TV, films and books don't hook me

The thread about books got me thinking. I probably only get really absorbed by any TV/film/book about once a year and find it quite disappointing.

I find nearly all American TV and films totally uninteresting and I haven't been to the cinema for about two years. It is normally a documentary or BBC drama that gets me interested on the odd occasions it does happen. I haven't found a decent book for over two years now!

Anyone else feel like this? Am I just becoming cynical or old I wonder?? Any suggestions??

Ness Order wrote: The thread about books got me thinking. I probably only get really absorbed by any TV/film/book about once a year and find it quite disappointing.

I find nearly all American TV and films totally uninteresting and I haven't been to the cinema for about two years. It is normally a documentary or BBC drama that gets me interested on the odd occasions it does happen. I haven't found a decent book for over two years now!

Anyone else feel like this? Am I just becoming cynical or old I wonder?? Any suggestions??

I think you're mostly becoming cynical and old. I do agree with you to an extent. The only new TV show I regularly watch is CSI (as well as a sports talk show). Otherwise, the only things I watch are documentaries and sporting events. There are still some good movies, but nothing I'd wait in line hours for, as I did for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Not too many new authors I'm into. I've always been more into the classics though I'll admit I've read Dan Brown's books as well as some books by Lincoln Child & Doug Preston, Mary Stewart, Piers Anthony, and a few others I won't bother to mention.

Ness Order wrote: The thread about books got me thinking. I probably only get really absorbed by any TV/film/book about once a year and find it quite disappointing.

I find nearly all American TV and films totally uninteresting and I haven't been to the cinema for about two years. It is normally a documentary or BBC drama that gets me interested on the odd occasions it does happen. I haven't found a decent book for over two years now!

Anyone else feel like this? Am I just becoming cynical or old I wonder?? Any suggestions??

Totally agree. Haven't been to the cinema in years and years. Only ever read on holiday (my holiday book in Italy the other week was about the history of Ryanair!!). When it comes to watching DVD's I can very rarely get to the end of one. The thought of even committing two hours of my life to something which I know is likely to be shite bothers me. Some movies blow me away mind, Swingers, Dumb & Dumber and Lost In translation are films I could watch over and over, 99% of the rest I'd happily never watch again (if I even watched them to the end in the first place).

I do however read 3 newspapers every day and countless magazines.

Can't remember the last time I went to the cinema, may have been a dozen times in my life? Read a lot of crime fiction though, get through a couple of books a week on the train to and from work. As for TV, very rarely watch it at all. Can't sit through a whole football match even.

No, you're not getting cynical Ness, there's just a whole load more crap out there now.

I think there's a finite amount of talent. So, back in the day, only the best authors got published; and before all the digital channels only the better programes were on TV; & before multi-screen Cinema only the best movies got shown.

But now, anyone with a reasonable ammount of cash can make a movie - but that dosent give them tallent. Theres a shitload of crapper programmes being made now, to fill in the timeslots on the thousands of digital TV stations. Books are now a throwaway item - & most published writers stick to throwaway pap too.

So, the same amount of tallent is now being spread f - a - r thinner than it used to be, & we have to wade through gallons of shite in the hope of coming accross 1 decent show/movie/book/whatever.

end of rant.

old

El Jarvo wrote: You're being cynical and jaded!

Sat and watched "Sorted" (which has been class) in 'real time' last night, whereas the other episodes I've all watched after the event and found it hard to get me head round the fact I couldn't just replay or slope off and had to remain on me sofa for that requisite hour.

Considering the Beeb alone has come up with that, Life on Mars and The Street thus far this year, then I don't see how people can complain.

I love watching the BBC miniseries when they do a book, such as Bleak House or Pride and Prejudice. They always seem to do a great job!

Think you have a point Al, the sheer volume of stuff out there does tend to prevent you making a decision. Years ago when there were only three TV channels and no internet, you knew that everyone you spoke to the next day would have watched the same thing as you.

