never go alone. The new films do appear to be trying to make progressive political points, rather than just telling a good story. I accept there's always been some element of bias i.e. Russia bad, but that was because the west was at war with them. Nowadays they appear to be trying to change society, to suit their views.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 08:27:18 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on July 19, 2023, 06:13:10 amYeah, you don't need to go to a movie theater to see that though (which was the topic), the worst compilation of all this is on Netflix, with many more movies than are actually projected in theaters.So people who never go to theaters anymore but watch all of their movies at home on platforms such as Netflix are even worse off.This is nothing new though. Sure the ideology has shifted in recent years, but apart from "art cinema", mainstream movies have always more or less been vectors of ideology, in particular Hollywood movies.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 02:05:14 am
content: Apparently movie piracy has declined significantly over the past few years. Maybe Netflix and others have something to do with it. The big hard disk sellers won't be happy.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 08:35:25 am
content: Netflix is more convenient than piracy. The risk is that the selection from Netflix is reducing as other streaming providers start up, so now it seems like you need to subscribe to three or four different platforms to get the same selection. At that point I think piracy is a risk again. £10 a month or thereabouts is almost a bill most can forget about, but £50 a month isn't.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 10:14:50 am
content: Nope, the theater where I grew up has been bulldozed, apparently to make room for a condo development.

author: vad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 11:52:36 am
content: Absolutely, and the cinemas are full. Yesterday, I tried to buy Friday night tickets for "Oppenheimer" at the nearest AMC theater, but without success - all seats were fully booked.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 09:20:37 pm
content: I know I'm a bit weird, but I haven't been in a movie theater since sometime in the 1980s. I'm almost certain the last time I went it was to see Top Gun.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 10:37:42 pm
content: Quote from: vad on July 20, 2023, 11:52:36 amOnline booking does not have to do with reality. Last time I was booking, 70% seats appeared booked. When we came, the total audience was 10 people including 3 of us.

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 01:43:30 am
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on July 20, 2023, 10:14:50 ameventually most will end up like this since they take up a lot of huge space.the one's in our place now sells ton's of stuff coming from china, you know those cheap, disposable, unreliable, easy to break, one time use toxic stuff

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 01:56:12 am
content: Still a thing here in Sydney. None around me have closed.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 01:56:53 am
content: the new movies. Zzzzzzzzzzz Simply not interested

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 01:59:55 am
content: Quote from: rdl on July 20, 2023, 09:20:37 pmYou missed an awesome treat not watching Top Gun Maverick in the theatre.Oppenheimer is the new one I'm very keen to see,zeroCGI effects in the entire movie.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 02:28:42 am
content: If only not the popcorn chewing idiots , i would go more often, maybe twice a year

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 02:33:01 am
content: We got a new muliplex opened in the councils latest white elephant a year or 2 back,and a few month later the old cinema that had been going for years closed down leaving another large empty building in the town centre.

author: thermistor-guy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 04:56:30 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on July 21, 2023, 01:59:55 amChris Stuckmann reviewed it recently on his YT channel. He loved it. Only problem he had was with the sound mixing,making it difficult to understand all the dialog. Apparently this is a thing with this director's movies.Even so, I'm looking forward to it.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 05:10:07 am
content: Hey Dave is the Cremorne Cinema in Military road still active - it was a work of art when I visited Sydney many many years ago

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 06:10:03 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on July 21, 2023, 01:56:12 amCan confirm. We also have a big cinema near me in a regional area. I've been meaning to go, but it has been several years.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 06:30:45 am
content: I still watch movies. Maverick was fantastic. Also looking forward to Oppenheimer. It's just less hassle, more comfort to watch at home. I have a decent TV and a very good sound system. Traffic, parking, expensive snacks and annoying people just don't get compensated for by the cinema experience in my opinion. Back when I did go to see movies it was more as a social thing to do, not so much to see the film. I don't really socialize any more.

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:19:36 am
content: I guess if it's a Blockbuster Movie, then it's worth going to the Moviesanyone remember "Blockbuster" I heard there is still one standing....but for how long

