Ask yourself, "where is the *audience* for the next Joplin (Scott or Janis), Armstrong, or Holly?" When a nasty and utterly devoid of melody contrived product such as "Wet Ass Pussy" goes to #1 it is past the point of no return.
What does warm my heart though is seeing young people listening to songs from way before they were born. True art will endure, in music, cinema, fine arts, etc. You only need to separate actual art from product. Me, I'm waiting for the first ChatGPT #1 single.
I sometimes go to jam sessions at this bar where the musicians are for the most part in their 20s. They are playing tunes largely from the 1970s - Zeppelin, Dead, the Doors - stuff that was made 20 years before they were born.
It would be like me and my friends in college rocking out to Chubby Checker and Bobby Darin.
"Led Zeppelin especially, for me, have never lost any of their force or magic."
Indee.d if anything, I'm more impressed now with Zeppelin, et al than I was back then, when I was too young and dumb to fully appreciate what they had created.
You’re more hopeful than most of us. You actually think that at the rate these sick globalists are going, that in a hundred years earth will have inhabitants, never mind ones with looking back capabilities.
Top Gun was outstanding. I've watched it 3 times and each time I can remember the teamwork, leadership and sacrifice I've never experienced in a civilian job. Retired USN
I guess what it all comes down to is whether the Oscars is about what they think we should like, or what we (the customers) actually like. The more they tell us we’re not sophisticated enough to understand what’s good, the less we’re going to bother supporting a bunch of patronizing elitists.
As long as we're reminiscing about great 70's movies I'd like to call out two of my favorite (and dark) titles: Deliverance and A Clockwork Orange. Both have a profound impact on the watcher and once seen cannot be unseen. While each is about a completely different subject, location, and period than the other, the visceral brutality of each opens a window into the most horrible and brutal of human possibilities and man's ability to do harm to his fellow man. You can't help walk away with a different perspective.
As they say, they don't make 'em like that anymore.
I wish I hadn't seen the first for the reason you stated. I disagree that it was great though. Shocking graphic brutality doesn't make something great. And it created a trope about Appalachia that persists to this day.
Yes, Hollywood is indeed full of -- and certainly run by -- pathological narcissists. Sasha's point is well taken though. They didn't *choose* to go woke so much as they chose to bow to the twitter mobs demanding they go woke. Hollywood only cares about one thing: the bottom dollar. The sociopathic Borg collective on Twitter can easily ruin a film, an actor, writer, or director literally within hours. The studio brass decided it was easier to go along to get along.
The point about Reagan completely turning America's cultural fabric 180 degrees, should give us hope that wokism's days are numbered. Clearly, the popularity of "Top Gun Maverick" points to America's desire for a cultural landscape centered on patriotism, family, in general the traditional American Way of Life.
The economic collapse bearing down on us much more serious than most people think it is. The Petro Dollar is at grave risk of being supplanted and Biden’s not paying it any mind, and that may have nor effect on us than the banking collapse. Either way, this may prolong any possible return to a state of recovery, as Mazlow’s hierarchy of priorities will be at play—there will be a lot of preppers who are already set for what’s coming and a lot of people who won’t be.
You'd be hard pressed to find many people who would choose to watch Dances With Wolves ahead of Goodfellas. As enjoyable as Forrest Gump still is to watch, there's a reason why many consider Shawshank to be their favorite film.
Hated Dances with Wolves because it was full of so many half-truths and distortions. It was an early "woke" movie. TRUE native American Indian history is different and all US soldiers in the west were NOT all evil assholes. As for Forrest Gump, I think it was so popular because it was the beginning of the "dumbing down of society" and Forrest Gump gave us hope that even though dumb, really good things still could happen. Shawshank was relevatory, every young adult should be shown the movie so they can experience, even in a tiny way, what it means to be incarcerated and make a determination to not end up in that situation!
The Titanic? I hated that movie for a lot of reasons, chief among them was the insertion of the insipid, cheesy romance between Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio into what was a real historical tragedy, as if that as a story wasn’t compelling enough. And then I read Cameron’s commentary after the movie was released where he said it could be taken as an allegory of us being “good stewards of the Earth,” or some such enviro-woke nonsense. The capper for me was that a few weeks later, while talking with some coworkers about it, one younger guy looked wide-eyed at me and asked “You mean [that romance] didn’t really happen?”
Yes, and the ONCE AGAIN chase scene/get-free scene in the belly of the ship was overkill; I folded laundry while it was going on (never saw it in the theater and interestingly enough, neither did my extended family - and we all go back to the start of the country, so I guess we all had a "not falling for the hype" gene). But it was a good movie.
The romance was the ticket to give an observer/watcher a macro trip through the whole story. My imagination was really captured by all that went on around them. I do understand though, your antipathy to the romance story, it was sappy, but it worked for the intention of the movie.