Did enjoy Life on Mars and a couple of episodes of The Street, but not much since.

Never picked up any of Dan Brown’s, but there must be something in it to get everyone hooked - or is it just good marketing?

I don't really bother with films or books as generally I have a really short attention span. Having said that every so often I go through a phase of reading constantly and get through a couple of books a day.

I read all the time, but tend to only watch telly when there's a good series on. As for the cinema, no, it's a waste of a good night out, if i'm going to go out i want a drink!

I watch films and read books for a living. Dunno what that says about me (probably that I should "get a proper job" etc, etc....)

(The Good Doctor) Martin Fradley wrote: I watch films and read books for a living. Dunno what that says about me (probably that I should "get a proper job" etc, etc....)

Not as good as being a Playboy photographer, but still a very good living!

Shellshocker wrote:

(The Good Doctor) Martin Fradley wrote: I watch films and read books for a living. Dunno what that says about me (probably that I should "get a proper job" etc, etc....)

Not as good as being a Playboy photographer, but still a very good living!

Yeah, but you have to work with a bunch of cunts. Oh, hang on.......

(Sorry.)

Hardly watch TV, except for the odd match. Used to love my films, but studying it at uni has put me off them!!! I try to read everyday, but sometimes just can't be bothered. Probably a result of doing English at uni as well!!

Christopher Owens wrote: Hardly watch TV, except for the odd match. Used to love my films, but studying it at uni has put me off them!!! I try to read everyday, but sometimes just can't be bothered. Probably a result of doing English at uni as well!!

Uni seems to take the fun out of everything. Who says education is a good thing?

Shellshocker wrote:

Christopher Owens wrote: Hardly watch TV, except for the odd match. Used to love my films, but studying it at uni has put me off them!!! I try to read everyday, but sometimes just can't be bothered. Probably a result of doing English at uni as well!!

Uni seems to take the fun out of everything. Who says education is a good thing?

This one looks kinda fun, dontcha think?:

http://filmstudies.berkeley.edu/undergrad\_courses.html#108.2

Imagine that on a CV...

(The Good Doctor) Martin Fradley wrote:

Shellshocker wrote:

Christopher Owens wrote: Hardly watch TV, except for the odd match. Used to love my films, but studying it at uni has put me off them!!! I try to read everyday, but sometimes just can't be bothered. Probably a result of doing English at uni as well!!

Uni seems to take the fun out of everything. Who says education is a good thing?

This one looks kinda fun, dontcha think?:

http://filmstudies.berkeley.edu/undergrad\_courses.html#108.2

Good times. Leve it to Berkeley. No doubt they have a course on the benefits of marijuana too. :)

Only once in a while does a TV series come on that i have to catch every minute of every episode.

A lot of the time i seem to catch bits here and bits there.BBC's Sorted being an exmaple.Saw most of the first one and quite liked it.Missed the second and then caught most of this weeks.Same with books for me.I start them and dont finish them or read bits which if it's a story is pretty dumb eh?

Like previous peeps have said there's just too much out there nowadays , can't keep up:\ohwell:

I do think i'm old and cynical too.A lot of films and music i just feel i've seen and heard it all before

Once in a while a film will blow me away but mostly a waste of time and/or money

Ness Order wrote: The thread about books got me thinking. I probably only get really absorbed by any TV/film/book about once a year and find it quite disappointing.

I find nearly all American TV and films totally uninteresting and I haven't been to the cinema for about two years. It is normally a documentary or BBC drama that gets me interested on the odd occasions it does happen. I haven't found a decent book for over two years now!

Anyone else feel like this? Am I just becoming cynical or old I wonder?? Any suggestions??

