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Death spiral of Hollywood

12,926 Views | 180 Replies | Last: 37 min ago by LMCane
Redstone
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11:21a, 4/11/26
AG
Look, we have to admit that so much of what is criticized as "woke" is simply a natural progression, as our understandings of life matures and grows.

Take the reboot of Malcom in the Middle.

The surprise pregnancy from the original finale, that last-second Hal and Lois bombshell, now is 18-year-old non-binary with They / Them pronouns.

They provide a lot of life lessons, and certainly help to correct the older generations.

Malcolm has a Diverse girlfriend now, a very welcome change.

And Stevie, raising a child with his husband.

Progress may be difficult for some here, obviously by some of the replies, but let's not pretend we can't listen, learn, love, respect, advance, grow.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to Redstone • 11:36a, 4/11/26
No
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FL_Ag1998
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In reply to Redstone • 11:45a, 4/11/26
AG
Thanks for the summary of the new season, as it's just one more clear example of how originals are almost always better than their extremely disappointing sequels.
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MJ20/20
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In reply to Cliff.Booth • 12:52p, 4/11/26
AG
To your excellent point these were movies released over a 10 week stretch in 1986:

Top Gun
Short Circuit
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Karate Kid II
Back to School
Aliens
Ruthless People
Big Trouble in Little China

At our current pace we'd be lucky to have this many watchable movies in 10 years much less equivalent quality.

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Lathspell
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In reply to Redstone • 1:55p, 4/11/26
AG
Hmm... more blue stars for the posters opposing your trolling vs your own blue stars.

Redstone being ratioed, it appears!
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Redstone
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2:30p, 4/11/26
AG
Maybe. Some posts just take a while; it depends on viewing habits and if the thread gets buried. And yet. It definitely would be appreciated to get some Stars.
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Kaiser von Wilhelm
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In reply to Redstone • 3:51p, 4/11/26
Redstone said:
Maybe. Some posts just take a while; it depends on viewing habits and if the thread gets buried. And yet. It definitely would be appreciated to get some Stars.


Well if you made it clear that it was sarcasm then id give you a star.

I watched all the new episodes of Malcom in the middle last night (decided by a girl, so I just went along with it). So much cringe and virtue signaling. Not even pretending to be clever or casual about any of it, just smacking you in the face with their LGBTYNHSHDHD crap...to make some sort of point? The girl I was with took 3 episodes of being confused about the youngest son somehow being recast as a female. I had to clarify that they didn't change the previous character, but they forced in a trans storyline. Just because.

Definitely ruined the show with all that crap that provided literally nothing meaningful to the storyline. Lots of eye-rolls though.
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Redstone
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In reply to Kaiser von Wilhelm • 4:17p, 4/11/26
AG
Canada is moving to MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+, and some in Hollywood are also advocating its use. Hopefully this expansion will come into widespread use.
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The Ex Officio Director
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In reply to Redstone • 5:22p, 4/11/26
Redstone said:
Canada is moving to MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+, and some in Hollywood are also advocating its use. Hopefully this expansion will come into widespread use.


WTF is that mess of letters and numbers. Looks like a pass code for our CAD system at work.
Can't decide if I want to be cute & cuddly, or go blow some sh*t up.
Decisions decisions.
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Cinco Ranch Aggie
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In reply to The Ex Officio Director • 6:24p, 4/11/26
AG
Mental illness
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Backyard Gator
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In reply to The Ex Officio Director • 7:42p, 4/11/26
The Ex Officio Director said:
Redstone said:
Canada is moving to MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+, and some in Hollywood are also advocating its use. Hopefully this expansion will come into widespread use.


WTF is that mess of letters and numbers. Looks like a pass code for our CAD system at work.

Missing Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

We started with Lesbians Gays Bisexuals, which are all sexual preferences

Then they added Transgenders, which is a mental illness/self-identity confusion, not a sexual preference, so we're already going off the rails

Then you had Questioning, then they also added a second Q for Queer, then Intersex (which is a biological condition, also not a sexual preference), then A for Asexual

The addition of the MMIWG is taking the perverted acronym to the extremes, now every 'oppressed' group or cause needs to be included.

They should just go back to LGB and leave it alone.

