Why do we care about a movie's bottom line?

The reason for this is because of how the industry works. In the case of a franchise, the numbers will determine whether the next one will get made or not. And nowadays, the box office returns of any original movie that is not a sequel or a reboot need to be scrutinized because if they fail that might signal that other similar projects will get cancelled. The real tragedy is when a good movie falls. The arthouse circuit numbers are also important. I recently heard David Lynch said the arthouse circuit is dead. That is very sad news.

I think those who dislike a movie, and I do to a degree include myself, and like a movie, use such a stat to validate their own view on whether a movie is good or bad. I have used it once I think in a discussion on AC when pointing out to someone that I believe it is a bad movie. something along the line for example ''its a bad/ good movie, the numbers don't lie'' kinda thing but to me, for 99% of the time I don't really bother about numbers. if I like a film I like a film and if I don't same goes, I don't take stats into account when making up my own mind

joylitt I do not really know how the industry works. I suppose I am asking if perception, previews or reviews have an effect on your enjoyment. Do you watch and enjoy a movie that the masses hate? Do you despise a Hollywood block buster everyone keeps talking about that you saw but hated?

Mr H- oops? ali81 Thanks- that is pretty much how I see it. Although I have enjoyed the s£$t out of some things others have absolutely hated. Go figure.

ali81 yes. Sometimes people would use the numbers to try to validate their point of view. Or you just react to information that is presented to you as if it was positive when it is not. It is better to be realistic.

dk Yes. I love movies with morose pacing. By the way this reminds me you were asking for Sci fi movie recommendations. Try to watch "Embers" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3503460/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

and also "The Girl with all the gifts" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4547056/?ref_=nv_sr_2

I am surprised "Embers" didn't get better reviews; I though it was absolutely brilliant.

Damn! I still haven't been able to watch my last batch of DVDs like Pandemonium, Jupiter Rising and Passengers. You are breaking my balls dude!

haha I think it's "Pandorum". Bypass those and watch the ones I'm telling you now. You will thank me later :-)

It is Pandorum. Still, members tell me I shoul watch their recommendations  first. 

dk my enjoyment is never affected by the box office numbers, I just know that if the movie tanks (by industry standards), though being a film that I personally enjoy, and it is a part of a franchise (that I also happen to enjoy), then the franchise may not continue. That is just to answer your question - no, essentially I do not care for the bottom line, and probably no viewer should (at least not to the point that it overshadows viewing experience), but I may glance at the box office stats with a corner of my eye, because I want see franchise continue, and because I want the movie I enjoy to kick the box office ass )

JonesRules Thanks for the input. Perhaps I am dating myself, but I rented the VHS Pitch Black back in the day. I never heard of it but I loved it (still do). I still haven't checked reviews about it since no reviews can change my mind about it.

I can see what Joylitt means as the money thats made $$$$ and how well the movies get rated do effect the potential for investing to make more Movies in the same Franchise.

I understand the OP as far as how a movie is rated or how much it makes $$$$$ does not effect how each individual person enjoys the said Movie.

Avatar and Gravity got Rave reviews but i could not watch them no further than i could AVPR... but i did give AVPR a 3rd try a few months back and saw it all the way through lol

Maybe i need to do the same for Avatar and Gravity... but i just never found either appealing...  Some people did not like Chappie but i found it not to bad...  mind you did not see point in Miss Weaver lol but i have for some reason the last 10 years just become less and less a Miss Weaver Fan myself.

I'll use Arrival. Was not my cup of tea and the stereotype of the "dumb soldiers listening to right wing radio" was off-putting. The rest of the film did not insult my intelligence so I look favorably on that director. The icing on the cake is that it did well at the box office. This all correlates to a director runniñg on all cylinders. Out of eight Alien films there is only one I think of when flushing the toilet. It just so happens that word of mouth murdered it's (AC) reception among regular people or (earth chimps to Ridley). I wouldn't trust Scott to sell girl scout cookies now. Yes, box-office matters when there is only one franchise I can watch on dvd loop running 249 days a year at eleven hours a day. Will Covvy be purchased for the loop, maybe in three years at a pawn shop for dirt cheap.

dk you hit the right spot with bringing up Pitch Black! I treasure my DVD version of it and consider it a stunning film, a modern classic, a low-budget mind-blowing masterpiece, a rare gem among most of the modern [huge-budget] sci-fi movies. And I do not know its ratings and box office figures. But what happened - studio took notice that it was well-received by the fans and gave birth to a sequel - a glossy super-expensive pile of garbage and nonsense, a cartoon in more than one meaning of that word. And after seeing [half of] that sequel, I did not care about that franchise continuing, even if it made a bundle of money (it did continue, I think). And Pitch Black will live on for me as a great stand-alone (as what original Alien may be for some).

JonesRules Indeed. I thought the movie was fine all by itself. I eventually bought the whole thing with COR, Riddik and I think there is an animation link in there too. I did not care for COR- it seemed too grandiose to me. Riddik was just OK- worth watching once. I think the animation was pretty good actually, but forgettable. 

I feel a similar way about the Quadrilogy. 

BTW- due to lapses of memory or laziness, I have 3 copies of Pitch Black!