‘80s MOVIES--TRASH AND TREASURES

The state of movies today could try a film-lover’s soul.

In this overview of where the movies are now--the highs and the lows, the people and the product--Calendar’s film critics have tried not to be overly negative. But optimism in the face of entrenched big-studio practices would border on the barmy.

Audiences are awash in what the studios call “high concept.” They’redrowned in money-making movies cloned endlessly. Too many films are physically sumptuous yet mentally and morally anorexic. Experimentation is at a minimum, storytelling almost a lost art.

The good news: Fresh voices and faces have broken through. Independentlymade films are finding audiences. There are actors of an unparalleled caliber, and technical virtuosity is at a refreshing high. So the elements are in place. It only remains for the right hands to use them.

This overview covers the elements of movie making (producing, directing, acting, etc.) and the various genres (comedy, drama, adventure, etc.). The lists try to cast a fond eye on today’s best, and a clear eye on the rest. The viewpoint on all lists is a collective one; the voting was heated but democratic.