Movie ticket prices are soaring, the quality of films are plummeting and talent no longer seems relevant in choosing an “actor” or an “actress” for a role. Like Bush and the hunt for Saddam, are movie producers blinding us with cheap theatrics to hide the truth about Hollywood? They know we got dumb written all over us. The talent well is dry and they’re blowing the dust in our eyes to hide the fact. I mean, aren’t you tired of the singers and models turned actors and actresses (for about a second), the “big names” in small movies, the weak plot lines, the lazy writing, the incessant cheese of Spielberg type movies with shit blowing up and someone, sometime, somehow saving a baby from, I don’t know, aliens?

I haven’t the stomach to sit through another ill-conceived, Indy-wannabe, poorly written movie. Forget the blockbusters that leave the lot with high (delusional) hopes in raking in more than the millions invested in them like Troy, Daredevil and War of the Worlds. Frankly, they’re just asking to fail with big names (meaning, “stars” who couldn’t act their way out of paper bags like Tom Cruise and those annoying teenie-boppers in tight pants, tight shirts and no talent such as Jessica Alba), big effects, weak stories, imbecilic writing and mediocre talent hidden behind “high-concept”, easily sellable plots (Flight Plan). If it’s not another movie with a singer turned actress (Monster-in-Law), it’s another movie with an SNL comedian turned actor (Fever Pitch), or a bad remake with one or many members of the new brat pack (Dukes of Hazzard), a stale adaptation of an interesting comic book (Daredevil), or worse yet, a bad film adaptation of a good book (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy). The last few years brought only a tiny handful of exceptional films worthy of its buzz (if it had any) such as Crash, Y Tu Mama Tambien, City of God, Monster’s Ball, Brokeback Mountain, among others. There’s a definite decline in good films which seems inversely proportionate to the increase of interest in other forms of entertainment such as the web, games, cell phones, pod casts, etc. That’s inevitable. Hell, I even accept it, though I don’t like it.

However, it’s becoming more and more apparent to me and hopefully to some of you reading this article that it’s not really about pleasing the audience, but trying desperately to generate insane amounts of revenue for seriously third-rate entertainment simply to make up for the shift in entertainment trends. Yet, what is more startling is that it seems that serving the needs and restoring and/or building the reputations of the films’ stars, producers, writers and directors is what determines whether a movie gets made, released, or praised. Let me ask you, why make “Be Cool”? John Travolta was “cool” in that ONE movie in the 70s ‘cause disco was in. What the fuck does he know about R&B, or hell, acting for that matter? The advertising for War of the Worlds was more about the star and the director than the movie itself. Tom Cruise is not a good actor, just a big name with a big smile who marries smart. That’s what sells tickets these days ‘cause nothing else is working. Marry Britney Spears and get a record contract. Get a star knocked up, become a “power couple”. And if you’re already part of a “power couple”, if you get divorced, you get to be named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People of the Year. You know who I’m talking about.

There’s a long list of films that have me scratching my head wondering why in hell they made, let alone thought about making them (Derailed, Fast and the Furious 2 and 3, Seabiscuit, Cinderella Man, anything with music stars playing music stars, Basic Instinct 2, Elektra, Pearl Harbor, etc.). Then again, it’s one thing for filmmakers to make this shit, it’s a whole other mystery why moviegoers eat the shit up like cake. Why don’t people want to see exceptional films that are well made, well acted and sincerely make you laugh, cry, think or scream rather than manipulate with cheap theatrics as obvious to an intelligent moviegoer as the strings attached to the flying saucers of an Ed Wood film were to any moviegoer…with eyes?

Of course I know why, I just can’t accept it. I just can’t accept that people are easily manipulated and don’t wish to think too hard to enjoy or understand something. Especially something that’s supposed to be entertaining. Who ever said entertainment can’t be more than fluff? When was this agreed on? Where was I? I just can’t accept any of it. I don’t care what “the media” says or does. If Russell Crowe plays another everyday man turned hero, if I see another woman or child being saved from an unlikely “natural” disaster by a strong white man, if I see another giant naked woman, if I see another ensemble cast of stars trying to play roles made for actors, I might just lose it. Right now, I just question the fidelity of artists to their art. But maybe this is it. Film is not an art. Or rather, film is an art like any other in that for any portion of them to be exceptional, the majority must be mediocre by comparison. It’s like that saying, if everyone’s special, no one’s special. Damn right! I’m not talking high art like an Ingmar film, but just the good, fun, well made stuff like Down with Love, The Royal Tenenbaums, Chicago and X-Men as well as the thinky stuff like Conversations with Other Women, Gerry, The Last Picture Show, Morvern Callar, Crash, and The City of God. But then, when sitting next to that annoying woman with her damned baby, that loud ghetto dimwit, that old man and his hacking or snoring, or the good old fashion perve wanting to see boobies or more to wack off to, I think there are a hell of a lot of people who just don’t look to be “moved” (except for the perve, ha ha) but simply “entertained”.

I suppose then that film isn’t a lost art. Art does not get lost. Some of art, like some paintings, and some architecture and some web design is art. The rest is all about the bottom line. Just wish the bottom line didn’t cost me so much as a film fan who has to wade through the crap to get to the good stuff at $10 (and climbing) a pop!

The following are films (out this year and pending) worthy of popcorn and/or a full price ticket:

• Conversations with Other Women: full price and popcorn
• Dreamgirls (not yet released): matinee and popcorn
• Babel (not yet released): full price, no popcorn
• The Science of Sleep: matinee and popcorn
• Litltle Miss Sunshine: 10 types of discounts and absoutely no popcorn
• Pirates of the Carribean 2: no ticket no popcorn
• Superman Returns: because it’s Brian Singer directing, popcorn and full price
• X-men The Last Stand: because it’s not Brian Singer directing, full price and no popcorn
• Basic Instinct 2, Fast and Furious 3, The Da Vinci Code: no popcorn, no ticket, no way
• Inside Man: popcorn and full price ticket
• Failure to Launch: matinee and no popcorn and ask for a refund (FYI: quite a stinker!)

You get the gist. Here’s a fun list of worthy and not so worth films of 2006 from flick filosopher.