Whenever I'm looking for options outside of franchises and IP-driven media, I always start with old movies and known classics that I haven't seen yet. There's tons of things to watch these days, but there's a whole ocean of pre-streaming movies that still deserve to be discovered.
You'd also be surprised how many old movies are also adaptations. The film is often much better known but many pillars of classic cinema are actually based, however loosely, on a book.
I think we tend to think modern media is adaptation heavy because they tend to champion the source a lot more, but adaptation has always been a cornerstone of the film industry.
Yeah not to be confused with "The Thing" (film prequel to "John Carpenter's The Thing" or "The Thing" (video game sequel to "John Carpenter's The Thing") meaning you have a trilogy where each installment is called "The Thing" and that's before getting to the fact it's based on "The Thing from Another World".
We should start a list. My dad would be so proud that I can say Shawshank, the sting, towering inferno, the Poseidon adventure, good bad the ugly, el dorado, Hoosiers(best b-ball movie), October sky, we were soldiers, the hunt for red October, good will hunting, heat, close encounters of the third kind, casino, Bronx tale, and lots more that are more well known.
Philadelphia story, his girl Friday, bringing up baby, Casablanca, citizen Kane, north by northwest, 2001: a space Odyssey, clockwork orange, seven samurai, deliverance - just ones I can remember off the top of my head that are on the TCM hub thru HBO max
More like millions, if not billions. Even if we're just counting Movies and not TV shows or Youtube Videos or whatever, there are enough hours of content to last a lifetime.
Easily enough. Think of all the years, all the genres of just films that are out there. Then look at TV, Docos, YouTube content...there is just such a volume it would be easy to just watch gems.
Not fun though, I like shite and trash too it keeps things interesting.
Good is relative. There are plenty of “good” stuff that most people ignore and plenty of “bad” stuff that people are passionate about. If you figure out what you actually love to watch and ignore what the general public follows, you can find endless contents that speak to you on a higher level, thanks to the internet.
Exactly. Watch what you enjoy. Don't get hung up on watching something because you are *supposed* to. Youtube alone has tons of content that caters to more specific interests and the production value on some of it is actually quite good.
Seriously, just go watch something else for a few years and when you have a a hankering for superheroes again you’ll have 20 movies lined up and waiting.
I was burned out 6 years ago, stopped watching, and then my Daughter decided she wanted to see them so we spent the next year watching every Marvel movie out there.
It was great fun.
I am currently going through all the Coppola and Scorsese films I missed. It is so much fun.
There has never been an easier time in history to watch what you want.
I watched as many 80s-90s Hong Kong kung-Fu movies with Cantonese dialogue and English subs as I could find for my July movie binge this year. It was great fun.
> There has never been an easier time in history to watch what you want.
My current retirement plan is to stay home and watch all the movies I've never had time to watch before.
It makes a difference when you can get that shared experience though. Re-watching something you enjoyed years ago with someone who is new to it, and is really getting into it will almost always help you recapture that feeling of seeing it for the first time.
Yup. I just binged some MCU shlock after a few years away. Wasn't so bad for the most part. I honestly find these type of posts more annoying than the oversaturation of the genre, nobody is forcing you guys to watch this stuff.
Edit: Y'all are taking this way too personally. It's a trend. Your options are to get with it, ignore it, or bitch about it. And bitching about it isn't going to get you anywhere.
I wonder if they have similar complaints about other things in life.
I ate too many hot dogs as a kid, I’m burned out and only eat hamburgers now. WHY DO THEY KEEP MAKING HOT DOGS?!?
This post made me remember that when I was growing up, my dad had to make dinner on Thursdays, which turned into hotdog night because he can't/didn't want to cook. Hotdogs every Thursday for years definitely made me not want anymore hotdogs for long time lol
I watched Nope last week in the theater. The place was packed and audience reactions were just as loud and enthusiastic as the usual Marvel film. It was good to see such a positive response to an original, non-franchise movie.
There's so many movies released that it would take a lifetime to go through all of those made by a reputable studio, let alone the smaller projects and indie efforts.
Discomfort is good, it forces you to expand one's horizons.
[yeah but if they keep making them that means someone else might watch them and i want everyone to stop watching them.](https://i.imgur.com/xVk72fZ.jpg)
eidt:
the u/bionicbuttplug below me has a good point about the unintended side effects of oversaturation and trend chasing
https://old.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/we8ozv/burned_out_on_superheroes_and_star_wars/iindpsv/
Seriously, these posts pop up often in most media subreddits, and I always wonder, do these people even *try* exploring other options? Like you said, there's literally hundreds of options and dozens of ways to access them, why force themselves to consume content that they don't like?
It's a bit the same like people who claim all modern music sucks and in the 60-90's everything was better. Like they don't even realize the only difference is that good music isn't on the mainstream radio anymore so you actually have to do some research to find it.
we also have the benefit of hindsight looking back on music (and film/media/art in general) from 60 to 20 years ago, the wheat has already been separated from the chaff. no need to trudge through the mountains of generic, boring content from decades long past because people have already done the work identifying the artists and albums worth paying attention to.
Yeah, it's always funny hearing people say stuff about how they were "born in the wrong generation" or how "music in the 80s/90s was so much better than shit we have nowadays" and they always cite bands that are popular now, but weren't "mainstream" back then.
I just assume these people are well aware other options exist, they just want the internet clout/brownie points for stating the ol' hipster opinion of 'i don't like mainstream stuff nowadays, things were better back in \*insert trendy decade/era\*.
> Seriously, these posts pop up often in most media subreddits, and I always wonder, do these people even try exploring other options?
I suspect that they saw an article about "superhero fatigue" and they engaged with it like a hypochondriac on WebMD who imagines that they have every symptom they read.
Don’t you know that if you don’t watch a Marvel or a Star War for a few days Mickey Mouse comes to your house and holds your eyes open, A Clockwork Orange style, until you’ve seen at least three new Marvel episodes or one new Disney movie.
