Yawning over movies

Yup, there it is. On the front page of my local daily newspaper. "Hollywood fears meltdown".

Seems that movie attendance in theatres is on a sharp decline with no signs of improving. Theatres are pinning their hopes on Jackson's newest, King Kong.

I have nothing against the big ape, but I was never interested in the other versions of this film. I mean, an oversized ape rampaging in Manhattan because he's fallen for a human woman? I have a lot of imagination, but that premise has just never worked for me. I'll be staying home this weekend.

And maybe that's the problem. For much of this year, I haven't gone to the movies. Oh sure I've seen films, including Narnia and the latest Hogwarts saga, and I've actually been very impressed and surprised by one (Derailed, believe it or not....see it definitely if you haven't already), but the year overall has been a big yawn at the box office, as far as I'm concerned. I've been getting more satisfaction out of my PVR.

Perhaps that's the reason? With so many of us able to now be choosy about what and when we watch anything, more of us are choosing to watch only what we think is interesting and forgoing the rest.

Or is it actually a sign that online entertainment, a la MMOs and downloadable TV via iTunes, has really started to hit it big?

I look at the near horizon and I see only one movie I'm looking forward to seeing...Brokeback Mountain. A big screen buddy movie about the lives of two cowboys and their more-than-average homosexual relationship? Wow. Count me in.

The rest of what's coming out though? *Yawn*.

Think I'll read a good book instead.