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:28:15 am
content: Quote from: macboy on July 19, 2023, 02:47:37 amI don't know if you have ever met them, but there are these people who walk among us who say "no" as soon and you suggest having 5.1 speakers in the house, and scream "no" when you suggest even greater numbers. This makes stereo to 5.1 a sweet spot for most of us..... well, that or divorce.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:35:54 am
content: Its hard to get the timing right for things like cinemas, when the planning to opening pipeline is so long. Our local Vue was closed for quite a while before COVID for a complete (although possibly unnecessary - it seemed fine before) refurbishment. It opened just as COVID hit, and the car park hasn't looked full since. In another part of town someone else built an IMAX screen around the same time. Same problem. The sparsity of good recent movies hasn't helped.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:37:31 am
content: Quote from: rdl on July 21, 2023, 06:30:45 amThere's the key problem in a nutshell. Ask people to name a good recent movie, and most people are going to give you that title. An outlier doesn't keep an industry afloat.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:39:28 am
content: COVID had an impact. A large cinema complex didn;t open again after COVID. Small neighborhood cinemas are just fine though. TBH I really enjoy small summer cinemas (open).Alexander.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:41:39 am
content: I wouldn't know, as I wasn't really interested to watch any of the movies a few months before they come out on streaming, plus Hollywood can go broke because of all the political things it puts in movies. That being said, I probably will watch Dune 2 this year because of the visuals.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 10:50:38 am
content: I watched around 12 movies for 2023 in the neighborhood cinema. With a walking distance of 2 minutes and a ticket at 5 euros (Monday to Wednesday)...Alexander.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 11:38:40 am
content: 5 Euros is cheap, compared to the rip-off prices they charge here. I can't remember what it cost last time I went, which would have been about four years ago, but it was much more than that.I don't have any streaming services, Blu-ray or DVDs at home either.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 11:40:59 am
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 21, 2023, 11:38:40 am5 years ago is was a lot more than that in the UK, but prices dropped a lot, and this wasn't a COVID issue. They started cheap days, then everything cheap, before COVID struck.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 11:41:37 am
content: Quote from: coppice on July 21, 2023, 10:37:31 amI'd agree with that; I've seen quite a few mediocre films in the last year or so.On the other hand, they've still been better than most Netflix own-brand movies, which I initially got quite excited about when I first subscribed, but soon came to realise were a triumph of quantity over quality. A nice thumbnail and click-bait title doesn't make up for a 5.0 score on IMDB (if you're lucky).

author: vad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 11:50:03 am
content: Quote from: Bud on July 20, 2023, 10:37:42 pmNot my experience. We went last night, and the theater was fully packed.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 10:39:25 am
content: My area is Beaumont, Texas, a medium size city of around 110,000. We have two multi-screen cinemas in town and probably another one or two in the area which is called the Golden Triangle.As to how well they are doing, I don't know. It has been a while since I have been to either one. I don't miss them nor their $5 - $10 popcorn.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 12:52:40 pm
content: Quote from: jonovid on July 21, 2023, 01:56:53 amYou mean to say you'd pass up the chance to see the Barbie movie?Actually I might see the Oppenheimer movie not in a general cinema but in a Gold Class cinema. First movie in a cinema for me in years. In general cinema there is a high risk of jerks sitting nearby sipping slurpees, rustling bags of lollies, or gasbagging at 115200 bps non-stop, resulting in me turning into a potential serial killer. Gold Class is far less risk for all concerned.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 01:00:51 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on July 21, 2023, 11:40:59 amYou can still get tickets at the Vue for non peak time screenings (ie if the film has been out for a month or more) for around £5 each. If you have a certain special offer you can get a 2for1 offer on some days, good if you're going as a pair or with a friend. The Vue is about a 25 minute drive away and you do need £1 for parking in the evenings.The local multiplex near me (Cineworld) however want near on £12 each and don't do a 2for1 offer. I don't go there, have never gone there, and apparently they're in financial distress.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 01:12:42 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 01:00:51 pmI just checked. Our local Vue has put up its prices. Its 6.99 for any showing booked on line. 7.99 for the same showing bought at the venue. They don't seem to have special prices for particular showings right now. For a long time it was 4.99 for any movie showing. They had special prices for some live events. They have more expensive seats for what are supposed to be the choice seats in the theatre, but I've never seen them occupied. I guess they fill up as a last resort for a popular showing that fills the theatre.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 02:27:04 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on July 20, 2023, 10:37:42 pmSome studios are known to buy tickets just to pump up the excitement. If tickets are all booked it generates news articles and that creates demand.I'm my area the small cinemas in the towns have closed mostly becuase the multiplex ones with several screens, bowling and some fast food places overtook the small ones. The one in Wells closed in the late 90s stating issues with subsidence on the old building, it was empty for years then reopened as a nightclub. Another local is now a Wetherspoons. The big multi screen ones seems to be still there but they are 1hr away and this means a trip to watch a film is a bit if a track, 2hrs travelling, 45min of adverts and then >2hr film just makes it not worth the >£14 they want to watch a film I can get on the TV at home in less than 6months.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 04:11:03 pm
content: What do people think about the Hollywood strikes?Many people think they could result in the downfall of TV and cinema, but I think it would be a good thing in the long term. It'll get rid of the lazy crappy companies who don't innovate, churning out the same boring politically motivated bollocks and promote smaller innovative content creators who make interesting and entertaining material.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 04:37:59 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 23, 2023, 04:11:03 pmI thought most of the writers in Hollywood had been on strike for the past 10 years. If not, where are all the missing stories?

