What is the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

[viper37]

Also, more people watch movies on TV or on DVD than in the theater, at least in the US.  That skews things somewhat towards older movies. If you asked all Americans to list the movies they've seen in the last 3 months, I'd be somewhat surprised if any of the top 10 movies on the list were actually in theaters during that time.  Heck, half of 'em would probably be the last 5 James Bond movies to be shown on TBS.

Not in theaters, but movies released within 5 years of today, say, compared to movies released 2-3 decades ago.  That is what I meant.

[Eddie Teach]

Yeah, I think that top 10 list would consist of 8 or 9 movies that just came to dvd/Redbox/Netflix and the latest mega-blockbuster in the theater.

[Ideologue]

That's depressing, though I don't think it's exactly true.  Kids watch all those old Disney movies, even the ones that are kind of lame on any level but animation quality, like Cinderella and Snow White.  People still seek out acknowledged classics.  I think most people with any interest in movies beyond "something to do while waiting to socialize/have sex" will have seen a smattering of stuff like Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Vertigo, and the like.  I dunno, maybe you're right.  I mean, my girlfriend, who is getting a Ph.D. in cultural studies, has to be kind of cajoled into watching movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s.  She's a bit more amenable to 70s fare.  (Not so much the 80s. )

Silent movies are pretty much dead to 99% of people, though.

You said "heavily".  I do not deny that some people watch classics, I deny they form the majority, at all ages.

I'm not sure that there's ever been any one movie that the majority of people have seen, even if you just restrict it to the West and leave out the rest of the world, so I don't think that means anything as a standard.

Maybe Wizard of Oz.  That's probably as close as one gets.

[viper37]

I've never seen it

[Barrister]

I've never seen it

You're missing out.  It's reputation as a classic is well-deserved.

[Ideologue]

I've never seen it

Actually, on the subject of whether people watch old movies, check out the "what's popular" row on Netflix.  Plenty of old stuff on that.  Think I saw, for example, Marathon Man; am pretty certain I saw (the first) Total Recall.  Right now, I'm seeing Anastasia, Labyrinth, Sleepy Hollow, Hook, Masters of the fucking Universe, Popeye, Dirty Dancing, My Best Friend's Wedding, Grease, Hackers, Legally Blonde (I know people still watch that ), and While You Were Sleeping.  All 20th century movies, and a lot from the the 1980s.

Granted, nothing from before that, so childhood nostalgia may be a far bigger driver than curiosity about old stuff, or an unbiased affection for old stuff gained as an adult.

[Ideologue]

Oh, oops, Legally Blonde was 2001.  But still, that's pretty old now.

[Barrister]

Granted, nothing from before that, so childhood nostalgia may be a far bigger driver than curiosity about old stuff, or an unbiased affection for old stuff gained as an adult.

It's partially a factor that Netflix just doesn't have much from before 1980 or so.

[Ideologue]

Granted, nothing from before that, so childhood nostalgia may be a far bigger driver than curiosity about old stuff, or an unbiased affection for old stuff gained as an adult.

It's partially a factor that Netflix just doesn't have much from before 1980 or so.

I'll say.  Hell, their streaming collection kind of really sucks when it comes to any era, when you stop and think about it.  The fact that people, particularly young people, have so willingly given up disc service militates pretty strongly for Viper's point--the people with the "I want to watch something" mentality seem to outnumber the "I want to watch a particular movie, because I have made myself informed about it, and wish to either explore it or revisit it."

On the other hand, with Amazon's pay-per-view streaming service being so comprehensive (the only film recently I couldn't just pay to rent was 52 Pick-Up) folks might just be using Netflix as a bulk-buy supplement to their specific rental purchases.

[viper37]

Actually, on the subject of whether people watch old movies, check out the "what's popular" row on Netflix

Netflix isn't actually mainstream, even in the US, I think...?  Most people are still on DVD/Blu ray player + TV.  Do we have market share for various medias like that?

Maybe viewing habits will change more as these services become more widely available.  I know Netflix isn't really popular in Quebec, but the language barrier is an issue.  That and the crappy Canadian offer.

[garbon]

Netflix is pretty mainstream in U.S. at least around my age group.

[Eddie Teach]

DVDs are expensive and rental stores extinct, so even oldsters have had to adapt.

[viper37]

Netflix is pretty mainstream in U.S. at least around my age group.

Than I stand corrected.

[Admiral Yi]

I get the impression a lot of people use Netflix as a poor man's cable.

[frunk]

I get the impression a lot of people use Netflix as a poor man's cable.

I use Netflix/Hulu because I'd rather watch what I want to watch when I want to watch it.