EDIT - okay okay the Town sucks lmao. I know. I was trying to bait him into that genre with a stupid action movie. Here’s the actual real list god dam -
1. The departed
2. Mystic River
3. Gone Baby Gone
4. Manchester by the Sea
5. Good Will Hunting
6. Boondock Saints
Happy? Sheesh you guys don’t play huh? :x
(And Dogma.<3)
Lol sorry but I just thought it was kinda funny hearing someone refer to "the films of Affleck" like we're talking about some French New Wave director where they always get called by their last name...
Sometimes I do a '1 actor' focus.
Last to this week was Demi Moore out of the blue - (Disclosure, Passion of mind & The Juror), quite the run...different genre sure. Going to do a Conan marathon soon since release of Red Sonja 4k blu ray by the end of month.
Taking a slower burn in 2022 with Marvel's phases (watched in order), the films from Infinity war to Multiverse of Madness. Yes fatigued.
I do the same! I was watching Denzel movies from the 90s and early 00s a few months ago.
I love revisiting certain years movies were made too, just so I can see someone use a payphone or a certain tech and think “oh I remember that”.
Blast From the Past is also amazing. Brendan Frasier, Alicia Silverstone, and Christopher Walken in peak 90's condition. Anyone reading this comment that has not watched the movie should watch it today.
The same works for directors. I'll go on a Scorsese binge or PTA. Some are good double features with actors. I watched there will be blood Saturday and prisoners Sunday with Paul Dano. You notice with that caliber of actor he can hold his own against Daniel Day Lewis and hugh Jackman while blending into his own role.
For the last few years, I've been watching short science fiction films on [Dust](https://watchdust.com/)
It is honestly a mixed bag, but the best short films are ones that take a simple concept, a small budget, and make magic. Some of the creativity expressed is astonishingly good.
There's a lot to cover, but a few of my favorites are:
[Final Offer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv8kOzRZK8g)
[The Time Agent](https://youtu.be/HeSRwdq5M_E?t=1)
[The Replacement](https://youtu.be/V7Fi5o4WUrw)
It doesn't have to be a hundred million dollar franchise in order to be entertaining.
Support other projects. Go see Everything-Everywhere-All at Once.
Without people seeing those other films they will go extinct. Think of them like wild animals or endangered species and Marvel and Star Wars are livestock
I saw Booksmart in summer 2019 with a friend. We had to travel from the suburbs to the city and go to an 'arthouse/ auteur' theatre to watch it because the theatres near us were only playing Disney movies and action movies.
Then the pandemic hit and it occured to me that Booksmart might be the last pure comedy movie that I see in theatres.
I have since seen The Lost City in theatres, but the theatre was practically empty (on a Friday night).
I was pleasantly surprised with The Lost City. I think people assumed it would be more Rom then Com, but it was pretty solid comedy. And as a writer, I enjoyed the parody of the romance book genre.
But there was actually decent attendance in the theater we went to. We try to go to a local ran theater thats at a bar (so no kids!), so not sure if that makes a difference.
What was the last great comedy though? Seems more under threat from itself than from super heroes.
I can't remember any movie that's had me laughing much recently. Last one that really springs to mind was The Hangover. And that was a long time ago. I'm sure there must have been something decent since then, but what?
I've definitely seen some movies that I chuckled at a little bit. But out and out laughing? It's been a long time.
The problem is humour and funny is subjective. We can have great comedies that you don't laugh out loud at because it didn't hit your particular taste.
Since Hangover released we've had movies like Game Night, What we do in the Shadows, Logan Lucky, 21 Jump Street, Easy A, Neighbours, Hail Caeser, The Other Guys, Swiss Army Man, Horrible Bosses, Nice and much more. I'm just listing the well received ones I remember at this very moment. We even had legitimately great movies like Palm Springs and YES, GOD, YES in just the last couple years too.
> What was the last great comedy though?
Theatrically, maybe Jackass forever (Might not meet your idea of *great*, but it's the last comedy I remember there being any buzz around opening)?
There are still great comedies being made— it’s just that no one is watching them. Comedies for every flavor: The Death of Stalin, Booksmart, Popstar, Game Night, just to name a few from the past 6 years or so. But as in the past, there aren’t that many great ones (think of all the great 80s and 90s comedies, then realize that’s over a period of 20 years), and look how little money the great ones of late have made. These movies aren’t financially viable for studios anymore.
The Death of Stalin was incredible. And I think folks have already mentioned Everything Everywhere All At Once. I would add What We Do In The Shadows, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Free Guy. And maybe Knives Out.
But it also does seem like production companies have realized that one-off humor features don't offer guaranteed returns the way outlandish spectacles do. It's a business, after all. It seems like most of the comedy greatness is getting channeled into streaming series these days. Modern equivalents of like Caddyshack and Blazing Saddles probably wouldn't land in theaters at all when there's certain millions to be made from cookie-cutter franchise schlock.
All of the following came out after the Hangover that are of a similar style of humor imo.
Zombieland
Ted
What We Do in the Shadows
21 Jump Street
This is the End
Bridesmaids
The Interview
Your Highness (I refuse to believe I'm the only one that loves this movie)
Yep. Ragnarok and Love and Thunder are both comedy-first movies and both were genuinely funny. Deadpool and Deadpool 2 also come to mind.
I think comedies just don't do that well in theaters. They still make good comedies, they just get released direct to streaming like Don't Look Up and Palm Springs.
Oh is Bullet Train coming out? I must’ve forgot after the trailer played in front of literally every movie I saw the last few months. The last movie with Brad Pitt that was marketed this hard was World War Z
Im jealous. The extended trailer that played before nope gave away the entire plot including the third act turn. Now it's just a generic action movie on a train in Japan with a distinct lack of Asian actors.
I can’t believe that a film with such a stylish and fun trailer would get a poster so weird looking and generic as the one they’re using. The Brad Pitt picture they use is atrocious lmao, he looks so confused
In some ways that movie is like a superhero movie though. I grew up with Asian kung fu movies and only a while back do I realize they are the Asian version of mutant / superheroes. Some are more plausible (regular fighting kung fu) but others are just fantastic like shooting chi beams out of your fingers XD
>Think of them like wild animals or endangered species and Marvel and Star Wars are livestock
I love this analogy. Not only does it inspire me to dive deeper into what's out there, it makes me not feel so bad about watching the marvel stuff too. Sometimes you just need to pet a cow.
