A year ago I wrote this article about how movies have gotten so bad that I just can’t keep seeing them anymore with my usual level of frequency. This is unfortunate, since I love movies, or at least have historically.
2018, sadly, was another year of really horrible movies… but… this time it didn’t bother me nearly as much, because I followed through on my pledge and barely saw any movies this year.
AND IT WAS GREAT!
Not going to the movie theater and being constantly disappointed at both new stupid movies and old stupid movies from franchises that used to be great… it felt really good. So there were many movies this year that I normally would have seen but didn’t…
I didn’t see Solo.
I didn’t see that new Harry Potter movie.
I didn’t see Tomb Raider.
I didn’t see Maze Runner.
I didn’t see Oceans Eight.
I didn’t see Venom.
I didn’t see that Purge movie.
I didn’t see Wrinkle In Time.
I didn’t see Halloween.
I didn’t see Bohemian Rhapsody.
I didn’t see Robin Hood.
And on and on.
All of these terrible movies that I didn’t have to see, and man, what a relief! My decision to cut back on movies churned out from a society suffering from slow cultural collapse was a good one.
That doesn’t mean my new system was perfect. I still got burned a few times. I got sucked in enough to see the new Jurassic Park movie, the new Incredibles movie, the new Predator movie, and all three were all shit. But hey, three horrible movies in a year is much better than 20, which is what I was doing before.
There were also a few good movies this year. Not very many, but a few. Avengers Infinity War was utterly fantastic, and a huge achievement in many ways. The movie Upgrade was sublime, and is exactly the type of movie I wished Hollywood made more of (mid-budget action movies made by creative directors). I re-watched that movie several times. Ready Player One was basic popcorn fun, but good basic popcorn fun. The new Mission Impossible movie was pretty good too.
If the buzz is good, I will cautiously go see Mortal Engines, which might be good. Pink Firefly is begging me to go see Aquaman and Bumblebee with her, so I might do that. Maybe.
I’m just pleased that my decision to see fewer movies, as sad as it was, was the right one. Lately I’ve been more focused on books and travel for my entertainment than movies. It looks like I’ve made the right choice.
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kostyabg
Posted at 05:27 am, 12th December 2018If you like Mad Max you’ll be fine with Mortal Engines.
It is a bit predictable, but the spectacle is worth it.
Also Hugo Weaving with hair and beard looks badass aaaand he is not the only “The Matrix” reference in the movie.
Cheers from Bulgaria
Investor
Posted at 05:35 am, 12th December 2018I have to say they still make good tv series (Vikings, Black Sails, Man in the high castle, Extant (at least season 1), Game of Thrones, Stranger Things). And also the quality of narrative driven games is quite high (Detroit: Become Human, Prey, Dishonored 2, Witcher 3, Senua, Soma). Who needs movies with stuff like this? I am wondering if part of the situation is that series and games are just way more lucrative nowadays so the talent goes there instead….?
It is also much harder to make a good standalone movie and expectations are much higher than with series and you have more space to mess around in series. In games there is the gameplay that can often save terrible story (Call of Duty, Far Cry, Destiny) to the point that often people love it and don’t care.
Investor
Posted at 05:42 am, 12th December 2018I saw the new Mission Impossible and the Infinity War (loved the ending and the overall vibe and maturity of the movie) on a long haul flight recently and I liked them both also, though Mission Impossible wasn’t as good as some of the older ones, it was still good though. Mortal Engines has mixed reviews, a fb went to see it recently and told me told me its great action and special effects but story is flat and predictable, so I think it is one of those where it depends on expectations.
Its true there is lots of bad movies but there are still good ones consistently. It is also true our expectations are very high, that is also part of the problem. For example I really liked Pacific Rim, great mindless action and special effects and the movie is a piece of art in many ways, but if you went there expecting a deep and meaningful story you would be extremely dissapointed and give it a low review.
Michal
Posted at 06:14 am, 12th December 2018I know critics shited all over Venom, but me and everyone I talked to who saw it actually enjoyed this quirky movie. It definitely isn’t what you expect.
Riccardo
Posted at 06:41 am, 12th December 2018It’s not true that movies in 2018 suck. It’s Hollywood American movies that suck. There’s plenty of good European, Indian, or indie American movies.
