Over a week since my last in person screening Tribeca is still haunting me. I’m still writing, still posting and mostly still tired. This year’s festival kicked my ass- in a good way, but I’m still paying for it.
The real problem with the festival is that the move to June from April/May means it crashes right into Dances with Films and all of the festivals in July. Its not that I mind the watching its simply that the crush has worn me out verbally. After I spent a weekend writing up thirty plus films from the in person Tribeca started to watch & review twenty films for Dances and if you haven’t noticed the pieces are shorter and much more direct. I haven’t cushioned some of my feelings for the films. It bothers me that the pieces are a bit abrupt but it’s the best I could do. More so when I have had to start coverage of New York Asian, Japan Cuts and Fantasia lest I fall hopelessly behind.
I’m sure I will end up behind, I always do, but I want to at least create the illusion I’m ahead.
It’s going to be interesting so belt in and remember when you make bets about when I turn into a pile of mush I’d like a cut of your winnings.
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There has been a couple of stories concerning theatrical releases of films this week.
First the Academy issued a decree that in order for a film to be eligible for Best Picture films have to play a longer time in more theaters. While I love this idea in principle I know it’s potentially going to hurt smaller inde films who may not be able to mount a theatrical run of the required length. I suspect that this is being done to make it a bit more complicated for the streaming companies to throw a film into a theater for a week and then end up a Best Picture contender. I’m over stating it, but I think you’ll get my meaning.
The other theatrical story has been the rumblings that with the failure of FLASH and ELEMENTAL in theaters things may change with what’s produced and what gets a theatrical release. I know the people at Pixar are pondering their future since their last few films have not done well theatrically.
I blame the parent companies like Disney and Warners for this. Forgetting FLASH’s production problems and those of its star, Disney and Warner have been so quick to push their streaming services that they have trained everyone to wait for the 45 days for the films to show up on the service. Why pay almost twenty dollars a head when you can pay a fraction of that to see the film at home. It gets worse when you consider that they are raping theaters to the point that you’ll pay more for popcorn and soda then the ticket to get in.
Who has the money to do that for movie after movie? I don't.
And remember I am NOT on the big studio press screening lists. I do not get invited most screening for big films which is a big reason you don’t see them reviewed at Unseen until well after the fact. I have to pay to see the films just like you. I only covered ELEMENTAL because I saw it at Tribeca.
As to how to get people to go to movies I have no answer on how to correct it, short of lengthen the window to streaming and cut ticket prices.
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