It really didn't feel like that long ago that I was reading doom-and-gloom headlines about how movies were dying (often attributed to piracy) but it doesn't seem to be the case now.

It never has been the case. Avatar was one of the top pirated movies ever made,but they made money off that hand over fist. It's the formula that I can't stand. All the movies feel the same to me..Different actors, similar plots.