A generation ago, merchandise for film/TV/anime/literature pitched at children and young adults was also aimed at children and young adults. In 2017, we are seeing a rise in merchandise pitched to adult aficionados – think Pokeball serving bowls and superhero-themed shot glasses. Do these trends mirror an entire generation that is unable to grow up? Is this just about rampant capitalism? Or is this generation of 20 and 30 somethings just passionate, and less ashamed than their Gen X and Baby Boomer family members?
Yes. But in a way it is nice to see people keeping their inner child alive. Last September I attended a ComicCon and was impressed by the quality of handmade items available by various artists. Also, in talking to some of these adults, I sensed that for them, their work was a real labour of love. It was an eye opener for me. I like your point that these are not shameful pleasures as in the past. I think Cosplay also could be included to support your point. "Embracing the Inner Child" could be a title here. – Munjeera8 years ago
Amazing topic. I've never really grown up, myself (my PopVinyl collection will tell you all you need to know about that😁).
It might also be interesting to delve into the blurring of fact and fiction and how many young people on social media are using fiction to illustrate injustices in the real world. – AGMacdonald8 years ago
I think you'll need to make important distinctions between types of merchandise that have gotten more popular; there have always been statues and t-shirts, for example. But now you see leggings and underwear, pop figures, piggy banks, etc. There are Rick and Morty (and Mr. Meeseeks) plushies! It also, obviously, depends on the show. – IndiLeigh8 years ago
I'd like to comment on just this one question: "Do these trends mirror an entire generation that is unable to grow up?" I don't think that's the case at all. I think it's very possible to be a highly functioning adult and still not fully put away childish things, regardless of what we find in the "good book." – JamesBKelley7 years ago
Since the two companies became huge competitors in the comic book industry, DC and Marvel have split fandoms and caused many heated debates among their followings. Why is this? Why do people swear that Zach Snyder films are terrible and say Superman is a boring character, and than praise the Marvel movies? Are there biases involved? Do DC movies simply not put enough jokes in them? Why all the hate? And is there any hope that it will be acceptable to enjoy DC movies as well as marvel movies? I would like the person who picks this topic up to discover first the differences between these two franchises, and then talk about how these differences play out into the Cinematic Universes.
You wrote: "Do DC movies simply not put enough jokes in them?" Maybe it's not just the presence/absence of jokes but rather the type of humor used? For me, there's definitely a streak of camp and self-awareness in many of the Marvel movies that is not present in the DC movies. – JamesBKelley7 years ago
Shazam was a good attempt from DC. Can we expect to have more of the same in the Snyder cut? – Dr. Vishnu Unnithan5 years ago
Titanic and unnecessary project. – T. Palomino2 years ago
This article could asses the ways teen films inform, it's primarly teenage audience, about the social and emotional ways of dealing with sex. Given this is never addressed in the clinical and scientific approach schools take towards sexual education, its reasonable to assume that most people would understand the other elements of sexual education through alternative mediums. Teen films are a great example as they often focus around the sex quest for boys i.e. Superbad, the Inbetweeners movie, Sex Drive, American Pie etc. Its could be said these films often create a gender disparity in dealing with sex as there is barely any female representation aside from the, older and sexually intimidating character
This is an interesting topic as it would be worth looking at the impact also of the genre of the film on the presentation of sex in such films. For instance the role in comedy is often to amuse and this can be used to soften the awkwardness of such sexual encounters and exploration. However, some of this does also normalise and champion the pursuit of sex as a rite of passage, which can send a negative portrayal of sex. The presence of sex in horror films is perhaps one of the most disturbing as often there are undertones of rape, force and abuse, 'Cherry Falls' is a concerning one. Then the issue of teen romance films can both have a positive and negative portrayal of sexual relations, 'Girl Next Door' and '100 Girls' are two interesting and frank films that deal with unusual portrayals of the emotional connection related to sex. I think this could be an intriguing topic to discuss. – SaraiMW7 years ago
I would add that there could also be strong critique involved. The teen dramas also facilitate an idealization of sexual engagement and often promote problematic images of women. – Jonathan Judd7 years ago
YES! I'd be interested to know how newer films tackle this idea, too. – Emily Esten7 years ago
Mother is a film which has received rather controversial critical reception for its gratuitous brutality and extremely intricate plot line. Perhaps what is overlooked however, is the overall premise of the film being a biblical allusion and social commentary- particularly in an environmental sense. An article going into the depth of this using examples of the film and Aronofskys directing will be quite engaging.
