2 August 2001

More Voices speak out on the perfect movie world ...

Coach T thinks "It's simple really.... all I want is this: reasonable ticket prices (including matinee prices that don't expire on Saturday after 11 a.m.); concession stand workers that can get my sugar babies and soda in under 15 minutes; a movie theater with a BIG screens (and not just for the latest summer blockbusters); a quiet theater in which my fellow patrons show up BEFORE the trailers start, turn off their cell phones, stay seated until the credits have rolled (or at least not stand in front of us who like to see the credits); and hold their comments until the freakin' lights have come on!

In addition....I'd like to see more movies that take their time; I'd like to be able to tell everyone I know about the last movie I saw or walk out with my mouth open unable to speak; I'd like to leave the theater trying to find something wrong with the movie rather than trying to find something I liked after investing two and a half hours of my time; and I'd like to see some more movies by people who actually earn their one-name status .... more Malick, less McG, if you know what I mean. I don't want to know the box office numbers, I don't want to know what A-list star is making $20 mil for the next piece of crap coming down the pipe. I don't want any wannabe "critic" spoiling the surprise ending for me. I want blockbusters to be blockbusters because a great movie has great word of mouth -- not beacuse it has $100 mil to spend on the great-hype machine.

But really all I want is to laugh and cry and fall in love and be devestated and amazed and uplifted and filled with wonder.

Is that too much to ask?"

Dujour has a list .... "Actors" (Affleck, Hartnett, Cruz, Vaughn, Theron, etc.) could not be overhyped as future movie stars until they prove they can act and are actually responsible for the success of a movie.

No sequels!

Screenplays are fully realized and completed instead of being secondary to CGI.

John Travolta and Nicolas Cage be banned for 2 years and forced to enroll in "Picking a good script 101".

No more movie merchandising ever!

Actors have to take pay cuts when their movies aren't successful.

Focus group screening is eliminated.

Directors have final cut.

David Poland and Jeff Wells never argue again."

B writes: "I would actually like to see more directors interested in filming actors. I want a story told because of the people involved instead of the stunts. Michael Bay and his ilk populate their movies with terrific actors to lend weight to moments that have nothing to say, and waste like that is becoming the norm.

And A Rice Fan has suggestion ... "There's one thing I'd like to see in this world. All those people out there, myself included, who love to bitch about this or that movie and how little we actually get to see the "good stuff" I wish would sit down and try to write a movie. Then, get it financed. Then, distributed.

I'm not angst-ridden about people complaining about our world. Just about people who love to yell, but never show HOW we can bring ourselves to the world we've envisioned.

Sure, Ebert's a powerful critic, but some of those other critics out there seem to love to pile some of the biggest, unneeded three dollar words in their reviews. One of the reasons I read Ebert is because the man writes like I speak. He writes in a style I can understand. I don't need to read critique from someone who's only interest seemingly is to show off their dictionary-like minds. I've not read a lot of the critics these others bring up, except maybe Elvis MItchell, who was good to read, but I think popularity comes down to, whether you like it or not, understanding.

I agree with Dave that the megaplexes, those with more than 8 or 9 screens, could put a little-known or previously seen movie on one, but the problem comes down to basic economics. Will people come out to see that little-known movie enough to justify the absence of the studio's next big thing? Maybe, if the theatre becomes "known" for doing that. But, that takes assistance from both sides. The people need to actually LOOK for those movies instead of complaining about the lack of those movies out there in the marketplace.

One thing could help with all this, but it's just a pipe dream. A mass amount of people could actually NOT see a movie they think might be bad. They could actually NOT be sheep and flock to the "next big thing".

But, like we've all said, that is a perfect world, one in which we don't live in. "

And RR's movie heaven ... "Would be if every cineplex was required to have one repertory/art film screen. "

READ & RESPOND:  What do YOU think?  What’s your movie nirvana? or, better yet, your movie hell?

CIVILIAN VOICES IS ALL ABOUT RESPONSES!!!!