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Highly Entertaining - Play it your way!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: January 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I received this game for Christmas and haven't stopped playing or thinking about it since. While it at first seems like a tycoon game, with a strong AI, you quickly come to realize the real power and attraction of the game: the custom script building portion where you can create your own movies.

This mode of play is for the right-brained folks among us. If you're a creative person, then you'll be in heaven at the possibilities. If you're the more analytical sort, this game will not make you into a movie mastermind - You're got to do the work!

Choose your actors, costumes, sets and scenes, then take the full reel of footage into post-production where you'll spend the most amount of time. From here, you can edit and cut up the scenes, move the pieces around and add a soundtrack, including music and effects. You can choose to add subtitles, or even full voiceovers where the actors' actually lip synch to the words.

While my "creative side" is loving this, I'll admit that more precise controls in post-production could have been implemented. That said, I've yet to come across something I couldn't accomplish with the toolset provided. The several small movies I've made are just as I intended.

As of this writing, I'm in the process of editing together the first installment of a serial that I'll be sharing with the Movies community site - something that you're able to do from within the game. With a goal in mind, it challenges both you and the game to meet the requirements.

Back on the "tycoon" side of the game, the feature that engaged me most is the passage of time from the 1920's to modern day. From the radio broadcast voiceovers, the content of the news, clothing style and star demands, it really feels like you are growing along with the movie industry.

I have several customer reviews of the game, and tend to disagree with some of the negative remarks. Within an hour of play, I had all of the basics figured out - such as placing objects, rotating them, building a staff and catering to the stars.

The tutorial may not go deep into each and every topic, but the interface is rather simple. If you've never played a tycoon game before, you may be a little overwhelmed. In game popups offer suggestions, and when you pick up a script or star there is always a small trail of glitter that points to the most appropriate place to take them. (A star may want to go get a snack, or a script should go to release, etc.)

If you are still skeptical, go to the official site and view a few of the top ranked user movies. If you're like me, you won't believe they were all made with just the game - that is until you get in there and see what's possible!

While not as involved as The Sims, or as complex as other tycoon and Sim, the game appeals to fans of both genres and opens up to a new demographic in the custom movie mode. Play the game as you choose!

What a Phenom!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: July 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Movies - for better or worse - is a marvel of a game. The reviews here on Amazon run the gamut of all the game's pros and cons very well. I'll try to summarize my experience and opinion without getting into all the details already covered.

Game Summary: The Movies sees you in charge of a studio starting at 1920 and going to the present day - with all the changes in technology and world events to go with it. All the changes affect everything in the game: the game-world is very interactive as far as what sells and what's happening.

The game has two major components (with so many sub-parts I couldn't even begin to write about): building and managing your movie studio - all the buildings, staff, and finances that you can imagine going into it; and making movies - replete with script-writing, stage sets, and marketing. The experience of running your own movie studio is very compelling.

As an added bonus you can create your own movie stars - everything from head shape to eye color to personal hygene. And you can throw movies into post-production and edit every single detail of every single scene if you so desire. Movies can be saved in files or CDs to play in the standard Windows Media Player (make some "interesting" family movies). If that doesn't strike you as astounding for a simulation game then don't waste the money on this one.

Quick list of pros (+) and cons (-):
+ Graphics: excellent, believable, and engrossing
+ Sound: fitting, clear, and engrossing
+ Gameplay: intuitive, easy-to-learn, and addictive
+ Performance: solid, smooth, doesn't distract
- Learning Curve: there's a LOT to do here
- Expansions: expansion pack "STUNTS" over-priced under-packed

Make sure your system meets all the requirements on the box: you'll need directx 9.0c compatible hardware to run the game. Updating your graphics and sound drivers may also be needed. The game comes with the STARMAKER program to make your own movie stars; but check the company's website for the current update patch.

Also I had an installation issue where the autoplay menu wouldn't install after clicking the 'install' button. If this happens to you you'll have to go the CD drive the game is in and double-click the "Setup.exe" file to get it going.

Enjoy and make some movies

Fun, but not enough control over your movies

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: December 16, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I recently got this game and I love it. The only problem with me is, when I make a movie I don't get enough control! There are limited selections to what your ppl can do, plus if you make a movie with extras which are represented by silver mannequins, you can't control what they wear! For example, I was making a WW2 movie and in one scene when the Nazis ambushed the Americans, the extra "nazis" were wearing Russian and American uniforms! And I couldn't fix it! Otherwise it's ok

Quickly lost its luster

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: June 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I do not want to worry about hiring janitors, searching for extras, worrying about the landscape of my studio lot, constructing toilets, or any other of the micromanaging chores involved in running a studio. I want to build stars, direct films, and create cinematic masterpieces. There are so many distractions away from the main goal that one barely has time to enjoy the movie making experience. Bad enough I have to spend forever worrying about side projects, but the movie making software itself is flawed limiting what types of flicks I can even make. What could have been. What could have been. When one turns the entertainment industry into a boring exercise then one knows they have failed utterly.