Diagnosis: depression - losing interest in things

On the sheer volume thing noted before, I have to agree that it doesn't only create more crap shows, but I think it takes money away from the good shows. I could deal with a few good shows, ignoring the crap. But I have a DVR and can have my channel listing ignore the crappy channels to only what I like. Even so, it's still hard to find anything good. The only thing I watch religiously is 2 1/2 Men. That one is great, but I think you have to be a guy to enjoy it. Other than that, I find myself constantly watching the Simpsons, though I think their time has gone by a few years back. Also "Everyone Hates Chris". And CSI every so often.

What is with all the reruns nowadays? Seems they only make 5 shows a year and show them in continiuos loops.

I stick to either nonfiction or classics for reading. I hate Mark Twain, and what he did to literature, describing endlessly about nothing. All today's novels are based off this. Plus I like to get something out of the red, new knowledge, moral, or something. Today's novels are purely entertainment. I have too many things to do to waste my life on those books.

JHC

68Pontiac wrote: Other than that, I find myself constantly watching the Simpsons, though I think their time has gone by a few years back. JHC

The Simpsons used to be the best written show on TV, but it's probably been about 8 years since it's been really good. I still catch the new episodes sometimes, but I'd rather watch the old episodes for the 10th time.

Shellshocker wrote:

68Pontiac wrote: Other than that, I find myself constantly watching the Simpsons, though I think their time has gone by a few years back. JHC

The Simpsons used to be the best written show on TV, but it's probably been about 8 years since it's been really good. I still catch the new episodes sometimes, but I'd rather watch the old episodes for the 10th time.

Yeah, the new material is downright disturbing.

JHC

68Pontiac wrote:

Shellshocker wrote:

68Pontiac wrote: Other than that, I find myself constantly watching the Simpsons, though I think their time has gone by a few years back. JHC

The Simpsons used to be the best written show on TV, but it's probably been about 8 years since it's been really good. I still catch the new episodes sometimes, but I'd rather watch the old episodes for the 10th time.

Yeah, the new material is downright disturbing.

JHC

Sometimes it almost seems a parody of itself. Sad.

I've gone off novels and hardly read any books for lack of time... but when I get a chance I like true life mysteries, ghost stories, the afterlife, books that set me wondering. Neville Randall, Life after Death, is a good one... Colin Wilson's Afterlife. Other than that I'm a news junkie... truth is stranger than fiction!

The Da Vinci Code was for me great as I loved the Louvre from when I was small and I loved all the extreme Catholic symbolism that ran with the plot. A far better book was Angels and Demons : darker and set in Rome with the fantastic landmarks that even as a tourist made it really come alive. I have in the last few years read more and wanted to read more (boring fart perhaps) but the last fiction that I read that I really enjoyed was John Colapinto : About The Author. Set in NYC it was very good and very interesting.

I think Minx said she could read several books in a day. Well unless they were Peter & Jane books I would certainly struggle with that.

Pompeii was also a good book by Robert Harris if you're into historical faction. I went through a major (and still am come to think of it) worship of Rome. I loved the HBO/BBC series of "Rome" even though it was undoubtedly sensationalist in its chracters and imagery. Looking forward to the second series when filming is finished.

Right. Going for a lie down now after all that outburst. Anyone seen John Sludden's avatar btw? Naughty.........

:bag:

Doggy wrote:

Anyone seen John Sludden's avatar btw? Naughty.........

:bag:

...........But nice

Must confess I broadly agree with miss Order's original point. I cannot be ARSED with most movies and TV these days, ESPECIALLY that which comes from America.

My TV watching habbits are becoming silly, I pay for SKY, but never ever watch it, except the Simpsons ( a notable exception to my boycott of Americana) and F1. Instead I download all the TV I watch on torrents, I suppose mainly legally since I pay for the channels anyway. But most of what I watch is British and of a documentary nature, recently I been catching up on missed Top Gear and Horizon. I've also been gorging on Radio 4 documentaries and Dr Who audio plays.

