Article by Marcus Siu

Does anyone remember the good old days when families would gather together at the dinner table and interact with each other in meaningful conversations? The same days when we get our news through printed newspapers that were delivered to people’s homes everyday, along with watching real news broadcasts on local TV? The same days when newly released movies were exclusively only shown in movie theaters?

Times have certainly changed.

The difference between the past and the present is that is we were all connected through human interaction instead of connected through a user interface of a computer device. Back then, there was no internet, no cell phones, no computers, and no tablets to distract our plain and simple lives.

Who would have thought that before PC’s became mainstream that the classic Eagles song lyrics to “Hotel California” would be even more meaningful than it was when it was originally released over forty years ago – “we are just all prisoners of our own device”. Certainly that sure rings true more than ever before.

As technology changed, so did the way we consumed our movies. You can see it with each brand new generation over the years. No one would have ever thought thirty years ago, that kids these days would prefer to watch movies on their iPhones than have an immersive personal and social experience at a movie theater with their friends.

Certainly, the great epic cinematic directors of the past, like David Lean and Stanley Kubrick never would have imagined that people would be able to watch their classic films, “Lawrence of Arabia” or “2001: A Space Odyssey” on a small device, such as a smartphone, but I would think they would be turning over their grave if they overheard someone saying that they watched their entire film while waiting at the DMV, but due to the movie’s length, had to recharge their smartphone battery in the middle of it…because it was too long.

Both “2001: A Space Odyssey”and “Lawrence of Arabia” was shot in Panavision in 70mm. Movies like that were made to be socially experienced on the big screen. The great movie theaters that displayed them, like the legendary iconic Cinerama Dome in Hollywood were the “chosen” few where the masses would wait in line for hours for the total larger than life experience. That’s how epic filmmakers initally intended to present it.

Unfortunately for movie theaters, which are becoming more extinct each day, the majority of the movie going audience shifted toward streaming services. You can partially blame it on the studios lack of original content and focusing on movies based on the Marvel Comic Universe, studio franchises (Mission Impossible, Fast and the Furious), and remakes that have been done numerous times. There is just not much offering to a demographic that wants originality.

I mean, really, do we really need another “Willy Wonka” movie?

However, there is hope as witnessed by last summer. Moviegoers flocked back to the movie theaters, thanks to the “Barbenheimer” nationwide phenomena that saved movie theaters from a potentially dreadful year at the box office.

Barbie became Warner Brother’s highest grossing movie ever both domestically and globally raking in over $1.4 billion. It is also became number 11 in the all-time top ten box office, passing the “Avenger’s End Game” and helped boost the R-rated “Oppenheimer” box office ticket sales as the campaign encouraged a much younger demographic audience to want to see it.

Now with the serious fall movie offerings finally upon us, the studios are finally showing some of their aces to hopefully grab some Oscar nominations. Many of these are from” streaming studios that normally don’t have limited or wide release theatrical showings.

Netflix’s “Maestro”, “May December” and “Nyad”, Amazon’s “American Fiction” and “Rustin”, and Apple’s “Flower and the Killer Moon”, and “Napoleon”, just to name a few, will most likely get nominations for numerous awards, as well as for Best Picture.

However, it looks like out of all the streaming services, Apple is the only company that is capitalizing on nationwide theatrical releases. “Killers of the Flower Moon” has already raked in over $150 million at the box office. “Napoleon” is it’s second week and has already made $78.8 million. Both films have greatly benefited through large film formats, such as IMAX.

With both films costing $200 million to make, it is not necessary for their box office revenue numbers to surpass it. Ironically, Apple never really intended their movies to generate as much as it did. Hopefully, they will continue showing their films in theaters before streaming in onto their platform, but only time will tell.

As a side note, director Ridley Scott who used 11 to 14 cameras and shot “Napoleon” in just 62 days, is currently editing a four hour version cut that focuses more on Josephine Bonaparte, played by Vanessa Kirby. It will be streamed on AppleTV+ at a later date and you can bet fans of Scott will want to see both versions.

Overall, it doesn’t really seem like much of a risk for Apple to throw in gigantic production budgets to bonafide caliber directors with a great track record. We, as an audience, can experience a more accurate portrayal of their true vision on screen. Along with $200 million dollar budgets to play with along with and total creative control, you can bet the world’s greatest directors, such as Scorcese or Scott, will give you your moneys worth on the big screen at your local theater…

…but maybe not so much on a smartphone, though.