I wouldn’t consider myself to be a film buff, but I can confidently say that cinema has significantly changed over the last few years. In a positive light, the cinematic experience has improved tremendously with the advancements in technology, sound, effects, resolution, and more. Somehow, our generation still gravitates toward classic films, but why?
Movies are now commonly a pastime.
Unfortunately, movies are not always watched for the sole purpose of engaging from start to finish these days. “Netflix and Chill” is a primary example of this. We also tend to use movies as background noise as we’re scrolling through our phones, completing tasks, or hanging out with friends and family. Don’t get me wrong– I am not saying that the passion or appreciation for movies is completely lost, but in this generation, there seems to be a shift in engagement and interest in movie-watching for pure entertainment.
Easy Access to Streaming Services.
Although streaming services allow for the accessibility to watch movies and shows anytime and anywhere, going to the theaters or buying films in stores just makes the whole movie-watching experience more exciting. The psychological reasoning behind this feeling is that having less generally allows us to appreciate the little things in life more. So, as convenient as it is to have streaming services at our fingertips, it could also just as easily take away from the overall movie experience. Surprisingly, going to the theaters is becoming more popular today for Gen Z adults, according to CivicScience. In 2017, statistics show that young adults were less likely to be going to the movies than young adults today. These statistics reveal that although streaming services are the most common way to watch movies, we crave the traditional movie-watching experience.
Gen Z prefers TV shows over movies.
Personally, I choose to watch shows over movies on a regular basis only because I like the idea of pacing myself episode by episode and season by season. I enjoy shorter episodes because, as a busy individual and constant thinker, my mind easily wanders. Statistics do show that Gen Zers as a whole prefer TV shows because we, as a generation of people, have a shorter attention span than older generations, which can make committing to a movie slightly difficult. We can blame this statistic on the constant distraction of our devices and social media. According to CivicScience, about half of young adults ages 18-24 watch TV 1-4 hours a day.
Teens and young adults are falsely portrayed.
The younger generation is able to sense when modern movies are trying too hard. In other words, a lot of filmmakers today aim to create films that are relevant to the times, but they indirectly turn out to be less realistic and more cringe-worthy. Teens and adults are falsely portrayed due to poor acting and age-casting. In my opinion, newer movies exaggerate our generation’s behavior and trends, which is why I feel that our generation is often misunderstood. Directors and producers may think they know our generation well enough because of what they observe in the media, but the harsh truth is that it is not a completely accurate perception. Newer movies that portray teenage and young adult life do not have the same moving effect that older movies do because older movies just feel more realistic.
Overall, I believe that the culture of movies has changed in the last decade. Although the way we watch movies has shifted due to great accessibility, it is also clear that teens and young adults are seeking a more fulfilling movie-watching experience and find movies that bring them a sense of reality.