Lessons From the Decade's Movies

Movies look a lot different in 2010 than they did in 2000. Richard Corliss of Time looks back at what we learned from a decade at the multiplex:

• Superheroes Are Serious: Light comic book movies have given way to the dark, layered stuff of graphic novels. “Superhero movies are the epics of our time. Lawrence of Arabia has relocated to Gotham, and his name is Bruce Wayne.”

• Who Needs Reality?: Nearly every movie that tried to tackle the issues of the day bombed. Instead, Hollywood “took refuge in fantasy, in domestic or apocalyptic dream scenarios.”
• Spend More, Make More: The average movie budget doubled, and 11 films joined Titanic in the $200 million budget club. Of those, all but four made double their costs back in theatrical revenue.
• TV Killed the Indie Drama: “Since Sundance-style drama is basically a TV movie, why can’t it be as good as the best TV shows?” asks Corliss. Two Lovers just ain’t as compelling as, say, Mad Men.