Harlan Ellison once wrote that TV shows show the same 8 stories perpetually re-set...I tend to agree and really cannae be bucked with it.

yeah i'm the same a lot of the time with Sky.Rarely spend much time watching anything other than the 5 terrestial channels i can see anyway without it.Waste of £20 a month.Been meaning to get round to canceling it and just getting a freeview box.

there are still good books and films out there. you just got to know where to look. agreed 80% of tv is shit. i am seriously considering getting pay tv. don't laugh here in oz it is still the exception to have pay tv.

Books - hardly read at all anymore, mainly due to my job which is PC based and makes my eyes too tired at the end of a long day in front of the screen. Movies - once movie tickets went over the $10 mark (think they're about $15 now) I stopped going. I'll make the odd exception for something mindblowing like LOTR, but other than that I'll go and see the odd re-screening of something like Blade Runner or Alien just to see it on the big screen again. TV - recently got pay TV and I don't watch free to air at all anymore. Mainly watch sport, some docos and the odd live music concert - saw an excellent Bloc Party show 2 nights ago. Overall it gets harder to be impressed by entertainment options as you get older, because obviously you've seen a lot more and it gets harder to find something that is original and fresh rather than a pale imitation of something that's been done before. I concentrate my energies on finding new music before anything else, and that takes up enough free time as it is.

Johnny wrote: yeah i'm the same a lot of the time with Sky.Rarely spend much time watching anything other than the 5 terrestial channels i can see anyway without it.Waste of £20 a month.Been meaning to get round to canceling it and just getting a freeview box.

If you cancel it Johnny, you don't need a freeview box, you get all the channels you need via the Sky box. BBC3 and 4, ITV 2, 3 and 4 and also Filmfour and BBCnews 24.

This also means that you get all the decent British comedy and documentaries, without the influx of American crap that I personally cannot stand.

Back to the point though, agree with Ness in so far as... I can't be arsed going to the Cinema (I talk too much anyway) the odd BBC drama catches my attention now and again (Life on Mars, Rome) although I do have to say that I was a complete sucker for Footballers Wives (only saw the last series) but found it a complete piss take and was shallow and suberb.

I think I feel like most of you.

TV ? As miss Jiphy is away for a while, I watch it when I eat. And that is just crap, crap, crap. Except ARTE which is a French-German channel. Last week I saw M Ein Stadt sucht ein Mörder in German, a couple of days ago a Woody Allen's film with Sean Penn in English and last night Zonzon (Parisian slang for jail), a very moving film. This is not an anti-American channel but a free Hollywood crap one. And most of the films are not dubbed which is something I like because all languages have their own melodies. Add to this interesting documentaries. Last night, before Zonzon, there was an interesting one about the CIA. When people come to discuss about something, guests are from many countries so that you can have many foreign points of view to make your own. The news do not only talk about France but also about Germany. It is always interesting to dip into his neighbours' daily life. And it also seems to escape any political propaganda, almost a fair neutrality. And most of all. NO COMMERCIAL BREAK.

Books ? Hard to make a choice. There are so many. Just to read the classics takes a lot of time, what about our contempory writers ? I do not know how it works by you, but here autumn is the season of awards. So the amount of published books becomes senseless. A lot of people running libraries told me that it was almost impossible to show them all in the shelves.

Cinema ? Althought there is the vertige of the big screen and the surrounding soundtrack, I cannot stand the smell of pop-corn, huge cinema centers, commercial zones.

You whining fuckers just need to expand your horizons and actually LOOK for good entertainment. You can't expect it to just land on your doorstep with so much shit out there.

68Pontiac wrote:

Shellshocker wrote:

68Pontiac wrote: Other than that, I find myself constantly watching the Simpsons, though I think their time has gone by a few years back. JHC

The Simpsons used to be the best written show on TV, but it's probably been about 8 years since it's been really good. I still catch the new episodes sometimes, but I'd rather watch the old episodes for the 10th time.

Yeah, the new material is downright disturbing.