an interesting topic to look into! however, the director and the actors in the film have all come out saying that instead of being a biblical allegory, Mother! is an environmental horror film, with both the female lead and the house itself representing nature and "mother earth" – ees7 years ago
Halloween will soon be upon us and with it, classic Halloween films. Ask anyone who grew up in the 1990s or early 2000s what their first or favorite Halloween films were, and Hocus Pocus will probably top the list. With three incredible lead actresses (Bette Middler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker), quotable lines, and bewitching songs, the film will probably endure much longer than the Sanderson sisters.
This said, many critics feel Hocus Pocus is overrated and too campy. It's not necessarily scary, unless you're around little Dani's age (played by Thora Birch). Many critics are unsure why a Disney movie aimed at kids and tweens talks so much about virginity and sex. Others claim that though they try, the Sanderson sisters just aren't that funny.
So what's the truth behind Hocus Pocus? What makes it good? If the elements listed above are not done well, what is (or is the film scarier, funnier, or smarter than we give it credit for)? Did the three lead actresses give their best or sell themselves short/"phone it in?" Discuss.
I've always been mystified by the popularity of this film. A critical discussion about its craft and elements would be very interesting. Perhaps, this exploration could increase my appreciation of this quirky romp. – L Squared7 years ago
I watched it last year to see what all the fuss was about (saw it as a kid, but in an elementary cafeteria with poor acoustics, so I didn't hear/understand a thing). IMHO, some parts are good but it's not the A+ film a lot of people seem to think it is. I'd argue that with films like this, the nostalgia filter blinds viewers to certain flaws. Of course, that could be good or bad. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Definitely need to address nostalgia goggles and how the new generations react to this without that previous experience. – AGMacdonald7 years ago
A modern trend as it would appear, in superhero films-especially those within the DC comic book universe, would be the darker, more realistic cinematic portrayal of the heroes themselves. This trend seemed to be pioneered by director Christopher Nolan in his critically acclaimed 'Dark Knight' trilogy which showcased the most critically installment of Batman thus far. This article could discuss these titles as such.
With online services like iTunes and Vudu offering consumers the chance to buy movies and TV shows digitally, has the relatively new 4K Blu-Ray arrived at the wrong time? How much longer will DVD formats in general last?
It may be worthwhile to look into media history comparing Blockbuster and Netflix to see how they adapting to changing consumer trends in the same DVD and streaming challenge. – Munjeera7 years ago
Good topic. In my opinion I don't think DVD will die, maybe it will evolve more and more but never completely die. Some people love to have their own physical copy. Just like people collection toys, cards, decors, some people collect physical copies of their favorite movies. As an example, look how vinyls have done a huge comeback, and all because people love to have a collection of them, even if there are services like Spotify, Deezer, Apple music and more. Actually, digital music has been around for quite a while, but physical copies still sell. – Andres Tovar7 years ago
Analyse why the new Chinese movie Wolf Warrior II have witnessed great success in such a comparative low budget? And also, what is the advice for making national cinema to go internationally competitive in the Hollywood context? Would big budget or cooperation with Hollywood crew be a must?
It would be interesting to expand this topic to include examples of other medium-to-low budget Oriental films that have had great success globally and, perhaps what impact or influence these may have had on Western film makers. I confess I haven't seen Wolf Warrior II, so I'll put it on my 'to watch' list. Also worth addressing is whether there is actually a need to compete with Hollywood when domestic audiences in China or South Korea for example do engage with their domestic film makers enthusiastically. – Amyus7 years ago
Frank Grillo does decent work. On the other hand, ‘The Great wall’ was not as successful as Matt Damon had hoped it would be. – Dr. Vishnu Unnithan5 years ago
