'Nother very OT - Jackson's King Kong.

That's pretty much what I'm hearing. A few things occured to me the other day when I was trying to watch some recent Hollywood shlock-noir film (aka the modern blockbuster).

1) I'm not sure when it happened, but those guys that stand in line at 12am in sub-freezing weather for the opportunity to buy Star Wars tickets and XBox games to play their Star Wars videos - are now producing, directing and greenlighting the big budget films. It is no surprise that video games are regarded among the comic book and action figure set as cinema's bright future. 2) On the other side of the spectrum, the avant garde film makers are still making the same boring-ass, heavy-handed films they always did - SEE or rather don't see as the case may be, "Syriana", "Munich", etc. Unlike the 50s and 60s eras, today's 'immoral plays' are more the product of political hackestry than film artistry. Great pretenders to the past's great "thinking man's" movies. Maybe it helps that I'm older now and my tastes have matured, I don't know - that doesn't explain why old movies stand the test of time when last year's offerings are a distant memory. 3) I'm reading more than ever. Aside from the news and a few shows like "24", "Prison Break"and "Battlestar Galactica" which I try to keep up with, I generally hit the channel button on the remote more times than I take a breath when I'm watching TV. A 30 minute sitcom now has about what, 18 minutes net on-air after commercials? Sheesh. More often than not, I park on one of the classic movie channels and discover or redicover a long lost or forgotten gem of a film. 4) Hollywood could dim the lights tomorrow and I suspect the proportion of Americans that would actually care or be affected would fall somewhere along the lines of those voting blocks usually identified as those who do not take the time to vote during presidential elections and/or those who are too young to vote. Theatrical releases that is, not TV shows. America's #1 proxy-babysitter could be disposed of by most Americans about as painlessly as cutting off half of your fingers. 5) When did all the movie stars retire? The gals on "The View" have as much Star power as today's entire Hollywood A-List. You get a fat contract in Hollywood today based on how well you take the trapeze wires and how well you look in front of a blue screen in a jumpsuit. Acting seems to be an afterthought. Last but not least, it shouldn't have come as a surprise, but I hadn't really noticed before that of all the actors and actor's names that I do recognize, it is due in no small part to the number of controversies and scandals they have been embroiled in. Take Sienna Miller - her name popped up on a movie trailer the other day. Before that I had some vague recollection that she had gotten her name and mug in the news in regards to some love triangle. When I saw that she was actually the female lead in a film I had to wonder just how much thought and attention went into manufacturing her vintage Elizabeth Tayloresque love scandal for the Hollywood beat reporters to pick up on and fuel her to notoriety - ahead of this film gig. Which is to say that despite the changes on screen, nothing has really changed much behind the scenes in Hollywood.

And wrapping it all up with a Christmas bow is my way of saying in my own long winded way: "Hollywood - what a piece of crap" ;-)

WmB

Disclaimer: No Star Wars geeks, comic book nerds, video game miscreants, action figure weenies, gutter trash actors were harmed during the production of this message intended for an audience of mature skilled plastic scale model artisans whose patience knows no bounds. Well, maybe now they do. ;)

Yeah, and the Atlantic Ocean was better back then too...

Doug Wagner

And why not.........LOL......Stan

It certainly was deeper when I was a kid ;-)

WmB

That's down to the population explosion in sponges . (with acknowledgement to The Master, Stephen Wright).

Chek

Thought Kong the movie was as good the original with better acting and special effects. On the other hand Syriana was atrocious- good actors too which surprised me.

Have to agree with TV- good for some sports and a few shjows but that's about it

Dave

You have to keep in mind that "Syriana" wasn't meant as entertainment. It is a piece of political propaganda from Senator Kerry's old buddy Mr. Cloony.

Bill Shuey