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 05:04:57 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 23, 2023, 04:11:03 pmThe outcome of the first set of strikes in 2007-2008 was reality TV. The barely-scripted format with drama and overacting from non-professionals who are coaxed into creating scenes required little to no union staff involvement, proved cheap to pump out and disappointingly successful with the general public. I hate to see what will come out this time, but probably more low cost reality shows are likely. Short term the streaming networks will just increase their back catalogue and buy content in from other distributors, which will probably lead their revenue to stagnate as subscribers leave.I understand why writers and actors are afraid of GPT/chatbots and AI image generation. However, this is going to happen regardless of their strike. I doubt serious writers will be replaced any time by AI, because it takes genuine talent and generalised intelligence to come up with an original and gripping story. AI is very good at regurgitating ideas and tends to create short stories accurately with little adventure or surprise in them. In other words, it would probably be pretty good at writing modern episodes of the Simpsons, but it is not going to create new dramas with millions of viewers tuning in to watch. Comedy is also likely a safe area for now; AI sucks at comedy, because it requires a proper human understanding of why a joke is funny (and also context-dependent, like political or current affairs comedy).For actors, there's the star factor... I don't think fake actors generated by AI would cut it. I can see a risk for extras, there is one studio already that is famous for getting their extras on set for a day but the contract assigns all rights to their image for the remainder of the shoot and CGI is used to add them into scenes as needed. So suddenly you go from having someone being paid a reasonable amount for a month's worth of shooting, getting only one or two day's pay. That's quite bad for those guys. But the major A- and B-list stars are safe for some time, no one wants to see AITim Cruze, they want to see human Tom Cruise because they know he's a real guy and they see him on the red carpet and on chat shows and all sorts. CGI could, with enough effort, already replace a lot of these actors, but it hasn't. That's because these actors are as much actors as they are marketing for the film.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 05:34:59 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 05:04:57 pmYup we will no doubt get more of that. As well as a slew of not very factual documentries.QuoteI think for a few years there have been a lot of writers in a room with very little real content written. It goes to the old adage of "too many cooks spoil the broth". With so many people who want to throw some input in there are many storylines that get thrown out because of an inability to agree. I wouldn't put it past them to have already abused AI stuff to write some of the stories.QuoteI can see why they are worried as with the deepfake abilities they may no longer be needed other than to provide samples for the CGI experts to use. Who holds the copyright on your image/likeness etc. even after your death?Imagine a company that gets a bunch of people to turn up for a couple of hours and they take all the images they need and then that person ends up being paid a nominal fee but ends up on 100s of films, a bit like stock images. But even worse is when that person becomes a well-paid actor but this firm still has your image they can sell on. Loads of fun for the Scum Sucking Lawyers.Currently with the streaming options its not clear how successful a program/film is and many actors rely on the residuals to survive.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 05:54:07 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 05:04:57 pmIt can't really get worse. We are still in that period of barely scripted shows, with no real plot and lots of cliched ideas tossed out an random. The exceptions to that are just that - exceptional.Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 05:04:57 pmEven if ChatGPT cannot produce originality and gripping stories its still ready to replace 90% of the script writers today.Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 05:04:57 pmNo originality? Sucks at comedy? ChatGPT fits in perfectly with current Hollywood.Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 05:04:57 pmThey've been trying hard to destroy star factor for a number of years, with varying success. Things like the Marvel universe have been moderately effective at moving the focus from the actor to the character. It seems to have worked with some of them, and not with others. ChatGPT has great potential where an actor can't continue a franchise due to ill health or death. It could also be great for stories where someone has to play both an old and young version of a character. Various successful series have seen the actors pay skyrocket. Other successful series have been canned while still very popular to keep down the studio's salary bill. Actors who won't play ball contractually for sequels better watch out.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 06:36:51 pm
content: Quote from: mendip_discovery on July 23, 2023, 05:34:59 pmThis has been established in the past. If you want to use the likeness of Einstein for instance, you need to pay his estate money. From the Guardian (UK newspaper for those unaware);QuoteThis has been interpreted by courts and copyright lawyers to include his likeness, even though Einstein made no mention of it. It didn't make sense to copyright such a likeness at a time where the only way you could replicate it would be through makeup and a lookalike. And Einstein wasn't the kind of person who cared about celebrity or personal appearance that much. So this is an absurd outcome really, but the estate's lawyers will bankrupt you if you try to use itwithout payingthe Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Realistically, it's not an issue in the short term that an actor could be replaced by AI. Tom Cruise, for lack of a better example, would be able to sue any studio out of existence for using his living likeness. The risk is that studios create their own actors, who work essentially for free. I think these aren't going to be as successful as the A-listers because of the lack of star factor (especially considering the idea of having an AI actor appear on live television is certainly quite some time away). But it's certainly possible to imagine a future where a lot of the middle ground actors just don't exist any more. Nobody really cares who playspassenger #3 on the train, so why not replace them with AI? It's not so great for aspiring actors though, as they no longer have any chance to perform.In a different field, this is where I see the risk of AI for programmers coming in. AI can't replace most programmers, and probably won't replace all programmers until generalised intelligence exists (which is itself an existential danger). But, it could replace a lot of junior/entry level roles. Generating test cases for an implementation for instance. This makes it ever harder for juniors to enter the field. You'd be left with a job market with not enough candidates for senior positions because there are little or no opportunities available for promotion.Quote from: coppice on July 23, 2023, 05:54:07 pmMeh, your opinion but I've watched a number of shows recently and quite enjoyed them... there's never been quite so much selection, the problem is 90% of it is crap, but the 10% that is good has never been better in my opinion. Nothing forcing you to watch the crap especially with streaming services it's just pick something good and watch it, you don't need to be aware of the politics or drama just enjoy the show.Quote from: coppice on July 23, 2023, 05:54:07 pmYup, the bill from the A-listers is often a huge part of the budget of a film. Even if they can't eliminate the best actors, they minimise their screen time. As in your Marvel example, Iron Man is often hidden in a suit. That's CGI and/or a lower paid stunt actor, Downey Jr. would only get paid for the scenes with his face in, and even many of those are done CGI in a studio with little or no time on set.As for actors not playing ball for sequels, these things tend to be negotiated upfront in secret deals, so when they got Downey Jr. in for the Iron Man film, I expect they had an agreement to option N further sequels at pre-agreed price within M years. Studios aren't stupid. Actors have good agents too and wouldn't agree to any contract that obsoleted them, so no AI generated likeness for example.This doesn't stop the estate agreeing after death. Paul Walker appeared in a Fast-Furious sequel many years after he died, they used a body double, his brother, and existing footage to recreate him. But that was agreed with the family, who I am sure got a decent payout for using his likeness.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 06:44:30 pm
content: when everything is taken into consideration movies in cinemas are just public entertainmentthat can be replaced by new types of entertainment. times change!we new live in a flood of 24/7 entertainment from our phones to our 4K television.meanwhile politics has entered much of hollywood in recent years destroying many beloved movie franchises.with poor or confusing plot or story's , character deconstructions. the end result is movies that are not as entertainingwhen compared to previous movies of the some franchise. even though CGI has made todays movies look amazing.there's no getting past the obvious. much of hollywood is slowly going down the toilet of political correctness, and it shows. :'(there are so many boxes that must be ticked before anything gets a green light nowadays.as for why I do not see movies in public cinema since 2018, is been interrupted by others , expensive snacks and no pause button so one can go to the bathroom.the movies I watch if any are on HDDIMO the golden age of hollywood movies in cinemas was in the 70, 80s and 90s when Boy meets Girl the good guys win & the bad guys lost.the average movie plot made sense back then. today hollywood has lost the plot and no amount of AI or CGI can save it.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 07:28:31 pm
content: Quote from: jonovid on July 23, 2023, 06:44:30 pmIt has always been there. Its just that we are seeing it pushed into our faces a lot.One of the things we may miss is the small budget film that does OK at the Cinema but makes a killing on DVD. Now they will just go straight to streaming, the two Extraction films are a good example. How many Sci-Fi films/shows do we know that failed when first out but ended up with a cult following a few years later.

