Movies as a commodity

I’m honestly at a loss with this one, so if anyone has some actual insight—maybe an argument that won't make me feel totally ripped off, played for a fool, or just plain exhausted every single time I walk out of a movie theater—please throw it my way.
Look, in today's world, consumers actually have rights, right? If you buy a shirt and it falls apart after the first wash, you take it back. If the food you bought is spoiled, you get a refund, and so on, and so forth.
What I can't wrap my head around is why ART (and let's call movies and music that, even if that's debatable) is completely exempt from any kind of accountability toward a dissatisfied customer. How is it possible that this is the one industry where you HAVE to buy completely blind? No matter what, you have to pay for the film—whether it’s a streaming sub, a Blu-ray, or a ticket at AMC Theatres—but if the experience is absolute garbage, who do you even complain to? You paid your money, and that's it. It's gone.
Of course, that's exactly why more and more people are turning to piracy. They’ve been straight-up scammed so many times that they're just looking for a way to actually SEE what they're paying for first (which is honestly such an unthinkable level of audacity!), though of course, that makes the artists who churn out the exact same trash incredibly angry.
Thanks for listening, but I just finished watching Tron: Legacy ($12) and that was truly the final straw for me...
I actually posted this over on the Legal forum too, because I am genuinely curious how they managed to become more protected from unhappy customers than a Siberian tiger.
Long live Quentin Tarantino, though; he's the only one I'll keep buying into blindly...

Jesse Thomas7 said:I’m honestly at a loss with this one, so if anyone has some actual insight—maybe an argument that won't make me feel totally ripped off, played for a fool, or just plain exhausted every single time I walk out of a movie theater—please throw it my way.
Look, in today's world, consumers actually have rights, right? If you buy a shirt and it falls apart after the first wash, you take it back. If the food you bought is spoiled, you get a refund, and so on, and so forth.
What I can't wrap my head around is why ART (and let's call movies and music that, even if that's debatable) is completely exempt from any kind of accountability toward a dissatisfied customer. How is it possible that this is the one industry where you HAVE to buy completely blind? No matter what, you have to pay for the film—whether it’s a streaming sub, a Blu-ray, or a ticket at AMC Theatres—but if the experience is absolute garbage, who do you even complain to? You paid your money, and that's it. It's gone.
Of course, that's exactly why more and more people are turning to piracy. They’ve been straight-up scammed so many times that they're just looking for a way to actually SEE what they're paying for first (which is honestly such an unthinkable level of audacity!), though of course, that makes the artists who churn out the exact same trash incredibly angry.
Thanks for listening, but I just finished watching Tron: Legacy ($12) and that was truly the final straw for me...
I actually posted this over on the Legal forum too, because I am genuinely curious how they managed to become more protected from unhappy customers than a Siberian tiger.
Long live Quentin Tarantino, though; he's the only one I'll keep buying into blindly...

Eh, you've hit on a great question there. It isn't just about movies; it's literature, too. You walk into a shop like Facebook to buy a book, and half the section is filled with stuff like Fashion Cat or Nives... then you see foreign stars like Barack Obama or Carla Bruni... It's selling entertainment, not art. If you didn't find it entertaining, they don't owe you anything.

It's simply because modern art follows the rules of L'art pour l'art.

A little bit of research before you buy—it shouldn't be that hard! You wouldn't just blindly pick up a book by Fashion Mack, nor would you head to the movies to see Tron: Legacy if that specific film genre doesn't appeal to you... You have to know what you want!
And let's face it, the internet is always there, offering everything you could ever desire. Personally, I rarely bother consuming movies through "official" channels anyway.

Jerry Martinez50 said:It's simply because modern art follows the rules of L'art pour l'art.

A little bit of research before you buy—it shouldn't be that hard! You wouldn't just blindly pick up a book by Fashion Mack, nor would you head to the movies to see Tron: Legacy if that specific film genre doesn't appeal to you... You have to know what you want!
And let's face it, the internet is always there, offering everything you could ever desire. Personally, I rarely bother consuming movies through "official" channels anyway.

Research before buying?! Are you kidding me? You mean a massive pile of propaganda and hype fed to you right before release, backed up by a meticulously edited trailer that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual movie? They misrepresent the product to you—like telling you some trashy comedy starring Meg Ryan is going to be a riot—and they don't care that they're lying to you...
As for Tron: Legacy, I don't really have a specific 'Film genre' that I stick to; I'm not boxed in by any categories. A good movie is a good movie. But look, Blade Runner and Tron: Legacy are both Sci-Fi, yet one is a masterpiece and the other is total garbage.
Regardless, Tron: Legacy is marketed like it's the greatest thing ever made, so I sit there, take the hit, and then who am I supposed to complain to when they lied to my face?

mellowstag17 said:Eh, you've hit on a great question there. It isn't just about movies; it's literature, too. You walk into a shop like Facebook to buy a book, and half the section is filled with stuff like Fashion Cat or Nives... then you see foreign stars like Barack Obama or Carla Bruni... It's selling entertainment, not art. If you didn't find it entertaining, they don't owe you anything.

