The distinction is pretty clear if you look at say, the first Star Wars trilogy versus the second one. Even though the effects are cruder in the original, the second is less satisfying because it all looks so fake.
I don’t think we’ll see much in the way of old school effects for big productions, because CGI is probably a lot cheaper than models and makeup at this point. I just hope the CGI quality improves, and the moviemakers start learning to use it more tastefully.
That’s a really good and apt comparison.
I’ve never known how much to blame my own subjective biases, but when I see these films with all their overdone CGI, my eyes just glaze over, and I lose all interest in the proceedings. Yet, I’ll see some rinky-tink, old-time film with plastic-models and back-projection, or some actor wearing a rubber alien mask, and... somehow, despite an obvious fakiness, there’s still something about it that will draw me in.