I love movies, but I am having a difficult time believing that a majority of people share my same feelings when extremely questionable offerings keep opening at the top slot each week.
Was the recent Nic Cage superhero movie, "Ghost Rider" really so good that it deserved to pull in $50 million its opening weekend? 
I don't think so.
And now, the John Travolta middle-aged buddy comedy, "Wild Hogs," debuted at number 1 with nearly $40 million in ticket sales. 
I would rather have sex with a gang of wild hogs with sharpened tusks and amphetimine addictions than pay money to watch a film which looked so painstakingly mediocre that Travolta was forced to ratchet his cool quiotent down another notch or ten with a dancing appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show last week.
The problem I have with movies like 'Hogs' and 'Rider' raking in money is that it provides no incentive for studios to come up with new ideas.
They can simply point to the box office receipts and make another sequel or a re-make of a bad 70s sitcom or another comic book movie that causes more interesting and challenging films to get lost in the mix.
And I'm by no means an art-house only snob as I also get tired of "Indie" films when they mistakenly believe their artistic choices to be "deep" and "ambigious" when they're simply boring as shit.
There should be room for all kinds at the theater, my only hope is that there will be a shift that occasionally finds movies that don't attempt to span all demographics sitting atop the heap - a utopia where smart movies correlate to box office receipts.
But there's no sense in dreaming as the reality is that Travolta running into a bird while driving his motorcycle cross-country is the height of hilarity, an occurrence that would have made Vincent Vega roll his eyes and laugh with Jules Whitfield before they shot both the bird and the man in "Pulp Fiction." 
It's been awhile since Travolta regained his cool and his swagger with the help of Quentin Tarantino, and now, he's back to living high on the Hog in the kind of movies that increasingly leave me out in the cold.
-BDS
I agree with you on this one. I guess we are a nation of baby boomer hog riders? I think I'll skip it. Ghost Rider may be worth a look for special effects, but with Cage's track record lately...
Maybe people have nothing better to do than watch a mediocre movie on a Friday/Saturday night? sad...just plain sad.
Oh man, I despise Nic Cage and have therefore been saved from seeing such a shitty movie. Woo Hoo!
As for Travolta, i'd have to agree. I can't think of a recent movie where he knocked my socks off. Actually, I can't even think of a movie since Pulp Fiction that i've seen him in.
Jlee - Obviously a lot of people enjoy these things, but since I've never been, I don't know who they are. But I am curious.
Miss Ash - It's been a long dry spell for Travolta following 'Fiction' and it seems lke things are getting worse and not better. Sad.
Poor William H. Macy. What was he thinking?
I have a lot less sympathy/empathy for Travolta now that I know he's Crazy.
ghost rider blew my buttocks. a flaming skeleton, riding a motorcycle, with a chain and 'penance stare'? Not my first choice in comics to movies - but hey, it was better than Dare Devil.
overall - never see this movie unless it's free and you need to take a nap.
and i agree with the movies out now - Dallas? Magnum P.I.? Seraphim Falls? Blech. Indies aren't any better. Snoresville lately!!!
Julia - I would bet he just decided to take the paycheck & run. No shame in that as he's earned it, but I'm not paying to see the finished product.
Slopmaster - I have no problem catering to that vacation crowd, but I still think the overrall quality could be better and still pull a demographic with dispoable income.
LocoMocos - It wouldn't take much to better than "Daredevil" as that was putrid too. And thanks for helping confirm that "Ghost Rider" wasn't very good as I had no first-hand experience - only speculation.
I received free tickets to Wild Hogs. It was okay. Most of the funny scenes were in the previews. I think the reason they sell so well is they appeal to the weekend RUBs (rick urban bikers).
Sorry, that's "Rich" Urban bikers
Preaching to the choir, Two Dollar. Preaching to the choir.
*sigh*
Robert - I would go if I got free tickets, but I just think that the best something like "Wild Hogs" could be was OK. That seems like a tough sell to me, but thanks for the clarification as Rick's Urban Bikers could never pull off $40 million in sales.
Bostonpobble - I know. But sometimes it still feels cathartic to bitch about things. Ha.
Methinks this is one of those times where the less said, the better. : )
travolta, since pulp fiction, has always struck me as a phony (sp?).
and as far as comicbook movies go... DareDevil is the worst. Ben Afleck looked more like a fat Elvis in that red leather outfit than a superhero.
Sadly the days of movies for the thinking people are long gone.
I'm not sure how anyone can watch Nic holas Cage in any movie. 8mm was the funniest movie I ever saw. How Cage still gets gigs is beyond me. I think Valley Girl was his last 'good' movie.
Symplyamused - Ha. If you like Wild Hogs, stand up and say so as I would like to hear it. Just because it's not my cup of tea doesn't mean I don't like to know about things.
Idig - I agree on both fronts as Daredevil was insipid and horrible and I couldn't even finish watching it on cable several years ago.
Rob - 8 mm was an awful film. I didn't find it that amusing as I was just angry I paid money to see the damn thing.
I haven't been to the movies in ages. I did think some of the previews were cute. Most of my movie days include kid movies. Only ones she will sit through. : )
That makes sense, and I can understand your motivation, but I still wouldn't pay full-price by any means. Ha.