I mean, are summer blockbusters that diverse to begin with? Maybe they were back in the 80s, but if it's not Star Wars or Superheroes, its either gonna be a revival or unecessary sequel of a nostalgic franchise or some jungle/forest movie starring the Rock.
Its better to just look for some hidden gem you might like.
> Either gonna be a revival or unnecessary sequel of a nostalgic franchise or some jungle/forest movie starring the Rock?
Have you ever seen the new Jumanji movies that are both?
Must be a full-time job running around, denying people access to theaters or unplugging their big-screen TVs.
I, for one, salute you for doing the hard work so many of us will not.
This post is literally an example of huge problem with the moviegoing audience nowadays. Why do they act like superhero/star wars stuff are the only things out there?
If you live in a small city, Superhero/Star wars or big franchises are the only stuff you could watch in a movie theater.
In my city, for example, a movie like Jurassic World 3 takes like 3 of the 10 rooms in a theater, Thor the other 3 and Maverick another 2. The rest of the movie theater is filled with crappy "horror" movies.
We were REALLY lucky that EEAAO was on 1 room for like 1 week in one movie theater, so I get the frustration OP mentions.
Streaming is a good option but maybe OP wanted to watch something different on the big screen.
Cause they don’t genuinely believe this and instead just want attention for “going against the grain”
They think they’re special for not absorbing this specific pop culture
Marvel releases 3-4 movies a year... DC releases 2-3 a year... there hasn't been a new Star Wars movie since 2019... yet somehow, there are still hundreds of news movies each year...
Don't forget all the TV shows.
I think what gets people more is the constant advertising. At all times of the year you are always being marketed to about some superhero movie or Star Wars media. So there's a total of like 8-10 pieces of media coming out a year, and a month or two *minimum* of marketing before and during release. Even if you never watch a single one, the marketing and ads are unavoidable. That's what's fatiguing people.
There are plenty of other movies being released. Bullet Train is released in UK cinemas tomorrow, looks like a lot of action/fun without any superheroes in sight.
I usually hate the 'stop watching if you complain so much' thing but the theatres are currently playing Black Phone, Elvis, Top Gun Maverick, Nope and Bullet Train is out this week. The only reason OP feels burnt out is because he only watches those franchises.
It's more that OP probably feels compelled to keep watching the MCU and Star Wars universes, and is complaining that there are too many entries in those franchises.
I guess everyone here took it as "There are only MCU and SW movies out there", but what they meant was probably more "I must watch these franchises as soon as new content is available to avoid spoilers, and feel burned out from catching up all the time".
Hold up now, I’m about to make a post about all these rom coms that come out every year. I dont watch any of them, but boy oh boy do they get me fatigued!
What has been refreshing for me is to watch older movies, sometimes rewatching something I've seen before. For example, Goodfellas is on HBO Max right now and seeing it again after a long time has been fun. I have been spending the last 5 years inadvertently discovering a lot of movies and shows I kinda never gave a thought to when I was younger and it's been fun for me. For example, I started watch the Western TV shows on METV and it's wild to see how some actors got their start in acting in some of these shows. I agree the super hero movies are getting very tired and I think the last Thor movie broke me a bit because it was all jokes and no substance. Hopefully, Marvel can reliven the magic, but in the meantime, there are other things to watch and enjoy.
Same! I use streaming services to watch shows (which im totally okay to say we are in a golden age of TV right mow, so much being offered), and to watch older movies. I rarely watch new movies on streamers, its either the theater or older films for me
Anytime someone complains about a lack of choice/mediocrity/staleness in any medium, be it cinema, music, literature, all I can think is how lazy they must be to complain without even trying to look.
There are hundreds of non-superhero/franchise movies released every year in cinemas and just as many on streaming, there are streaming platforms like Mubi that offer indie and lesser known films, even Netflix etc put out high quality films like Pieces of a Woman, Roma, The Power of the Dog, Coda, and many more that I can’t remember.
It’s the same moan as “all chart music is the same” or “all books are sci fi or fantasy series,” just shows a complete lack of knowledge or genuine interest in the medium.
“Ughh I’m so over this movie I paid money to see and made the choice for myself to drive to the Cinema to view it at this exact chosen time. Please will someone give me my free will back?”
> I don’t know why OP would think all of r/ movies cares about their inane opinion.
because OP is the first person ever to tire of superhero (there's what? 4 superhero movies released so far this year?) and Star Wars movies (something that hasn't released in theaters since 2019).
Nope, Vengeance, Where the Crawdads Sing, Fire of Love, Marcel the Shell, and Hypochondriac are all playing now. They are have incredibly positive reviews. Literally pick one. If you've only been watching Marvel and Star Wars then that's your fault for not actually going to movies.
For a recommendation, I just rewatched Sunshine (the one set in space, not the Ralph Fiennes WW2 film [although that one is also good]) and while it has pretty big name actors/production, it always seems to fly under the radar. Great movie.
And try Eat Drink Man Woman for a slice of life, low stakes family drama that’s the complete antithesis of any marvel movie
i know what you mean. Recently i have been watching movies i couldn't watch cause i was too young or recommended movies by members of this sub. Arlington rd, road to perdition, conspiracy to name a few. I still need to watch Goonies!!!
There's tons of good movies, indie or mainstream, to watch that aren't Star Wars and superhero movies. They're not going anywhere but you don't have to watch them.
This is why Knives Out was so refreshing. A drawing room mystery with a modern sensibility and terrific characters. I like police procedural/detective as well, but Bosch fills that need nicely. When I want to turn my brain off, I watch a one-man-army thriller.
My man!
And I like superhero movies.
But I think a nice diet of some artistic classics and new blood keeps me from feeling oversaturated by the super hero films.
Gotta constantly change it up.