Exactly what I'm getting at—these days, every single movie and every single book claims to be a hilarious masterpiece, something divine, gorgeous, or indescribable... as if everything produced is some kind of timeless work of art.
How are you supposed to actually choose anything without waiting for a massive wave of recommendations? It's like you can't even watch or read something until half the country has already finished it first.

Jesse Thomas7 said:Research before buying?! Are you kidding me? You mean a massive pile of propaganda and hype fed to you right before release, backed up by a meticulously edited trailer that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual movie? They misrepresent the product to you—like telling you some trashy comedy starring Meg Ryan is going to be a riot—and they don't care that they're lying to you...
As for Tron: Legacy, I don't really have a specific 'Film genre' that I stick to; I'm not boxed in by any categories. A good movie is a good movie. But look, Blade Runner and Tron: Legacy are both Sci-Fi, yet one is a masterpiece and the other is total garbage.
Regardless, Tron: Legacy is marketed like it's the greatest thing ever made, so I sit there, take the hit, and then who am I supposed to complain to when they lied to my face?

Man, you’re just a total slave to consumer culture at this point.😁
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Look, you have to vet your info. Not all data is created equal—it’s all about how you weigh the source and what you're actually looking for. Personally? I would never waste my money on a DVD of Little Fockers, nor would I ever pick up a book by some random Fashion guru or an autobiography from the Gotovec family. I know exactly what doesn't interest me. Maybe someone else would find value in that stuff, and hey, more power to them, but it's just not my thing.
Modern consumers have become blind followers of smoke and mirrors. They trust every salesperson who crosses their path without a second thought. Everyone is out there pushing a product—it doesn't matter if they're peddling high art or just some cheap laundry detergent.
So, Milan Tarot is out here suggesting we all smear sour cream on our heads before hitting the hay. Seriously. Would you actually do it?

On what grounds would you even complain to anyone? Based on a mere subjective impression? Surely, someone out there finds that film excellent. It’s akin to visiting a museum to see Picasso's Guernica, deciding it isn't to your taste, and then demanding a refund for your admission fee. Film is art, and we know how that works—certain works are universally acclaimed, like Blade Runner, while others appeal to a more niche audience, such as Tron: Legacy.
Next time, perhaps avoid going in blindly and expecting a feature to mirror a two-minute trailer. Besides, you have Rotten Tomatoes at your disposal to check the critics' consensus.

William Lee34 said:On what grounds would you even complain to anyone? Based on a mere subjective impression? Surely, someone out there finds that film excellent. It’s akin to visiting a museum to see Picasso's Guernica, deciding it isn't to your taste, and then demanding a refund for your admission fee. Film is art, and we know how that works—certain works are universally acclaimed, like Blade Runner, while others appeal to a more niche audience, such as Tron: Legacy.
Next time, perhaps avoid going in blindly and expecting a feature to mirror a two-minute trailer. Besides, you have Rotten Tomatoes at your disposal to check the critics' consensus.

I couldn't agree more! You can't argue with taste, and I think the mistake here was simply failing to realize that this particular film wasn't going to be your cup of tea.

Personally, I find the whole concept of going to the theater a bit silly. Kill me now. 😢 No, really, I’m just not a fan of the cinema experience, mainly because of the fact that I have to shell out $12, the risk of buying a total dud, and my own high standards for movies. On top of that, I can't stand people laughing or coughing around me, or folks constantly getting up to head to the restroom...

For the price of those $12, you could have grabbed five bags of chips at Walmart and just streamed that trash instead. If it turns out to be a disaster after ten minutes, you just turn it off, delete it, and find something else to watch. You save time, skip the headache, and end up with a full stomach! 👍

At least nowadays you don't have to go in blind. You can look up everything about a movie before you even step foot in the theater—which is a double-edged sword, because once you see the reviews, you might decide it isn't worth your time at all. Then again, judging art is always a gray area; what one critic calls a masterpiece, someone else might call total garbage. But here’s the real question: how do you stop those shameless people who actually liked the movie from trying to demand a refund later just because they changed their minds? Out in the real world, there's been a trend where you can return products you aren't happy with within a week or two without much explanation—something that doesn't really fly with DVDs. And honestly, given the cost of living, movie tickets in the US are getting pretty damn expensive.