author: Kim Christensen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 02:40:17 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 23, 2023, 06:36:51 pm"Star factor" matters less than you think. An example is a cartoon movie like Shrek. AI actors are no different. If something jells with the audience, it doesn't really matter how it was created.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 03:40:39 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 23, 2023, 04:11:03 pmI think that if they did them before:- they ruined a number of my favorite IPs- called me racist/sexist for not liking the ruined IPs and other movies or series with all the qualities of explosive diarrhea- shat on my childhood- managed to insert politics into literally everything- escalated evil marketing practices to the extremeI might have had sympathy. Ideally, it would see the error of its ways, get fixed and went back to entertaining people. Lacking that, if it burns to the ground and others start creating watchable entertainment works as well.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 04:12:31 pm
content: Quote from: daqq on July 24, 2023, 03:40:39 pmIn many cases, as a part of the promotional material, it was normal to call people racist even before they had a chance to mutter a word.The number of IPs they have completely crapped on is amazing. Listening to some of the actors they are like some artists who spout utter bull and expect people to just accept it as the truth for example "Star Wars isn't about a fight between good and evil". I just waiting for the moment they make an announcement they are going to remake BttF as I know an Australian that will go on a major rant if that happens.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 07:47:38 pm
content: I'm not familure with some of the initialisations used above:IPsBttFWhat the heck do they mean?

