Watching popular mainstream movies

[Big Ewis]

Harry Potter, Twilight...there's been a host of very popular movies or franchises recently that seem completely unmissable, like you've GOT to know about them, and the point of this thread: it's very susceptible you've even seen them.
I can only take myself as an example: I'll never watch such movies, not because I'm cool and I don't watch mainstream, but because I genuinely couldn't give a fk to save my life. I've never had to go through it from exterior pressure either, like a friend pushing to watch those, because the ppl I surround myself with don't care for that stuff either. So it's very strange to me that you'll meet a lot of ppl who criticize that kind of stuff or even bring it up at all (with all the interesting topics out there) and you always seem to learn later that they've actually seen them. Btw I really don't care for differentiation, if you like Potter no problem, I'm just thinking out loud here, the ***les I mention are just a mere detail, it's the point that matters. Like, I've seen bits of it to know it's aimed at children (Potter).
So it's quite something, when you think about it, isn't it ? Ppl criticize it, but they watch it. Why do you think that is ? Why do ppl always seem to have seen what's out there, why does modern marketing work so well in that regard specifically ? I had a streak going at a point for how many ppl in a row I'd meet who'd tell me about a Twilight or an Avengers (the Marvel thing) etc...not that all mainstream is bad, but the point is it's downright strange to me ALL ppl seem to have the fkn time for that shhiit. I really don't want to sound like the romantic intellectual against the machine, but seriously it's too blatant, we're so amazingly conditioned to live a certain way.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What the ****.

 

[smartcooky]

What the ****.

I concur!

 

[goodNumber10]

[video=youtube_share;Puh3VxlmlRs]http://youtu.be/Puh3VxlmlRs[/video]

 

[ratsapprentice]

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

The only thing worse than people only watching mainstream movies is people going out of their way to never watch mainstream movies.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

 

[Big Ewis]

hehe yeah okay I see super.

 

[j'nuh]

It's important for people to be able to communicate ideas and interests. For people who aren't movie hobbyists, watching the "mainstream" movies allows them to fit in with others.

I went once or twice to an alternative music society at university, because I'm really into alternative music. What I quickly found out about it is that nearly all conversations about music there were "have you heard of this band?" followed by a "no/a bit". There was little in the way of actually talking about music, because everyone had their niche tastes and there was little common ground. That's the appeal of mainstream culture: it gives people a common ground to talk about. (Like, I enjoyed Harry Potter a lot less than Dune, but I've spent a lot more of my life talking about Harry Potter with others.)

 

[Big Ewis]

oh look, an intelligent post. You ought to keep that tone down young man and get right down to mindless bashing like the others if you'll want to fit in. And yes well I'm obviously getting to a very large point here about the mainstream world but wanted to read interesting opinions on the matter. That...did not quite occur. Asking a benign question like "why do people invest in watching/listening to mainstream stuff" is a lot less harmless than it seems. Asking simple, seemingly harmless questions without getting too far ahead can be interesting.

 

[LittleGuy]

It's important for people to be able to communicate ideas and interests. For people who aren't movie hobbyists, watching the "mainstream" movies allows them to fit in with others.

I went once or twice to an alternative music society at university, because I'm really into alternative music. What I quickly found out about it is that nearly all conversations about music there were "have you heard of this band?" followed by a "no/a bit". There was little in the way of actually talking about music, because everyone had their niche tastes and there was little common ground. That's the appeal of mainstream culture: it gives people a common ground to talk about. (Like, I enjoyed Harry Potter a lot less than Dune, but I've spent a lot more of my life talking about Harry Potter with others.)

I like Dune as well despite it's not being well received by many others, I've read the first four books and Herbert really thought it captured the ambience of his universe if it did have a couple of odd changes.

 

[Big Ewis]

the fat Harkonnin flying in the air pulling those life plugs from innocent young men's hearts, looking at Sting like he wants to sexually devour him...Oh, and if you played the game, you will remember the nostalgic rings of Amiga sounds, Stéphane Picq's Chanis Eyes:

 

[j'nuh]

I like Dune as well despite it's not being well received by many others, I've read the first four books and Herbert really thought it captured the ambience of his universe if it did have a couple of odd changes.

Oh I meant the novel. I haven't watched the movie.

