Here are the Ten Top-Grossing Movies of 2007, according to Box Office Mojo:
- Spider-Man 3
- Shrek the Third
- Transformers
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- I Am Legend
- The Bourne Ultimatum
- 300
- Ratatouille
- Alvin and the Chipmunks
I’ve seen exactly two of them and, oddly enough — given my distaste for the cinema experience — both of them I saw in the theatre (although one was a sort of compulsory, work-related viewing). One of the two was rented when it came out on DVD, too.
If pressed for a reason why practically none of the films listed above penetrated my Taste Barrier I’d have to say that none promised an enrichment or challenge to my worldview. And only the two I saw only offered an engaging style to (partially) mask the deficiencies present in them all.
While Hollywood struggles to figure out why people aren’t seeing “important” films, they should probably try figuring out why people like me stopped going to movies altogether. It’s not just the rise of home theatres or the decline in civility of the movie-going public. And it’s not just the endless stream of advertisements and brain-curdling, pre-movie quizzes or the overpriced, undernourishing theatre snacks.
It’s that the vast majority of Hollywood’s output is utter crap and, certainly, the most popular fare is crap of the most intellectually-bankrupt sort. And a lot of us would rather spend a few more hours digging into a whole season’s worth of stylish, challenging stuff on the smal(er) screen. Like Mad Men or Dexter or BSG. I mean, come on. If this doesn’t get a fan’s heart racing, what would?
As long as the aforementioned (and as-yet-unproduced, similarly-ambitious) television projects keep getting made, movie studios can continue to churn out uninspired remakes, unfunny comedies, torture porn and by-the-numbers thrillers. And I won’t see them or rent them.
So who is the Fifth Cylon?
13 comments
I’m not surprised to learn that you’re not a ten-year-old boy, which seems to be the target audience for… most of that list. As the mother of said, I’ve seen six. I would be interested in knowing which two you saw… tell? I’d guess #s 7 & 8, as they seem the most adult of the lot. And if you haven’t seen Ratatouille, it’s worth a rent just for Peter O’Toole.
Um, er… Well, #7 and #8 were what I’d hoped you’d assume but the culprits were, in fact, #3 and #8. Busted, I know. I can point a finger of blame at friends for choosing Transformers as a Birthday Event and the work-related movie was 300 — something about our company being the little guys up against the huge competition; apparently, senior management forgot that in this particular story, the little guys got slaughtered.
I won’t make excuses for renting 300 later. Champ hadn’t seen it and (Gerard Butler + muscles) x 90% nudity = yeah.
Do I partially redeem my Cinema Crimes by admitting Bourne Ultimatum and Ratatouille are both eminently (and imminently) rentable?
Amen, Brother Stewart! testify! When I hear a friend is going to see a movie like Transformers or some other waste of team, waste of money, CGI extravaganza I always respond with, “why throw away your money…?”
The fifth cylon’s name is “Flibbity-floo”.
I saw 0 of them in the theater. But I’ve rented #1, #3, #4, #7, #8, and #9. Both “Bourne” and “Ratatouille” were excellent, “300″ had its charms, “Pirates” was rather terrible, “Spiderman 3″ was bad, and “Transformers” I turned off at the hour mark. TV is totally kicking Film’s ass… but everything is rather moot, due to the writers’ strike. I look forward to #5 & #6.
I saw about 5 of those films, two of them not on purpose (and didn’t pay for either). Of the three I did see on purpose, I somewhat liked one of the stories (I Am Legend- but it had a lot of flaws) and another was my idea of letting of steam (300). The 3rd? I’m kicking myself for watching it (Pirates 3).
As for Battlestar Galactica? This is my reason for watching TV. I watch this show and I know that there is quality out there. It’s just thrown under the rug way too often.
I am so rabidly hysterical about the last season of BSG that I spontaneously pee myself whenever I think about it. Gods.
The last cylon? one of the following:
1. Adama
2. Roslin
3. Baltar
4. Socrata ( Starbuck’s mum , making Kara Trace the original human-cylon).
I would love the reveal to be the person D’Anna was apologizing to in the temple. That would be the coolest way to find out and would make the last cylon either Adama or Roslin. If not , then it would make sense that she was apologizing to Tigh.
My current prediction is Socrata as it gives all this weight to Kara Thrace and her special destiny.
Good points, Q, except… (spoiler alert!) The photo was culled from an Entertainment Weekly spread with comments by BSG producer Ron Moore, in which he reveals that the Fifth Cylon isn’t at the table. More here. Socrata, though? Interesting. I’m going with Glark‘s guess.
I dunno about trusting Ron Moore. I’m thinking the last cylon has to be this OMFG WTF moment ( even more than tigh) or something that explains a lot.
[ mild spoiler]
some Vp dude from the sci fi channel says that the last reveal will have “emotional resonance” which sets of Socrata alarms in my head. Starbuck has to be involved somehow.
Is it April yet? Frakking Gods I cant believe we have to wait so damn long.
Well, Moore’s comment (spoiler!) about Anders being the only one embracing Starbuck doesn’t conflict with your guess at all.
what do you mean by saying movies suck these days? i’ll be the first in line at my local hundred-plex eagerly anticipating the arrival of the film version of ‘dallas’.
You say that, tim, but I just know there’ll be tears when you discover that Travolta’s not going to be appearing in your much-anticipated feature.
well a combination of travolta and j-hole? it’s a virtual slam-dunk at the box office!!!