best decade for popcorn movies [Archive]

waggy

07/08/06, 08:45 PM

Broken Parachute

07/08/06, 08:55 PM

You've lost your mind. I buy popcorn at every movie. :shrugs:

waggy

07/08/06, 08:58 PM

You've lost your mind. I buy popcorn at every movie. :shrugs:

by "popcorn movies" i mean fun/entertaining movies that aren't neccessarily something you have to defend as high art. i.e. summer blockbuster types.

FrancesTheMute

07/08/06, 08:59 PM

not really a fan of popcorn, but i see what you mean, and i don't see it stopping.

companies will keep producing "popcorn movies" because they generate a lot of money.

fluke182

07/08/06, 09:41 PM

ok, so everyone knows that the 70s are the best decade in film, but i'm starting to wonder if the 00s might be the best decade ever for popcorn movies. i mean you have the spider-man series, the x-men series, the pirates series, king kong, kill bill, batman begins, the lord of the rings, the harry potter series, 2/3 of the star wars prequels and matrix trilogies, sin city, the incredibles, superman returns, war of the worlds, chronicles of narnia and probably plenty of others i'm forgetting. hell, even the lesser ones like i, robot and mr and mrs smith are pretty freaking entertaining. so am i on to something here or have i lost my mind?
First off, Harry Potter + LotR are not really popcorn, neither is Chronicles really. I don't really call them that at least. I was actually just talking about this today after Pirates disappointing me - the best time for popcorn movies + epics (if that's what we're really talking about, as it seems) was the 90's. Every weekend a movie came out it seemed huge, now it just sort of seems like every once in a while there is a good, big entertaining movie out. This summer, I would say only two popcorn movies were really great popcorn movies (MI:3 and Superman Returns). I'm saying back when popcorn movies were really events was the best, back when they were sort of a new thing - I remember Independence Day being the single busiest I've ever seen a theater, to this day. It was unfathomably busy, with nothing since being as busy. Whenever one of those movies came out people would flock to them, now they feel less like events and more like just another week. I think generally the theater experience has went downhill in the past few years, which coincides with popcorn movies going downhill. I should make a list, but damn, it was so entertaining going to see a lot of the 90's movies in theaters - Independence Day and the Mummy right off hand were two of the most entertaining theater experiences I ever had.

That was a lot of words to say that I think the 1990's was the best popcorn movie decade.

DeadCityScars

07/08/06, 09:52 PM

LOTR isn't a popcorn movie but a stretch.

but there are some good pop movies in this decade, i see whatcher sayin'

reductiondesign

07/08/06, 10:04 PM

Wait, the 70s were the best decade?

seconds

07/08/06, 10:09 PM

Wait, the 70s were the best decade?
Where the hell have you been?

reductiondesign

07/08/06, 10:19 PM

Where the hell have you been?

Examples?

marrost

07/08/06, 10:46 PM

Examples?The Godfather, Jaws, Star Wars.

I don't even need to explain, or go on. Those 3 movies are enough.

x togepi x

07/08/06, 10:50 PM

I love star wars a lot, but there's no way it's proof that the 70s was the best decade for movies. though the godfather rules.

marrost

07/08/06, 10:55 PM

I love star wars a lot, but there's no way it's proof that the 70s was the best decade for movies. though the godfather rules.Those 3 movies alone laid the groundwork for so many films. I could go on, but I don't really feel like wasting time. You should be able to see it for yourself.

waggy

07/08/06, 11:17 PM

First off, Harry Potter + LotR are not really popcorn, neither is Chronicles really. I don't really call them that at least. I was actually just talking about this today after Pirates disappointing me - the best time for popcorn movies + epics (if that's what we're really talking about, as it seems) was the 90's. Every weekend a movie came out it seemed huge, now it just sort of seems like every once in a while there is a good, big entertaining movie out. This summer, I would say only two popcorn movies were really great popcorn movies (MI:3 and Superman Returns). I'm saying back when popcorn movies were really events was the best, back when they were sort of a new thing - I remember Independence Day being the single busiest I've ever seen a theater, to this day. It was unfathomably busy, with nothing since being as busy. Whenever one of those movies came out people would flock to them, now they feel less like events and more like just another week. I think generally the theater experience has went downhill in the past few years, which coincides with popcorn movies going downhill. I should make a list, but damn, it was so entertaining going to see a lot of the 90's movies in theaters - Independence Day and the Mummy right off hand were two of the most entertaining theater experiences I ever had.

