[quote=@SleepingSilence] Going to bat for Multiverse of Madness are we? Man, you'll argue contrarian for just about anything, won't ya?[/quote] Except I'm not going to bat for Multiverse of Madness. I'm going to bat for Everything Everywhere All At Once. [quote]That's nice. [b][i]But I want good movies.[/i][/b] And whatever one considers "well received", doesn't exactly make it good, nor worth the multi-millions that it cost to produce. [/quote] Audiences loved Minions 2. So did the box office. Which one do you think a studio cares about when weighing the worth of what it costs to produce. I'm sure the critical and audience reception (both generally positive) is what they care about and not the fact that it was the fifth highest grossing movie of 2022 and almost made a billion dollars on an 80 million budget. [quote]Yes, I alone think this. And the way you described how they'd make the movie (by making a few random references with '''an elf''' guy) already sounds terrible enough. Though I'd bet all the money imaginable, that it wouldn't even be *that* well versed in the end product.[/quote] I said the elf part because that's how Link and the Hylians have been described and why they have pointy ears. Because they are elf-like. And if you show anyone who doesn't know anything about Zelda a picture of Link they will call him an elf. Because he has elf ears. Because they're elf-like. The original game had its scenario writer and director inspired by Tolkein. For all intents and purposes, Link is an elf and calling him a Hylian in the movie won't change that everyone will just go "oh he's an elf guy". [quote][@Fabricant451] What fun new movies are you looking forward to this year? John Wick 4, Trolls 3, Insidious 5, Spiderman 2, Another f*cking internet found footage movie, The Nun 2, The Meg 2, Insert every marvel and DC movie here, Mission Impossible, Hunger Games, Indiana Jones, Transformers...(I could keep going.) But more seriously, is there anything you're actually expecting to be of excellent quality? [/quote] I get that you're trying to make a statement on movies not being fun or new because sequels but unironically yes I am looking forward to John Wick 4, Mission Impossible 7, and at least one Marvel movie and it's not the one that's out next month or the one after that and also Spiderverse 2. I don't even like any of the other franchises you mentioned other than I like two Indiana Jones movie but don't really care to see a fifth one. You also forgot Fast and Furious 10. But to answer the second part, I think Mission Impossible is the best present American action franchise so I fully expect that 7 to be just as great as 4, 5, and 6 have been. John Wick is reliably enjoyable. I'd be shocked if I give any MCU movie over 3/5 other than the one I am hyped for for personal reasons, but a 3/5 movie is totally watchable. As for what I think to be of excellent quality, other than Mission Impossible 7 I can list a few, sure. -Oppenheimer -Beau is Afraid -Next Goal Wins -Dune Part 2 -Killers of the Flower Moon -Barbie -Chevalier -Polite Society (admittedly the trailer made me less optimistic but eh) -Pain Hustlers -Creed 3 -Asteroid City -Inside -Havoc -Finestkind -The Killer The thing is it's hard to judge upcoming movies so early in the year because apart from the franchise stuff that you mentioned, which studios obviously put the focus on because money makes things spin, most stuff kinda just comes out with little fanfare other than word of mouth. Half the stuff I listed is on there because I like the director (Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Greta Gerwig, Ari Aster, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese) and they have a higher chance of putting out something I continue to like. But my favorite movies of any given year are never the big blockbuster stuff, I just enjoy a popcorn movie. I can watch something like Broker or Red Rocket at home and be fine but a movie like Avatar 2 or, yes, Multiverse of Madness (which was textbook mehhhh) are enhanced by the theater experience. I generally try to see smaller movies in theaters too but that's getting harder and harder these days for reasons both personal and because my theater doesn't have as many screens anymore and so prioritize the money makers but that's a whole other conversation. I don't think franchise movies are bad. In some cases I think they can still be genuinely great (like Mission Impossible). I am well aware that this year has an abundance of franchise movies but that's what happens when you have delays and such finally catching up. Ideally the fucking drought that was last year's theatrical releases leading to fucking Top Gun being in theaters for like 9 months will convince studios to put shit out. Either way, I doubt I'll even watch any of the DC movies in theaters because who gives a fuck now that James Gunn is trying to salvage it for like the third time.