What do we watch now?

As a lover of film and television, I often find myself struggling to find something to watch. Movies in theaters feel uninteresting or often retell the same stories with a new cast. Television is no better with eight-episode seasons becoming the norm. This is after fans are expected to wait years to see more of their favorite characters. 

A few years ago, I decided to begin exploring 90s cinema. I wanted to get to know some of the films that my parents and so many others on the internet often reminisce about. I started with "Poetic Justice" and went on to watch the rest of what have now been affectionately termed "hood films." When I checked off most of those films from my list, I returned to today’s movies. The problem is that many of them lacked the impactful and emotional storytelling that drew me to cinema in the first case. Cinema today is full of remakes and retellings of stories we already know and love. This is great in theory, but how many times do we really want to watch the "Chronicles of Narnia" or another live-action remake of a Disney princess film, especially when we already know what will happen? 

Hollywood's approach to filmmaking is extremely flawed. Studios and producers have turned art into a formula and would rather retell the same stories or create films based on existing intellectual property (IP) instead of investing in new narratives. According to their "formula," all they need to do is cast a popular actor or actress in a genre that has proven successful and audiences will flock to the show or film. "Joker: Folie à Deux" is a great example of this trend. This "highly anticipated film" ultimately lost Warner Bros. millions despite the fact that according to the Hollywood formula, it should have been a success. It’s based on DC Comics which has a built-in fanbase. Cast members such as Lady Gaga were supposed to draw fans to theaters, but that’s not what happened. 

This is not due to a lack of available content. About 50,000 screenplays are registered with the Writer’s Guild of America, so there is a plethora of new ideas out there. Screenwriting is one of the most difficult jobs out there, precisely because you never truly know what will sell or how your work will perform. These professionals make incredible sacrifices for their craft, often in the hopes of getting their “big break” one day. Out of these screenplays, the industry continues to pick based on formulas without considering the actual quality of storytelling. 

First of all, a film needs a plot. I have seen too many movies that have left me so confused at the end, that I couldn’t help but feel like I wasted two hours of my life. There also needs to be emotional depth. Audiences should feel something when they watch a film in theaters or at home. We need more than action movies that show pointless violence and destruction and rom-coms that are all about sex. We need cinema.

Television is no different. I’ve noticed an alarming trend of executives canceling shows that we know and love in favor of continuing ones that we don’t, which leaves viewers confused. For example, I am a huge fan of 50 Cent’s "Power" cinematic universe which includes the namesake show "Power" and three, soon to be four, spinoffs. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that "Power Book II" was ending, which sent fans into an uproar. Another one of my favorite shows, "All American: Homecoming" (a spinoff of "All American"), was canceled after its third season in favor of continuing "All American" even as most of the original cast has left.

The solution to this problem is simple, but first, those in power need to recognize this lack of quality content as an issue. Storytelling and emotional appeal are no longer a priority. The plot is an afterthought. Films have become a profit generator as opposed to a medium to make an impactful statement about the world. I am not sure that those with the power to enact change will take my advice. I’m just a cinephile and aspiring screenwriter/director who is disappointed with my current options. This desire for quality content has led me to ask my parents and grandmother for movie suggestions instead of being excited about new releases.

The entertainment industry is an industry that I dream of working in someday, but I often find myself wondering where my stories fit into a world that no longer sees the value in storytelling. How can I make movies that reflect what I want to see on screen when Hollywood executives are driven by fear? I worry that one day when my future children ask me for movie suggestions I’ll have nothing to give them. As the film and television capital of the world, I believe we can and must do better.