That was a lot of words to say that I think the 1990's was the best popcorn movie decade.

personally i've sorta seen the opposite happen. aside from jurassic park and maybe independence day, i can't really remember any movies from the 90s that truly felt like an event (though i did miss out on titanic and terminator 2 in theaters). nowadays though, whenever a big franchise movie like harry potter or x-men has a new release, there's such a buzz in the theaters before it starts, and it just feels great to me, because you know everyone in there is as excited to see what's going to happen to the characters next as you are. i don't know, i just feel like there's more of a sense of fun at the movies right now than there was last decade.

oh and i didn't intend to insult lotr (or any of the others i named). those are just the movies i tend to put on when i want to watch something fun and have a good time, as opposed to say eternal sunshine or se7en which are films i like for other reasons. didn't mean to imply that there wasn't art to be found in those movies.

and seriously the 70s weren't the best decade in film? somebody state a case for a better one. (you could get pretty close with the 60s).

Brownpants06

07/08/06, 11:37 PM

The Godfather, Jaws, Star Wars.

I don't even need to explain, or go on. Those 3 movies are enough.

Pulp Fiction, Resivour Dogs, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Office Space, Dumb and Dumber, Heat, Boondock Saints, American History X, Fight Club, Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, Matrix, The Shining, Terminator 2, American Beauty

The 90's were fucking badass.

BehindACamera

07/08/06, 11:41 PM

and seriously the 70s weren't the best decade in film? somebody state a case for a better one. (you could get pretty close with the 60s).

the 80s were the best

hahaha

marrost

07/08/06, 11:54 PM

fluke182

07/09/06, 12:04 AM

Pulp Fiction, Resivour Dogs, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Office Space, Dumb and Dumber, Heat, Boondock Saints, American History X, Fight Club, Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, Matrix, The Shining, Terminator 2, American Beauty

The 90's were fucking badass.
The Shining huh? That was in 1980, unless you are referring to the TV mini-series from 1997.

Godfather Part 1 and 2, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Mean Streets, The Deer Hunter, Taxi Driver, the Conversation, Apocalypse Now. That's just between Pacino, DeNiro and Coppola.

Two of my personal favorite's from the 70's being the Sting and All the President's Men.

There were also Dawn of the Dead, Alien, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Network, A Clockwork Orange, Chinatown, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Annie Hall, the French Connection, Deliverance, Network and the aforementioned Star Wars and Jaws.

The 70's is stacked, but I also am quite the fan of the 90's. 60's are classy too. 80's in my opinion were a weaker decade, but there was a lot of quality films too (Aliens = best sci-fi action thriller...thing ever). I'd have to say my favorite is either the 70's or the 90's, but it really depends on what I want. The comedies were terrible in the 70's, the recent years have been a lot more versatile.

x togepi x

07/09/06, 12:08 AM

Those 3 movies alone laid the groundwork for so many films. I could go on, but I don't really feel like wasting time. You should be able to see it for yourself.

I don't see how Star Wars laid any groundwork. 2001 was a much more important Sci-Fi movie. I'm not even really disagreeing that the 70s were the best.

