As in politics, the real beneficiaries are not the communities they claim to represent, but larger forces that profit from local dynamics. Similarly, in cinema, the primary stakeholders—filmmakers and audiences—are often an afterthought, while the center of the equation is dominated by what is called the film industry. There is an urgent need to... See more

Hollywood is in crisis. Streaming has created heavy competition. COVID really hurt theatrical box office. There's been a lot of corporate take-over in the last 20 years. Appeasing shareholders is a fast track to destroying creativity.

I think even if we’re drawn towards sequels and remakes, fundamentally we go to the cinema to see and feel new images. So much of mainstream cinema has become a retreading of tired ground.

Trying to stay competitive with streaming, executives are trying to make larger profits and screenwriting is one way they can cut corners and (temporarily) hide that they cut corners. When an audience looks at a trailer they see the flashy costumes, set design, actors they love, crisp cinematography, or an IP they recognize, but you can't really... See more

Flattened, algorithmically-driven, risk-averse, accounting-based reboot culture continues to win despite the incredible diversity and eagerness of the creator economy and its long tail of choice and representation.

But despite a firehouse of hot takes, nothing much has changed over the years. Perhaps it’s gotten worse ?

In 2024, all of the Top 15... See more