An amazing idea for a game, addicting but somewhat flawed

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: December 31, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I've been very hooked on this game lately! I've been reading about its making for years, and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. In some ways, it meets my hopeful expectations. It's very addictive---you are truly driven to try to get your movies to be better rated, your stars more experienced and happier, your lot bigger and more varied and your money situation more stable! It's kept me up night after night, wanting to release just one more movie!

However, I've found some areas quite annoying. There seems to be a constant shortage of labor in the world this game operates in. Even when I managed to have my studio rated #1, even during the depths of the Depression when you would think anyone would be very eager to be a highly paid movie star, no-one is lining up at my gates to work. So I am forced to overwork my few stars and directors to the point that they are driven to drink. This seems very artifical, like something built into the game just to make it harder.

The game also becomes sort of formula driven after a while. Once you figure out what works (always make movies in the currently popular genre, don't try to write your own scripts, make your stars practice all the time) you find yourself doing that over and over, just to keep the studio high rated in the futile hope you might someday get more stars to choose from. I found it easy to make money, but after a while there is little to spend it on.

The stars are quite bizarre looking! I would think with the whole of Hollywood to choose from, a studio could cast a few more normal looking folk!

I tried a lot to make my own scripts. The movie maker is a little hard to use, and even after watching the tutorials and reading the manual, I had a lot of areas I was uncertain about. Do I have any control over how long scenes are? How do I put something in an actor's hand? I think it should be easier to figure these things out!

This sounds like a lot of criticism, and I don't mean to be so critical. This is a great game in a lot of ways. I think however it's more of a great GAME, one you figure out the rules to and play the best you can, than a great SIMULATOR, that really gives you the feel of making movies. So if you are okay with that, I would say buy it with confidence---you'll have lots of fun!

Awesome!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: January 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I love this game. Its is addictive! You have to be paietent though. You starts out in the year 1920 then I guess you just work up. I'm in the year 1930 right now...I just got it yesterday. I think this game is really fun and you should get it,if you are going to take your time to learn it. I personally love it! I'm 10 so now you know your getting this advice from a 10 year old. I hope this review was helpfull!

Ps. BUY IT!

Fantastic idea ... good execution

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The concept behind this game--make your own movies--is brilliant. And fortunately, there is enough material that comes with the game to make a wide variety of productions. The tools available in the "sandbox" mode of the game are fairly simple to use and allow for a lot of creative expression. The story mode of the game, while interesting for a few hours, is actually the weak link. But I assume that the average person will buy this game for the movie-making ability, so the story mode's limitations are fairly easy to look over.

Gameplay: There are two gameplay modes: story mode and sandbox. The story mode starts you off in the 1920s as an up-and-coming studio manager. You are responsible for building up your studio lot with various buildings, sets, decorations, pathways, and so forth. Also, you have to staff the studio with builders, janitors, crew members, researchers, directors, and, of course, actors. This has to be done on a budget, so you'll have to manage your money wisely. The overall goal is to produce films that gain experience for your actors and directors, get good ratings, and receive awards (which are given out every 5 years). As you manage your studio over time, new costumes, sets, and props become available allowing for a greater diversity of artistic creations.

Overall, the story mode serves as a very long tutorial for the sandbox mode. Some people will be put off by the tedious nature of the story-mode gameplay. Much of your time will be spend on micromanaging actors' attitudes, repairing buildings, hunting for new recruits, and the like. After about 3 hours, it really can get mentally numbing. However, the developers of the game made playing the story mode necessary, since you can only have access to certain props, sets, and costumes in the sandbox by playing through the story mode. Thus, expect to play through 20 hours of the story mode before unlocking all of the sets and other things.

The sandbox is really where the game shines. This is where you can make your own movies. Rather surprisingly, the process is quite straightforward. The tutorials and in-game instructions are very good, and there are tons of scenes, props, costumes, and other times. A very nice element of the game is the star-maker program, which allows you to model the face and appearance your actors. Movies can be as simple (and rough) as you want or as sophisticated (and time-consuming) as you desire. In essence, you create a movie by stringing together pre-set scenes which you can change in a number of ways, including length, intensity, lighting, weather, subtitles, actor positions and expressions, and so forth. You can even add voices and music if you'd like. There are some limitations. For example, you don't have full control over camera angles, and you can't determine precisely where an actor will be in a scene (you have a few pre-set options). Still, there is an incredible amount of potential in the tools and material that you do have available. To get a sense of the possibilities, take a look at some of the 4- and 5-star movies at www.themoviesgame.com.

