No more movies like this

Yes, we're supposed to talk about sports here. But every so often, we veer off course and talk about something else.
In this case, good movies.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" was on the other night --- it is a wonderful, wonderful movie that has stood the test of almost 50 years of time since it was made.
And it got me to thinking about how actors in those days, such as Gregory Peck (who won an Oscar for his portrayal of attorney Atticus Finch in "Mockingbird") probably wouldn't survive in today's film-making world.
Nor would that type of film.
Why?
It's a different era, for one. Movie-goers today are interested in quick pleasures, and studios are obliging, of course. It takes far less time to blow up a toaster on set than it does to draw out the characters in a movie. Maybe it will come back around. But I'm not going to hold my breath.
Two (relatively) current actors I enjoy watching are Will Smith and Tom Hanks. Neither one of their TV debuts was scintillating. But they have worked on their craft and honed their abilities. Today, they are fine actors and worthy of a price of admission.
But the rule of thumb today is to discard any semblance of a story and rely on explosions to keep people glued to the big screen. That's fine, to a point. But it doesn't require a lot of imagination.
Or attention.
Old fogey? I've been called worse. But good story telling and believable, empathetic characters beat special effects every day of the week.