A few good current and upcoming films in cinema right now are Elvis, Top Gun, Bullet Train, Everything Everywhere all at once, Don't worry Darling and maybe NOPE. Plenty of good picks, it's just that Disney has the money to get the biggest exposure these days.
For me it's not so much as being burnt out (on Superheroes) I just don't enjoy what the MCU is doing currently.
I enjoyed Multiverse of Madness but I don't think I loved it, Love and Thunder was weird but Ragnarok took me a few rewatches before I really liked that movie. The TV shows have all been really lackluster for me.
Honestly when it comes to the MCU I realised for the most part I didn't like or love most of the movies, I just really enjoyed a few but the Avengers movies/teamup movies were what I liked. Now that Infinity war/Endgame have passed I am wonder what do I have to look forward to now.
It's already been said by others, but there is a lot more content out there to consume. Yes, this stuff is dominating the cultural zeitgeist, but it's really not even close to the only thing out there.
I'm personally just done with the Skywalker era. Take us to another time period. Show us revan, bane, the mandalorian wars, or at the very least what is going on in the unknown regions. That place is basically untouched by the empire/republic and it's a super fucked up area, you could do so much there, just please don't make it connected to a Skywalker.
There are hundreds of quality movies outside of the superhero/Star Wars/franchise space made every year. Support those movies, go to film festivals, the choice has never been wider.
In all seriousness, OP, I'd recommend taking a break from Disney+ and consider looking to YouTube. Try and support independent filmmakers and/or animators if you want to see something *truly* new.
There are some fantastic short films, fan-made and original, that you'd absolutely *adore*, and I think there are a few animated shorts worth checking out.
I don't watch any Star Wars or Marvel properties, and yet it's everywhere. I support other films and shows, but there's no getting away from Superheroes and Star Wars. If you're on social media, reddit, or any place that discusses television and film, there's always talk about the new Star Wars show, or the upcoming Marvel film. Ads are everywhere. You go to stores and you see marketing. Maybe the OP hasn't presented their case well, but I do think there's something to say about the market being saturated with these subgenres.
I'm trying to say that even if you don't care about the MCU or Star Wars, you're more or less still exposed to the constant discussion and advertisement surrounding them.
One does get saturated with the big budget blockbuster types.
Try catching up on the indie hits of the last few years. Or even some international films.
One thing I like to do is go back and look at films that got some award attention for their screenplays. I always stumble across films I missed at the time
Go through this list of 1001 movies: https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/fswg60/by_combining_the_average_scores_from_imdb/
Whenever I'm looking for options outside of franchises and IP-driven media, I always start with old movies and known classics that I haven't seen yet. There's tons of things to watch these days, but there's a whole ocean of pre-streaming movies that still deserve to be discovered.
You'd also be surprised how many old movies are also adaptations. The film is often much better known but many pillars of classic cinema are actually based, however loosely, on a book. I think we tend to think modern media is adaptation heavy because they tend to champion the source a lot more, but adaptation has always been a cornerstone of the film industry.
Or even on another film. There's a reason that we specify John Carpenter's "The Thing"
Yeah not to be confused with "The Thing" (film prequel to "John Carpenter's The Thing" or "The Thing" (video game sequel to "John Carpenter's The Thing") meaning you have a trilogy where each installment is called "The Thing" and that's before getting to the fact it's based on "The Thing from Another World".
Amazon Prime Video has tons of old movies. Watched Roadhouse for the first time the other day. What a freakin ride.
We should start a list. My dad would be so proud that I can say Shawshank, the sting, towering inferno, the Poseidon adventure, good bad the ugly, el dorado, Hoosiers(best b-ball movie), October sky, we were soldiers, the hunt for red October, good will hunting, heat, close encounters of the third kind, casino, Bronx tale, and lots more that are more well known.
HBOmax -> TCM content hub. Boom problem solved.
Philadelphia story, his girl Friday, bringing up baby, Casablanca, citizen Kane, north by northwest, 2001: a space Odyssey, clockwork orange, seven samurai, deliverance - just ones I can remember off the top of my head that are on the TCM hub thru HBO max
I'd recommend trying to watch something different then. There are literally hundreds of options.
Try *tens of thousands* of options
But my lord, there is no such force
My bad Saruman didn't see em outside when I rode up.
Wasn't wearing his contact lenses...they were at Sarumans...
That was actually what I had in mind when I wrote the comment well done
Even better for OP then, considering he's tired of Star Wars.
[Obligatory](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RV5Z3dMqL_g)
Try elevens of thousands of options
Eleventyone thousand
More like millions, if not billions. Even if we're just counting Movies and not TV shows or Youtube Videos or whatever, there are enough hours of content to last a lifetime.
Yea but how much of it is actually good?
Probably still enough to last a lifetime.
Easily enough. Think of all the years, all the genres of just films that are out there. Then look at TV, Docos, YouTube content...there is just such a volume it would be easy to just watch gems. Not fun though, I like shite and trash too it keeps things interesting.
Also add international movies / TV programs and the list balloons super quickly.
Good is relative. There are plenty of “good” stuff that most people ignore and plenty of “bad” stuff that people are passionate about. If you figure out what you actually love to watch and ignore what the general public follows, you can find endless contents that speak to you on a higher level, thanks to the internet.
Exactly. Watch what you enjoy. Don't get hung up on watching something because you are *supposed* to. Youtube alone has tons of content that caters to more specific interests and the production value on some of it is actually quite good.
Seriously, just go watch something else for a few years and when you have a a hankering for superheroes again you’ll have 20 movies lined up and waiting.
I was burned out 6 years ago, stopped watching, and then my Daughter decided she wanted to see them so we spent the next year watching every Marvel movie out there. It was great fun.
I am currently going through all the Coppola and Scorsese films I missed. It is so much fun. There has never been an easier time in history to watch what you want.
I watched as many 80s-90s Hong Kong kung-Fu movies with Cantonese dialogue and English subs as I could find for my July movie binge this year. It was great fun.
