Friday, February 16, 2018

Been Busy, Back Now

Well, obviously the biggest story is the school shooting in Florida. I have nothing to say about it. People who hate guns are going to say that we need to get rid of guns and people that like guns are going to say it is about mental health. The same things will be said after the next mass shooting. You know one thing these mass shooters have in common, they feel rejected by the community they live in.

I want to talk about a movie that came out tonight. It is called "The Black Panther". It is a "superhero" movie that focuses on a black lead. According to reports it has already pre-sold $170 million in tickets. That is a lot. The movie cost $200 million to make.

I watched a trailer for it. Looked boring. Now, to be fair, I don't like superhero movies. I just don't care about them; but, I know people do. I don't think the movie is going to do as well as is hoped. Firstly, the CGI looked weak. More importantly, I don't think it will interest crowds in China and they are the second biggest market. I expect it to do okay in the US. I expect sales to drop off quickly and dramatically. To be honest, it's not relatable to most people outside of major cities.

The reviews are almost glowing and maybe I will be surprised. I don't feel a connection with the story. It is the story of an alternate universe where Africa was not colonized and advanced more scientifically than the rest of the world with special technologies. I detest fantasy stories as a rule. Being almost 60, I am sure that I am not the target audience. I do not anticipate the movie doing well in Africa, it is not for them, it is for western blacks, urban dwellers.

The last good movie I saw was Dunkirk. I don't think people who liked superhero movies went to see it. Maybe I am wrong and this film will be bigger than Star Wars. I am not betting on it and truthfully, I don't care. I should also point out, I don't watch Star Wars movies anymore unless they are on television.

No comments: