Why the In-Theater Experience Must Survive COVID-19

Why the In-Theater Experience Must Survive COVID-19

By now the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can be felt in practically every area of modern society. With the question now shifting from ‘How long until things return to normal?’ to ‘Is it possible for businesses to operate the same as before?’ the future has never been less certain.

The movie business, just like virtually every industry, was hit hard by the pandemic, resulting in a number of releases being shelved for future dates and studios adjusting their strategies to implement digital releases for several major titles. Most notably, Universal controversially decided to digitally release Trolls World Tour and reportedly set records as the highest grossing VOD title in terms of revenue for the studio. This willingness of studios to forgo theatrical releases coupled with the enduring social discourse around streaming eventually overtaking the theatrical business model raises the question of whether these actions are a precursor to a new norm in which movie theaters are phased out from existence.

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The Rampant Rise Of Meta-Humor And THE LEGO MOVIE 2

Rampant Rise of Meta Humor

There is a scene during The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in which a new character by the name of Rex Dangervest (voiced by Chris Pratt) enters the scene and singlehandedly saves our lead protagonist, Emmet, through the use of a device that teleports the two away from the perilous “Duplo” toys. In the midst of this last-minute escape, Rex comically refers to this convenient tool as his trusty “plot device.”

This line is just one of many instances in The Lego Movie 2 in which the film points out its own fictional nature, as the character of Rex, an obvious amalgamation of Pratt’s most iconic action roles, serves as a wink to the audience regarding the actor’s shift in trajectory from genial comedies to blockbuster action adventures. The collective layers of the film being aware of its presence in the real world, as well as consciously pointing out its own shortcomings, are a prime example of the growing trend of meta-humor in stories.

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Interview With Melissa B. Miller Costanzo, Writer And Director Of ALL THESE SMALL MOMENTS: On Making A Contemporary Film With Nostalgic Roots

ALL THESE SMALL MOMENTS: A Tender Coming-Of-Age Dramedy

Writer and director Melissa B. Miller Costanzo’s feature debut, All These Small Moments, is a tender coming-of-age drama that explores the imprecise nature of transitioning into an adult and the surprising relationships that can shape us along the way. Starring Molly Ringwald in a role unlike any she has previously tackled and up and coming actor Brendan Meyer, this tale of a young man coping with the growing pains of adolescence through his obsession with an older woman is as equally humorous as it is cuttingly authentic.

Costanzo, being no stranger to the film industry having worked in the art department and as a producer on a number of prestige dramas, including If Beale Street Could Talk and The Fighter, demonstrated a strong visual eye as All These Small Moments is notable in its visual flair throughout. I was lucky enough to have the chance to speak with Costanzo about her new film, what inspired her, casting the iconic Molly Ringwald, and why it was important to limit the role of social media.

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Top 10 Films of 2018

Rob Caiati's Top 10 Films of 2018

Counting down the best films of the year.

As we look ahead at what appears to be a fantastic new year for movies, it’s worth taking a glance back at the eclectic mix of successes we were treated to over the past year. While there were almost certainly some films that would have made the list had I been able to see them (I’m looking at you Suspiria), here are the ten movies I was most impressed with in 2018.

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Why WIDOWS Was Unable To Commoditize Social Change

Why WIDOWS Was Unable To Commoditize Social Change

It has often been stated that every film, whether it be a fictional story or a biographical documentary, is political in nature. While movies that reflect on timely sociocultural issues have always been a driving force of cinema, recently this type of appeal has translated into massive success in terms of audience interest at the box office. Stories that have gone the extra mile to break the mold of societal and cultural norms are fueling a phenomenon in which social change is essentially being commoditized for moviegoers. Viewers are not only being drawn to the novelty of watching a film from a different cultural point of view, but they are also inspired to buy a ticket and become a part of history, doing what they can to support the paradigm shifts in Hollywood standards.

