TV/Movies Megathread

[katmai]

Neeson's action films are pretty low budget though. And The Expendables are all about nostalgia.

[celedhring]

Also, it's not a problem of physically being able to shoot the scenes. Older actors appeal to older audiences, which are not the prime target for big budget action films. Only Tom Cruise pulls off being 50 and being an action star.

Don't know where you get that idea.  Liam Neeson was 56 for the first Taken film, and 62 by 3.  Vin Diesel is 52 and still doing Fast and Furious flicks.  And they emptied the old folks home to cast the Expendables movies.

What I mean is that a guy over 50 can't carry a big budget action movie, which is what Bond movies are. Besides physical limitations (and despite all the CGI and stuntment, those movies still do take a toll on people's bodies), it doesn't appeal to the host of under-30s you need to bring to the cinema in order to afford those giant budgets. Neeson doesn't need that because his movies are really cheap so he can go niche, Vin Diesel is surrounded by a large ensemble cast with younger stars, and The Expendables are nostalgia vehicles, and they don't make that much money to begin with.

The only exception is Cruise, whose MI movies do lots of money and he carries them by himself. But, for example, even Robert Downey Jr. has retired from doing Iron Man at 54.

[Sophie Scholl]

Denzel?  He's 64 and has been making action movies well past 50.

[celedhring]

Denzel?  He's 64 and has been making action movies well past 50.

Cheap ones. His most expensive one (the Magnificent Seven remake) lost money even though they paired him with Chris Pratt. But westerns are young people poison.

Another good example is Arnie. His career was on a vertical dive in his 50s (Batman & Robin, End of Days, 6th Day, Collateral Damage) before becoming Governor. The fact those were horrible movies didn't help, certainly, but we're talking a guy that managed to turn crap like Kindergaten Cop or Twins into big hits during his prime.

The bottom line is that you need young people to make up those enormous budgets, and generally young people don't like seeing films headlined by old people, while old people do watch films headlined by young people. So the incentive for execs is to go young. Guys in his 40s get a pass (women in her 40s don't, however), but 50s seems to be a pretty strong glass ceiling. Again, I'm talking big budget Hollywood movies here. The cheaper your film, the more freedom you can get.

[HVC]

You take back your slanderous lies about kindergarten cop!

[Duque de Bragança]

Another good example is Arnie. His career was on a vertical dive in his 50s (Batman & Robin, End of Days, 6th Day, Collateral Damage) before becoming Governor. The fact those were horrible movies didn't help, certainly, but we're talking a guy that managed to turn crap like Kindergaten Cop or Twins into big hits during his prime.

Kindergarten Cop or Twins are movies where Arnie was already in decline, not his prime. Only less worse than the likes of Stop! or my mom will shoot or Oscar. Yet, Stallone got a revival later on with Demolition Man for instance. So not convinced.

[miozozny]

Also, it's not a problem of physically being able to shoot the scenes. Older actors appeal to older audiences, which are not the prime target for big budget action films. Only Tom Cruise pulls off being 50 and being an action star.

Don't know where you get that idea.  Liam Neeson was 56 for the first Taken film, and 62 by 3.  Vin Diesel is 52 and still doing Fast and Furious flicks.  And they emptied the old folks home to cast the Expendables movies.

The John Wick movies seem to do well too, despite Keanu Reeves being in his fifties.

[garbon]

Also, it's not a problem of physically being able to shoot the scenes. Older actors appeal to older audiences, which are not the prime target for big budget action films. Only Tom Cruise pulls off being 50 and being an action star.

Don't know where you get that idea.  Liam Neeson was 56 for the first Taken film, and 62 by 3.  Vin Diesel is 52 and still doing Fast and Furious flicks.  And they emptied the old folks home to cast the Expendables movies.

The John Wick movies seem to do well too, despite Keanu Reeves being in his fifties.

It might be easier if people started to look at 'well' with the actual assumed budget vs box office takes.

[Eddie Teach]

You take back your slanderous lies about kindergarten cop!

Every party needs a poopah.

[celedhring]

Another good example is Arnie. His career was on a vertical dive in his 50s (Batman & Robin, End of Days, 6th Day, Collateral Damage) before becoming Governor. The fact those were horrible movies didn't help, certainly, but we're talking a guy that managed to turn crap like Kindergaten Cop or Twins into big hits during his prime.

Kindergarten Cop or Twins are movies where Arnie was already in decline, not his prime. Only less worse than the likes of Stop! or my mom will shoot or Oscar. Yet, Stallone got a revival later on with Demolition Man for instance. So not convinced.

He was in his prime as a Hollywood star. This has nothing to do whatsoever with how good his movies were at the time. Take out Terminator 2 (which is a big ask) and yes, all his better movies were before that.

Sly was in his 40s when he made Demolition Man, which wasn't that big of a hit anyway.

The John Wick movies seem to do well too, despite Keanu Reeves being in his fifties.

None of which had a big budget by Hollywood standards, which proves my point.

There are always exceptions, like Tom Cruise and the MI movies (and he gets to make those because he was 34 when he started them and has managed to keep making money), but Hollywood will always try to cast young in big budget movies, because it minimizes risk. And Hollywood is all about minimizing risk. Cheaper movies don't carry as much a risk so there's more leeway.

[Duque de Bragança]

Another good example is Arnie. His career was on a vertical dive in his 50s (Batman & Robin, End of Days, 6th Day, Collateral Damage) before becoming Governor. The fact those were horrible movies didn't help, certainly, but we're talking a guy that managed to turn crap like Kindergaten Cop or Twins into big hits during his prime.

Kindergarten Cop or Twins are movies where Arnie was already in decline, not his prime. Only less worse than the likes of Stop! or my mom will shoot or Oscar. Yet, Stallone got a revival later on with Demolition Man for instance. So not convinced.

He was in his prime as a Hollywood star. This has nothing to do whatsoever with how good his movies were at the time. Take out Terminator 2 (which is a big ask) and yes, all his better movies were before that.

Sly was in his 40s when he made Demolition Man, which wasn't that big of a hit anyway.

Taking out Terminator 2?  No.
As for Demolition Man not being a big hit, it brought Stallone back to success, along with Cliffhanger (a bigger success I believe) unlike his own crappier attempts at Kindergarten Cop/Twins-like fare which managed to were worse. I mean, Stallone trying a remake of a De Funès movie. 

And the last very good and successful Arnie movie is True Lies (a remake i know), not T2.

[celedhring]

That "revival" was a string of terrible movies that lost big amounts of money though!

Cliffhanger is a good dumb action flick. I will say that.

[Camerus]

Years and Years. It's a dystopic brew of the horrors to come if we stray too far from the elite-approved flavour of social progressivism, coupled with fears over technological and climate change, and with a good dollop of economic populism to boot. A bit overwrought and propagandistic, but a decent yarn so far all the same.

[Tamas]

I don't really remember the original version, but the Hungarian dubbed version of Oscar was absolutely hilarious.

[garbon]

Years and Years. It's a dystopic brew of the horrors to come if we stray too far from the elite-approved flavour of social progressivism, coupled with fears over technological and climate change, and with a good dollop of economic populism to boot. A bit overwrought and propagandistic, but a decent yarn so far all the same.

I think this review says more about you than the show.