JezisHChrist

07/09/06, 12:09 AM

The 80's- Scarface

fluke182

07/09/06, 12:14 AM

I don't see how Star Wars laid any groundwork. 2001 was a much more important Sci-Fi movie. I'm not even really disagreeing that the 70s were the best.
You're kidding right? Star Wars was the first blockbuster...without it this ENTIRE thread would have never happened. It was the first film to make big special effects cost effective and possible, it allowed versatility in story types that was never even thought of before it, it introduced scale modeling as a truly effective type of visual effect, as opposed to just a joke from old Godzilla movies. It showed that stories in space could be more than just jokey campfests, but epics. It inspired the last few generations of filmmakers to do what they want, to follow their instincts and make their dream films come true. Once upon a time, Lucas wasn't just a director, he was a visionary (which is a term that is not thrown around often or fairly used in most cases, but is here), who inspired directors to want more from everything. If you ask Tarantino who his greatest influences, I'm sure you'd get a ton of names like Romero and Kurosawa and Miike and a bunch of unknown slasher/kung fu directors, but the one person that really escaped genre filmmaking that he would name drop would be Lucas. Lucas gave allowance to directors to become ideamen, as opposed to just camera pointers.

fluke182

07/09/06, 12:17 AM

The 80's- Scarface
I'm going to go ahead and say it. Overrated. Just barely makes Pacino's top 10, and that's even with a poor showing in the late 80's, early 90's. I own it, it's good, but it should be much, much better. In all honesty, Vice City does its story significantly better. It's more fun just to quote and mock Tony Montana.

x togepi x

07/09/06, 12:20 AM

You're kidding right? Star Wars was the first blockbuster...without it this ENTIRE thread would have never happened.It was the first film to make big special effects cost effective and possible, it allowed versatility in story types that was never even thought of before it, it introduced scale modeling as a truly effective type of visual effect, as opposed to just a joke from old Godzilla movies. It showed that stories in space could be more than just jokey campfests, but epics. It inspired the last few generations of filmmakers to do what they want, to follow their instincts and make their dream films come true. Once upon a time, Lucas wasn't just a director, he was a visionary (which is a term that is not thrown around often or fairly used in most cases, but is here), who inspired directors to want more from everything. If you ask Tarantino who his greatest influences, I'm sure you'd get a ton of names like Romero and Kurosawa and Miike and a bunch of unknown slasher/kung fu directors, but the one person that really escaped genre filmmaking that he would name drop would be Lucas. Lucas gave allowance to directors to become ideamen, as opposed to just camera pointers.
I still think 2001 was way more important, and Kubrick more an important director than Lucas. way more visionary. are you calling 2001 a campfest?

star wars ruined the cinema with its overmarketing

fluke182

07/09/06, 12:28 AM

I still think 2001 was way more important, and Kubrick more an important director than Lucas. way more visionary. are you calling 2001 a campfest?

star wars ruined the cinema with its overmarketing
Overmarketing? How did Star Wars overmarket? It practically came out of nowhere back in 1977. Did I call 2001 a campfest? Nope. I enjoyed 2001, but in terms of being an inspiration to the future of filmmaking you cannot call 2001 more important than Star Wars. With that said, I personally enjoy Star Wars (the whole first trilogy in fact) more than most any of Kubrick's work. I was never a big fan of him, I like Dr. Strangelove, the Shining, 2001 and Clockwork, but I don't love any of them. I love A New Hope and Empire. Star Wars is and always will be more important than 2001 - but I never said it's a campfest. Most space movies before then were campfests however.

Also, besides the original trilogy, Lucas didn't have much going for him. Besides that, the best thing he ever did was producing the Indiana Jones series. Kubrick was definitely a more consistent and longer influence than Lucas.

