Revenues Up, Ticket Sales Down

I have previously mentioned my opinion on the ever-rising ticket prices of movies today, but I have yet to really delve into the revenue aspect of the price hikes. After doing some research, I came across some interesting information.

Ticket sales are low, but revenue is still high

From looking at the chart, we can see that ticket sales are low, very low. In fact, they are at the second lowest amount since 1995, and yet revenue is actually at it's third highest amount in the past 16 years! It seems ridiculous, but when you think about it, it makes sense. Not as many people are buying movie tickets--instead choosing to illegally download new movies--so the film industry must compensate for this by raising the prices. As a result, they are still able to make enormous revenues even though less and less people are buying tickets for films.

Is this a trend that will continue? I think so. With the ever-increasing popularity of 3D films and the higher ticket price that comes with seeing such a film, the movie industry will still be able to make near-record amounts of revenue even if the number of ticket sales continues to fall. This trend is interesting because it shows that there are people out there who just cannot be bothered to spend so much money on a ticket and instead are not attending the movies, but on the flip side of that there are still many, many people willing to shell out whatever is necessary to go see a new film. Ticket prices will continue to go up, so even if the number of tickets sold continues to decrease, the industry will still be doing well. So well, that this may not even be a concern to them.

Nonetheless I find these numbers extremely interesting, although unsurprising. Piracy and illegally downloading movies is very frequent and I think there will be more people turning to this means of watching film the more tickets go up in price. However, barring a serious change in things, the movie industry will be fine. Well, not just fine, but better than ever.

Enough with the Superheroes... Seriously...

Jeez, what's gotten into Hollywood these days? As I mentioned in my second blog, Hollywood has seemingly run out of ideas, and this makes me upset. Why does it seem that the majority of movies these days are sequels (Pirates of the Caribbean is planning a 5th and 6th film in the future), remakes (the recent The Three Musketeers for example), or based on superheroes? Oh wait, that's not just how it seems, that is how it is. Seriously, what superhero doesn't have a movie about them now? Just in this past decade we've seen two different Hulk films (with two different lead actors).

Do we really need another movie about this guy?

One from 2003, and another in 2008. What is the point of this? Why did they remake a film they made just 5 years earlier if they simply did not have any better ideas? But wait! It doesn't stop there: We've seen 3 Spider-man movies with Tobey Maguire as the star, and now they are making yet another Spider-man, except this time with a different actor!

It's preposterous, superhero films are incredibly popular, yet when you actually think about it, you will realize how unoriginal they are. They are rehashed and slightly modified versions of the comic book stories--but the fans love them, and Hollywood will let this trend run it's course until the financial results tell them otherwise.

I, however, am still bothered by this movement, as it gives strength to the belief that Hollywood is running out of ideas for movies. A few more superhero films that have been made are the recent Captain America, Green Lantern, Green Hornet, the 2006 Superman Returns. And how could I forget Iron Man and Iron Man 2? (Iron Man 3 coming in 2013 as well). Really, what superheroes are left that haven't been made into films these days? As I've stated before, the films usually do well so I can see Hollywood's interest in them, but as a critic and overall fan of cinema, it pains me to see this as the direction Hollywood is going in, where there are so little new, original ideas for movies, and instead an abundance of sequels, remakes, and superhero films.

Low Budget Films are In

These days, it is not uncommon to see films being made on a low budget, and than absolutely tearing up the box office once they are released. Just recently, Paranormal Activity 3, the third movie in the Paranormal Activity series, followed in the footsteps of the first two films to do this again. The first Paranormal Activity, released in 2007, was made on just $15,000 and grossed over 200 million! We've seen this done with other films like The Blair Witch Project which was made on about $60,000 and grossed almost $250,000! Other examples include films such as, Napoleon Dynamite, Clerks, and the original Mad Max. All these films were made on a small budget and grossed huge results.

When I see this, I ask myself, "why do studios continue to make incredibly high budget films that flop at the box office (Catwomen, All the Kings Men, The Assassination of Jesse James to name a few) when it has been proven that low-budget films--when done right--can be just as successful, if not more than big name Hollywood titles? These days, producers are focused on spending tons of money on making the movie look good, and getting big name stars, but are doing so at the sacrifice of good-quality film making. I would love to see the industry embrace small-budget films and start making more, because as the films I named above have proven, you can create an exceptional film without spending millions upon millions of dollars.