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 08:15:29 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 24, 2023, 07:47:38 pmAn engineer who doesn't know at least 2 meanings of IP, one of which clearly doesn't apply, while the other almost certainly does?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 08:39:01 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on July 24, 2023, 08:15:29 pmThe only one I know of is Intellectual Property. I didn't think it was engineering related, as the post is about cinema. Please enlighten me.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 08:45:41 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 24, 2023, 08:39:01 pmYes, that's the one. The very very obvious one. The properties the movie industry used to spend a fortune building value in, but has been trashing for the last few years.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 08:59:21 pm
content: It just didn't make sense to me in that context "they ruined a number of my favorite IPs", hence why I asked the question.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 09:23:03 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 24, 2023, 08:59:21 pmIP is intellectual property. Outside of engineering this can refer to books, stories, franchises, comics, trademarks, whole blocks of content...QuoteIf you are in the market for a delightful rant on the topic of movies and are okay with a drunken Scotsman rather than a sober Australian, may I recommend the Critical Drinker?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 09:31:11 pm
content: Quote from: daqq on July 24, 2023, 09:23:03 pmI know that. The statement just sounded a little vague and triggered a parsing error. Oh I've just realised, going by the flag, English is probably not your first language, so sorry, for not taking that into account.Anyway, one thing which has struck me recently is how out of touch the mainstream media are with the general population, certainly in the UK. It becomes obvious when reading the YouTube comments to news videos from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc. especially, when they're about a politics. They might be talking about how far-right or x-phobic something is, yet most of the comments are people saying they can't see the problem and the journalists are talking rubbish. I doubt the country has swung far-right. It's more likely the mainstream media have gone in the other direction. I suspect the same is true of the film industry.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 09:39:56 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 24, 2023, 09:31:11 pmIndeed. It mainly conveys ideas/ideology of a very small minority. Not quite new though, it's been ongoing for a few years already.While there are reasons for that, the "interesting" part is how companies, the business model of which normally relies on a large number of people liking the content they produce, manage to survive in spite of pleasing only a small minority and annoying the majority. *That* is concerning. That's when the "market" doesn't really decide anymore, and this should mean this is not a free market anymore. Just a thought.

author: djsb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 09:44:01 pm
content: One of my local cinema'shttps://therexberkhamsted.com/

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 09:44:57 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 24, 2023, 09:31:11 pm

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2023, 10:00:08 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 24, 2023, 07:47:38 pmSorry I like my MLA a bit too much.IP Intellectual Property. In this case things such as Star Wars and Indiana Joned.Great Scott! I could explain the BttF one but I'm driving at 88mph and I am OUTATIME.Hail Drinker! But Critical Doggo is better in my opinion.

author: vad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 12:32:45 am
content: Barbieheimer collected $235.5 million combined in North America during their opening weekend. Considering the average movie ticket price of $10.45, this means that approximately 22 million people, which accounts for 6% of the population in the US and Canada, went to see the movies last weekend.

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 01:16:39 am
content: Quote from: djsb on July 24, 2023, 09:44:01 pmJust realized that one of the Big Malls still has them inside but smaller malls just became stalls for clothing'shttps://www.smcinema.com/Browsing/I think I would go to the cinemas for Visuals & Sound (Imax) But if it was like "Barbieheimer", i'll just wait it out till my fav "store" has it

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 07:27:53 am
content: Quote from: mendip_discovery on July 24, 2023, 10:00:08 pmWhat threw me was they haven't ruined their IP, they still have the old films and they could make good news ones based on them, if they kept politics out, hence the question. In hindsight, it was me being a little pedantic, since everyone else got the point.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 08:13:36 am
content: Quote from: vad on July 25, 2023, 12:32:45 amProbably even more. Cinemas usually keep around 15-25% of the ticket price at the early stage. After the first month or so, they can keep upwards of 50%.I've always wondered how things like this are audited. I've never seen a movie studio bloke counting the people in the cinema, but I guess it must happen.Quote from: SiliconWizard on July 24, 2023, 09:39:56 pmI think you're underestimating the size of the "minority" based on the bubble you hang out with - you will tend to hang out with people who sympathise with your views - otherwise they would be less likely to be in your bubble. My sister is pretty into the "far left" of things (I consider myself left of centre but I've been told believing capitalism is a good thing puts me on the right wing so who knows.) She's got a fairly large bubble of friends on social networks and in person and when they get talking about things it's clear a lot of people are more left wing than I thought I was.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 09:31:37 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 25, 2023, 08:13:36 amThat's what I used to think, but as per my previous comment, seeing the comments to news videos (BBC, Channel Four ITV, not Fox GBNews) has made me reconsider. It's possible people who post YouTube comments tend to be right-wing, but I don't see why that would be the case.I woudn't say it's even accurate to say everything has shifed leftwards. Econmically, the media has shifted right, most likely down to the failure of planned ecconomies, where ever they've been tried. Socially speaking, there's been a definite leftward trend, which is apparent in cinima and is very much out of step with the public. If that wasn't the case, then films pushing socially progressive ideas wouldn't have been such huges flops.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 11:35:08 am
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 25, 2023, 09:31:37 amI'm sure a huge amount of the comments on news websites, YouTube et al are bots - on both sides of the spectrum. For the few that aren't bots, you have to realise that the people who take time to comment on things are the most 'outraged'. The news websites also moderate comments on there, and moderators may well remove comments that don't align with the website's bias. The centre which just doesn't really care (and for whom politicians target because they tend to swing one way or another) isn't the kind to debate politics online so you'll rarely hear from them; and you're unlikely to see a Just Stop Oil supporter posting on the Daily Mail's website.I don't know what the solution is to this really, if you want to get as little bias as possible in understanding what people think then take a look at surveys that cover the whole political spectrum, and websites that aggregate this and take predicting things accurately as part of their reputation. For instance, for whatever you think of Nate Silver, his 538 polls model has usually been pretty close to being on the money for US election results (I believe they called the most recent senate election within a few percent, they predicted Biden and Trump's wins respectively, as well as Obama's 2012 run, with decent accuracy.)

