The Spectacular Mundane

Rant mode on.  I really despise the reliance on computer generated effects that has invaded and propagated through film today.  It has been used quite successfully in some films, allowing for a spectacular brand of storytelling; however, it is incredibly and horribly overused.  It has become so easy for anyone to insert special effects showing exactly what they want that some of the wonder of movies has been removed.  Special effects aren't special anymore.  They don't incite "Wow"s or gasps or anything other than, "Hey, that was pretty cool looking."  Now, special effects are not saved for the scenes that drive the plot and story forward, they are peppered throughtout films to no real storytelling effect.  They are the film equivalent of craft glitter:  at first, you can use them really well, highlighting something here, giving something an extra sparkle there.  But after a while, a seven year old gets a hold of the bottle and gets the stuff everywhere and it becomes an annoying and enduring pestilence with no cure.  It replaces everything else in the craft box and all you're left with is glitter, glitter and more glitter.  I want my real effects back.  Something that makes you gasp because, wow, somebody actually DID that or MADE that.  I want a time back when sometimes all you got was the implication of something and you're imagination got a little workout.  I'm not saying CGI/glitter shouldn't be used... I'm just saying there should be some adult supervision during its use.  Rant Mode Off.