Btw, let's keep this as a dicussion, I hate it when these movie threads turn into people banging their heads into the ground trying to force their opinions on others. Besides it's obvious quality, what in your opinion makes 2001 more important than Star Wars?

x togepi x

07/09/06, 12:55 AM

Overmarketing? How did Star Wars overmarket? It practically came out of nowhere back in 1977. Did I call 2001 a campfest? Nope. I enjoyed 2001, but in terms of being an inspiration to the future of filmmaking you cannot call 2001 more important than Star Wars. With that said, I personally enjoy Star Wars (the whole first trilogy in fact) more than most any of Kubrick's work. I was never a big fan of him, I like Dr. Strangelove, the Shining, 2001 and Clockwork, but I don't love any of them. I love A New Hope and Empire. Star Wars is and always will be more important than 2001 - but I never said it's a campfest. Most space movies before then were campfests however.

Also, besides the original trilogy, Lucas didn't have much going for him. Besides that, the best thing he ever did was producing the Indiana Jones series. Kubrick was definitely a more consistent and longer influence than Lucas.

Btw, let's keep this as a dicussion, I hate it when these movie threads turn into people banging their heads into the ground trying to force their opinions on others. Besides it's obvious quality, what in your opinion makes 2001 more important than Star Wars?

when i talked about overmarketing, I was talking about how there was promotional tie ins to star wars, and I really don't like that. it signaled the shift from movies as art to movies as what they are today, in a big, big way.

When I saw 2001 for the first time, I was literally blown away. The effects were great, and I saw this movie in 2002. I've never been visually blown away before, and I grew up watching star wars, terminator 2, and other movies with amazing for their time special effects. There just seems to be a lot more happening in the story of 2001 besides the literal storyline, and I like that. While yes, you can make that claim about Star Wars, I think that 2001 has more to it, especially with symbolism. Star Wars is functionally your normal good guy v. bad guy story, only in space. But come on, if 2001 didn't exist, there'd be no star wars.

fluke182

07/09/06, 01:37 AM

when i talked about overmarketing, I was talking about how there was promotional tie ins to star wars, and I really don't like that. it signaled the shift from movies as art to movies as what they are today, in a big, big way.

When I saw 2001 for the first time, I was literally blown away. The effects were great, and I saw this movie in 2002. I've never been visually blown away before, and I grew up watching star wars, terminator 2, and other movies with amazing for their time special effects. There just seems to be a lot more happening in the story of 2001 besides the literal storyline, and I like that. While yes, you can make that claim about Star Wars, I think that 2001 has more to it, especially with symbolism. Star Wars is functionally your normal good guy v. bad guy story, only in space. But come on, if 2001 didn't exist, there'd be no star wars.
Were there promotional tie ins to the original Star Wars? It seems a little unlikely, but I'll take your word for it. I'll rewatch 2001 sometime, I watched it only in a Motion Picture class over a period of 2 days, I'll give it a sitdown. I found the opening better than the actual space parts, or more interesting at least.

x togepi x

07/09/06, 03:25 AM

Were there promotional tie ins to the original Star Wars? It seems a little unlikely, but I'll take your word for it. I'll rewatch 2001 sometime, I watched it only in a Motion Picture class over a period of 2 days, I'll give it a sitdown. I found the opening better than the actual space parts, or more interesting at least.
I'm referring to the original star wars toys when I say promo tie ins. I think they started making them in 77-78. I just remember reading about how Lucas made a big deal in keeping the character rights to his movie and then turned around and sold them to the toy company. It was a good plan, i just don't like how it lead to basically every major movie having its own toy line.

yeah, watch 2001 all at once. that's how i did it. but I also was a huge fan of the book.

radiofriendly

07/09/06, 07:22 AM

I'm going to go ahead and say it. Overrated. Just barely makes Pacino's top 10, and that's even with a poor showing in the late 80's, early 90's. I own it, it's good, but it should be much, much better. In all honesty, Vice City does its story significantly better. It's more fun just to quote and mock Tony Montana.

ill take you one step further, and say that movie was shite. 3 hours of excessiveness and unpleasantness, that offered me absolutely nothing new. 1932 version is far, far better, as in its really good.

radiofriendly

07/09/06, 07:31 AM

I give the 70's the edge, incredible movies that did lay the groundwork for films to come. Hollywood was void of all the excess we have now(not to say there wasn't plenty), and it really shows in the films...

but the 90's brought so many technoligical advances, as well as artistic masterpieces. and there were so many good movies. they were new age classics. you may not think they were anything like the godfather, but films of the 90's were nonetheless spectacular in their own fashion

Schindler's List
Pulp Fiction
The Goodfellas
Jurassic Park
Dances With Wolves
Saving Private Ryan
L.A. Confidential
La Vita E Bella
so many more...not to mention the revolution of animation, and the birth of Pixar films.