I teared up at the intro that Tom Cruise did to Top Gun. He made me believe that they really did make it for us, and God did we need it! The tears continued right through Lady Gaga and “Danger Zone”. Top Gun Maverick hit all the right notes.
To some extent you are describing a failure of courage among the Hollywood elite. Courage is the most important of virtues as it is the support for all others. As a nation we need to embrace a culture that supports courage. And maybe strength and wisdom, while we are at it.
Maverick was SO good, I was almost giddy in the theater watching it. I'm giddy no one will watch the Oscars on Sunday because again, nobody cares about them. I do thank Tom for giving us this awesome movie. The music industry is like hollywood now, all garbage. One reason Maverick was so good is because it roots itself in what made America so great, family, patriotism, honor. These aren't racist. Well, they may be to woke Hollywood and lefties
Fantastic write up. You made some great observations about the religion called "wokeness". Even better commentary on culture and the movie industry in general. So glad I subscribed.
Sasha, saw Top Gun Maverick in theater and it was absolutely everything I hoped it would be. What made it even better was all the strangers around communally watching and we’re all laughing & cheering along at same parts. That is part of cinema you don’t get streaming from your couch.
Love all the movie hints I gain from your posts. I’ve never seen ‘Hard Times’ (1975 Charles Bronson) but CK mention of it has it now on my list of gotta sees
My ‘trauma film’ as a youth was Damien Omen II (1978), especially the ‘trapped under ice’ scene
I am convinced that in 100 years, people will look at this time period as a cultural wasteland, chock-full of preachy, derivative dreck.
If you think the movie industry has gone to shit, look at what's happened to music. It has become utterly unlistenable.
There’s still good music out there, you just need to dig a little. Certainly mainstream music sucks.
No doubt. Rock and roll should have been replaced with something else 20 years ago. Where is the next Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong or Buddy Holly?
Ask yourself, "where is the *audience* for the next Joplin (Scott or Janis), Armstrong, or Holly?" When a nasty and utterly devoid of melody contrived product such as "Wet Ass Pussy" goes to #1 it is past the point of no return.
What does warm my heart though is seeing young people listening to songs from way before they were born. True art will endure, in music, cinema, fine arts, etc. You only need to separate actual art from product. Me, I'm waiting for the first ChatGPT #1 single.
I sometimes go to jam sessions at this bar where the musicians are for the most part in their 20s. They are playing tunes largely from the 1970s - Zeppelin, Dead, the Doors - stuff that was made 20 years before they were born.
It would be like me and my friends in college rocking out to Chubby Checker and Bobby Darin.
That's exactly what I'm talking about. There is hope, there is art, and most importantly there are those who appreciate and seek out both.
Led Zeppelin especially, for me, have never lost any of their force or magic.
"Led Zeppelin especially, for me, have never lost any of their force or magic."
Indee.d if anything, I'm more impressed now with Zeppelin, et al than I was back then, when I was too young and dumb to fully appreciate what they had created.
No one dislikes the new, they dislike the garbage.
Ditto contemporary art
With any luck, not to mention neural activity, that prediction will be manifest in less than a decade.
" am convinced that in 100 years, people will look at this time period as a cultural wasteland"
Don't be such an optimist: the Roman Empire collapsed around 406 AD and was followed by 1,000 years of Dark Ages
You’re more hopeful than most of us. You actually think that at the rate these sick globalists are going, that in a hundred years earth will have inhabitants, never mind ones with looking back capabilities.
Most of the people reproducing are conservative and not woke
Top Gun was outstanding. I've watched it 3 times and each time I can remember the teamwork, leadership and sacrifice I've never experienced in a civilian job. Retired USN
I was USN too; CG-34. Top Gun was super and does us and our country proud.
Hah, me too.... CG-21
I guess what it all comes down to is whether the Oscars is about what they think we should like, or what we (the customers) actually like. The more they tell us we’re not sophisticated enough to understand what’s good, the less we’re going to bother supporting a bunch of patronizing elitists.
As long as we're reminiscing about great 70's movies I'd like to call out two of my favorite (and dark) titles: Deliverance and A Clockwork Orange. Both have a profound impact on the watcher and once seen cannot be unseen. While each is about a completely different subject, location, and period than the other, the visceral brutality of each opens a window into the most horrible and brutal of human possibilities and man's ability to do harm to his fellow man. You can't help walk away with a different perspective.
As they say, they don't make 'em like that anymore.
I wish I hadn't seen the first for the reason you stated. I disagree that it was great though. Shocking graphic brutality doesn't make something great. And it created a trope about Appalachia that persists to this day.
Glad I didn't see the first and wished I hadn't seen the second. Terrible. Demonic.
The Jesus Revolution
Rotten Tomatoes professional critics - 61
Actual humans - 99
That's all you need to know
I haven't seen it yet, but Cocaine Bear and JR are on my list.