Grapics: The visuals are good overall. The actors do have a somewhat cartoonish quality about them and can seem awkward on occasion. Still, there's nothing quite like seeing an actor, whom you just spent a half hour creating in the star-maker program, walk into a scene. It's really a magical gaming moment. The sets look pretty good, as well as the props. Also, the scenes and technologies seem appropriate to each era of film-making. I wish that the game had a mini-map for your studio lot, so that you could instantly jump to a particular building (instead of having to scroll there). Also, the lot should have been expandable, since you'll have it covered with buildings in no time. Still, the graphics are good enough to allow for some fairly immersive gameplay.

Sound: All of the music is good and appropriate, from the music played during game installation to the in-game tunes. There is some voice acting in the game, but not among the actors themselves. There are a number of sound effects that can be added to movies. Also, you can add your own voices, music, and effects.

Replayability/Technical elements: The game has huge replayability. No two people will experience it the same way, at least not in the sandbox mode. You are largely limited by only your imagination. The instruction manual is pretty good, and the in-game tutorials and instructions are great. If you want to jump into the game, you could figure it out fairly quickly. The game seems well polished, even slick in its presentation. It did crash on me once, but only after a 8+ hour session (you can save all of your film work, sets, actors, etc.). There is a patch available, which I recommend.

Overall, I thought that this was a worthwhile purchase. The story mode could have been better, but the sandbox mode easily makes up for it. If you are interested in a game that allows you to direct, cast, and produce a movie, this is it. It's not perfect, but it does generally fulfill its promise. I hope that there is an expansion forthcoming which add more props, costumes, sets, and the like, along with better control of the camera.

A fresh and novel addition to a crowded genre.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have a new gaming addiction: Lionhead Studios' "The Movies"!

In case you live in a cave without access to the net or gaming mags, the game is a tycoon-style affair that puts you in charge of a fledgling film studio at the beginning of films' golden age (1920). There are many management elements involved, including adding different types of soundstages with distinct themes, such as war-torn city streets, a spaceship bridge, or a wild-west saloon. Also interesting is how you have to manage the personal aspect of film making, in particular how to cater to your actors, actresses and directors. "Oh, Sally Smith is stressed out again after making three straight sucky films? Get her DRUNK then!" And the crazy part is, when you have this situation and send the individual to the bar to relax, their status bubble shows them as 'GETTING DRUNK'. Even better, if they drink too much then you can build a convenient REHAB CENTER on studio property where said alcoholic can 'recover' from their addiction.

My, how games imitate life nowadays...

Seperate from the tycoon portion of the game is the REALLY fun part: the moviemaker. This tool enables you to choose locations, scene content, actors and costumes in order to create your 'vision'. Overall, it's pretty easy to use and is limited only by your imagination. I'm sure I'll eventually spend a good deal of time playing with the moviemaker, but for now I'm too busy turning all my actors into drunken has-beens to have time to create my own art.... >:)

My Review:

Pros: Lots of variety, slick 3D interface, awesome animations and lots of great artwork. Small details that catch the eye, quick and to the point tutorial, and easy learning curve. Good replay value with the movie making system.

Cons: Music is appropriate, but gets repetative quick. (The ultra-repetative commie-bashing radio broadcasts make me feel like I'm riding "It's a Small World")

Summary: A great game if you're the creative type and/or like film and tycoon games. Not as deep as other tycoon type titles, but lots of fun and certainly worth the $$.

In my opinion, It is Very FUN.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 10, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I thought this game was very very fun. It's true, as other reviewers have said, that you do not have complete control over the movies you make, but that isn't really a selling point for me. This game is basically a LOT of fun to play if you like games like Roller Coaster Tycoon and the Sims 2, or if you have an interest in the film industry. It really has a lot of options and doesn't get boring!!

The Actors Aren't Ugly!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: October 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've been playing this game for a few weeks now. I was lucky enough to order a used copy off of Ebay for only $7.00. I didn't know what to expect but the overall outcome is that I think it's great!! I dont get too much into the micro-management of the movie making business because I think that's tedious and time consuming - but I LOVE MAKING MOVIES!! This was the best idea to come along in a long long time. I've just really gotten the knack of it and it's super to spend hours putting together a movie and then polishing it up. VERY creative and you actually end up realizing what it must be like to make a real movie in real life. Not only that but you can record your own dialogue and the actors will say what you want them too. Ingenious! I just wish there was more blood and nudity - lol. Some exploding heads would be nice too. Oh, and btw, I dont think the actors are ugly at all when you can use the StarMaker and make them look any way you want. I would also recommend getting the Stunts and Effects pack as this adds a great deal more. I would also like the option to BUILD MY OWN SETS!!!! But other than that, this game is Awesome!!!

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