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 01:24:42 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 25, 2023, 11:35:08 amRead more than one source of news - but choose sources that aren't so far from your own viewpoint that they'll just make you angry.I get my Left leaning news from the BBC, and my Right leaning news from the Telegraph.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 01:29:40 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 25, 2023, 11:35:08 amThen one would think there would be an equal number of outraged people from both sides of the political spectrum. I doubt it's moderation, since it's YouTube and the comments are mostly arguing against the channel's perspective. It doesn't matter whether the video is complaining about, what they call a far-right party, or praising a unversity's mission to increase diversity in STEM subjects, the comments tend to reflect more right-wing views. It's not me, because I'm a little right of centre. I also know I've drifted further right in many areas, because I dissagree with many of my old posts and comments, as well as voting differently.QuoteIt's easier to predict election results than to gauge public opinion on specific issues, such Brexit, which they failed to predict.Quote from: AndyC_772 on July 25, 2023, 01:24:42 pmSome things just get me angry, regardless of how they are reported. The Telegaph might criticise something which I see as bad and I still feel anger, just the same as I would if I read the Guardian's positive take on it.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 02:34:57 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 25, 2023, 01:29:40 pmDunno about "failed to predict". Obviously the Cameron ministry thought they'd get away with it and kill off UKIP in the process with a solid Remain win, but pretty quickly the polling around the issue showed it was highly divisive:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum#/media/File:UK_EU_referendum_polling.svgIn the end, it was a swing of a few percent - 48% to 52%. Well within margin of error for the polls and you could see Leave gaining traction on the day towards the referendum as the big faces behind Leave pushed hard. Remain floundered due to lack of cohesive vision and divisiveness in the major lefty party Labour, and the Tories were also divided quite badly. This made it easier for Leave to gain the support of the electorate.Ironically, Farage said that if it went "Leave 48% and Remain 52%" it would be grounds for a second referendum, and then opposed one when it went near-exactly the other way in his favour (52% Leave 48% Remain).It's really going great, I try not to think about how stupid the whole situation has been. Though admittedly, it could have gone worse - we've ended up with an outcome which hasn't been catastrophic, but it's hard to see any great benefits either.Anyway, this is about cinemas, not so much politics. Around here, they're still quite packed, and if it was truly as bad as some have claimed, there'd be no one there and they'd be going out of business. Some chains are struggling, but usually due to high debt racked up over COVID, rather than any lack of business (which is why Cineworld UK is trying to restructure rather than sell off.)

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 03:51:53 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 25, 2023, 01:29:40 pmI don't think its that hard to predict any of these things (unless they are actually super close), but you need to step outside your echo chamber to do it. A lot of people find that very hard to do, especially as societies are becoming more polarised.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2023, 06:04:30 pm
content: I suspect the future of movies is digital remastering of more then 30 Years of classics.the same movie with the same story but now in 4K resolution with 4 channel sound, thanks to AI digital remastering.as for all new movies, its do or die for hollywood, gave the public that they want, gave the public Entertainment! Not political nonsense.the strikes are like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. the AI genie is out of the bottle.

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 01:42:10 am
content: Will AI save or destroy the Movie industry?They say chatgpt5 would have feelings or emotion like humans & might have the senses we have, so it could create a story line that's both touching & full of emotions that can bring our inner thoughts back to life that was hidden somewhere in the folders of our brain add to that the visuals that would stimulate our outer brain.With such tech, who needs Hollywood?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 02:49:26 am
content: Who needs humans?Who needs the universe?Who is who?

