My Two Cents - Which Were Better?

It is one of the oldest arguments among movie buffs. Are movies from Hollywood's "Golden Era" better than the movies made today? It makes for an intriguing discussion for certain. So, let's analyze it a little.
First and foremost, comparing a movie made in 1936 to a movie made in 2006 is something like comparing a Model T Ford to a Toyota Prius. While they are essentially the same thing...the differences between the two is like night and day. Moviemakers of the older films didn't have computer-generated images, digital sound, or the benefit of hundred-million dollar budgets. For the most part, older movies had to rely on character development and a strong storyline.
This is not to say that modern movies don't have well-developed characters or an interesting plot. Special effects shouldn't be the entire movie...they should take an already strong movie and enhance it further. But sometimes, it's just easier to let special effects take over a movie. How often has a movie been made, where you walk out of the theater thinking, "If only they had done this", or "Why didn't they do that?"
Also...I am not trying to imply that every movie made before 1970 was a classic that should be revered and used as the pinnacle of movie-making. Let's face it...the old time moviemakers turned out just as many clunkers as today's filmmakers. It would be interesting to see how many of the "Golden Era" films would have been straight-to-video releases in today's marketing.
In many cases, it boils down to preference and individual tastes. For example, my wife loves Hollywood's classic films. She enjoys films like "Mrs. Miniver" and "The Uninvited". Granted, she likes newer movies as well. The films she stays away from are some of the ones I seem to prefer, such as action/adventures, horror, and science fiction/fantasy. I enjoy some of the classics as well...and have actually watched more of them since I met my wife. But, I still get a kick out of shoot-'em-up action and gory, B-grade horror films, too. We "agree to disagree", as the old saying goes. When she wants to watch "The Big Chill", and I want to watch "Mortal Kombat"...we simply make our popcorn, give each other a kiss, tell each other "Enjoy your movie"...and head to different rooms.
So...I guess the simplest answer to the question is this: Movies have always had classics and classic bombs. It just depends on what you feel like sitting down and enjoying on that particular night.