2. Coverage of the Soviet era as it really was in Europe, the USSR, and its real activities in and effects on the rest of the world. Going along with this would be realistic coverage of the Cold War — there must be a lot of material in there that, objectively handled, would make good drama.

3. Redo the story of John Adams (or a fresh story of one of the other central people then) and tell it as it really was, as he really was, not so much inaccuracy and PC fiction: and this time, please, do include the American Revolution. I just tried watching this for the first time and so could easily get going on a rant, but will limit myself to:
a) Don’t tell us things: show them. If you have the members of the Second Continental Congress fretting that there are British warships coming up the river, then by all means, show at least a little bit of the British actually taking Philadelphia and Adams escaping, rather than just a one-liner later on from Abigail in the next series part as the couple stroll through the back yard at home one calm winter day back in Massachusetts saying she was afraid she had lost him when Philadelphia fell.
b) If you must show Benedict Arnold on horseback in front of his troops and in full hero mode in Philadelphia while the Declaration is being read — and congratulations on getting an actor who so closely resembled Arnold that I suspected you of cloning — then bring him into the rest of the show at some point. I thought there was going to be a subplot with Washington and him, the part about Arnold’s wife buying time for her husband to escape by pretending to be hysterical when General Washington came to West Point–nice parallel with Washington’s meeting with Abigail there. I was put off by there just being a verbal reference later in the series by some character over in England about ‘Arnold’s treachery.’
c) Allegory will only get you so far and then it will lose your audience. Specifically, I rather liked the fear of new things shown as the Congress debated independence tied in with Abigail having herself and the kids vaccinated, but it would have been nice to know what John thought of her actions. Later on, though, I did not appreciate the allegorical balloon lift-off in France; I would have preferred seeing some of the nitty and the gritty of that new republic getting off to a start, especially with the show focused on the historical character who negotiated the treaty with Britain and fought for and got important fishing rights, etc. in it. But I feel a rant coming on, so will just sum up: if you’re going to do a movie or series about a historical person, then follow the history, don’t reinvent the whole thing. It’s nowhere near as satisfying.

4. Life of Gotama Buddha as told in the Theravadan canon…the full De Mille treatment, please (although in this case, the drama and high-budget stuff would come first, while he was a Prince, and then the story would simplify…at least until the gods started visiting the Buddha, etc.) I am a Theravadan Buddhist and would really enjoy something like that.

2. How about a movie about a traditional family that struggles and thrives in a dysfunctional society–instead of the other way around?

3. More real stunts, less green screen. We can still tell the difference.

4. A family comedy where the kids are silly and the parents are wise–instead of the other way around…..

I must be gettin’ crotchety…..

I watched the movie Sneakers the other day. It was pretty fantastic to see Robert Redford in a movie that was fun and not real preachy. I wouldn’t mind if the political message movie went away for a century or two.

Some thoughts:

Yes, why in the world haven’t we seen one movie featuring heroic U.S. soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan? Just try it, Hollywood. If it tanks, move on to the next anti-war project.

Whit Stilman … man, I love “Metropolitan.” It was one of a handful of movies I watched over and again when I worked at a mom ‘n pop vid store years ago.

I would concur with Floyd Turbo about the American Revolution. The last good series on that came out in the 80’s starring Barry Boswick as Washington. I would love to see David Morse fill that role.

I don’t mind remakes as long as they’re good, or at least make you have a good time. But agreed that there needs to be more orignal material.

I’ll give cudos to Chris Nolan for Inception. Saw it this past weekend and it was one of the best films of the year (my take). To give some context, we saw it in a theater with many teens who would normally spend a film talking or texting. Not a one of them made any noise during the entire film. It was amazing.

More fare like this would be welcome.

2. I miss Whit Stillman and would love to see some studio give him enough cash to make movies again.

3. Please, Hollywood, don’t screw up the film version of World War Z.

Technology, by now, should make things cheaper not more expensive. Focus on that, not on making every hair on the Panda look perfect.

Go back, watch every Western from 1935 to 1967, repeat.