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During this quarantine, I’ve had time to dig into this question (most recently watching movies like The Blues Brothers and Tango & Cash) and confirm what I’ve always felt: practical effects just feel more visceral and less dated. Even if they are badly done, they have a tangible quality that, say, the rampaging gorilla in Rampage does not. I’m not saying CGI isn’t effective when it compliments practical effects (Christopher Nolan does this exceptionally well), but watching the bonkers stunt choreography in The Blues Brothers (or the insane set design in Tango & Cash)is more exciting than most modern day action flicks. I also thinK most 70s/80s action flicks benefitted (not health-wise, but meaningless spectacle-wise!) from the fact that people were coked out of their gourds the whole time, which added to the sheer package of insanity. It’s harder to convey that vibe through computer effects (unless the results are Birdemic or Sharknado). Totally unrelated sidebar: My problem with Stranger Things’ 80s nostalgia is that it doesn’t feel like the Duffer Brothers are doing coke off of every possible surface. It’s set in the 80s but doesn’t feel very 80s. It feels like a sanitized theme park ride. OK, that’s the end of my pandemic-inspired self-important post that also blatantly ignores the harmful effects of cocaine (I prefer snorting glue/huffing paint myself). Feel free to disagree/call me on my bullshit!