Film is the lifeline of society, mirroring a coveted reality that many use as a form of an escape from the cruel world around them. Yet, have movies lost their originality? Have they lost themselves within nostalgia? Two Stockton professors have similar, yet differentiating opinions.

Professor Dew, a sociology and anthropology specialist, emphasizes the importance of film. “Film has the capacity to convey great beauty. Evoke emotion. Stir revolution. Film, at this time in the early 21st century, is still the preeminent artistic form that combines all the arts: writing, dance, acting, art, editing, film, cinematography, and so forth.”

Contemporarily, there has been an influx of sequels and reiterations within the movie industry. One could argue that with this trend, there is an immense lack of originality. “Sequels are products of a system that’s based on ticket sales and profits. If the first film does well financially, then a sequel is a safe bet for a studio. I could criticize sequels as an empty capitalist pursuit. Yet, there are good sequels. There are even some that surpass the original in terms of quality storytelling” Professor Jeremy Newman, a Communication Studies specialist, said.

Film companies gravitate to opportunities that will generate a profit, often not giving chances to films that could spark much traction. With this mindset, original concepts are bypassed for profitable scapegoats. “I think that there is a really great class of younger actors and I think that we’re due for a turnover. A generational turnover, probably in a lot of aspects of American life,” Dew said. “I see a lot of really young talent that is also very experimental.”

An alternative mindset within the movie industry is plausible, but fully relies on the public participation of choosing to no longer want to watch cash-grabs. “As long as studios continue to prioritize ticket sales and profits, things won’t be that different. Audiences do have a voice though. If we stop watching nostalgia films and sequels, Hollywood will explore new
stories,” Newman said. “If a studio puts out something original and audiences watch it, then we will likely get other original stories. Of course, they would make sequels of profitable original films, resulting in less originality.”

Within this influx of repetition in film, there are stand-outs that prove the industry’s impact on the public is not faltering and that creativity is still possible. A recent example is the box office knock-out and award winning movie, ‘Poor Things,’ that gave a unique feminist perspective into a forgotten age. “There’s something great about a film that can suck you in with a story and explosive images, and then a really important narrative about what it is to be human,” Dew said.

As with all trends, sequels, reiterations, and the excessive need for nostalgia will someday be sidelined for a new craze. In what direction will the film industry find itself? Time will tell. It is safe to say that imaginative ideas remain, but will only see the light of day if given the chance by producers and demanded by the audience. “We’re at a time in history where someone said we’ve run out of creativity. There’s even a philosopher, his name is Mark Fischer. He says the future has been canceled. I don’t believe in that,” Dew said.