I feel like we've been debating this topic, or some variation of it for a while. You know what I'm talking about: the experience of going to the cinema and watching a film. There's nothing better, right? The feeling of sitting in the dark, surrounded by other people, surrendering yourself to the power of film and disappearing into its majesty for an hour and a half. It's pure magic, ads and all, and yet I feel like every year, that experience is rapidly changing, and maybe not in a good way. Just to be clear, this is not (entirely) in relation to the current situation; it is what it is, and I've been contemplating writing a piece like this ever since about October of last year. That was around the time when Martin Scorsese declared that the Marvel movies aren't cinema, and although his comments bred accusations of elitism, I can't help but feel their relevance when I think about the future of going to the movies
Just to clarify, this is not an attack on tentpole films, and certainly isn't a specific criticism of Marvel or Disney. Those films have a place in the cinematic landscape, and I honestly don't have a problem with them. I like a blockbuster as much as anyone else, and for all of the gripes I have with those films, I do see them and enjoy them for what they are. I don't deny that they provide huge viewing events and I absolutely understand why they're so celebrated by so many people, and I'd never try to take that love away. That said, I worry about what big films do to the wider landscape of cinema, and the larger implications that has for going to see movies in the cinema. I'll let you in on a little secret: movies are a business, and no amount of waxing lyrical about Yorgos Lanthimos or Akira Kurosawa on this blog will ever change that. The fact is that these movies make money, and that's okay. But the process of pumping out these huge blockbusters has some seriously adverse side effects on how cinemas operate and especially how they cater to audiences, and if Disney's not the only part of the problem, then their monopoly on the industry certainly isn't helping
The truth is that I don't want to live in a world where midbudget films aren't being pushed in the cinemas because they aren't as profitable as these titanic franchise properties. Personally, the cinema trips that excite me the most are the ones when I see a film that is clearly driven by a distinct creative voice. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the perfect example, arriving in the late summer haze a glorious vision of a uniquely Tarantino kind of storytelling, one I gladly surrendered myself to and had an absolute blast with. Although that film is still arguably a blockbuster, it was so exciting because it felt organic, the kind of experience that cinemas are made to carry.
As much as I love Netflix as a platform and their ability to give more diverse films an audience they might not have had otherwise (Roma is the perfect example), I am also critical of the kind of reputation that they and other streaming services have given to these kind of midbudget films. Don't get me wrong, I applaud them for releasing films such as Marriage Story or The Irishman in cinemas as well, and I think that's a step in the right direction, but I don't like the growing mentality that some films are for the cinema and some are better viewed at home. Roma may not contain the dynamic, large scale action of Avengers Endgame, but its immaculate imagery and immersive sound are the perfect example of the kind of moving big screen magic that I eternally crave. It's becoming increasingly disheartening when I see films like Annihilation or Uncut Gems relegated to opening on VOD services in Ireland when they've opened in cinemas in other territories. And if they do get a theatrical release, it's often incredibly limited
And although the issue of Irish distribution is its own thing, the fact is that non-American markets are steadily becoming clogged with an overabundance of studio blockbusters. And again, this piece isn't inspired by the current situation, but thinking about the state of cinemas when they reopen doesn't exactly fill me with hope. It could mark a serious blow for this kind of cinema being easily accessible on the big screen, and that would make me very sad indeed. It's not all bad news though. Bong Joon-ho's Parasite getting a widespread cinematic release was awesome to see, the kind of recognition of international filmmaking and original storytelling that I think mainstream cinemas had been largely lacking. There's always art venues as well, always a safe bet for seeing some quality content as well as some great older fare, too. And when this is all over, I'd love to be able to march down to my local and see some good original content. I just hope that, going forward, there's greater appreciation for a larger variety of content on cinema screens. So when cinemas do open again, please support midbudget films and non-franchise films because they do need your support
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