 

[LittleGuy]

the fat Harkonnin flying in the air pulling those life plugs from innocent young men's hearts, looking at Sting like he wants to sexually devour him...Oh, and if you played the game, you will remember the nostalgic rings of Amiga sounds, Stéphane Picq's Chanis Eyes:

Yeah that scene could have been left out really weird.

 

[LittleGuy]

Oh I meant the novel. I haven't watched the movie.

Have you read all the other ones j'nuh? I enjoyed the next two up to Children of Dune but Emperor I found was unbelieavbly boring and poor and has put me off the other wo of Herbert's for now.

 

[ruggabee]

I watch mainstream movies because there's the potential that it'll be good. I give every movie a chance whether it's unknown or highly marketed. Why avoid a mainstream movie just because it's mainstream? Why avoid it because it seems to be directed at children or it has content that you think will be stupid. You can't know that until you watch the movie itself. I'm not fond of animated or romantic films, but I've seen the well known ones because they were advertised well, and I thought "Hell who knows? Might be good?" It's not that everyone HAS to go watch it, it's just that you have a higher probability of seeing it because it's been advertised. I wouldn't call it human conditioning, more like advertising provides us with a greater awareness for the big budget films so we just all so happen to know about the movie concerned. I think I blabbered there but yeah my reason for watching popular films is to see for myself if it's any good. Do we HAVE to know about them? No, but we do because these popular films have massive budgets and can afford the marketing.

 

[Big Ewis]

I watch mainstream movies because there's the potential that it'll be good. I give every movie a chance whether it's unknown or highly marketed. Why avoid a mainstream movie just because it's mainstream? Why avoid it because it seems to be directed at children or it has content that you think will be stupid. You can't know that until you watch the movie itself. I'm not fond of animated or romantic films, but I've seen the well known ones because they were advertised well, and I thought "Hell who knows? Might be good?" It's not that everyone HAS to go watch it, it's just that you have a higher probability of seeing it because it's been advertised. I wouldn't call it human conditioning, more like advertising provides us with a greater awareness for the big budget films so we just all so happen to know about the movie concerned. I think I blabbered there but yeah my reason for watching popular films is to see for myself if it's any good. Do we HAVE to know about them? No, but we do because these popular films have massive budgets and can afford the marketing.

you think (our modern Western) society is a place where movies for example are distributed based on true artistic merit ? You think there's honesty in the marketing strategies employed every day ? You feel like ppl go to the movies/rent this or that movie really out of their only individual, intelligently weighed initiative ?
Just asking.

 

[nickdnz]

Ehhh, there is literally no force in the universe that won't keep me from seeing Star Wars 7. I'm even excited about the Batman v Superman movie. Really though, the reason people watch these movies is about spectacle. Escapism. I love a lot of more niche independent films (not so niche, but I strongly encourage anyone to watch Richard Linklater's new film Boyhood, particularly if your anywhere between 18-25 years old, really resonated with me). People watch films for a lot of reasons, a film that costs 200m to make is going to probably create more of a spectacle than another film which is arguably more intellectually heavy. Not everyone wants to think when watching a film (which is a bit of a shame). Some just want to watch the bright lights flash to a simple and predictable story, with lots of things that go BOOM! And that's okay. A 2 millions dollar film may have to spend 20 million just to try and get some exposure anyway.

If you are ever dismayed, at least think to yourself that whatever stupid terrible movie people are going to the cinema to pay and watch on a weekday night, is at least a little less people watching whatever bulls**t CBS sitcom is also on that night.

 

[Big Ewis]

Just to reiterate, I'm not a) saying all mainstream is bad or b) *blaming* the ppl who go out and partake in making that scene possible (by funding it indirectly).

 

[ruggabee]

you think (our modern Western) society is a place where movies for example are distributed based on true artistic merit ? You think there's honesty in the marketing strategies employed every day ? You feel like ppl go to the movies/rent this or that movie really out of their only individual, intelligently weighed initiative ?
Just asking.

I think modern cinema is mostly manufactured these days to cater towards the masses. SHOCKING. But I do think every now and then we are treated to a film that possesses artistic merit, but yeah, it's rare.
I have little opinion about the marketing strategies of film because I can only speak for myself and find it doesn't affect me much. I have found that trailers sometimes deceives the viewer ie. 3 minute trailer showing the best parts and turns out those 3 minutes are actually the only good parts, or the film is depicted as something it isn't just to rope in the masses.
I'm not sure what goes through people's heads when picking a movie. I just know that I like to give most of them a shot if I hear about them, or come across them upon my own research.