What I'm getting ready to talk about is actually a pretty controversial topic in the movie-blogging space. I've gotten into several arguments with people both agreeing with me and disagreeing, but they've all had valid points. Is this era of movies considered the greatest of all-time? The truth of the matter is no it isn't. Now some of you will agree and some of you won't and that's fine because all film is subjective. But I can give one reason why this is not the greatest era of movies ever and that is time. Yes a simple word such as time is the reason why we don't live in the greatest era of movies.
The reason I say time is because we don't know how these films will be received 30+ years from now. Just because The Avengers made over a billion dollars and has a critic rating of 92% on rottentomatoes.com doesn't necessarily mean that the next generation of moviegoers will see it the same way. That's how most of us are right now when we see movies that came out back in the 30's or 40's. Sure there are some films that we love, but the main consensus I hear is that those movies are boring and I can't believe Hollywood made that type of film.
I can see where those people are coming from given that we as moviegoers are spoiled with big-budget blockbusters entertaining us every summer and we never check out the smaller films like Birdman which recently won Best Picture. Instead I hear arguments that American Sniper was robbed of a win because The Academy doesn't watch any movies, when in fact they watch at least a 100 movies or more a year. Just because American Sniper was the only film out of the 8 nominees that you watched in theaters doesn't mean that it should've won. Open your mind and see the other nominees before you complain.
Sorry for the rant over I just had to get that off of my chest, anyway back to the topic at hand. It generally takes about 30 years before you can cement a film in the all-time classic status. Sure we can say that Return of the King will probably be there in the next 18 years (it's been 12 years since its release) but we won't know for sure. Other films such as The Godfather, Citizen Kane or Gone With the Wind are considered classics because they have spent 43 years, 74 years and 76 years respectively in the public's viewing eyes and they still hold up to this day.
Another point to make is that just because you think a film is really terrible and will never amount to anything, I say take a look at what many people consider the greatest film of all-time Citizen Kane. Many of you don't know this, but when Citizen Kane was released it got horrible reviews and with some saying it was one of the worst films of all-time. But after a few years people went back and revisited it and they saw what a great piece of film-making it was and now many people consider it the greatest film of all-time. I bring this up because a film like Transformers: Age of Extinction was a movie I hated with a passion and it got a lot of negative reviews, but 30 years from now people may say that it is one of the best movies of all-time (it's very possible).
In conclusion this is not the greatest era of movies and we probably won't find out for another 30 years. All I can say is enjoy the moment we are living in and don't worry about which era is the greatest because we all have different opinions (Me personally I love the 70's).
So ladies and gentlemen what do you think about what was said, do you agree or disagree and what is your favorite ear of movies? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
The reason I say time is because we don't know how these films will be received 30+ years from now. Just because The Avengers made over a billion dollars and has a critic rating of 92% on rottentomatoes.com doesn't necessarily mean that the next generation of moviegoers will see it the same way. That's how most of us are right now when we see movies that came out back in the 30's or 40's. Sure there are some films that we love, but the main consensus I hear is that those movies are boring and I can't believe Hollywood made that type of film.
I can see where those people are coming from given that we as moviegoers are spoiled with big-budget blockbusters entertaining us every summer and we never check out the smaller films like Birdman which recently won Best Picture. Instead I hear arguments that American Sniper was robbed of a win because The Academy doesn't watch any movies, when in fact they watch at least a 100 movies or more a year. Just because American Sniper was the only film out of the 8 nominees that you watched in theaters doesn't mean that it should've won. Open your mind and see the other nominees before you complain.
Sorry for the rant over I just had to get that off of my chest, anyway back to the topic at hand. It generally takes about 30 years before you can cement a film in the all-time classic status. Sure we can say that Return of the King will probably be there in the next 18 years (it's been 12 years since its release) but we won't know for sure. Other films such as The Godfather, Citizen Kane or Gone With the Wind are considered classics because they have spent 43 years, 74 years and 76 years respectively in the public's viewing eyes and they still hold up to this day.
Another point to make is that just because you think a film is really terrible and will never amount to anything, I say take a look at what many people consider the greatest film of all-time Citizen Kane. Many of you don't know this, but when Citizen Kane was released it got horrible reviews and with some saying it was one of the worst films of all-time. But after a few years people went back and revisited it and they saw what a great piece of film-making it was and now many people consider it the greatest film of all-time. I bring this up because a film like Transformers: Age of Extinction was a movie I hated with a passion and it got a lot of negative reviews, but 30 years from now people may say that it is one of the best movies of all-time (it's very possible).
In conclusion this is not the greatest era of movies and we probably won't find out for another 30 years. All I can say is enjoy the moment we are living in and don't worry about which era is the greatest because we all have different opinions (Me personally I love the 70's).
So ladies and gentlemen what do you think about what was said, do you agree or disagree and what is your favorite ear of movies? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
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