One of my favorite films of all time, The Lives of Others, a German film, was made on just $2 million dollars, with all of the actors making a fraction of what they are used to, but the result was possibly the best film I've ever seen. The acting was superb and the plot was incredibly well thought out and gripping. The film grossed $77 million, and is an example of how actors (in Germany at least) are willing to take less money for a film of great potential, and then deliver performances worth far more than they received. Low-budget films revive the idea of acting for the love of doing so, not acting for a paycheck.

Rise of Netflix

If you could watch a variety of different TV shows and movies right from your house for just 8 dollars a month, would you? Fortunately, with Netflix you can. Over the past few years, Netflix has been rising in popularity with its ability to watch shows and movies right from your living room or computer. It is becoming an incredibly popular alternative to going out to the movies, and why not? Netflix's monthly charge is less than the price of one movie ticket (not including price for food and drink) you can watch almost any movie or show right at your convenience. Granted they don't have every movie available for instant watch (and you still have to wait for movies to leave theaters before they're available) but the convenience of Netflix is something people are running to, and I too am a part of it.

My brother has a Netflix subscription I often use and I have to say I love the convenience of being able to watch almost anything, whenever and wherever I want. That said, I don't think it will pose a serious threat to movie theaters any time soon, since they still have the advantage of getting the new movies first. It is, however, an interesting trend for movie watchers today and if Netflix continues to do well and evolve, it may one day become the standard for movie watching. I think that is a long way away, but it could be possible. Imagine watching a new movie the day it came out, right on your living room TV...

Where's the Plot?

These days, I rarely find myself going out to the movies. With such high prices for tickets, and the ever-evolving convenience of Netflix and other online sites to watch films, I just don't find it worth the time and money. If there is really a movie I am itching to see when it first comes out, than I will make time for a trip to the theater, but for the most part I am finding there are less and less movies and really make me want to go see it when it first comes out.

Another reason for this is, from my perspective, films these days just aren't high enough quality for me. I can be a picky movie watcher, so when I do go to the theater, I want it to be something with a well thought out plot, highly developed characters, and messages and themes that can really make me think. The problem is, current movies just don't fulfill this criteria for me. It seems to me that Hollywood is content putting out films that are of high quality aesthetics and image quality, and largely ignoring what truly makes a film--the plot line. One example that stands out is Horrible Bosses. A movie I actually did see in the theater. It was good for a few laughs, and wasn't really a bad movie per say, but it wasn't anything special. Sure it looked great aesthetically (as with all modern films these days) but I didn't leave the theater thinking I just saw a fantastic piece of film making. What I saw was rather an average comedic plot with nothing to make it really stand out in my mind as a film watcher.

This is just one example, but I feel that this is the direction Hollywood films are going in. Sacrificing the quality of the film itself and settling for a run-of-the-mill piece of work that looks great on screen but fails to deliver in getting a message across in the mind of the viewer.

3D & Film

Film has always been a passion of mine. I grew up watching a lot of movies with my family, and as I got older my interest in the art form only grew. Now, as a film critic and journalist for a local newspaper in the Massachusetts area, I will attempt take a closer look into the film industry and reflect on how I feel about the latest current trend that is spreading like a contagion through Hollywood. That trend is the ever increasing amount of 3D movies. So I ask you... are they truly necessary?

I do not think so. (And I am not alone with this view, see #1 in the article on this link). Unfortunately, there is no going back; 3D movies are everywhere. The vast majority of movies hitting major theaters these days are all in 3D, and if you ask me, it's a rather disturbing trend. It seems Hollywood thinks that you cannot make a good movie these days, unless it is in 3D, but what is even worse is the increased ticket prices for such films. The majority of 3D films see a minimal benefit to the new technology, yet theaters still can charge an extra $4 bucks for some plastic glasses and a slightly crisper image.

The theaters love it, and Hollywood shows no sign of stopping this trend. They are out to make money, even if it means putting a strain on the wallet of the average American for features that rarely make the viewing experience any better than simply watching it in 2D.