ThirdTimeAround

07/09/06, 07:31 AM

I love popcorn.

Brownpants06

07/09/06, 08:41 AM

You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. I don't know where you get the balls to compare most of those movies to The fucking GODFATHER, but then again, you did just list The Shining as one of the best movies of the 90'S... :dry:

Does anyone here have a brain? I swear most of you know shit outside of Tarantino.

The godfather is one movie. I'd rather take having those 20 (minus the shining) over the godfather. The balls to compare movies, you make it sound like its life and death, not to mention I only said the 90s were badass, not that they were better than godfather. You take shit too seriously and need to get your head outa your ass.

1 Mistake in about 20 movies listed off the top of my head isn't bad I'd say. But I guess I'm no movie supernerd. You're trying to act all elitist because you think are some sort of movie god. Shut up you stupid ass tool.

marrost

07/09/06, 10:10 AM

The godfather is one movie. I'd rather take having those 20 (minus the shining) over the godfather. The balls to compare movies, you make it sound like its life and death, not to mention I only said the 90s were badass, not that they were better than godfather. You take shit too seriously and need to get your head outa your ass.

1 Mistake in about 20 movies listed off the top of my head isn't bad I'd say. But I guess I'm no movie supernerd. You're trying to act all elitist because you think are some sort of movie god. Shut up you stupid ass tool.Haha I like how you thought about this post enough to go back and edit it 20 minutes later.

fluke182

07/09/06, 12:21 PM

Yeah, I think I'll call the 90's the best decade, just because the 70's were no fun. Movies do need fun from time to time, and the 90's brought the fun. Otherwise the artistic qualities were near matching between the two decades.

DeadCityScars

07/09/06, 01:24 PM

The 90's have a lot of my favorite movies. But 70's movies can never be duplicated. I can almost gurantee we'll never see another Godfather, Star Wars, Jaws etc. At least with the same feeling/sense of pushing things forward.

I think the Matrix and LOTR brought some of that feel to the 90's/00 generation.

Joe DeAndrea

02/09/08, 10:37 AM

80's > 70's

billyboatkid

02/09/08, 10:42 AM

I worked at a movie theater for three years, best job I ever had.

If you ever want the best popcorn of your life go to Winrock 6 haha.

gloriousmuse

02/09/08, 10:43 AM

this thread is old. but i definitely agree, 80s > 70s. the 80s were just figuring out how to develop "special effects"

gloriousmuse

02/09/08, 10:44 AM

I worked at a movie theater for three years, best job I ever had.

If you ever want the best popcorn of your life go to Winrock 6 haha.

ive been working at a theatre for two years but don't come to Cinemark Tinseltown USA, because i put far too much popcorn salt in it (& butter if they ask).

billyboatkid

02/09/08, 10:50 AM

ive been working at a theatre for two years but don't come to Cinemark Tinseltown USA, because i put far too much popcorn salt in it (& butter if they ask).

Haha, nice, It's funny because my theater only has 6 screens, we're very small. So all we do is work on the rushes then fuck around for the other six hours. Mixed with free movies, you couldn't find a better job.

It's funny because we have so many regulars, aka. Nacho guy, Coke Freeze Frame ladies, Crazy phone call guy. It's like a movie in it self.