Gary Collins4 said:I couldn't agree more! You can't argue with taste, and I think the mistake here was simply failing to realize that this particular film wasn't going to be your cup of tea.

Personally, I find the whole concept of going to the theater a bit silly. Kill me now. 😢 No, really, I’m just not a fan of the cinema experience, mainly because of the fact that I have to shell out $12, the risk of buying a total dud, and my own high standards for movies. On top of that, I can't stand people laughing or coughing around me, or folks constantly getting up to head to the restroom...

For the price of those $12, you could have grabbed five bags of chips at Walmart and just streamed that trash instead. If it turns out to be a disaster after ten minutes, you just turn it off, delete it, and find something else to watch. You save time, skip the headache, and end up with a full stomach! 👍

And then colon cancer hits after those five bags of Walmart chips. 👍

Personally, I think anyone heading to an AMC Theatres to see "Tron: Legacy" should be charged a parking fine for every single minute they spend inside—on top of the ticket, of course—and then have their credit card interest rates spiked and their house facades smeared with industrial sludge. 😁

Jerry Martinez50 said:Man, you’re just a total slave to consumer culture at this point.😁
Our new dish soap tackles even those impossible, stubborn stains with just a single swipe! Plus, our latest deodorant spray keeps your skin feeling calm, hydrated, and totally sweat-proof for a full 24 hours.

Look, you have to vet your info. Not all data is created equal—it’s all about how you weigh the source and what you're actually looking for. Personally? I would never waste my money on a DVD of Little Fockers, nor would I ever pick up a book by some random Fashion guru or an autobiography from the Gotovec family. I know exactly what doesn't interest me. Maybe someone else would find value in that stuff, and hey, more power to them, but it's just not my thing.
Modern consumers have become blind followers of smoke and mirrors. They trust every salesperson who crosses their path without a second thought. Everyone is out there pushing a product—it doesn't matter if they're peddling high art or just some cheap laundry detergent.
So, Milan Tarot is out here suggesting we all smear sour cream on our heads before hitting the hay. Seriously. Would you actually do it?

Look, I get all that, don't worry about it; I'm not some mindless victim of advertising. My point was specifically about the fact that regardless of the commercials, as a customer, I have the right to make a scene and demand my money back if that detergent fails to clean my clothes properly. I have the right to return clothes, food, a TV, whatever. And if we're talking about art, I should have the right to actually SEE a painting before I drop cash on it. But movies? Movies seem untouchable, which explains why they're swimming in money—they never have to cough up a single dollar to anyone who walks out of the theater unhappy.🙂

William Lee34 said:On what grounds would you even complain to anyone? Based on a mere subjective impression? Surely, someone out there finds that film excellent. It’s akin to visiting a museum to see Picasso's Guernica, deciding it isn't to your taste, and then demanding a refund for your admission fee. Film is art, and we know how that works—certain works are universally acclaimed, like Blade Runner, while others appeal to a more niche audience, such as Tron: Legacy.
Next time, perhaps avoid going in blindly and expecting a feature to mirror a two-minute trailer. Besides, you have Rotten Tomatoes at your disposal to check the critics' consensus.

A-ha, sure! By that logic, you and I could both buy the exact same TV, yours works like a dream while mine dies after two hours, yet I should still be able to return mine just because it's the "same model" as your perfectly functional one. Or I could walk into a store, return a pair of pants just because "they don't really suit me," and nobody would have the nerve to ask, "Wait, why did everyone else love them?"
Of course, it’s impossible to bring any kind of order to this chaos, which is exactly why filmmakers are rubbing their hands together in glee. They just churn out piece after piece of garbage because they know the only thing that matters is pumping their product up to insane heights—as long as the money keeps rolling in, they're happy.

northerncrane4 said:And then colon cancer hits after those five bags of Walmart chips. 👍

Personally, I think anyone heading to an AMC Theatres to see "Tron: Legacy" should be charged a parking fine for every single minute they spend inside—on top of the ticket, of course—and then have their credit card interest rates spiked and their house facades smeared with industrial sludge. 😁

Has it ever happened to you where a movie totally blows your mind even though you expected absolutely nothing from it—like, you were dead certain it was going to be total garbage, and then suddenly... boom.
Or on the flip side, have you ever been positive, based on your own tastes and what you actually like, that you'd have a blast, only to end up feeling completely let down?