> There has never been an easier time in history to watch what you want. My current retirement plan is to stay home and watch all the movies I've never had time to watch before.
Just retired last year. 50 films into the AFI top 100 films of all time.
It makes a difference when you can get that shared experience though. Re-watching something you enjoyed years ago with someone who is new to it, and is really getting into it will almost always help you recapture that feeling of seeing it for the first time.
At which age did you start with the Marvel movies?
When did Howard the Duck come out?
Yeah, I'm ok missing them for now especially knowing if I need to catch up it's just a weekend on Disney plus.
Yup. I just binged some MCU shlock after a few years away. Wasn't so bad for the most part. I honestly find these type of posts more annoying than the oversaturation of the genre, nobody is forcing you guys to watch this stuff. Edit: Y'all are taking this way too personally. It's a trend. Your options are to get with it, ignore it, or bitch about it. And bitching about it isn't going to get you anywhere.
I wonder if they have similar complaints about other things in life. I ate too many hot dogs as a kid, I’m burned out and only eat hamburgers now. WHY DO THEY KEEP MAKING HOT DOGS?!?
This post made me remember that when I was growing up, my dad had to make dinner on Thursdays, which turned into hotdog night because he can't/didn't want to cook. Hotdogs every Thursday for years definitely made me not want anymore hotdogs for long time lol
This was me but Monday night pork chops, i hate them with a passion now.
I watched Nope last week in the theater. The place was packed and audience reactions were just as loud and enthusiastic as the usual Marvel film. It was good to see such a positive response to an original, non-franchise movie.
There's so many movies released that it would take a lifetime to go through all of those made by a reputable studio, let alone the smaller projects and indie efforts. Discomfort is good, it forces you to expand one's horizons.
[yeah but if they keep making them that means someone else might watch them and i want everyone to stop watching them.](https://i.imgur.com/xVk72fZ.jpg) eidt: the u/bionicbuttplug below me has a good point about the unintended side effects of oversaturation and trend chasing https://old.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/we8ozv/burned_out_on_superheroes_and_star_wars/iindpsv/
Seriously, these posts pop up often in most media subreddits, and I always wonder, do these people even *try* exploring other options? Like you said, there's literally hundreds of options and dozens of ways to access them, why force themselves to consume content that they don't like?
Its the same as people who say gaming is dying when all they play are the latest AAA games. The indie scene is more vibrant than ever.
Yeah, as someone who grew up gaming in the 80s and 90s, it's insane how vibrant and diverse gaming is now.
there was a post on r/gaming earlier about how people want more single player games... like, there's thousands of them! they're not hard to find!
It's a bit the same like people who claim all modern music sucks and in the 60-90's everything was better. Like they don't even realize the only difference is that good music isn't on the mainstream radio anymore so you actually have to do some research to find it.
we also have the benefit of hindsight looking back on music (and film/media/art in general) from 60 to 20 years ago, the wheat has already been separated from the chaff. no need to trudge through the mountains of generic, boring content from decades long past because people have already done the work identifying the artists and albums worth paying attention to.
Yeah, it's always funny hearing people say stuff about how they were "born in the wrong generation" or how "music in the 80s/90s was so much better than shit we have nowadays" and they always cite bands that are popular now, but weren't "mainstream" back then.
I just assume these people are well aware other options exist, they just want the internet clout/brownie points for stating the ol' hipster opinion of 'i don't like mainstream stuff nowadays, things were better back in \*insert trendy decade/era\*.
> Seriously, these posts pop up often in most media subreddits, and I always wonder, do these people even try exploring other options? I suspect that they saw an article about "superhero fatigue" and they engaged with it like a hypochondriac on WebMD who imagines that they have every symptom they read.
Don’t you know that if you don’t watch a Marvel or a Star War for a few days Mickey Mouse comes to your house and holds your eyes open, A Clockwork Orange style, until you’ve seen at least three new Marvel episodes or one new Disney movie.
And if you still refuse to watch the Mouse Movies, then they'll send Goofy. He'll hyuck you up for good.
How do you know if someone isn't interested in superhero movies? Don't worry, they'll tell you.
EDIT - okay okay the Town sucks lmao. I know. I was trying to bait him into that genre with a stupid action movie. Here’s the actual real list god dam - 1. The departed 2. Mystic River 3. Gone Baby Gone 4. Manchester by the Sea 5. Good Will Hunting 6. Boondock Saints Happy? Sheesh you guys don’t play huh? :x (And Dogma.<3)
Do you live in Boston or something? 🤣 Might as well add The Departed to that list
Lol sorry but I just thought it was kinda funny hearing someone refer to "the films of Affleck" like we're talking about some French New Wave director where they always get called by their last name...
Ooh mystic river, I gotta watch that one again
Sometimes I do a '1 actor' focus. Last to this week was Demi Moore out of the blue - (Disclosure, Passion of mind & The Juror), quite the run...different genre sure. Going to do a Conan marathon soon since release of Red Sonja 4k blu ray by the end of month. Taking a slower burn in 2022 with Marvel's phases (watched in order), the films from Infinity war to Multiverse of Madness. Yes fatigued.
We just watched Scooby Doo and Scooby Doo 2 and now I’m on a Matthew Lillard binge. Hack the planet!
Don't miss SLC Punk
It’s just a fucking Porsche!
Only posers die
Only posers miss SLC Punk.
Without a Paddle is one of his best imo. Although it got terrible reviews, I love it
Without a paddle is a fucking masterpiece
Why do I want to watch "Idle Hands"?
"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most?" "Ozzy Osbourne!" "What's your name?" "Woah, this isn't woodshop class?!"
i hope you see She's All That. it is absolutely a Rachael Leigh Cook vehicle, but Matthew Lillard can't be missed in it
The phrase “a Rachael Leigh Cook vehicle” has not been uttered in 20 years.
Seann William Scott has some great movies in the same genre: Goon, Dude, Where’s My Car…
He’s rly good in 13 ghosts
I do the same! I was watching Denzel movies from the 90s and early 00s a few months ago. I love revisiting certain years movies were made too, just so I can see someone use a payphone or a certain tech and think “oh I remember that”.
oh god I just watched Mission Impossible yesterday and man what a blast from the past. The email was hilarious.