The fact that they end it with a + and yet keep adding more letters tells you all you need to know about how these are not serious people.
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LMCane
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7:44p, 4/11/26
how many years has it been since the last very good actual war movie?!

aside from Top Gun Maverick which is not really a war movie.

then look back in history and see how many GREAT war movies there have been.

so what has changed!?!

Hollywood is fine with making THOR 24 and Fast and Furious 37

but something like:

Bridge on the River Kwai

Saving Private Ryan

The Longest Day

Gettysburg

Glory

Big Red One

Red Dawn

Thin Red Line


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Lathspell
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In reply to LMCane • 7:46p, 4/11/26
AG


Did you not see Warfare? It ****s all over all those movies, imo, and came out last year.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to LMCane • 8:20p, 4/11/26
1917

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt8579674/
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Sea Speed
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In reply to Backyard Gator • 9:14p, 4/11/26
AG
Imagine getting murdered and the govt calls you gay
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Cinco Ranch Aggie
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In reply to LMCane • 9:47p, 4/11/26
AG
LMCane said:
how many years has it been since the last very good actual war movie?!

aside from Top Gun Maverick which is not really a war movie.

then look back in history and see how many GREAT war movies there have been.

so what has changed!?!

Hollywood is fine with making THOR 24 and Fast and Furious 37

but something like:

Bridge on the River Kwai

Saving Private Ryan

The Longest Day

Gettysburg

Glory

Big Red One

Red Dawn

Thin Red Line



Nice list. Not sure how a movie that plays like a National Geographic special where an occasional soldier walks by and full of weird imagery qualifies as a war movie though.
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Cliff.Booth
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10:29a, 4/12/26


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YouBet
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In reply to Cinco Ranch Aggie • 10:32a, 4/12/26
AG
Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
LMCane said:
how many years has it been since the last very good actual war movie?!

aside from Top Gun Maverick which is not really a war movie.

then look back in history and see how many GREAT war movies there have been.

so what has changed!?!

Hollywood is fine with making THOR 24 and Fast and Furious 37

but something like:

Bridge on the River Kwai

Saving Private Ryan

The Longest Day

Gettysburg

Glory

Big Red One

Red Dawn

Thin Red Line



Nice list. Not sure how a movie that plays like a National Geographic special where an occasional soldier walks by and full of weird imagery qualifies as a war movie though.


It's the worst "war" movie ever made, bar none.
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Backyard Gator
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In reply to Cliff.Booth • 10:51a, 4/12/26
Cliff.Booth said:



Quote:
American History X & Blow screenwriter David McKenna responds to a question about who is keeping him from making the movies he wants to make:

"I just think that the industry is broke. I think that nobody has been going to movies because everything is so political now. And every time these actors open their mouths, which is once every two or three weeks, they set us back a frickin' year.

Like I said earlier, I don't have a problem with these people and their politics, but when they say it aloud and they go off ala DeNiro and Springsteen, they're killing us. They're killing the dude in Van Nuys who's trying to freaking have a family and who's a freaking grip on a set.

They're not thinking about those people because they've got their millions. We've just got to be quiet and win back half the country and half the world. And that's my biggest sort of general overview of the whole thing.

It's just every time somebody opens their mouths, and nobody gives a [expletive] about their opinion. And we just got to stop with it. We've got to stay out of politics. We've got to make movies.

'Cause we're screwing all the young people. The young people can't find work."

What do you make of his assessment? Do you think this could save the film industry?

Best summation of the problem right here.
Gervais said it. No one cares. Accept your stupid award, and move on.
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fig96
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In reply to Backyard Gator • 3:08p, 4/12/26
AG
I mean there's some irony in the dude who wrote American History X complaining about politics in film.
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Cliff.Booth
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In reply to fig96 • 3:52p, 4/12/26
He wasn't arguing that. He's arguing against this more recent climate where *everything* in Hollywood has to be politicized and leftist messaging has to be shoehorned into every production. American History X was about race relations in the US, and it was thought-provoking and power, at a time when American audiences could get that if they so chose along with other kinds of movies that are no longer made.
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double aught
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In reply to Cliff.Booth • 4:32p, 4/12/26
AG
Is there an issue? Yeah. But "everything" is a massive exaggeration.
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fig96
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In reply to Cliff.Booth • 5:22p, 4/12/26
AG
Cliff.Booth said:
He wasn't arguing that. He's arguing against this more recent climate where *everything* in Hollywood has to be politicized and leftist messaging has to be shoehorned into every production. American History X was about race relations in the US, and it was thought-provoking and power, at a time when American audiences could get that if they so chose along with other kinds of movies that are no longer made.

