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Given that we baby boomers have remarkable brand loyalty (compare the length of Clint Eastwood's stardom with that of Freddie Prinze, Jr.'s), it's astounding that the studios continue to pander to the most fickle age group around. They deserve to lose their shirts.

It's a gambler's mentality. Every year there's something or several things very cheaply made that garner huge profits, but it's almost random which movies those are going to be and what genre they'll occur in. But the way the gambler's mentality works, as long as these rewards keep coming randomly, there will be those who want to keep playing.

Cadavra,

I agree. Of course it's not just the studios that pander, its also the theatres/exhibitors themselves which in many large cities resemble big arcades with loud noises, tv screens and fast foods.

The whole culture of filmgoing has unfortunately skewed young over the past 15 years or so.

I would rather watch a film like say, Match Point from the comfort of my home than in a gagooglaplex that looks like the main deck of the starship enterprise and a concession counter that smells like Burger King.

But isn't that the loop? Older people are less likely to go to the movies, so the studios pander to a demographic that will, which in turn further alienates the older generation?...

Small films can be seen at home but I still love the multiplex for my blockbusters. I would just go in the morning or early afternoon to avoid the crowds.

I love how these kids, and to a lesser extent my peers (being on the tail end of my 24th year), are cultural literate, but aren't book literate.
All of the choices, and they're effing bored? Read a novel or something. Write a poem. Heck, buy a set of Lego - the point is, reading this, I get the distinct impression is that youth no longer have the imagination nor the ability to be constructive. If it ain't on YouTube, it ain't worth it.
Even if I'm not reading everyday, I still have a book or two on the go. Sometimes I leave one to start another, but I always finish both, no matter what.
Remakes, sequels and TV show adaptations aren't going to quench a teenager's thirst, and if they are shitty films, then they're gonna be called unnecessary and base. I know it's all corporations now that want instant gratification, and truthfully, I no longer look forward to many of the blockbusters. I'll probably see a good chunk of 'em (your Transformers, Pirates and Spider-mans), but I'm not going in thinking that they're gonna be anything special. The movies I look forward to are stuff I hear about coming out of Sundance, Cannes and Tortonto (and to a lesser extent, SDCC). The whole former-marketers taking over development is a scary prospect, because they are just following trends, and nine times out of ten, are gonna be a day late and a buck short. Trends change. I'd rather know a movie person was giving the green light, but what do i know?
Is La-la Land waiting for the other shoe to drop?
Day and date won't improve the movies, but it'd sure be nice so that I could see some smaller movies sooner.

Then again, what the hell! Pander to the lowest common denominator! I've got my Lean, Kazan & Kubrick already! I've got my Spielberg, Scorsese & Hitchcock too! Lord knows I'll be showing those directors works to my future children before I even think about taking them to Scooby-Doo 42.

Speaking of novels...

Yeah, I know. It'd have been tacky to me point it out :P

Well, if you can figure out how to get it up on YouTube maybe you'll reach some of 'em...

Actually, older people have a lot more money and free time than you'd think. I think they stopped going to the googleplex because they got tired of being surrounded by noisy kids and their frickin' cell phones.

And I remember walking out of the theatre after seeing GRUMPY OLD MEN and hearing the elderly fellow behind me say, "I'd go to the movies every week if they made more pictures like this one."

I think it would be a smart move to market movies for elderly people since it could be a way for them to get out without doing anything too strenuous. The one movie this year that I would say proves their viability was Da Vinci Code. Problem is...studios are less making movies and more making properties that can be exploited through merchandising and tie-ins, usually on objects that appeal to the under 25 crowd. Da Vinci was an adult movie that could be merchandised. Of course, the quality of that movie is a whole other discussion.

As soon as my pop retired two years ago, he started going to the "pictures" once a week. but complains that movies are far too 'brainless' and hasn;t been going quite as often now. If a few more "something's gotta give" or intelligent gangster/thriller-drama movies were made (like LA confidential or the Insider or The Constant Gardener) he'd be much happier.

The population is ageing, Hwood might as well reap in their pensions.

That said, every generation has a boom in an artform, and with video becoming so cheap and high quality, our forte is pumping out many projects on streaming media. It lacks the depth of a novel, but not so much the depth of a good deal of modern art.

Let's face it... Many folks just never grow up. That is why many adult men make good livings out of making out of this world action flicks. Studios are also fond of the big investment = big return theory.

In Australia, movies aimed at the older generation always do very respectable business. Movies like Mrs Henderson Presents, Ladies in Lavender, etc all go by the mantra "If you make something they want to see, they will come". And that's true. These are the sort of movies that this age group wants to see and when they make them they're popular (maybe not in America though for whatever reason). Ladies in Lavender spent something like half the year in our chart.

I would rather watch a film like say, Match Point from the comfort of my home than in a gagooglaplex . . .

I saw "Match Point" in an AMC megaplex and that pic drew a older crowd who knew what they came for.

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