Viewer Satisfaction

With constant advancements in technology, the film industry has changed quite a bit, leading to changes in the films themselves.

The public receival of this has been debated, with some fearing the impact it could have on the quality of movies, and many praising the upgrades made to the media. Newtown High School students and staff have weighed in on the subject.

“Project Hail Mary might be one of the best movies of all time. I think the cinematography is truly a piece of art and adds so much to the story as a whole,” NHS sophomore Ruby Tyrrell said.

Spider-Man Brand New Day, Project Hail Mary, and The Odyssey seemed to be the most talked-about films at the moment, with them getting widely discussed by the people at NHS and by many other people in the world.

“The new Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man Brand New Day, was really good, and the people in the theater were good, so I enjoyed that. And the Hadestown proshot that was in theaters was really good, and the people were really good. So I think those movies were good, and The Odyssey was good, but it didn’t follow the actual story,” NHS junior Maggie Fitzgerald said.

Opinions varied throughout different people, though the reviews were generally positive. It seemed most that the most criticism came down to specific plot details disliked by viewers.

“The Odyssey was really good. The actress playing Penelope was perfect for the role. Spider-Man Brand New Day was pretty good. Personally, I liked the story, but definitely thought there could be improvement. I didn’t like how they made Spider-Man lose control during his battles. It wasn’t good character development. I also didn’t like how he tried to suppress his spider genes,” NHS junior Viv Srebotnik said.

Another source of debate is the heavy use of CGI in live-action films. These generated effects can look unconvincing and take away from a film’s immersion. This is due to rushed productions that can cause the CGI to look poorly lit or uncanny. The technology is also overused in media, with many studios relying on it for effects that used to be achieved through practical means.

“I’ve liked a lot of the new movies that came out. I think that a lot of them are better than last year’s. There’s a lot more special effects. They’ve been improved on a lot more,” NHS junior Isabelle Dyer said.

Even if the CGI is polished and good-looking, it doesn’t get an automatic pass for viewers. In this race to improve technology in films, other details, often the story itself, can get overlooked during production. This has left many people feeling dissatisfied.

“The Odyssey, I think was objectively a good movie, but it really wasn’t my thing. One of the older movies I’ve seen is the Goonies. I think it’s better. I just like the story a bit more, but in terms of CGI, some newer movies are a bit better,” NHS sophomore Carsten Drake said.

Viewers' habits may also be the thing changing. Streaming platforms are another relatively new addition to the world that has changed so much about the film industry in the last decade.

“Between the rise of streaming platforms, moviegoing habit changes, and evolution of technology, the industry seems to be a bit lost at the moment. There seems to be a rise in independent films made specifically for streaming apps but a shortage of blockbusters. Hollywood seems content in cashing in on moviegoers nostalgia making sequels and reboots, rather than something truly new and original. Movies in general feel totally different now as certain styles of film, such as rom-coms, are practically non-existent and the industry as a whole feels overly-reliant on CGI. Between the popularity of streaming apps and the shift in moviegoing habits after the pandemic, people just prefer staying home for regular movies and only heading to the theater for massive event pictures,” NHS algebra teacher Megan Guarino said.

So although technology may be enhancing realism and accessibility in films, it doesn’t always turn out perfectly. There can be flaws during production, and other important aspects like the plot can get left behind. Many people are also upset with studios like Disney for putting out so many sequels rather than expanding into new ideas and franchises.

“I think that, especially with children’s movies, big companies like Disney are getting really lazy. There’s an influx of sequels to popular movies (like Moana 2, Frozen 2, etc) because they don’t want to come up with new ideas. I feel like these movies seem like low effort cash grabs and an attempt to milk the most out of previously successful movies. Although there are some great movies coming out, Disney especially seems to be falling off. But this also means that, because big companies are losing their magic, people are turning away and supporting newer, younger directors and low budget films. The success of movies like The Backrooms, Obsession, and Iron Lung are a great example,” NHS sophomore Scott Mauri said.