Welcome to Hollywood Woketopia
I am introducing a new section to the Substack that will focus on Hollywood, or rather, why Hollywood has mostly destroyed itself chasing a new ideology. This major shift has alienated audiences and explains why films are suffering at the box office lately.
There was a “pre-woke” era, like the “pre-code” era, when the ultimate goal of films was to entertain audiences rather than serve a specific ideological agenda. I’m sure plenty of readers here might like a little movie talk from a movie kid like me.
In addition to analysis of the current state of things, I will be including reviews of current movies but also looking back at the past when movies were not “woke” and whether or not they could be made today. And I’m hoping to have guests on for podcasts and things like that.
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Stay tuned!
The world truly needs an “unwoke” guide to film and television right now. I am So. Freaking. Tired. of being lectured on “right think” by Hollywood. Checking off diversity boxes is now a substitute for good writing and plot development, and BOY, does it ever show!!! Comic book franchises, frenetic messes (Everything Everywhere All at Once, I’m looking at you), didactic boring scenes “raising awareness” for whatever crap the producers think we should all care about, etc...
We’re re-watching older stuff now, and enjoying the better quality Euro films still, but even the most non-woke Hollywood productions are not up to the average quality we were used to in the 1980s-2000s. The long march through the institutions seems to have been a rushing river in the film/TV industry.
This will be fun! Can't wait.
Maybe address the difference between Rotten Tomatoes professional critic ratings and actual humans living normal lives.