Release American History X today and people would be complaining how it's woke and demonizes white people.

Do we hear more actors' opinions these days? Sure, welcome to social media where everyone has a voice, for better or worse. And that group has always been left leaning, you just didn't hear it 24/7.

Hollywood being generally risk averse is what's killed the "great" movies that people are mourning, studios aren't willing to fund anything that might remotely be a risk which often results in bland, homogenized content. Also why you tend to see more interesting things on streaming these days.

But there's still great movies in theaters, and I think complaining that *everything* is politicized is a lazy take.
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FL_Ag1998
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In reply to fig96 • 6:04p, 4/12/26
AG
I think the amount of movies who's main themes are political is likely the same that's always been; however, there's is without a doubt a lot more that could be considered subtlely political. Like The Acolyte, or the new Malcom in the Middle season. Shows and movies that slip in overt comments or nonverbal cues (e.g. making one of their kids non-binary), which are clearly meant to be political statements. Combine all of that and it can seem overwhelming to the majority of the general audience who just want some escapism for thirty minutes or a couple of hours.

But you're not wrong on your other points. For example, I love Toy Story 1 through 3..... but Toy Story 5?!? Come on!
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Kaiser von Wilhelm
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In reply to FL_Ag1998 • 6:22p, 4/12/26
FL_Ag1998 said:
I think the amount of movies who's main themes are political is likely the same that's always been; however, there's is without a doubt a lot more that could be considered subtlely political. Like The Acolyte, or the new Malcom in the Middle season. Shows and movies that slip in overt comments or nonverbal cues (e.g. making one of their kids non-binary), which are clearly meant to be political statements. Combine all of that and it can seem overwhelming to the majority of the general audience who just want some escapism for thirty minutes or a couple of hours.

But you're not wrong on your other points. For example, I love Toy Story 1 through 3..... but Toy Story 5?!? Come on!


That wasn't slipping anything in, and there was nothing nonverbal about it. That was flat out hitting you over the head with it five thousand times. Literally nothing subtle about any of this strategy. They want you to see it, to acknowledge it, to accept it, and to embrace it as normal. And ideally, to join in. If you don't agree, then you're clearly a horrible person, or backwards and living in the past. And you don't believe in "progress." That's literally the whole point of all of this.

Subtle would be fantastic, and acceptable. Annoying? Yes. But easy to ignore, and won't detract from the underlying story, which is what is happening in all of these shows and movies. It literally becomes the focus, and what is supposed to be the main story is equal to, or less than, the message they intent to portray. We have to wade through all the garbage that is forced into these shows and films to get to the actual relevant components of the story. Which is exactly what is driving people away. There is nothing entertaining in entertainment that is secondary to pushing a narrative.

For anyone paying attention with a brain, this is clearly an overwhelming effort to make people see and openly embrace the change they want to become a future reality.
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fig96
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In reply to FL_Ag1998 • 6:26p, 4/12/26
AG
I think that's a pretty fair take, though I think some of that is also society evolving like it always has. We started off with married characters sleeping in separate beds, then introduced African American characters, then there were shows centered around minorities. But there are absolutely token characters in a lot of shows, sometimes it's great and sometimes it's just lazy writing.

What's wild about a show like The Acolyte is that it just didn't work on any level. From all the chatted before the show it was going to be super "woke", then the show itself didn't seem very political but was also just bad, then people blamed it being bad on the woke but there really wasn't any woke. If it had this clear feminist POV I could've at least been like "well that wasn't good but I get what you were going for".
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Kaiser von Wilhelm
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In reply to fig96 • 6:29p, 4/12/26
fig96 said:
Hollywood being generally risk averse is what's killed the "great" movies that people are mourning, studios aren't willing to fund anything that might remotely be a risk which often results in bland, homogenized content. Also why you tend to see more interesting things on streaming these days.