Fuck the critics and Hollywood assholes. They've nearly destroyed one of the most important cultural movements in history; The American Cinema.
Yes, Hollywood is indeed full of -- and certainly run by -- pathological narcissists. Sasha's point is well taken though. They didn't *choose* to go woke so much as they chose to bow to the twitter mobs demanding they go woke. Hollywood only cares about one thing: the bottom dollar. The sociopathic Borg collective on Twitter can easily ruin a film, an actor, writer, or director literally within hours. The studio brass decided it was easier to go along to get along.
As has most of America.
The point about Reagan completely turning America's cultural fabric 180 degrees, should give us hope that wokism's days are numbered. Clearly, the popularity of "Top Gun Maverick" points to America's desire for a cultural landscape centered on patriotism, family, in general the traditional American Way of Life.
The economic collapse bearing down on us much more serious than most people think it is. The Petro Dollar is at grave risk of being supplanted and Biden’s not paying it any mind, and that may have nor effect on us than the banking collapse. Either way, this may prolong any possible return to a state of recovery, as Mazlow’s hierarchy of priorities will be at play—there will be a lot of preppers who are already set for what’s coming and a lot of people who won’t be.
You'd be hard pressed to find many people who would choose to watch Dances With Wolves ahead of Goodfellas. As enjoyable as Forrest Gump still is to watch, there's a reason why many consider Shawshank to be their favorite film.
All 4 of the films you named are good films
Two are very good and two are among the best half-dozen films of the last 40 years.
Hated Dances with Wolves because it was full of so many half-truths and distortions. It was an early "woke" movie. TRUE native American Indian history is different and all US soldiers in the west were NOT all evil assholes. As for Forrest Gump, I think it was so popular because it was the beginning of the "dumbing down of society" and Forrest Gump gave us hope that even though dumb, really good things still could happen. Shawshank was relevatory, every young adult should be shown the movie so they can experience, even in a tiny way, what it means to be incarcerated and make a determination to not end up in that situation!
I can't argue with your points.
Duly noted, 😊‼️
The Titanic? I hated that movie for a lot of reasons, chief among them was the insertion of the insipid, cheesy romance between Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio into what was a real historical tragedy, as if that as a story wasn’t compelling enough. And then I read Cameron’s commentary after the movie was released where he said it could be taken as an allegory of us being “good stewards of the Earth,” or some such enviro-woke nonsense. The capper for me was that a few weeks later, while talking with some coworkers about it, one younger guy looked wide-eyed at me and asked “You mean [that romance] didn’t really happen?”
Yes, and the ONCE AGAIN chase scene/get-free scene in the belly of the ship was overkill; I folded laundry while it was going on (never saw it in the theater and interestingly enough, neither did my extended family - and we all go back to the start of the country, so I guess we all had a "not falling for the hype" gene). But it was a good movie.
The romance was the ticket to give an observer/watcher a macro trip through the whole story. My imagination was really captured by all that went on around them. I do understand though, your antipathy to the romance story, it was sappy, but it worked for the intention of the movie.
Why won't it win? Too much manly man. Too much patriotism. Fuck Hollywood.
Too white, too straight, too male, too American. Microcosm of the same sexist, racist, sexual orientation bias in industry, academia, government.
I teared up at the intro that Tom Cruise did to Top Gun. He made me believe that they really did make it for us, and God did we need it! The tears continued right through Lady Gaga and “Danger Zone”. Top Gun Maverick hit all the right notes.
To some extent you are describing a failure of courage among the Hollywood elite. Courage is the most important of virtues as it is the support for all others. As a nation we need to embrace a culture that supports courage. And maybe strength and wisdom, while we are at it.
Maverick was SO good, I was almost giddy in the theater watching it. I'm giddy no one will watch the Oscars on Sunday because again, nobody cares about them. I do thank Tom for giving us this awesome movie. The music industry is like hollywood now, all garbage. One reason Maverick was so good is because it roots itself in what made America so great, family, patriotism, honor. These aren't racist. Well, they may be to woke Hollywood and lefties
I can’t wait for the next MI flick!
Fantastic write up. You made some great observations about the religion called "wokeness". Even better commentary on culture and the movie industry in general. So glad I subscribed.
Sasha, saw Top Gun Maverick in theater and it was absolutely everything I hoped it would be. What made it even better was all the strangers around communally watching and we’re all laughing & cheering along at same parts. That is part of cinema you don’t get streaming from your couch.
Love all the movie hints I gain from your posts. I’ve never seen ‘Hard Times’ (1975 Charles Bronson) but CK mention of it has it now on my list of gotta sees
My ‘trauma film’ as a youth was Damien Omen II (1978), especially the ‘trapped under ice’ scene
Thank you. Had That feeling ... something you can’t quite name listening, story within a story. Tks
Thanks for sharing.