[Weekly Update] The theater experience is terrible.

I wanna go to the cinema, but there's nothing interesting playing.

The only interesting film is A Minecraft Movie, and that's interesting for the wrong reason.

CHANNEL UPDATE

Ne Zha Video:
Our next video will be about the Ne Zha films and the mythology of the character. The first draft script comes out to 550 lines, 30% longer than than our usual target. Turns out I have a lot to say. But I'll try to condense it as much as possible. Expect the video to take a bit longer.

Chinese Bad Movies & Hollywood:
The video after will be about bad Chinese movies from the past few years, why they stopped mattering in Chinese pop culture, and the shifting dynamic between Chinese and Hollywood films.
This little project began as a light hearted look at some bad movies, including one where a deepfake Jackie Chan terrorizes the audience. Since then, the topic became much more controversial thanks to China's responds to the trade war.
In short, how I feel about Chinese cinema about 5 years ago is how everyone is feeling about Hollywood today. I don't know if saying that is controversial, but I expect heated arguments in the comment section.

Bonus Video:
After last month's bonus video on RoboCop, I'm still on an 80s movie mindset. So, for this month's bonus video, I'm thinking of covering Who Framed Roger Rabbit, or E.T., or maybe the original Blade Runner. Let me know which of these films do you prefer!

MEDIA TALK

So, I was watching Subservient in theaters, and throughout the film, there's this one dude who laughs very loudly at every gag of the movie. As unkind as it sounds, it does affect my experience with the film negatively. But then I realized, if everyone in the theatre laughs as loud as him, it wouldn't have been a problem.

It's odd, isn't it? It's only okay if no one laugh or everyone laughs. Cinema is a conformist experience.

To be clear, I don't blame the man. If anything, I wish I can hang out with someone with this level of joy and energy. The encounter does highlight an interesting gap between two groups of filmgoers. There's the snob like me. And there's the people who go to theatre to be entertained. I'm honestly surprised the latter group still goes to the cinema.

I say that, not only because streaming has firmly taken over the film market, but the theatre experience in Montreal, at least for the Cineplex Chain, is absolutely awful. We have previously discussed the state of movie theatre advertisements, how the quality has declined over the years, and now plays the same ads on repeat. But the problem stretches so much further beyond the screen.

The Scotiabank theater, originally the biggest multiplex in Montreal, is in such a terrible state. The floor is constantly sticky. The chairs are covered by a cracked surface. The entire third floor is unmanned. Only 2 of the 10 concession stands are even opened. And none of the in-door macaques are working. No posters in front of each room. You have no idea which room is playing what.

It is worn and crumbling, desperately in need of a renovation. And yet, the audience barely fills half the room. Even in major events like Barbenheimer, each room was only about 60% filled. Other theaters in this chain fair a bit better, but not by much. Various theaters are either having AC problems, or are so dirty I wouldn't wanna sit down with exposed skin.

It's honestly harder to justify going to major movie theaters, as I find myself enduring the experience rather than enjoying it.

A part of me also suspects that everyone feels the same. Because with that man's laughter, I realized the cinema experience no longer feels communal. Instead of everyone coming together to experience a movie together, we are all participating a habit that come to an end soon. We don't laugh together. We don't gasp together at the plot twist. We are bored by the movies. And we are constantly being reminded of the suboptimal environment we are in. It's terrible.

You know, in my regular life, whenever someone find out that I worked in the film industry, many of them would immediately comment on how bad Hollywood movies have become. I thought I was just jaded, but evidently everyone else also feels the same. Cinema in North America is in a bad place, with too many bad things going against it.

Anyway, I'll see you soon with the next update, and soon, the next video.