In the modern age, the word “movies" is synonymous with high-grossing, franchise blockbusters, mainly Marvel movies. Think about it, what was the last movie you went to see in theatres? Most probably a slick, high-budget, light-hearted film made purely to entertain. If you’re a little more well-versed in cinema, you're probably familiar with names like Christopher Nolan, David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino? They’re directors who create more challenging and thematically rich films that still leave a lot of room for entertainment value. However, there are entire worlds of great filmmakers all around the world, from all periods of time, that go completely unnoticed by the general populace. They prove that cinema is a true art form in various ways, and not just another way to pass the time.
To start, most people don’t engage with cinema’s roots. When we think of “older” movies, we think of films from the 90s and 80s. The oldest movie the average person has seen is something like Star Wars. However, there are loads of absolute classics that have stood the test of time from periods as old as the 30s. From the sharp, powerful, influential dialogue and writing of 40s films like Citizen Kane and Casablanca to the groundbreaking spectacle of the 60s like in 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly to the dark, gritty aesthetic of the 70s like in A Clockwork Orange, The Godfather and Taxi Driver, there’s sure to be something to appeal to everyone. The sheer magnitude and scale of something like Gone With the Wind triumphs over most of today’s blockbusters. And yet, people won’t explore the movies of these time periods because they’re in black and white, which is a shame.
Another corner of cinema that remains largely untouched by general audiences is the world of low-budget and indie films. In the modern world, where the top grossing charts are dominated by repetitive, formulaic, franchise cinema, the indie movie is the place to go for original, interesting filmmaking. They offer more than just surface-level thrills and IP recognition. This movement is spearheaded by A24, a production company that, for the last 10 years, has consistently put out the best and most unique films you can find, all for budgets not more than $30 million. Everything Everywhere All At Once used the concept of a multiverse infinitely better than any superhero movie did, and films like Hereditary and The Lighthouse provide a fresh take and style in horror, far more than any of the recent endless sequels and remakes. The constraint and low budget of indie movies often leads to more creativity and innovation, and is also the perfect way to find up-and-coming new talents. Before they were the big-budget, world-famous directors they are today, Nolan and Tarantino gained attention for great films with small budgets, Memento and Reservoir Dogs respectively. The lack of general attention towards these works can’t entirely be placed upon general audiences, however. Large companies like Disney have monopolised the entertainment industry, often buying out hundreds of showings in theatres, leaving little room for original movies to be discovered.
Foreign cinema is also something that is not explored enough by most people. While there has been some media that has broken out from their respective circles into the mainstream recently, like Parasite, Squid Game, and many different anime, it is still a field that remains untapped by the majority of moviegoers. What’s great about foreign cinema is that it can show you entirely new perspectives, cultures and people in an entertaining and educational way. From Korea and Japan there are films from legends like Bong Jooh-ho, Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi like Oldboy, Seven Samurai and the Human Condition trilogy. From Europe there are masterpieces from a century ago to last year, from Metropolis to 8 ½ to Stalker to La Haine to Anatomy of a Fall. Many of the directors behind these films have majorly changed the landscape of cinema time and time again through art movements such as German Expressionism and French New Wave, yet aren’t as included in such discussions as much because they’re foreign. To quote Bong Joon-Ho, the man behind Parasite, the first foreign film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, "Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films."
In 2022, the film RRR became an international hit, bringing attention to the Indian cinema scene and what it’s like. While this might seem like a great thing, we must also ask ourselves, “Why did a well-crafted and enjoyable, but ultimately shallow film get international recognition over far more thought-provoking and insightful Indian films from the same period of time like Kadaisi Vivasayi or Jai Bhim?” Well, perhaps it is because people don’t seem to be willing to explore more challenging art outside of the familiar action blockbuster. This is quite unfortunate, since cinema isn’t always just mere entertainment. It can give you an otherworldly, immersive experience in the theatres, or it can provide powerful insight and criticism of the world, people and society at large. It combines other artistic mediums such as music, photography, art and theatre to create an incomparable, holistic experience, and is more than just CGI action scenes and pointing at the screen, recognizing characters from different IPs.
On the bright side, last year might suggest a turning tide. While mega-budget blockbusters from giant companies like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Flash, and The Marvels flopped, films like Oppenheimer, Barbie, Talk to Me and Killers of the Flower Moon proved that you don’t need hundreds of million dollars to create both a box-office success and high-quality and meaningful movie. Even the year’s highest grossing superhero movies, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, were films with a lot of passion and creativity put into them. It seems that audiences have grown bored of the endless sequels and remakes being pumped out by Disney and the like, and now want more great original stories. Hopefully, we can continue to take this attitude into 2024 and beyond.