Today Rush Limbaugh discussed an NY Post OpEd by Maureen Callahan titled, “Americans have become children — demanding, dependent and needy.” Her column touched on several indications that real “adults” are vanishing from this country, starting with the acceptance of “adulting” into the lexicon.

Para often both discusses movies because he’s an aficionado, and as an indication of the direction this country is headed. So does Ms. Callahan.

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What it comes down to is that the movie business has changed,” [Alec] Baldwin told Vulture in June. “They’re going to put up a lot of money, including big fees for ‘Iron Man’ and those kind of tentpole films. [But] everything else, the fees in the movie business have collapsed.”

To Baldwin’s point, just look at the five top-grossing films this summer: “The Lion King,” “Toy Story 4,” “Spiderman: Far From Home,” “Aladdin,” and “John Wick 3.” The biggest album release of the summer, if not the year, came awash in pastel colors, animation, dollhouses and heart-shaped glitter-bombs: The ostensibly adult-themed “Lover” by Taylor Swift, age 29.

Rush played off the editorial and expanded on it. Look at that list of the summer’s top grossing movies—cartoons and remakes!

Schools take away recess activities that administrators feel is dangerous or demeaning—read dodgeball. Meanwhile, a growing trend in business to to offer “recess.” You read that right.

Rush brought up the recent recording from some Leftist enclave with whining “comrades” unable to stand hearing gender specific words, or even the sound of clapping.

Maureen Callahan

Good, I have 3 kids so if this is their (and our) competition, all the better.

Besides, this is mostly the "millennial" generation anyway. I presume they will mature as they get older (and don't much care, f-'em).

The current generation "Z" like my kids who are age 10-14 are is totally different. They seem to exhibit a nice balance of screens vs. real life and have a healthy dose of cynicism. Not just observed in my own kids but lots of others as well. They are a lot of the ones creating the best memes right now and aren't falling for the leftist and SJW BS hook line and sinker like the millennials did.

Sweeping generalizations to be sure, but so is the subject.

Nothing new here.

For a film to be really profitable these days, it has to play well in China. Lots of action and no complicated story to translate.

On TV, game shows are cheap to produce. They run in the summer because audiences are less interested in sitting on the sofa watching TV.

While I agree some adults are regressing, tentpole movies are neither a sign or a symptom. Just business.

Baldwin is a moron. (shocker)

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... “Americans have become children — demanding, dependent and needy.” ...

I have seen and know some people in their '50s who fit this description.

They proceed the "millennial generation" by about 12 years or more.

"Adult" used to mean mature, responsible, self-sufficient, modest, and capable. Nowadays, it means pornographic.

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Originally posted by Strambo:
The current generation "Z" like my kids who are age 10-14 are is totally different. They seem to exhibit a nice balance of screens vs. real life and have a healthy dose of cynicism. Not just observed in my own kids but lots of others as well. They are a lot of the ones creating the best memes right now and aren't falling for the leftist and SJW BS hook line and sinker like the millennials did.

Sweeping generalizations to be sure, but so is the subject.

We have observed this as well in the same 10 - 14 age group and up to 18 years old as well.

Kid movies are popular in the summer?!?

Who knew?

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Originally posted by DaBigBR:
Kid movies are popular in the summer?!?

Who knew?

I really think you’re missing the point. Sure kid’s movies always come out in the summer, but look closer at that top 5. All cartoon-based or fantasies. You think it’s always been that way? Where’s this summer’s “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof?” My mom made me come to the theatre with her one summer when I was a kid. How are dramas doing nowadays?

Look, as a criminal defense attorney I realize that America is running dangerously short of responsibility, but using movies, especially summer movies, to make a point about the declining "adulthood" of the America population is indefensible.