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 05:15:49 pm
content: Quote from: jonovid on July 25, 2023, 06:04:30 pmMany strikes are by workers who no longer have any power, thrashing around in the dying embers of their industry.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 07:18:53 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 25, 2023, 02:34:57 pmThe losing side will always want a second referendum. Heck, I was even in favour of it at the start, until I realised it was a silly idea.QuoteOur current problems are down to other factors, but it's off-topic and against the rules.QuoteIt is political. Holywood have made it so, by pushing their political views on everyone. This appears to be a problem with the mainstream media in many countries. I only brought up Brexit, not to discuss it, but because it highlights the difference between the views of the mainstream media and general public.I don't know how cinemas are doing where I live. It's just the fact that profits are down for Holywood. It might not have much to do with cinema theatres themselves, because there are other sources of revenue.Quote from: coppice on July 25, 2023, 03:51:53 pmI do step out of my echo chamber, hence why I read the Guardian and Sun, not just the Telegraph and Daily Mail. It's just my observation the comments on YouTube and MSN, tend to be a bit right-leaning. Again, I see this as a sign of the gulf between the MSM and ordinary person.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 09:35:28 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 26, 2023, 07:18:53 pmYour assessment is that people aren't going to cinemas as much because of politics, but the left-wing politics of Hollywood has been a thing for decades and box office sales, at least pre-pandemic, were never so high. So this isn't borne out in the data.https://www.statista.com/statistics/271856/global-box-office-revenue/Avatar 2broke $2.3 billionat the box office. For a sequel to an epic, that's bloody amazing. It's full of the stuff you love to hate, the series is based on the idea of endangered peoples and animals being extinguished by careless and malicious humans, if that's not political I don't know what is. I personally went to see it. Plot was meh, but the visuals were absolutely outstanding.We'll need to wait till the end of 2023, as that is the first year where there were virtually no restrictions on any social activity in any country, and people felt generally comfortable in busy auditoriums again, to see for sure. But projections suggest 2023 based on present results will have higher takings than 2019.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 09:40:16 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 26, 2023, 09:35:28 pmSequels to popular movies almost always make considerably more than the original, even when the sequel is widely considered to suck.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 09:50:55 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on July 26, 2023, 09:40:16 pm$2.3 billion was less than the original (that took in $2.9 billion), but it had a budget of $450 million. Even if you assume the marketing cost another $1 billion (apparently the marketing budget for big films can often be as much as the original budget if not more) they have a licence to print money on a film like that. I am sure Cameron will be able to afford a few more dives to the Titanic after his revenue cheque comes in...Point is, I don't think Hollywood is struggling. Not yet.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 10:02:16 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 26, 2023, 09:35:28 pmThe pandemic has essentially been over for a year now, yet according to that graph, numbers don't appear to have recovered. It's possible it's a long term trend and nothing to do with politics, as people have moved on to other ways of watching films such as streaming. On the other hand, the political bias has only become blatant since the pandemic.QuoteIt's not politics which is a killer but the progressive variety. The Little Mermaid was a classic example.I won't see that because it's not the kind of film which will interest me. I find visuals boring, without a decent story. One of the reasons why I don't watch films much is because many of them are needlessly padded with boring action scenes and CGI.QuoteWell takings will need to be higher to match inflation, which has been very high recently. We'll see. Hopefully they'll learn. I think it's also possible conservatives complaining about wokeness might even have the reverse effect. Barbie is apparently doing better in Republican states, so perhaps they're hate watching it.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2023, 10:09:31 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 26, 2023, 10:02:16 pmThe UK still had pandemic restrictions as of Dec 2021, many of these drifted into 2022.https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-12/timeline-coronavirus-lockdown-december-2021.pdfRightly so studios did not want to release in 2022 until they were comfortable they would have good audiences. Look at what happened to TENET in Sep 2020. You still had to wear a mask then in UK cinemas. So attendance was low.It wasn't until mid May 2022 thatallrestrictions on socialisation were lifted in the UK, though advice still persisted for some time thereafter. We lived through over two years of pandemic restrictions. (I'm definitely not a fan of ever doing that ever again, but, politics.)Many other European countries had restrictions too. When I visited Barcelona in April 2022, you had to wear a mask on public transport, in cafes/bars/restaurants (except when eating) and other places. I don't recall if cinemas were restricted, but it wouldn't surprise me if people were nervous or were "I don't want to go if I have to wear a mask" (can't blame them!)

