The Life of Julie
As the mask mandates fall away (Hawaii is the last hold out,) a sense that life may be returning to normal has begun to take hold. While the horror of the images coming out of Ukraine may prevent us from feeling complete normalcy, there is a sense of relief that the Covid pandemic might finally be receding into our rearview mirrors. However, there may be a challenge in returning to "normal" in that some may not necessarily be able to.
Enter Julie Hartman, a senior at Harvard who recently published an op-ed which you can read here. It is paywalled, so some of you may be unable to read it. Julie is frustrated by the continued distortion of her college experience by what she deems an overactive administration and a complacent student body. The title of the piece is "Harvard Students are Sheep," so you get the idea of where she falls on this issue. I don't want to try and turn this into a debate on the efficacy of COVID mitigation strategies, but one section of her piece struck me. I quote it in full below:
"For many of us, the Covid decrees over the past two years have been a relief. They have given us an excuse to retreat to our phones and computers, write papers and study for our GMATs. They allow us to avoid asking hard questions: Am I living the life I want to live? Have I put myself out there enough, taken enough risks, had enough fun?"
What I found so startling was her free admission that everyone was willing to retreat to the dark lonely world of screens but even more surprising was how said screens forced them to avoid "asking the hard questions." It isn't shocking to hear college kids questioning their life choices. We've all done it at some point in our lives, but it seems these kids have been pushed into isolation, found it enjoyable, and forgot to live life.
This is where I think our industry needs to step it up. Last week, I wrote about the power of moving pictures and the communal experience of theatrical. We are witnessing the costs of the previous few years' decisions in the biz amongst the rising generation. Focusing on IP has its benefits for sure, but it doesn't inspire or elevate anyone who watches it. Yes, occasionally it is possible, take the latest Spiderman, for example, but that is an exception to the overall lightweight nature of storytelling these days.
The pandemic aside, there is no doubt that our obsession with small screens has been detrimental to much of our communal and collaborative culture. As Julie notes in her piece, it's become a default comfort for many. This is why a reinvention of the theatrical experience is so crucial. Communal activities are essential to returning to a sense of togetherness that has so alluded us during the pandemic. Theaters can provide that, but only if they make the proper improvements to ensure that going back to the theaters is considered an appealing option for most people. As things return to normal, moviegoing may return to pre-2020 levels but let's not forget that the trends were already moving towards ominous even without a global pandemic.
Julie Hartman has sounded the alarm of what this pandemic has wrought upon not just her generation but many others. As an industry of inventive storytellers, we should present stories that provide an illuminating and inspiring view of life and provide opportunities to once again enjoy those stories as a community. Let's try and help give people like Julie a little more joy and happiness after two years of depression and loneliness.
Like a Speeding Bullet
There must be something in the water in Culver City, particularly on the Sony Lot, because they seem to be the only studio with a reason to celebrate during this season of awful for most of the rest of the industry. First, the behemoth Spider-Man, then Unchartered, and now they release a trailer for Bullet Train, which is just the ticket for all of us after the last two years. I rarely get excited about movies anymore, but this one got me amped. You can check it out here. I'm all for actors, like Brad Pitt and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, stretching beyond what typically is expected of them. Kudos to Sony Marketing and the creative advertising team for putting together a wild ride of a trailer with some great sound bytes. Sign Me Up!
Pages from the Commonplace Book
This week, we turn to a more modern source, Prince Phillip, who recently departed us. Take it away, your Royal Highness:
I'd rather other people decide what legacy I left. I'm not trying to create one. Life's going to go on after me and if I can make life marginally more tolerable for other people I'd be delighted.
What a beautiful quote from a man who dedicated his entire life to serving his country. While most of us aren't going to take up a royal mantle anytime soon, his words are valid for all of us. As an industry meant to entertain, we should take up the cause to make people's lives a little better, if only by making them laugh, cry, or cheer.
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