As we reported earlier, Universal Studios is being reorganized. Those of you waiting for a remake of The Wolfman are in luck; the project is still on. So is a Robin Hood movie starring Russell Crowe, oooh. However, those of you who, like me, prefer to spend your movie ticket-buying allowance on human-scale movies with adult complexity–stuff like Duplicity, State of Play, or Public Enemies – are screwed.
See, according to the Uni bookkeepers, those titles, er, “underperformed” at the box office this year. So did Funny People, in which Judd Apatow and Adam Sandler took creative risks that resulted in a movie different from other movies made by Judd Apatow or starring Adam Sandler. And now, according to a story in The New York Times, NBC Universal honcho Jeff Zucker has declared that “the mandate is to get back to making commercial pictures with a degree of responsibility.” Which I’m guessing means “Wolfman on a budget,” rather than a greater number of interesting, economically produced projects from Duplicity‘s Tony Gilroy and Public Enemies‘ Michael Mann — you know, stuff more likely to interest grown-ups than a remake of a horror pic or the umpteenth take on the merry men of Sherwood Forest.
As a critic, of course, I’ll go see what Universal has decided we all want to see. As a civilian, on the other hand, I’m bummed. If this matters to you — if you think there’s a discrepancy between the Hollywood idea of “commercial pictures” and your idea of a good movie — tell me about it.
Photo Credit: Tracy Bennett
I’m all for thoughtful adult movies, but when you go around defending Duplicity as a good movie, then I have to really wonder about your taste in films…
Exactly. I thoroughly enjoy adult films that are complex and thought provoking. However, Duplicity, State of Play, and Public enemies were all too formulaic and cliche to be considered good movies in my opinion. I was deeply disapointed with all three of these films and if the decision to cut back on films like these was based on the quality of these 3 films than I completely understand cutting back on them. A good cast does not make a good film.
I was also disappointed. I came to Public Enemies on opening day ready to see Johnny Depp in an awesome movie that was fun and deep. What I got was Johnny Depp in a mediocre action movie where I almost fell asleep.
The only reason I didn’t sleep was the music was great. but once the credits starting rolling, I couldn’t wait to get out of the theater…
This. I was looking forward to Public Enemies for a year, and literally the only times I could stay awake was when they were playing Otis Taylor. That and the cotsumes were the only good thing about that movie — even the picture quality was bad.
Very well said, Tran. Very well said.
I have to agree. I like adult, intelligent movies (Moon was my favorite of the summer), but Duplicity, State of Play and Public Enemies are not very good examples of quality film making. I was especially disappointed by Duplicity, which I had been anticipating for some time.
I really wanted to like “Duplicity,” I mean Clive Owen, come on, what’s not to love? But I was so disappointed. Maybe if every single character wasn’t so seriously and morally flawed I would’ve cared more. I’m sorry I wasted the pay per view fee.
I thoroughly enjoyed Public Enemies. Duplicity, on the other hand, MAJORLY boring, MAJORLY blah. And I also was not a huge fan of Funny People [I tend to have a thing about movies billed as comedies that aren't particularly comedic]. That being said, I would prefer to watch any of these movies repeatedly than the same old commercial crap that is spewed out from studios. I had hoped that with all the more thought-provoking films that have earned recognition, maybe we could move away from blockbuster uselessness.
I liked Duplicity. Julia Roberts and Clive Owen had amazing chemistry. Funny People was great too.
Why does Hollywood keep doing Robin Hood? Do those movies make enough money to justify doing a million versions? I remember the ones that Kevin Costner and Patrick Bergin were pretty awful. I don’t know if Russell Crowe will have better results. No one is really into the medieval period right now, so what makes NBCUni think that this is a commercial pursuit?
Hollywood keeps pumping out films/TV shows about Robin Hood, King Arthur, Sherlock Holmes, etc. becuase those stories are so old that no one holds the rights to them. Therefore they’re cheaper and they can do whatever they want with them without the author or author’s family complaining or demanding a big cheque.
However, I’m looking forward to this Robin Hood becuase it’s being directed by Ridley Scott. I just hope the studio doesn’t handcuff him like they did on Kingdom of Heaven.
I personally love all the folkloric tales like Robin Hood and King Arthur. Stories like that have so many incarnations throughout time that there are so many different angles from which to take them. Plus, i am a sucker for anything medieval.
I’m currently obsessed with the BBC’s Robin Hood series myself, after loving the Disney film as a kid. There’s just something about that story that doesn’t get old.
This makes me sad. I saw “Public Enemies,” and while it was maybe a little too long, it was a very solid, good movie. It was well acted, well directed, and had a good quality to it. While I did not see “Funny People,” I had wanted to because the story sounded intriguing to me and I like seeing actors who usually stick with the low-brow “potty” humor do something different. I was ecstatic when I saw Jim Carrey in “The Truman Show” after nothing but years of him doing stuff like “Dumb and Dumber” and “Ace Ventura.”
Too bad this studio has such a low opinion of the movie-going public’s sensibilities.
This really is sad to me: more craptastic crap. Oh yay.
If I recall, Ms. Schwarzbaum, you HATED Funny People and were lukewarm on both Public Enemies and Duplicity. While it’s always sad to see studios go for “commercial pictures” over weirder choices, if the movies are pretentious crap then maybe an overhaul is needed. Wolf Man and Robin Hood (a classic adventure tale with a interesting director and star) were greenlit BEFORE this decision. Until we hear more about what specifically they’re planning to do, I think you’ve jumped the gun on some of your assumptions.
