I Miss the Movies We Used to Get (And I’m Not Sure Where They’ve Gone)

I’ve found myself getting increasingly disconnected from what Hollywood and the major studios are churning out these days. It’s not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, and it’s certainly not a complaint about actors getting older. Aging is natural. Careers evolve. That’s not the issue.

What I miss is something more fundamental.

There was a time, roughly from the 1980s through to the early 2010s, when cinema felt reliable in the best possible way. Every year you could almost guarantee two big summer blockbusters, followed by two or three genuinely strong films later in the year, with plenty of solid, mid-budget movies scattered in between across every genre.

When I look at my shelves now, it’s obvious where my connection to cinema is strongest. Most of the films I return to, rewatch, and genuinely value come from the same handful of decades, the era that made me a collector in the first place.

Action, drama, thrillers, sci-fi, comedies, even the occasional risk-taking original idea. Not everything was great, but there was range, and there was confidence, something I’ve written about before when reflecting on why Hollywood doesn’t make them like this anymore.

The Problem Isn’t Age — It’s Refusal to Evolve

These days, what I’m seeing far too often are A-list actors who look tired on screen, not because they’ve aged, but because they’re still being asked to do what made them great 20 or 30 years ago.

There’s nothing wrong with an actor getting older. What is jarring is watching someone play the same role they once nailed naturally, only now it feels forced, weightless, or simply unbelievable. Legacy shouldn’t mean repetition.

There are exceptions, and they prove the point rather than contradict it.

Keanu Reeves is still believable because he chooses roles that suit him physically and tonally. He trains hard, commits fully, and doesn’t pretend it’s still 1999. I honestly feel the pain of every move he makes on screen and every hit he takes, though that might just be my age showing in sympathy.

Mel Gibson took a different, arguably smarter path. He matured out of the action hero mould and into roles that fit his age and presence. He still carries authority on screen, just without pretending he’s indestructible. The youthful energy of Mad Max and Lethal Weapon is long gone, replaced by a more grounded intensity that fits comfortably in later roles like Boneyard and On the Line.

Brad Pitt somehow seems almost untouched by time, but more importantly, he chooses his roles well. His performances still feel considered, grounded, and relevant. He has clearly aged, but he remains convincing in more assertive, leading-man roles, whether that’s the controlled chaos of Bullet Train, the excess and ambition of Babylon, or most recently in F1, where presence matters more than physical dominance.

Charlize Theron is one of the few female actors to take on physically demanding action roles later in her career and make them feel earned. She commits fully to the work, embraces the physicality, and never asks the audience to ignore reality, whether that’s the controlled brutality of Atomic Blonde or the raw, stripped-back intensity of Mad Max: Fury Road.

Sigourney Weaver set the standard long before this conversation even existed. She was the original female action hero, redefining what the role could be in Alien and Aliens, among others. What makes her career especially impressive is the range that followed, moving effortlessly from comedies like Ghostbusters and Galaxy Quest to more serious roles in Copycat and Avatar. Her action roles evolved with her, gaining weight and authority rather than trying to freeze time, and they remain believable because of it.

That’s how it should work.

A Nod to the Past Done Right

I actually enjoyed The Expendables for what it was. It never pretended to be a serious reinvention of action cinema or to bring the actors back to their heyday. Instead, it leaned fully into being a tongue-in-cheek celebration of 80s action heroes, and because it understood exactly what it was, it worked.

The problem is when that same energy leaks into films that are meant to be taken seriously.

Where Did the Mid-Level Movies Go?

Another thing that’s quietly disappeared is the intermediate-level film. Not a tentpole blockbuster. Not a tiny indie. Just a well-written, competently directed movie with good performances, decent soundtrack and a clear identity.

Those films used to fill the gaps between the big releases. Now it feels like we’ve jumped from over-produced spectacle straight to algorithm-approved streaming content, with very little in between.

And that’s perhaps why I really struggle when someone asks me to name truly great films from the last decade or so. A few exist, of course, but nowhere near the volume we once had.

Sometimes I genuinely wish I could start being a collector now and buy everything at their current heavily reduced prices, but the truth is, the films that made collecting exciting mostly arrived before my time ran out.

I used to look forward to the big releases and count the weeks and months until I could finally add them to my collection at a sensible price. These days, not so much. I scroll Amazon regularly, only to realise I already own most of the titles worth having. That’s part of why I still believe physical media matters, and why I’ve written before about why it’s still worth fighting for.

Maybe That’s Why Physical Media Matters More Than Ever

When I look at my shelves, I can see a clear line where my emotional connection to movies starts to thin out. The bulk of the films I return to, rewatch, and genuinely value come from that 1980s–2010s stretch.

Those films weren’t perfect, but they had identity. They weren’t made by committee, revised by algorithms, or softened to avoid offence. They trusted the audience to meet them halfway.

I don’t miss the past because it was flawless.
I miss it because it felt alive.

And right now, modern cinema often feels like it’s just going through the motions.

Thanks for Reading,

David

💬 Have a thought on this? Please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your take.

About the Author

I’m David Condon, a movie enthusiast from Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been collecting DVDs and Blu-rays for years, and along the way my shelves have become a mix of favourites, hidden gems, and titles I occasionally decide to resell.

I’m not a professional critic, just someone who enjoys good films, well-made discs, and the odd rant about the quirks of collecting. This blog is where I share my thoughts, opinions, reviews, and experiences as a fan.

💬 Note from the Author
This blog is a hobby project where I write about DVDs, Blu-rays, and the ups and downs of being a collector. If you enjoyed this post, you might also like my other writing:

David Condon Finds – my lifestyle and review blog
David Condon Woodcraft – my main website focused on woodturning and handmade pieces

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