IAmNietzche

02/09/08, 11:11 AM

Le Samourai
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Psycho
One Upon a Time in the West
Lawrence of Arabia
Midnight Cowboy
To Kill a Mockingbird
2001: A Space Odyssey
Cool Hand Luke
Yojimbo
The Battle of Algiers
8 1/2
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
In the Heat of the Night
Bonnie and Clyde
The Graduate
The Wild Bunch

There's my argument for my favorite decade for movies.

CatDiesel

02/09/08, 11:45 AM

The 70s was the best decade for horror

AP_Punk

02/09/08, 12:06 PM

I worked at a movie theater for three years, best job I ever had.

If you ever want the best popcorn of your life go to Winrock 6 haha.

Haha. Neat. Haven't been to that one. Hm. I've never been to any of the theatres in ABQ. Barely realized that just now.

A job at a theatre would be pretty coo though.

And I like popcorn with some of my movies. Too damn expensive though.

billyboatkid

02/09/08, 12:52 PM

Haha. Neat. Haven't been to that one. Hm. I've never been to any of the theatres in ABQ. Barely realized that just now.

A job at a theatre would be pretty coo though.

And I like popcorn with some of my movies. Too damn expensive though.
Haha, ya it is pretty run down, but its still a sick theater. Never any talkers and stuff.

Where do you live in NM, I live in the NE heights of ABQ.

Since I worked there the price of tickets and movies had gone up a total of two dollars for movies and a dollar fifty for popcorn and soda.

Protested Hero

02/09/08, 12:59 PM

AP_Punk

02/09/08, 01:12 PM

Haha, ya it is pretty run down, but its still a sick theater. Never any talkers and stuff.

Where do you live in NM, I live in the NE heights of ABQ.

Since I worked there the price of tickets and movies had gone up a total of two dollars for movies and a dollar fifty for popcorn and soda.

I live in Shiprock, near that slightly bigger town Farmington. Haha. Theatre prics aren't that bad compared to bigger places, really, but still - I'm cheap. Haha. And nowadays Allen 8 and Allen 10 are the only two theatres here. Smaller ones went out of business. Kinda sucks.

billyboatkid

02/09/08, 01:17 PM

I live in Shiprock, near that slightly bigger town Farmington. Haha. Theatre prics aren't that bad compared to bigger places, really, but still - I'm cheap. Haha. And nowadays Allen 8 and Allen 10 are the only two theatres here. Smaller ones went out of business. Kinda sucks.

Ya I know where that is, do you ever come to ABQ for shows or anything?

I've been to Farmington for soccer, but never Shiprock.

It's cool I'm hella cheap too, thats why I still go to my old theater for free movies. ahaha.

AP_Punk

02/09/08, 01:23 PM

Ya I know where that is, do you ever come to ABQ for shows or anything?

I've been to Farmington for soccer, but never Shiprock.

It's cool I'm hella cheap too, thats why I still go to my old theater for free movies. ahaha.

Awesome. Last time I went to Alb was back in November to see The Lawrence Arms at the Launchpad.

There's no AMC in Albuquerque, right? Cuz I got a 25 giftcard for it last Xmas. Haha. Haven't used it at all yet.

To stay on topic with this thread - I think the last "popcorn" movie I saw was Cloverfield. And wouldn't Jaws be the first "box office" movie? I skimmed through this and saw Star Wars being mentioned as the first. i could be wrong though.

billyboatkid

02/09/08, 01:37 PM

Awesome. Last time I went to Alb was back in November to see The Lawrence Arms at the Launchpad.

There's no AMC in Albuquerque, right? Cuz I got a 25 giftcard for it last Xmas. Haha. Haven't used it at all yet.

To stay on topic with this thread - I think the last "popcorn" movie I saw was Cloverfield. And wouldn't Jaws be the first "box office" movie? I skimmed through this and saw Star Wars being mentioned as the first. i could be wrong though.

Nice, and nope no AMC's only Cinemark and Regal.

My last popcorn movie was at the dollar theater haha, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emprium.