JHC

My friend and I were discussing this today. The simpsons are coming upon their 400th episode. Which basically means a show we all hold in such high regard, has far more lousy episodes than good ones.

out of 400, I would say that, 25 are in the highest echelons of hilarity, another 50 are far above average, and 25 more are slightly above mediocrity.

don't watch much telly, but love cinema. there have been lots of great films, you just have to look past the blockbusters! reading a lot more now i'm getting the train to work again, notihing like getting stuck into a good book

Bob Konkel wrote:

68Pontiac wrote:

Shellshocker wrote:

68Pontiac wrote: Other than that, I find myself constantly watching the Simpsons, though I think their time has gone by a few years back. JHC

The Simpsons used to be the best written show on TV, but it's probably been about 8 years since it's been really good. I still catch the new episodes sometimes, but I'd rather watch the old episodes for the 10th time.

Yeah, the new material is downright disturbing.

JHC

My friend and I were discussing this today. The simpsons are coming upon their 400th episode. Which basically means a show we all hold in such high regard, has far more lousy episodes than good ones.

out of 400, I would say that, 25 are in the highest echelons of hilarity, another 50 are far above average, and 25 more are slightly above mediocrity.

Your basic statement (a show we all hold in such high regard, has far more lousy episodes than good ones) is correct. I think you're really selling The Simpsons short on the numbers though. I think it was a consistently excellent show for about 6 or 7 years, then it really dropped off after that. By the way, a Simpsons movie coming out next year? Isn't that about 10 years too late (like Garfield)?? I'll still go see it, though.

Spotnick wrote: But local TV has good stuff.. but I have to admit the americans are doing better tv these days, series like Lost and 24 are really catchy... so were the X-Files.

Yes, X-Files was good. But sooo long ago... :(

There's more quality stuff out there than ever if you ask me; Carnivale, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Desperate Housewives, Lost... etc...

It takes more effort to find sometimes, 'coz there's so much choice nowadays, but the Zeitgeist has never been so vibrant IMHO.

lucyjane wrote:

Johnny wrote: yeah i'm the same a lot of the time with Sky.Rarely spend much time watching anything other than the 5 terrestial channels i can see anyway without it.Waste of £20 a month.Been meaning to get round to canceling it and just getting a freeview box.

If you cancel it Johnny, you don't need a freeview box, you get all the channels you need via the Sky box. BBC3 and 4, ITV 2, 3 and 4 and also Filmfour and BBCnews 24.

.

i was working on the assumption Sky would come and take the box away as i'm technically renting it aren't i?

Mind you, most times they don't bother to come and get it anyway i guess

Craig W wrote: There's more quality stuff out there than ever if you ask me; Carnivale, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Desperate Housewives, Lost... etc...

It takes more effort to find sometimes, 'coz there's so much choice nowadays, but the Zeitgeist has never been so vibrant IMHO.

Battlestar Galactica? New episodes? If so, probably on the Sci-Fi Netwrok here in the states. Did not know that...

Shellshocker wrote:

Craig W wrote: There's more quality stuff out there than ever if you ask me; Carnivale, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Desperate Housewives, Lost... etc...

It takes more effort to find sometimes, 'coz there's so much choice nowadays, but the Zeitgeist has never been so vibrant IMHO.

Battlestar Galactica? New episodes? If so, probably on the Sci-Fi Netwrok here in the states. Did not know that...

It is nothing like the original- You must watch it- The Sci-Fi channel paid for it so you should find it there.

Craig W wrote:

Shellshocker wrote:

Craig W wrote: There's more quality stuff out there than ever if you ask me; Carnivale, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Desperate Housewives, Lost... etc...

It takes more effort to find sometimes, 'coz there's so much choice nowadays, but the Zeitgeist has never been so vibrant IMHO.

Battlestar Galactica? New episodes? If so, probably on the Sci-Fi Netwrok here in the states. Did not know that...

It is nothing like the original- You must watch it- The Sci-Fi channel paid for it so you should find it there.