This is what doesnt make any sense in this discussion. Shoving LGBTYNHDHIOD garbage that is clearly intentionally forced into the story, but adds nothing to it, down everyone's throats is "safe?" WTF? That's ridiculous. Shouldnt NOT pushing all of this crap onto viewers, which very few people want to see specifically because it often does nothing to add to the stories, be what is "safe" in this equation? If thats the actual logic that show and movie makers are using then there's literally no hope for the entire damn industry, and the faster it dies the better off all of us will be.
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fig96
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In reply to Kaiser von Wilhelm • 7:40p, 4/12/26
AG
Not at all.

Mass market is the Fast and Furious 12, Star Wars, etc., type films that are designed to appeal to as many people as possible. They're generally entertaining but benign, and that's the case for most big budget projects.

In tv shows you see more diversity and "wokeness" but there's more room to experiment. The budgets are lower and they don't need a massive audience, just a dedicated group of fans.

I'd also wager your bias is showing a bit and more people than not aren't bothered by it, hence a lot of those projects being very popular.
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LMCane
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8:15a, 4/13/26
supposedly BAYWATCH had to film in South Africa

because it was cheaper to make the show 3,000 miles away

than shoot it on the beaches of Los Angeles due to regulations and taxes
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LMCane
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8:16a, 4/13/26
The best part of Artificial intelligence is that it is destroying much of the power of Hollywood-

now anyone with a great idea will be able to have it seen by the public.
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fig96
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In reply to LMCane • 8:46a, 4/13/26
AG
Digital cameras already did that.

We're likely just gonna get a lot more garbage with better VFX.
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uujm
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In reply to LMCane • 10:40a, 4/13/26
LMCane said:
supposedly BAYWATCH had to film in South Africa

because it was cheaper to make the show 3,000 miles away

than shoot it on the beaches of Los Angeles due to regulations and taxes

Really? Pretty sure my old roommate is not in South Africa right now.
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Lathspell
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In reply to fig96 • 11:45a, 4/13/26
AG
fig96 said:
Digital cameras already did that.

We're likely just gonna get a lot more garbage with better VFX.

We will definitely get a lot of garbage, but we will also get amazing media from very talented people who just don't have the money or budget to make movies, today.

I think too many people on this thread equate "AI Videos" to a single prompt (ie: "make a movie about 'x'"). Where true visionaries will use this technology as basically a replacement for personnel and technologies that used to be required to make a movie, not as the sole movie-making tool.

Creating a movie or show to exactly match your vision is something that would still take months to complete. Each scene, and really each frame, will be created and then heavily edited, by the creator, so that all the goofy stuff we see from AI will disappear. Things like extra hands or door handles are only showing up because you are seeing videos created with a few prompts. Instead, we will have media where each frame is composed of many prompts so that it looks and feels great.

For example, if I wanted to create Toy Story with AI, I would not necessarily say "create a Toy Story movie". I would use AI to create my various assets and character models, thereby replacing graphic artists. I could then use AI to help me create story boards and such. Once all my assets have been created and edited, I use AI to begin building the environments and placing my premade assets in those environments.

I would not end up with multiple doors right next to each other because I would already have my premade assets ready to place.

This is how AI will lead to massive layoffs. People will still want to consume media and stories from certain creators because of the quality of the stories or the way they are shot. But all the menial tasks and technical work can be performed by AI, with a creator's supervision to guarantee quality. They will probably also work out some form of monetization like Unreal Engine. Free to use unless you release whatever you made for profit, then you owe them a percentage of the revenue.
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fig96
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In reply to Lathspell • 12:15p, 4/13/26
AG
I design AI-enabled products for a living and am directing an animated short, so I'm rather familiar with the technology and process.

The people that really want to make their own content are already doing it. AI can help ease that burden in places, but the storytelling quality i.e. the most important part is always going to be hard to come by.

Making content is easy now, has been for a while. Making compelling content then getting people to watch it is the hard part.
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Mega Lops
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In reply to LMCane • 12:17p, 4/13/26
AG
LMCane said:
supposedly BAYWATCH had to film in South Africa

because it was cheaper to make the show 3,000 miles away

than shoot it on the beaches of Los Angeles due to regulations and taxes

This is why it is hard to take this account seriously.

It hallucinates more than AI.
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