MovieChat Forums > Justice League (2017) Discussion > Didn't See It

Didn't See It

posted 7 years ago by pinkled5 (125)
10 replies | jump to latest

I'm not a Marvel or DC fanboy. I'm a theater fanboy who loves comic book movies of all kinds. The original Superman is one of my top ten favorite films of all time and I grew up idolizing him. Spider-Man was my favorite comic book, though.

Then came a string of disappointing comic book movies. Iron Man III, Amazing Spider-Man, Man of Steel, Dark Knight Rises, Avengers II, Captain Amercia III. I was tired of having my high hopes crushed.

I pre-purchased tickets to BvS, but when the reviews came out I refunded my ticket. It's obvious I made the right decision. I subsequently skipped Suicide Squad, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Justice League. Never seen them, probably never will.

I am a huge movie fanatic who loves the theater experience, and I'm skipping blockbuster films because studios can't get their act together. I doubt I'm alone. I hope they feel it in their wallets and start turning the ship around instead of plowing ahead with the same flawed game plan.

[–] NorrinRad (5128) 7 years ago

Then came a string of disappointing comic book movies. Iron Man III, Amazing Spider-Man, Man of Steel, Dark Knight Rises, Avengers II, Captain America III. I was tired of having my high hopes crushed.

Being that you are a Self-Described Theater Fan-Boy it is interesting that the movies that you were disappointed in vary so widely in their respective theater entertainment value and perceived quality.

You don't describe yourself as a Comic-Book fan even though Spider-Man was your favorite Comic-Book character. So I am guessing that deviation from the source material is not your sticking point but is it possible you felt that those movies you made a decision to NOT consume you believe to be catered to the masses?

For some of those CBM properties the movie is very much about the character and for some it is about the spectacle.

What aspect of your High Hopes were crushed? You hoped that they would be true to the print canon with a panel by panel adaption to the Big Screen? I'm curious. Share..

Did you not like Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Blade, Spawn, Steel? I'm just kidding about Steel.

[–] TwistedAcrobat (1725) 7 years ago

I think that is TIIMMYYYYYYYYYYY under a new name.

[–] pinkled5 (125) 7 years ago

My high hopes are simple to explain. There are few things greater than enjoying a good movie. The thrills, the excitement, the emotional investment in the character's plight. It is the thrill of a good story in the ultimate form of story telling...the big screen. I don't care about canon, etc., I just want to be entertained by my favorite characters in my favorite genre. I don't want to leave the theater regretting the time I spent there.

I don't base my opinion on such petty things as mass appeal. If a movie is popular, that's fine with me.

I did not care for Watchmen or V for Vendetta. Blade was pretty good, but Blade II is one of my all time favorites. Never saw Spawn and haven't even heard of Steel.

[–] NorrinRad (5128) 7 years ago

Never saw Spawn and haven't even heard of Steel.

Shaquille O'Neal as John Henry Irons would have words with thee, bruh!!

Okay let's talk about your Simple to Explain High Hopes.

The Thrills, the excitement, the emotional investment in the character's plight are aspects of things that you would realize after you see a movie that executes the thrill of a good story in the ultimate form of story telling on the Big Screen. Did I get that right? I'm not sure how to understand a definition or description that has the phrase in the definition or description.

The key or salient point is A Good Story?

**I pre-purchased tickets to BvS, but when the reviews came out I refunded my ticket. It's obvious I made the right decision. I subsequently skipped Suicide Squad, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Justice League. Never seen them, probably never will.**

You had your tickets refunded not based on your own experience but on reviews. How did you know that BvS as executed on the Big Screen was not a Good Story or wasn't a thrilling experience?

I would grant you that the Good Story dynamic of the DC films you mentioned (SS, JL) and the Fox product (X-Men Apocalypse) both carry some narrative flaws as franchises but all exhibit Big Screen goodness. The Big Screen did not hurt those movies though.

[–] NorrinRad (5128) 7 years ago

Let me backtrack to Captain America:Civil War which you call captain America Three, as well as Avengers II, and iron man III. Marvel/Disney is executing a technique that has potential pluses and minuses for some, Long Form Story Telling. This allows for the MCU to be an actual character made up of multiple individual characters. There are You-tube reaction videos of the Avengers:Infinity War trailer where the reviewers are crying over the events that are being foreshadowed in the trailer. Why? Those reviewers who claim to have invested 10 years with the MCU and certain characters see the arc, the journey, the growth, the impact on each other and the MCU being affected and it affects them.

The MCU is near 20 films and the individual films share some connection with each and often have through-lines to themes across movies and other characters, in this case heroes and ultimately us. You know that phrase "The Whole Being Greater Than the Sum of the Parts" is what applies for the MCU.

Some will say that a Good Story/Good Film should stand alone and on it's own and the MCU is flamed for that. Some feel it is nothing more than a money grab with each film nothing more than a commercial for the next film. but I digress..

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

Dunkirk was the best Theatrical "blockbuster" experience i had this year... Actually cinematic with huge scale...

For non-blockbusters there are a few others, but they are very different movies from comic book or blockbuster movies...

The Killing of a Sacred Deer was very cinematic (and highly disturbing) and Mother! was as well and had the craziest last third of any movie I've seen this year... Intense dreamlike (rather nightmare) movies...

[–] TwistedAcrobat (1725) 7 years ago

I liked Silencio a lot. And last year was The Witch. That one also surprised me.

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

i haven't seen Silencio, but enjoyed The Witch

[–] NorrinRad (5128) 7 years ago

I am a huge movie fanatic who loves the theater experience, and I'm skipping blockbuster films because studios can't get their act together. I doubt I'm alone. I hope they feel it in their wallets and start turning the ship around instead of plowing ahead with the same flawed game plan.

As a fan of movies I don't have a personal axe to grind against Blockbusters. The Blockbuster impacts only one part of my movie going experience. Most are enhanced on the Big Screen. Yes, theater chains and movie studios make the majority of their money on Blockbusters but they make more when the experience is maximized, with Good to Great products. I still see small films, foreign films, spy-thrillers, action films but not all on IMAX. The theater experience does not enhance all movies.

A movie with a Good Story gets a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and ownership viewing for me and my family. Inevitably the movie with a Good Story and a Great movie experience is enhanced with home viewing and a shared experience with friends.

In short, it's too bad you're having a bad experience with certain comic book movies and blockbusters in general. I personally continue to consume movies and appreciate the relativity of the products to each other.

Warner/DC is having a hard time to be sure but their products are still worth watching and experiencing.

[–] pinkled5 (125) 7 years ago

I didn't mean to imply I'm boycotting all blockbusters, just that I'm not taking myself or my kids to see a lot of the blockbuster movies being released, and that's a bad thing.