Seconded.
Yeah but the point isn’t really that the movies mentioned weren’t that great. The point is that Universal sees them as “mature dramas aimed at adults” and is now less likely to greenlight more “mature dramas aimed at adults,” whether they’d be terrible or great.
I feel stuck in the middle here. These latest “adult” features are boring, but another Robin Hood makes me want to barf.
Can’t I be excited to see “A Serious Man” and the “Wolf Man”?
yes, Stacie, exactly! But will there still be a place for movies like “A Serious Man” when studios are devoting all their efforts to blockbuster material and the boutique divisions of those studios are collapsing?
Blockbuster, by definition when applied to film or theatre, denotes a very popular and/or successful production. So, you want the major companies to stop making “a very popular and/or successful production” and make movies, in your own words “underperformed”? I’m glad you are not in the movie making process, or I’d end up saving money every week by not going to the movies. Stick to your day job, and continue to write poorly researched articles that make zero sense. When I go to the theater, I want to see movies that I am going to enjoy and talk about with my friends at the diner later. Movies like Duplicity, State of Play, or Public Enemies should cut down even more on their budget, spend a little more on marketing, and make them direct to DVD, because those are all movies I’d rather watch at home on my TV with a date. Milk and 500 Days of Summer were good movies, but i’m glad I didn’t pay to see them in the theater. While Transformers 2 & G.I. Joe totally sucked, but I enjoyed watching them on the big screen. I don’t want to sit in a theater with 200 other people watching a thought provoking movie in total silence or hearing people cry, I go to see huge explosions, hear load surround sound, or people laughing at the same things I find funny. That deserves $10!
Remember the days when high brow and commercial weren’t mutually exclusive? When a movie like Chinatown could be an intelligent, adult film that also made money?
yes I agree with you for once lisa.
I agree there is a growing distaste in Hollywood for making intelligent, well-made films for adults. I really liked “State of Play” and “Duplicity” and commend Universal for making the effort at producing quality pictures. But, essentially, Universal in the end is like all the other studios, (and businesses in general) where the dollar is almighty and whatever brings in the bucks is what will be made. So now movies are going to made which appeal to the lowest common denominator and audiences will have to wait from January to about late October or November for good, Oscar-quality movies.
Why are people treating this like this is the end of all good films from universal forever? We don’t know if the wolfman or robin hood (which both have nothing to do with this decision) could be like star trek or the dark knight. There will always be dumb studio summer fare and there will always be great more serious films. I mean seriously come awards time does anyone really think it will be between transformers and angels and demons? Of course not. There will always be great movies and while there maybe more dumb remakes in the future, it does not mean that all serious fare (in a bit of a slump right now, which is understandable, when you make a choice at the movies when you’re worried about your 401k, your healthcare, and your countries safety are you really gonna go for the intense indie drama?)is going to suddenly disappear.
Also funny people was not that great and Ms. Schwarzbaum herself did complain truthfully of its dragginess.
State of Play was one of the best movies of the year (is almost over so shut it) those of you who find it boring or whatever just don’t know how to appreciate a good, solid, adult thinker of a movie. Of course they want mass appeal, this is the aftermath of that horrible movie of the decade: Transformers 2. I guess we continue down the dumbing down of America right on schedule.
I don’t think its ‘dumbing down’ at all. I enjoyed State of Play and alot of other adult dramas. I’m just not going to pay $10 to see it once at a theater when I can pay the same amount and own it forever on DVD. Now, I WILL pay $10 to get my eyes bugged out at an amazing fireworks display of fighting robots.
Personally, I have nothing against seeing Wolf Man. The problem isn’t that Universal is making Wolf Man instead of Pretentious Oscar-Baiting Adult Flick #123, it’s that Wolf Man will probably be lowest-common-denominator story-what-story-hey-did-you-see-our-special-effects junk. I wish studios would start following Pixar’s lead and make films that are fun and entertaining but also (here’s the big point) *good.* Bubble gum popcorn fluff is all well and good in movies, the problem is studios assume big budget popcorn movies don’t have to be good too. So they toss together a flimsy story, find the best looking blocks of wood they can to star and slather it in special effects, and then sit back and expect audiences to lap it up. Problem is, audiences *do* lap it up, and so we get a sequel to the absolutely painfully bad G.I Joe while actual good movies that aren’t as marketable (read: shiny) get shoved aside.
True…Pixar should now make every movie that comes out. Pixar can make anything great. Let us start campaigning. Pixar for everyone!!!
Universal has to do something to shake things up. This was one of the worst summers in recent years. Tightening budgets would be smart. Who would give 75 million to have Adam and Seth do a comic cancer movie??? That’s a ridiculous sum of $. Had it been made at the cost of a ‘Reign On Me’ and Judd hadn’t had full artistic control..it could’ve been something decent.
letsbevain.ajaystewartproject.com
I think that while sometimes summer commercial movies can be intelligent, they aren’t the only things we should be seeing in theaters.
This makes me sad. But we can only blame ourselves. I am one of those who value films that deal with the complexity of human life, films that are thought-provoking. Sadly, most people I know only want brainless movies that have no substance. It’s what most people want so it’s what they’re gonna get. So I guess it’s bad news for those who actually watch movies that have substance.