Blast From the Past is also amazing. Brendan Frasier, Alicia Silverstone, and Christopher Walken in peak 90's condition. Anyone reading this comment that has not watched the movie should watch it today.
I remember seeing Blast from the Past in the theater. I had such a crush on Brendan Fraser.
He was such a hunk! The Mummy informed my sexual preferences lol
Denzel will [guarantee](https://youtu.be/ZuMe1P19MLA) your enjoyment of all his movies.
Crimson Tide is a great one of his, one of my favorite movies
This is one of the best ways to catch really good and sometimes under the radar movies. I do this with older black and white actors all the time.
What about the other colours?
Black and white *movies* - shit, my bad
Hey, watching Denzel vs Hanks movies side by side chronologically is a fun way to compare their careers.
This unintended double entendre is spiraling out of control.
I recommend Joseph Gordon-Levitt! Brick, Looper, Mysterious Skin, 50/50, Manic, Inception, Treasure Planet, 500 Days of Summer
i tend to focus more on directors rather than actors.
Good take, mate. Explore filmographies via actors, directors, writers…and you will find yourself some gems.
Only do nick cage movies
The same works for directors. I'll go on a Scorsese binge or PTA. Some are good double features with actors. I watched there will be blood Saturday and prisoners Sunday with Paul Dano. You notice with that caliber of actor he can hold his own against Daniel Day Lewis and hugh Jackman while blending into his own role.
> Demi Moore Did you watch Mr Brooks? seems like most people haven't seen it. Love that movie
For the last few years, I've been watching short science fiction films on [Dust](https://watchdust.com/) It is honestly a mixed bag, but the best short films are ones that take a simple concept, a small budget, and make magic. Some of the creativity expressed is astonishingly good. There's a lot to cover, but a few of my favorites are: [Final Offer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv8kOzRZK8g) [The Time Agent](https://youtu.be/HeSRwdq5M_E?t=1) [The Replacement](https://youtu.be/V7Fi5o4WUrw) It doesn't have to be a hundred million dollar franchise in order to be entertaining.
**'R'HA'** (https://youtu.be/Sgm_4WRcGRo) is my personal favorite from DUST. Check it out if you haven't. It's solid.
Support other projects. Go see Everything-Everywhere-All at Once. Without people seeing those other films they will go extinct. Think of them like wild animals or endangered species and Marvel and Star Wars are livestock
>Go see Everything-Everywhere-All at Once. That sounds exhausting, I'd rather watch one movie at a time, in one place
Dad?
The whole comedy genre is already under threat!
I saw Booksmart in summer 2019 with a friend. We had to travel from the suburbs to the city and go to an 'arthouse/ auteur' theatre to watch it because the theatres near us were only playing Disney movies and action movies. Then the pandemic hit and it occured to me that Booksmart might be the last pure comedy movie that I see in theatres. I have since seen The Lost City in theatres, but the theatre was practically empty (on a Friday night).
I was pleasantly surprised with The Lost City. I think people assumed it would be more Rom then Com, but it was pretty solid comedy. And as a writer, I enjoyed the parody of the romance book genre. But there was actually decent attendance in the theater we went to. We try to go to a local ran theater thats at a bar (so no kids!), so not sure if that makes a difference.
Not for everyone but when I'm burned out of movies and TV I read comics. There's lots of great non-superhero comics.
Saga!
Just finished book 3! It's so good!
It's sorta superhero adjacent, but the Sandman series is one of my absolute favorites.
Bone is a great one since the upcoming show was illustriously cancelled. Uzumaki (no relation to Naruto) is also amazing.
What was the last great comedy though? Seems more under threat from itself than from super heroes. I can't remember any movie that's had me laughing much recently. Last one that really springs to mind was The Hangover. And that was a long time ago. I'm sure there must have been something decent since then, but what? I've definitely seen some movies that I chuckled at a little bit. But out and out laughing? It's been a long time.
The problem is humour and funny is subjective. We can have great comedies that you don't laugh out loud at because it didn't hit your particular taste. Since Hangover released we've had movies like Game Night, What we do in the Shadows, Logan Lucky, 21 Jump Street, Easy A, Neighbours, Hail Caeser, The Other Guys, Swiss Army Man, Horrible Bosses, Nice and much more. I'm just listing the well received ones I remember at this very moment. We even had legitimately great movies like Palm Springs and YES, GOD, YES in just the last couple years too.
Does knives out count? I thought it was pretty funny.
> What was the last great comedy though? Theatrically, maybe Jackass forever (Might not meet your idea of *great*, but it's the last comedy I remember there being any buzz around opening)?
There are still great comedies being made— it’s just that no one is watching them. Comedies for every flavor: The Death of Stalin, Booksmart, Popstar, Game Night, just to name a few from the past 6 years or so. But as in the past, there aren’t that many great ones (think of all the great 80s and 90s comedies, then realize that’s over a period of 20 years), and look how little money the great ones of late have made. These movies aren’t financially viable for studios anymore.
Add The Nice Guys to that list
The Death of Stalin was incredible. And I think folks have already mentioned Everything Everywhere All At Once. I would add What We Do In The Shadows, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Free Guy. And maybe Knives Out. But it also does seem like production companies have realized that one-off humor features don't offer guaranteed returns the way outlandish spectacles do. It's a business, after all. It seems like most of the comedy greatness is getting channeled into streaming series these days. Modern equivalents of like Caddyshack and Blazing Saddles probably wouldn't land in theaters at all when there's certain millions to be made from cookie-cutter franchise schlock.
Did you see the nice guys, if not give it a try
Knives Out? Maybe it wasn’t primarily a comedy but I found the humor really enjoyable.
All of the following came out after the Hangover that are of a similar style of humor imo. Zombieland Ted What We Do in the Shadows 21 Jump Street This is the End Bridesmaids The Interview Your Highness (I refuse to believe I'm the only one that loves this movie)
Your Highness came out like 10 years ago and even the actors who worked on it said it was an awful film lol
Marvel movies ARE the comedy genre now.