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Critical Divide: Why ‘House of Cards’ Season 6 is Collapsing for Many Viewers

House of Cards Season 6 Poster

The 5 Key Reasons Audiences and Critics are Divided on the Final Season

Despite being made available almost two weeks ago now, there appears to still be quite a bit of chatter regarding the sixth and final season of Netflix’s flagship program House of Cards. When news first came out that Season 6 would have a reduced episode count and proceed without Kevin Spacey in the key role as former President Frank Underwood, many longtime fans were rightfully concerned about the quality of the show dipping. While it would be a mischaracterization to say that critics are head over heels for the latest season, they have collectively been more inclined to praise the merits of it, with the Metacritic score and Rotten Tomatoes score seeing an improvement from last year.

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Should Hollywood Rely on the Power of the Reboot?

GWDT Reboot

3 Reasons Why Studios Should Reconsider Pressing the Reset Button for Waning Franchises.

On the surface, the recent success of Halloween(2018) appears to be another instance of Hollywood salvaging a once captivating franchise by rebooting and erasing everything save for the beloved premiere entry. The film’s resonance with audiences in the form of earning more revenue at the box office than any other sequel to the 1978 original (and at a cost-effective budget to boot) serves as evidence that rebooting past properties is one of the most potent storytelling tools in a movie studio’s arsenal. More and more film franchises are becoming reliant on this technique. Just this week we will see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series receive a “soft” reboot of sorts, as despite featuring the same characters from the American 2011 Fincher film, The Girl in the Spider’s Web will have all new actors and will skip the two sequels of the original story.

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Are Live-Action Disney Films a Safe Bet?

Are Live Action Disney Films a Safe Bet

Why The Nutcracker’s release could impact the future of Disney films.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is the latest Disney live-action film that attempts to adapt a classic fairytale with cutting-edge CGI aimed at modern audiences. On paper, this release appears to be a safe venture for the House of Mouse. The Christmas-themed movie has the ideal release date at the official start of the holiday movie season. The film boasts high budget CGI spectacle as well as A-list actors in the form of Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, and Helen Mirren. Not to mention the film is based upon the legendary classic short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann. However, despite all of these factors, looking back over the past few years, it becomes clear that The Nutcracker is far from a safe bet at the box office.

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6 Types of Films Most Immune to Rotten Tomatoes

6 Types of Films Most Immune to Rotten Tomatoes

Why certain genres are more review-proof than others.

In recent years Rotten Tomatoes has become the ultimate judge regarding a film’s quality. This growth reached new heights during the Summer of 2017 when battle lines were officially drawn between studios and the review aggregate site. When the creative forces behind aspiring blockbusters The Mummy and Baywatch publicly stated that Rotten Tomatoes was responsible for killing their films at the box office, the power of the site was solidified. Studies from entertainment research firm National Research Group have validated this claim, as it has been reported that almost all moviegoers are consistently reliant on Rotten Tomatoes scores when forming a movie purchase decision.

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Critical Divide: Why First Man isn’t Landing with All Viewers

Critical Divide First Man

The 5 Biggest Reasons Critics and Audiences are Split on the Film

Despite soaring in terms of critical accolades, First Man seems to be crashing below box office expectations. The Neil Armstrong biopic landed in third place behind last week’s reigning champs, Venom and A Star is Born, with a $16.5 million domestic gross at the box office. Unlike director Damien Chazelle’s past films, First Man was made with a reported $70 million budget, meaning box office receipts of $20 million on opening weekend, while not disastrous, are probably less than studios were anticipating. Critical darlings such as this typically have long legs at the box office thanks to potential award buzz, but it’s troubling that the film, while not bombing, isn’t burning as brightly with audiences. While the consensus from audiences isn’t that they disliked the space drama, the film’s B+ CinemaScore and 65% from Rotten Tomatoes are light when compared to the near perfect scores critics have been awarding it.

Here are the 5 reasons why First Man isn’t landing perfectly with audiences.

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