Jesse Thomas7, you keep missing the point people have been trying to make: watching a movie is a deeply subjective experience. Your taste is yours alone, and nobody else is responsible for it but you. Maybe try doing a little more homework before dropping $12 on something; obviously, you're going to be disappointed if you head to the theater based solely on some damn trailer.🙄

neonsurfer6 said:Jesse Thomas7, you keep missing the point people have been trying to make: watching a movie is a deeply subjective experience. Your taste is yours alone, and nobody else is responsible for it but you. Maybe try doing a little more homework before dropping $12 on something; obviously, you're going to be disappointed if you head to the theater based solely on some damn trailer.🙄

And what am I supposed to do when everyone starts dogpiling me just because of "subjective experiences"? All I was trying to ask was if anyone else feels like it's kind of messed up how the film industry basically dodges any responsibility toward a dissatisfied customer. That’s it. But apparently, the answer is "no," nobody thinks that way, everyone’s perfectly happy, and it's all purely my own fault. You guys act like if a movie sucks, it's my own damn fault because I didn't "do my research" or whatever. Fine.
Thanks for the input, and honestly, don't come at me just because I don't see eye-to-eye with you all and think the whole setup is pretty unfair.

I just hope we can all agree on one thing here: much like how professional football has evolved, movies have completely stopped caring about the "art" of filmmaking. It’s nothing but pure business now—just money, money, money. Let’s be real, it’s going to be nearly impossible to get a major studio to greenlight some small, heartfelt story when they can just pump out another superhero flick or some high-tech CGI spectacle instead. That’s exactly why so many fresh, actually quality ideas never even stand a chance at reaching an audience...

If we're talking about mainstream American cinema, you might be onto something, though I’d argue this isn't a new trend—it’s always been this way. But if we're discussing film as an art form in general, that statement is nowhere near the truth.

High-quality ideas definitely find their way to the people who care. However, you’ll only find them if you look beyond the latest promotional flyer from AMC Theatres.

Besides, nobody is attacking you here. We're just having a discussion; it's a forum, not a battlefield.

Jesse Thomas7 said:Has it ever happened to you where a movie totally blows your mind even though you expected absolutely nothing from it—like, you were dead certain it was going to be total garbage, and then suddenly... boom.
Or on the flip side, have you ever been positive, based on your own tastes and what you actually like, that you'd have a blast, only to end up feeling completely let down?

I think your issue is this general life misconception that you always get exactly what you pay for. That attitude usually crops up when you feel like you've been shortchanged. I doubt you argue the same way when you feel like you got more than your money's worth—as if you should somehow owe extra in those cases.

Deal with it. Sometimes the best things in life are free; other times, you pay a premium for absolute trash. That's Life. ☕

neonsurfer6 said:If we're talking about mainstream American cinema, you might be onto something, though I’d argue this isn't a new trend—it’s always been this way. But if we're discussing film as an art form in general, that statement is nowhere near the truth.

High-quality ideas definitely find their way to the people who care. However, you’ll only find them if you look beyond the latest promotional flyer from AMC Theatres.

Besides, nobody is attacking you here. We're just having a discussion; it's a forum, not a battlefield.

I'm with you on that, and honestly, it's such a damn shame that the quality of a movie seems to have become inversely proportional to its marketing budget, media coverage, and how much it's shoved down our throats. I mean, look at Daywatch or Night Watch—how many people actually sat down to watch those, and why did they get such little attention?
So, the takeaway is that I basically have to dodge Hollywood spectacles at all costs. But then again, if I did that, I would've missed out on The Matrix, which would've been a massive waste...
As for staying informed, unfortunately, we're back to the subjectivity of the viewer. Of course, whether it's the critics or the general public, you're going to run into completely conflicting opinions and reviews, none of which actually tells me whether *I* am going to enjoy it or not.
Now I probably sound like some bitter, perpetually dissatisfied killjoy, which isn't really me, but... well, here we are. It's too late to try and backtrack now....😍

northerncrane4 said:I think your issue is this general life misconception that you always get exactly what you pay for. That attitude usually crops up when you feel like you've been shortchanged. I doubt you argue the same way when you feel like you got more than your money's worth—as if you should somehow owe extra in those cases.

Deal with it. Sometimes the best things in life are free; other times, you pay a premium for absolute trash. That's Life. ☕

Nah, you've got it all wrong... when a movie actually blows my mind, I'll Buy being original, which means that movie makes even more money off me. If the soundtrack is killer, I'll pick that up too—so, more money for them. Basically, anything that actually impresses me ends up earning an extra buck from my pocket. So yeah, I "pay extra" specifically when I feel like I've gotten way more than my money's worth.