V
Posted at 06:50 am, 12th December 2018What I do is wait for you to come out with the list of movies you watched and rated well then go from that list! Easy peazy!
mnae on
Posted at 10:42 am, 12th December 2018No self-respecting man, and white man in particular, can stomach anything coming out of Hollywood in the last 15 years.
It’s just misandristic propaganda, with anti-white undertones.
They must have their ends to achieve, to be pushing it this hard.
Caleb Jones
Posted at 10:42 am, 12th December 2018There were so few this year it would barely be a list. I mentioned them in the post.
CrabRangoon
Posted at 11:23 am, 12th December 2018Agree it’s a pretty small list of anything worthwhile this year. Infinity War was very cool and Ready Player One was fun for a child of the 80’s like myself. Bohemian Rhapsody was ok too but I’m a musician so I guess that side of me was into it, and I always liked the band.
I’m done with Star Wars after that steaming pile “Last Jedi” so I didn’t bother with Solo either.
Black Panther was waaaaaaay over-hyped, I assume because no one dare say a bad thing about it since it’s a predominantly black cast.
As for 2019, I’ll see the next Avengers movie, maybe the new Godzilla to see all the classic monsters slug it out
CTV
Posted at 11:40 am, 12th December 2018I actually liked SOLO, it was one of the only movies I saw besides Black Panther. When you compare it to other recent Star Wars movies at least, but it’s still dog shit compared to the Original 6.
If Star Wars wants a chance at redemption it really needs to do the Darth Bane story line.
You were right about the new Predator, it was absolute garbage.
I just stick to TV Shows.. Vikings, Better Call Saul..
epi
Posted at 02:52 pm, 12th December 2018Venom is uneven but there’s fun and different things about it. I’m actually looking forward to the animated Spiderman.
Pulcro
Posted at 03:11 pm, 12th December 2018I agree but you’re wrong about Bohemian Rhapsody. That was a great movie
MetCom
Posted at 05:39 pm, 12th December 2018Solo was not bad, pretty entertaining.
A quiet place, and Hereditary were pretty good.
Venom was Ok, Sicario 2 was Ok.
Caleb Jones
Posted at 08:24 pm, 12th December 2018Like The Force Awakens, A Quiet Place was a well-done movie set in a universe that didn’t make any sense whatsoever, so it was hard for me to enjoy.
Hereditary was very good, yes. I forgot about that.
hey hey
Posted at 02:31 am, 13th December 2018Its really hard to find a memorable movie lately. After Lost, TV Shows/Documentaries have become far better than movies. Vikings, Black Sails, GoT, Narcos, El Chapo, I am a Killer these are some badass tv shows.
joelsuf
Posted at 07:46 pm, 13th December 2018You should have, Caleb! Heard it was really good!
That’s just how propaganda is. There was plenty of stuff that demonized nonwhites and chicks around back in the day as well. As long as we keep thinking that there are significant differences in race etc. its gonna be like that. Really sucks that we can’t leave all that crap out of our entertainment.
Yohami
Posted at 02:08 am, 14th December 2018Deadpool 2!!!
Caleb Jones
Posted at 08:33 am, 14th December 2018Not nearly as good as the first.
Investor
Posted at 02:13 am, 16th December 2018There is also a series that came out a few years ago that not many watched, Dracula, had only one season but it was really good. It has very strong alpha vibes too and does not have any bullshit in it.
POB
Posted at 03:25 am, 27th December 2018Aquaman is nice.
Bumbleblee got good reviews and looks like a slow paced character-centered action flick (like the first one). Probably gonna give it a try.
I was really looking forward to the solo Batman movie, but Warner keeps screwing the DC universe in ways nobody understands.
Star Wars is dead to me. Same as Jurassic Park (their plot since the second one is: “Let’s come up with a bigger/smarter dinosaur that makes all the other ones obsolete. He’ll go rampant in the park/city and wreck havoc until the protagonists come up with a smart solution).
Someone mentioned Black Sails…great pirate show, I really enjoyed it, but suffers from the same “too many episodes per season” problem all other great shows go through.
Just hoping “the Witcher” on Netflix delivers big. They cannot fuck with us Geralt fans!
Jordan
Posted at 05:12 am, 16th December 2024I also really liked Upgrade (and have a huge crush on its director, Leigh Whannell) but believe it or not, it was only made on a budget of $3 million.