James's Answer

1. A Celebration of the Stupid. -- A dumbing down of American culture has led to a dumbing down of the movies being made. There are no longer witty or thoughtful films, rather shortcuts are taken that use puerile humor, gratuitous violence and sex/and nudity to titillate an audience rather than engage them.

2. Critics -- Critics are bored. They see so many films that they are looking for anything that is new and interesting, anything that will keep them awake in the dark. The champion the extreme and dismiss the good film that has a story to tell. So film writers, directors and producers shy away from the good film for the easy buck or the awards. Didn't the Academy Awards start as an elaborate publicity stunt to sell movies. Now if a movie sells it has less chance of winning an award.

3. Celebrity -- There was a time when a star could walk down the street without an entourage. Now the ubiquitous paparazzi, security, and hangers-on have diminished the craft. When do-nothing, know-nothing celebrities are better known for their bad deeds than their skill and talent or some no-acting-talent rap star or athlete helms a picture, it demeans the business and those who are truly trying to make art. But perhaps little has changed, Oscar Wilde noted, "If there is anything in the world more annoying than having people talk about you, it is certainly having no one talk about you."

I am going to stretch the boundaries of the question, because there is a fourth problem with the industry that needs mentioning.

4. Pandering -- Playwright David Wang loved the Rodger and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song" song as a kid because it was the only thing he had seen that reflected his culture, even with its hurtful, albeit well meaning, stereotypes. Today, they call it niche marketing or reaching out to undeserved populations But a film that appeals to a segment of the population that has little to reflect its views, while eschewing depth, universality and quality is nothing more than pandering. Mel Gibson pandered to the religious right with "Passion of the Christ". Tyler Perry with his broad stereotypes panders to African Americans. Eddie Murphy sometimes and Martin Lawrence always share this predilection. Michael Moore's pandering to the liberal left borders on propaganda. And producers in general make their offerings to the 15-35-year-old-white-male god of demographics. The idea seems to be to make it on the cheap and recoup from a limited audience. This is a cynical approach to movie making.