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2023, 07:22:20 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 26, 2023, 09:35:28 pmCome now, it's the difference between having a small message in a decent story (Star-Trek for most of its existence) and bashing the audience over the head with a crude club made out of pandering while screaming political slogans, riding a barely coherent story that's pretending to be the continuation of a beloved IP. There was a time when a new Marvel movie was an exciting feature and there was a time when I'd have greeted a new Star Wars project with joy and excitement. Now I just groan.If you need further proof of the decline of the art of story telling in Hollywood, look at Velma, She-Hulk, the awful remakes who's biggest marketing promotion is "Behold our diverse cast and revised message!" instead of "Recapturing the magic", the newer Star Trek stuff, Rings of Power, or any number of other series or movies spewed forth.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2023, 08:49:05 pm
content: Quote from: daqq on July 27, 2023, 07:22:20 amIt's when they do silly things such as change the main character from a white man to a black woman, or make them gay, which has annoyed a lot of people, then they claim racism, misogyny, homophobia etc. when they get negative comments and it flops. Most people aren't bigoted. There have been successful films with non-white and non-straight main characters, but they were new and original, not a classic with the story changed to fit a progressive agenda and the actors chosen to tick boxes.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2023, 09:21:49 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 27, 2023, 08:49:05 pmAgreed, those are shit. For instance, the Ghostbusters film with all-female cast was critically panned, because it was badly written and leaned very heavily on the female cast being "unique" rather than having a good story.But this is bad storytelling, and I don't agree that it is all that common. Is itmorecommon? It seems so, I wouldn't say no... but it's certainly far from normal to have a plot that's just been turned around to fit diverse characters in it and flopped as a result. Hollywood isn't stupid and they want to make money from films (Ghostbusters 2016 lost money).I'd say the BBC are currently experimenting with a new Doctor in Dr Who, they tried Jodie Foster which I thought was a bit of a damp squib and unfortunately a letdown for a female Doctor. She had terrible scripts, she's historically been a very good actor so it could have worked if the writing and direction was done properly. I'm looking forward to seeing how Ncuti Gatwa plays the 15th, I will approach it with an open mind, as they have Russell T Davies back to run the show and he knows how to write a good Who.For a film with a diverse cast that was very well received look at Black Panther, I think there are two main white characters in the whole film, Martin Freeman being one of them. The sequel was okay too but not as good as the original, the villain was boring.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2023, 09:33:54 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 27, 2023, 09:21:49 pmIf that were true the last 7 years wouldn't have been filled with Ghostbuster 2016 remakes, given various names but with the same basic premise, that a good script is unnecessary. The current writers strike was a real surprise. They still have script writers for Hollywood movies?

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2023, 07:23:24 am
content: one reason why others avoid the Cinema'sLife in plastic. It’s fantastic. ready the oppenhammerhttps://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/film/fight-at-barbie-movie-835924-20230725

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2023, 06:49:53 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 27, 2023, 09:21:49 pmOf they could have just kept Dr Who the same.I don't watch TV now, as I don't have a licence, but I know the BBC have had programmes with a lead black actor (Luther) and a main female character (Silent Witness), which were both quite popular.QuoteIf they're mostly black, then that's not very diverse.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2023, 07:10:06 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 28, 2023, 06:49:53 pmThe Doctor frequently regenerates, it's a role that actors don't seem to want to do for long for whatever reason, Matt Smith was reportedly bored of it so they cast a new actor. One of the benefits of a sci-fi show where you can plot-wave you way out of changing what the main actor looks like. There was no keeping it the same, each actor plays the Doctor differently (it's literally canon in the show that each Doctor has its own character and behaviour even if they "the same" individual) and it's up to the screenwriter to adapt the script to suit.Quote from: Zero999 on July 28, 2023, 06:49:53 pmWell, now you're just playing with words. There aren't many films like it where almost all of the actors are black, certainly none that achieved the box-office results it did. Call it diverse or not, but it was unique.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2023, 08:18:21 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 28, 2023, 07:10:06 pmI get that the doctor can in theory be anyone, but he had always been a white man, which worked well. It was blatantly obvious why they changed the sex of Doctor Who. I vaguely remember she said something about being better, when she emerged. That was enough to put many off, before even getting to the silly stories. I stopped watching after that.QuoteNo, I'm using the word diverse, in its true sense. Nowadays it's all too often just code for more black and fewer white people, which is silly.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2023, 08:21:46 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 28, 2023, 08:18:21 pmWell, I think it could have worked, Jodie is a good actor, but she was given trash scripts. There were one or two really good episodes, but they played it too like she was some kind of schoolteacher who just wanted all the kids to have fun on their adventures. I didn't like that. I hope they do better for Ncuti because, well, it does give people ammunition that these character choices are just bad and everyone should be the same as before, I don't think that's true at all.There's nothing in Dr Who canon that the Doctor has to be a white man, it's just that he'd (she'd?) always been played by a white guy, there are and were female companions and female timelords appeared in the show. Just because something has been done historically does not mean it has to remain that way forever. Providing it is done well, of course.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2023, 11:24:11 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 28, 2023, 08:21:46 pmWell, if she can't make a trash script work she isn't going to have much of a career in the present environment.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2023, 10:00:33 am
content: Cinema Theatre audiences are falling and streaming subscriptions are also down.It's probably just as much to do with the fall in living standards, as people are cutting back on luxuries, just as much as the lack of originality.https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/streaming-fatigue-uk-subscriptions-dip/https://www.obs.coe.int/en/web/observatoire/2023-press-releases/-/asset_publisher/0t9kVBabnI8V/content/a-long-road-to-recovery-eu-uk-cinema-attendance-up-by-63-in-2022-still-short-of-pre-pandemic-average

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2023, 04:08:08 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on July 30, 2023, 10:00:33 amRaised priced for things like Netflix. A substantially decreased catalogue, especially for Netflix. Even in a good economy, with some appealing new material. the fragmenting into numerous streaming services, each with their own small number of new and interesting series, would have hurt streaming subscriptions.