Sweet. Do they at least still have cylons?

Jiphy wrote: most of the films are not dubbed which is something I like because all languages have their own melodies. Add to this interesting documentaries. Last night, before Zonzon, there was an interesting one about the CIA. When people come to discuss about something, guests are from many countries so that you can have many foreign points of view to make your own.

And most of all. NO COMMERCIAL BREAK.

Truth there. Agreed different lines and tones of different languages. Can get the basic meaning even if some words are missed.

Books. Goes in phases. Like well written things on most any subject. Mostly just make time for news. news. news. Various magazines.

Films. Love them but don't tend to go too often. Enjoy plays when get the chance. Everything is out there. All have individual merits. Even if just simple escapism, good night out and an almost waste of $. 4. Commercial breaks. Almost need them as can get bored, thirsty etc.s

LOve the cinema,don't get there regular enough.Superman Returns,MI3 and Hostel have been my favourites this year so far. Reading...never find the time really,save it for work.Don't like reading at home anymore because I like a bit of atmosphere when I get home. Ergo I read NOOL while playing some toons. TV.........LOST! Can't get enough of it,not missed a single episode since it started.

I need books, and movies and good tv-series (like The Sopranos or Six Feet Under) just as much as good music. There’s very much rubbish around indeed, but plenty quality-stuff as well if you know where to find it.

It all makes life more bearable I think. After all the real world isn’t always the best place to be in with all these ignorant morons living in it.

myself...... i pefer pretentious poetry ha ha i like to read ella wella wilcox in nature, i loooove poetry. the history channel is good for modern art doco's and the earlier painters, i got pulled into watching the reality serries 'inside the playboy mansion'on the infamous 'E!' CHANNEL. yeeeeaahhh it was ok. i watched three episodes. i couldnt stop myself. they made cookies and some other crap..yea it was ok i guess books + films = good x inspiring =

Shellshocker (said):" Sweet. Do they at least still have cylons? "

Cylons still present- Some in human form now...

THE BOX SET OF SERIES TWO IS OUT ON MONDAY IN THE UK!!!

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/RGNCS/3-/1021801/Battlestar_Galactica_Season_2/Product.html

series 2 just started on the telly here.

Somebody brought up "The Simpsons" as no longer being quite up to the same standard that it was before, and I think that's certainly true. Due to longetivity, the series is now being written by people who grew up with the show and were fans. They're probably less likely to experiment with the format as the writers were early on, when it was still fresh and new. A lot of the first-act stories (usually leading up to the actual plot of an episode) are still laugh-out-loud hilarious (the whole Bart and Homer sending a hmaster into space, for example), but then the episode that follows can't measure up. I think it might have started about the time "Futurama" came on and kept Matt Groening from focusing on the Simpsons, and it's been hit-and-miss ever since.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the subject

Taboo # 7 wrote: Somebody brought up "The Simpsons" as no longer being quite up to the same standard that it was before, and I think that's certainly true. Due to longetivity, the series is now being written by people who grew up with the show and were fans. They're probably less likely to experiment with the format as the writers were early on, when it was still fresh and new. A lot of the first-act stories (usually leading up to the actual plot of an episode) are still laugh-out-loud hilarious (the whole Bart and Homer sending a hmaster into space, for example), but then the episode that follows can't measure up. I think it might have started about the time "Futurama" came on and kept Matt Groening from focusing on the Simpsons, and it's been hit-and-miss ever since.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the subject

I agree that Groening leaving the show was a big reason for its decline.

Craig W wrote: Shellshocker (said):" Sweet. Do they at least still have cylons? "

Cylons still present- Some in human form now...

THE BOX SET OF SERIES TWO IS OUT ON MONDAY IN THE UK!!!

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/RGNCS/3-/1021801/Battlestar_Galactica_Season_2/Product.html

I noticed yesterday that it's actually on an HD channel here! Didn't get to watch it, though. :( Cylons in human form-good twist!