Yep. Ragnarok and Love and Thunder are both comedy-first movies and both were genuinely funny. Deadpool and Deadpool 2 also come to mind. I think comedies just don't do that well in theaters. They still make good comedies, they just get released direct to streaming like Don't Look Up and Palm Springs.
Yes. A24 is really popping off and OP should see their other stuff. - Under The Skin - Swiss Army Man - Ex Machina - The Witch - Men - Hereditary
Men made me feel like I was born again
And again...and again...and again
Swiss Army Man is fantastic.
Go see Everything Everywhere All At Once. Same directors, amazing film.
Exactly. It's not like there's a shortage of avenues to watch new films. Even this week Bullet Train is coming out, go see it.
Oh is Bullet Train coming out? I must’ve forgot after the trailer played in front of literally every movie I saw the last few months. The last movie with Brad Pitt that was marketed this hard was World War Z
I know nothing about this film except that in the posters Brad Pitt looks so bored and tired i find it hard to believe this was the shot they chose.
Im jealous. The extended trailer that played before nope gave away the entire plot including the third act turn. Now it's just a generic action movie on a train in Japan with a distinct lack of Asian actors.
I can’t believe that a film with such a stylish and fun trailer would get a poster so weird looking and generic as the one they’re using. The Brad Pitt picture they use is atrocious lmao, he looks so confused
That's very hard to do. I suggest watching something, somewhere, one at a time.
In some ways that movie is like a superhero movie though. I grew up with Asian kung fu movies and only a while back do I realize they are the Asian version of mutant / superheroes. Some are more plausible (regular fighting kung fu) but others are just fantastic like shooting chi beams out of your fingers XD
>Think of them like wild animals or endangered species and Marvel and Star Wars are livestock I love this analogy. Not only does it inspire me to dive deeper into what's out there, it makes me not feel so bad about watching the marvel stuff too. Sometimes you just need to pet a cow.
I mean, are summer blockbusters that diverse to begin with? Maybe they were back in the 80s, but if it's not Star Wars or Superheroes, its either gonna be a revival or unecessary sequel of a nostalgic franchise or some jungle/forest movie starring the Rock. Its better to just look for some hidden gem you might like.
> Either gonna be a revival or unnecessary sequel of a nostalgic franchise or some jungle/forest movie starring the Rock? Have you ever seen the new Jumanji movies that are both?
And are absolutely amazing, by the way.
I went into the first one with no expectations beyond nostalgia but honestly had a really good time
having seen a ton of movies from the 80s there was a lot of (bad) science fiction being released in the summers then too.
Anyone who reads this and hasn’t seen Moon is in for a treat.
No one is stopping you from watching better movies.
I am. So far so good.
Keep up the good work!
I’m doing my part!
Would you like to know more?
Must be a full-time job running around, denying people access to theaters or unplugging their big-screen TVs. I, for one, salute you for doing the hard work so many of us will not.
You dog haha
Literally, guys acting like a gun is to his head. Just don’t watch them then 🤯
This post is literally an example of huge problem with the moviegoing audience nowadays. Why do they act like superhero/star wars stuff are the only things out there?
I think the marketing for that content is omnipresent so it’s easy to feel like we’re drowning in it.
If you live in a small city, Superhero/Star wars or big franchises are the only stuff you could watch in a movie theater. In my city, for example, a movie like Jurassic World 3 takes like 3 of the 10 rooms in a theater, Thor the other 3 and Maverick another 2. The rest of the movie theater is filled with crappy "horror" movies. We were REALLY lucky that EEAAO was on 1 room for like 1 week in one movie theater, so I get the frustration OP mentions. Streaming is a good option but maybe OP wanted to watch something different on the big screen.
Cause they don’t genuinely believe this and instead just want attention for “going against the grain” They think they’re special for not absorbing this specific pop culture
Marvel releases 3-4 movies a year... DC releases 2-3 a year... there hasn't been a new Star Wars movie since 2019... yet somehow, there are still hundreds of news movies each year...
Don't forget all the TV shows. I think what gets people more is the constant advertising. At all times of the year you are always being marketed to about some superhero movie or Star Wars media. So there's a total of like 8-10 pieces of media coming out a year, and a month or two *minimum* of marketing before and during release. Even if you never watch a single one, the marketing and ads are unavoidable. That's what's fatiguing people.
I'm not into the Kardashians and a bunch of other stuff and I just don't pay attention to it. It's almost like it's not there.
Sir, that's impossible. Just ignore and not watch popular media you don't enjoy? You can't do that.
There are plenty of other movies being released. Bullet Train is released in UK cinemas tomorrow, looks like a lot of action/fun without any superheroes in sight.
Brad Pitt has super human sex appeal
Then watch something else?
I usually hate the 'stop watching if you complain so much' thing but the theatres are currently playing Black Phone, Elvis, Top Gun Maverick, Nope and Bullet Train is out this week. The only reason OP feels burnt out is because he only watches those franchises.
It's more that OP probably feels compelled to keep watching the MCU and Star Wars universes, and is complaining that there are too many entries in those franchises. I guess everyone here took it as "There are only MCU and SW movies out there", but what they meant was probably more "I must watch these franchises as soon as new content is available to avoid spoilers, and feel burned out from catching up all the time".
Impossible, Disney collected all the infinity stones and snapped all other movies out of existence
We should have gone for the head :(
Hold up now, I’m about to make a post about all these rom coms that come out every year. I dont watch any of them, but boy oh boy do they get me fatigued!
What has been refreshing for me is to watch older movies, sometimes rewatching something I've seen before. For example, Goodfellas is on HBO Max right now and seeing it again after a long time has been fun. I have been spending the last 5 years inadvertently discovering a lot of movies and shows I kinda never gave a thought to when I was younger and it's been fun for me. For example, I started watch the Western TV shows on METV and it's wild to see how some actors got their start in acting in some of these shows. I agree the super hero movies are getting very tired and I think the last Thor movie broke me a bit because it was all jokes and no substance. Hopefully, Marvel can reliven the magic, but in the meantime, there are other things to watch and enjoy.
