Special Effects (and stuff like that)

I think we’ve all found ourselves wondering at some point: is there actually any real acting left in this industry!?
it feels like special effects have almost completely overshadowed genuine, old-school performance...
not that the effects themselves are necessarily bad—they aren't—but I wonder if they're being used so excessively that everything ends up looking incredibly artificial 👎
WHAT DO YOU THINK 😕

In my estimation, special effects only ever reach a certain level of adequacy before they start feeling like a distraction. I’m not entirely sure what you’re trying to add here, but if we’re looking for an extra layer of substance, let’s make sure it actually serves a purpose rather than just being filler. It’s all well and good to tack things on, but without a clear direction, it’s just clutter. To a truly great film. 😉

Essential. They only really show up in catastrophically bad movies, usually acting as a desperate distraction to pull the audience's focus away from a hollow plot and subpar acting—"Van Helsing," anyone?! 😁 )

I feel like the biggest question just presents itself—how do they actually film sex scenes? You've got a guy and a woman naked and grinding away—is that actually happening or is it all just some kind of effect?

...it depends... mostly it's just an effect—for some reason people (including the film industry and its actors) still seem "appalled" by actual sex in movies... but if you want something real, genuine & non-fake, go watch "9 Songs" by Michael Winterbott—I'm pretty sure that stuff is 100% genuine 👍 😉

Amanda Lopez50 said:...it depends... mostly it's just an effect—for some reason people (including the industry and the actors themselves) still seem "appalled" by actual sex in movies... but if you want something real, genuine & non-fake, check out "9 Songs" by Michael Winterbott—I'm pretty sure that one is 100% genuine 👍 😉

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a conservative when it comes to these things 😬

And what about 😬 Brown Bunny? That isn't an effect either

...oh, right, how did I even forget him? 😁
...but my absolute favorite example of "failed authenticity" has to be that "apology" Harmony Korine made regarding "Julien"... since the whole point of a Dogme-film is that the director has to "declare" every single time they break the rules, Harmony basically wrote something along the lines of: Sevigny (yeah, her again...🙂), the lead actress, wasn't actually pregnant—they just used a pillow. Not that I didn't try to 😁 predobro edit 🙂
EDIT: I forgot to mention one crucial detail—Sevigny was actually Harmony's girlfriend at the time... don't want anyone thinking I'm out here spreading weird rumors 🙂

Jose Chase2 said:I think the biggest question just presents itself—how do they actually film sex scenes? Like, a guy and a woman naked and grinding... is that the real deal or just some cinematic trick?

Of course it's staged, because it's all an illusion, though I recall reading on an IMDb thread about Basic Instinct that guys often wear these specialized modesty garments, sort of like heavy-duty athletic gear, just to keep things from getting awkward if they get an unwanted reaction...🙂

Back in that "innocent" era about 30 years ago, special effects actually gave us classics like Star Wars. Nowadays, modern CGI has basically buried them. When you watch those behind-the-scenes documentaries alongside the prequels, the conversation is nothing but technical specs—it's all just "look at this effect" or "check out that visual." You barely get a word about the actual plot, and honestly, the storytelling is hanging by a thread.

Look, the visuals are stunning, sure, but where’s the logic? They slap a prosthetic and a mask on a guy who looks like he just stepped out of a barbershop, without even bothering to make his clothes look singed or worn down... HELLOOOOO! Is anyone actually home, Mr. Lucas? 🙄 😵 😁

I honestly think all these special effects have actually made acting harder.
I mean, you're stuck there shouting into the void with fake intensity, trying desperately not to look like an idiot who’s just counting down the minutes until they can get home and crawl back into their hole for the next fix...

Ever since humans first started telling stories through film, we've been obsessed with special effects.

Richard Hernandez13 said:Special effects have been part of cinema since the very beginning.

That’s true, I guess, but for certain genres today—like sci-fi or horror—it’s practically becoming the entire movie.
Making a film has basically turned into just computer animation, with an actor occasionally popping up in the background.😁

So, what do you think? Which movies are actually worth watching just for the special effects?

First off, I’d say Metropolis from 1926. It’s still worth a watch solely for the visual effects. The plot is complete garbage. "No robot shall stand on the Zigurat of Power as Long as i Live !" — that's a real quote.

feralharbor8 said:So, what's the verdict? Which movies are actually worth sitting through just for the special effects?

First off, you gotta look at Metropolis from 1926. Even now, it's worth the watch solely because of those effects. The actual plot? Total garbage. "No robot shall stand on the Zigurat of Power as Long as i Live !" — that's a real quote in there.

Wild... considering that was like 80 years ago...

A truly fantastic quartet—the effects aren't half bad either... quite a film!👎

Matrix 2,3
300
There are plenty more where those came from, I just can't pull them to mind right this second. 🙂

Matrix 2 and 3—the first one's actually worth a watch, mostly just to see Price in action...🙂 )

Transformers is a total disaster—but man, those special effects actually hit...

Tyler Price3 said:Transformers is a total disaster, even if the VFX are decent.

Ajooj😢, and here I was thinking about catching it. I actually thought it might be good...

Patrick Smith44 said:Ajooj 😢, I actually intended to watch that one; I had high hopes for it...

Go ahead and give the movie a watch.

Honestly, most of these recent superhero flicks are just a massive letdown. They’ve got zero substance, but man, they sure know how to throw money at the CGI. If I had to pick one that actually worked, I’d say the original X-Men was a solid entry—it felt like a real movie instead of just a glorified tech demo.