Take a look at the top 50 movies of all time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ghest-grossing_films. Shockingly, Gandhi ain't there. Take a look at the top franchises. Same. Nor are any real "adult" movies except when looking at the all time chronological winners, you maybe can make a point of Birth of a Nation (which I say is an outlier due to it's uniqueness in American cinema, then Gone with the Wind and Sound of Music, and if you are planting your flag on those latter two as your "adult" hill to die on, well more power to you I guess but that wouldn't be my top choice for "best example of an 'adult' film (and I'm not talking porn)". And this pattern has been happening since the creation of film. Westerns, sci-fi, horror, comedy, etc. made/make the money for theaters. And you know who goes to those kind of films? Kids and young adults. You know when? The summer when its hot and they are out of school.

So, while props to making an important point: that taking personal responsibility for actions has taken a holiday in America since, oh I'd say 1990 at least; no points for using movies as any sort of argument in support of that argument. At all.

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Originally posted by DaBigBR:
Kid movies are popular in the summer?!?

Who knew?

You simply cannot be that obtuse. You just can't. I refuse to believe that you don't see what's happening. I read your posts all the time. You're no dummy. Why are you acting like one?

Is the idea that the current non-stop flood of these childish films is indicative of a regression of the American adult hitting too close to home for you? I would think that ardent fans of these films might bristle at such an idea, but, ya know what? I think it hits the nail squarely on the head. Truly, I do.

Did this thread drop a round into your wheelhouse?

Cat on a hot tin roof could never be thus titled today as it would trigger cries of animal cruelty. Drama cannot be made because most won't pay to watch the SJW docudramas. Hollywood is out of ideas and if there are any original thinkers, they have been driven underground

I just watch TCM. I like high brow films. I even go to the library. I also read books. My previous landlord owned a movie theatre. I asked why certain films were here only briefly. Well it turns out that Joe and Mary six pack like Smokey and the Bandit films. He could not make money on the other stuff. Nothing has really changed.

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Originally posted by TMats:

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Originally posted by DaBigBR:
Kid movies are popular in the summer?!?

Who knew?

I really think you’re missing the point. Sure kid’s movies always come out in the summer, but look closer at that top 5. All cartoon-based or fantasies. You think it’s always been that way? Where’s this summer’s “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof?” My mom made me come to the theatre with her one summer when I was a kid. How are dramas doing nowadays?

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: Wikipedia states "The film was a hit with audiences and was number one at the US box office for five weeks in a row throughout September 1958 grossing $1.6 million in 24 key cities in its first month before being knocked off the top spot by Damn Yankees. It returned to the top spot for the next 4 weeks and was also the number one film for the month of October.

According to MGM records the film earned rentals for the studio of $7,660,000 in the US and Canada and $3,625,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $2,428,000."

This isn't going to win your argument. I can point to dozens of films this year and last that are "adult", I mean look at the Best Picture Award nominees and winners for 2018 and 2019 for pete's sake.

Granted COAHTR is a great movie and stands the test of time, but you, nor anyone, knows what people will be thinking is great in 2069.

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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: Wikipedia states "The film was a hit with audiences and was number one at the US box office for five weeks in a row

The film, in addition to a real script, had a great cast. Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives.

I think it is truly said (and truly sad), "They don't make them like they used to."

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Originally posted by V-Tail:
I think it is truly said (and truly sad), "They don't make them like they used to."

True, but look at 1958. In 1958 this was the third grossing film of 1958. A retread of a Broadway play (again though, excellent). So was South Pacific (the 1st in 1958), based on a 1949 hit Broadway musical. And the second of 1958 (Auntie Mame) was a comedy based on a 1955 novel.

Top grossing of 1959: Ben-Hur, Operation Petticoat, Some Like it Hot, The Shaggy dog.

Again, I believe that Americans are having an epidemic of "failing to take personal responsibility for actions" itis. But the movie trends arcing towards glop that entertain and make money for studios, that isn't something new.

I have often thought that about a great % of modern day teachers. The thought of leaving a school atmosphere scares them. They can't handle the world so they stay safe "in school".