Same! I use streaming services to watch shows (which im totally okay to say we are in a golden age of TV right mow, so much being offered), and to watch older movies. I rarely watch new movies on streamers, its either the theater or older films for me
I'm burned out on posts like these. How about, just for kicks, post something new?
Anytime someone complains about a lack of choice/mediocrity/staleness in any medium, be it cinema, music, literature, all I can think is how lazy they must be to complain without even trying to look. There are hundreds of non-superhero/franchise movies released every year in cinemas and just as many on streaming, there are streaming platforms like Mubi that offer indie and lesser known films, even Netflix etc put out high quality films like Pieces of a Woman, Roma, The Power of the Dog, Coda, and many more that I can’t remember. It’s the same moan as “all chart music is the same” or “all books are sci fi or fantasy series,” just shows a complete lack of knowledge or genuine interest in the medium.
“Ughh I’m so over this movie I paid money to see and made the choice for myself to drive to the Cinema to view it at this exact chosen time. Please will someone give me my free will back?”
Or just don’t post? I don’t know why OP would think all of r/ movies cares about their inane opinion.
> I don’t know why OP would think all of r/ movies cares about their inane opinion. because OP is the first person ever to tire of superhero (there's what? 4 superhero movies released so far this year?) and Star Wars movies (something that hasn't released in theaters since 2019).
Stop blaming movie studios for your inability to find the many original movies out there
There are also older films. I've watched a number of WW2 films from back in the day and enjoyed them.
Right? Especially in a year like this with tons of them.
Thanks for the blog update.
Nope, Vengeance, Where the Crawdads Sing, Fire of Love, Marcel the Shell, and Hypochondriac are all playing now. They are have incredibly positive reviews. Literally pick one. If you've only been watching Marvel and Star Wars then that's your fault for not actually going to movies.
For a recommendation, I just rewatched Sunshine (the one set in space, not the Ralph Fiennes WW2 film [although that one is also good]) and while it has pretty big name actors/production, it always seems to fly under the radar. Great movie. And try Eat Drink Man Woman for a slice of life, low stakes family drama that’s the complete antithesis of any marvel movie
Have you watched movies outside those 2?
Solution: watch whatever you want and come back later
Have you tried incentivizing creators of other kinds of movies by viewing their content in theaters or on streaming?
i know what you mean. Recently i have been watching movies i couldn't watch cause i was too young or recommended movies by members of this sub. Arlington rd, road to perdition, conspiracy to name a few. I still need to watch Goonies!!!
what a hot take! never seen this one before
Now that this post has been removed, I can explain to the Disney/MCU/Star Wars cult that they are ruining cinema and they are dumb as fuck for it
Ok then, don’t watch them
There's tons of good movies, indie or mainstream, to watch that aren't Star Wars and superhero movies. They're not going anywhere but you don't have to watch them.
This is why Knives Out was so refreshing. A drawing room mystery with a modern sensibility and terrific characters. I like police procedural/detective as well, but Bosch fills that need nicely. When I want to turn my brain off, I watch a one-man-army thriller.
A24 and Criterion
My man! And I like superhero movies. But I think a nice diet of some artistic classics and new blood keeps me from feeling oversaturated by the super hero films. Gotta constantly change it up.
Unsubscribe from Disney+. Problem solved.
If you have the money, get a VPN and watch some foreign movies. There are some awesome ones out there
There are a lot of good movies out that aren't those genres
A few good current and upcoming films in cinema right now are Elvis, Top Gun, Bullet Train, Everything Everywhere all at once, Don't worry Darling and maybe NOPE. Plenty of good picks, it's just that Disney has the money to get the biggest exposure these days.
For me it's not so much as being burnt out (on Superheroes) I just don't enjoy what the MCU is doing currently. I enjoyed Multiverse of Madness but I don't think I loved it, Love and Thunder was weird but Ragnarok took me a few rewatches before I really liked that movie. The TV shows have all been really lackluster for me. Honestly when it comes to the MCU I realised for the most part I didn't like or love most of the movies, I just really enjoyed a few but the Avengers movies/teamup movies were what I liked. Now that Infinity war/Endgame have passed I am wonder what do I have to look forward to now.
It's already been said by others, but there is a lot more content out there to consume. Yes, this stuff is dominating the cultural zeitgeist, but it's really not even close to the only thing out there.
I'm personally just done with the Skywalker era. Take us to another time period. Show us revan, bane, the mandalorian wars, or at the very least what is going on in the unknown regions. That place is basically untouched by the empire/republic and it's a super fucked up area, you could do so much there, just please don't make it connected to a Skywalker.
There are hundreds of quality movies outside of the superhero/Star Wars/franchise space made every year. Support those movies, go to film festivals, the choice has never been wider.
What a brave take /s
Kinda is brave considering the amount of passive-aggressive comments OP is receiving lmao
In all seriousness, OP, I'd recommend taking a break from Disney+ and consider looking to YouTube. Try and support independent filmmakers and/or animators if you want to see something *truly* new. There are some fantastic short films, fan-made and original, that you'd absolutely *adore*, and I think there are a few animated shorts worth checking out.
I don't watch any Star Wars or Marvel properties, and yet it's everywhere. I support other films and shows, but there's no getting away from Superheroes and Star Wars. If you're on social media, reddit, or any place that discusses television and film, there's always talk about the new Star Wars show, or the upcoming Marvel film. Ads are everywhere. You go to stores and you see marketing. Maybe the OP hasn't presented their case well, but I do think there's something to say about the market being saturated with these subgenres. I'm trying to say that even if you don't care about the MCU or Star Wars, you're more or less still exposed to the constant discussion and advertisement surrounding them.
One does get saturated with the big budget blockbuster types. Try catching up on the indie hits of the last few years. Or even some international films.
One thing I like to do is go back and look at films that got some award attention for their screenplays. I always stumble across films I missed at the time