I can't wait for Hollywood to implode and collapse in on itself, and that time is around the corner.
I want this so badly because I want cinema to thrive.
I love the movies. My local theater is an Alamo Drafthouse, and it's my place of zen. I get myself a nice tall glass of Shiner, and a huge metal bowl of popcorn and allow myself to get transported. Since I had a baby, these moments at the theater have become increasingly rare, so when I do manage to go it makes it all the more special.
One of my first jobs was working at a movie theater and some of the wackiest things would happen there. It was incredibly fun because a lot of people who were showing up there were happy and excited. Unlike some other industries I've worked in, the movies were a positive place.
Why? Because there is undoubtedly something magical about cinema. Everyone has a favorite movie, and even if you refuse to visit the theater nowadays, nearly everyone had at least a time in their lives when going to the movies was a fun time. The stories, the visuals, the acting, and the overall experience are a ride.
Hollywood used to be the place where cinema came from. Entire industries sprung up around just covering Hollywood, its actors, directors, and studios because Hollywood was such a mind-blowing place that people couldn't help but be interested. People would uproot their entire lives to move there in the hopes of being included in the industry in any way they could.
But where it was once beauty, inspiration, and fun, it's now slime, pride, and ignorance.
It's now a place of ideological bubbles that produce some of the most ridiculous and sometimes heinous beliefs I've ever seen. It's home to people like Mark Ruffalo who actively defend pedophiles and support anti-Israel causes.
Speaking of pedophilia, Hollywood seems to be a nest of it, with people coming forward to describe some of the behavior of actors, directors, producers, and studio heads in regard to children. In 2017, a movie was released that was raved about called "Call Me By Your Name," in which the plot revolves around a grown man and a teenage boy. This movie has largely gone untalked about for the last few years, especially ever since Kevin Spacey was outed as a pedophile.
And that's not even going into the number of sexual assault allegations that come out of Hollywood, including people in positions of power pressuring men and women alike into performing sexual acts for roles and rewards. Even then, the #MeToo movement that was spawned to fight back against this was soon used as a way for many women to get their 15 minutes by making false accusations against innocent men.
Even good things born out of Hollywood are soon corrupted.
Today, when I see events like The Oscars, I just don't care anymore. The entire thing is dressed in gold, glitz, and glamour, and like an operator looking at the Matrix on the screens, I don't even see the window dressing anymore. All I see are frauds, hypocrites, and hacks.
That's not to say there's not some very true talent or decent people in Hollywood, but the people that actually shine are few and far between.
I don't think cinema is going anywhere, but I do think Hollywood is bound to collapse, and sooner than later. The invention of AI programs like "Sora," which can create entire Hollywood-level scenes with just a prompt, is about to put the power of major cinematic creations in the hands of the people. Soon, you won't need all the pomp and circumstance of Hollywood. No film crews, actors, or directors. Just access to these AI programs.
(READ: The End Is Nigh for Hollywood)
Watch the clip below to see how good filmmaking AI is now.
@thebrandonmorse AI videos looking TOO good now. #ai #sora #openai #videos #movies #realism #artificialintelligence #mindblown ♬ original sound - TheBrandonMorse
But even without AI in the mix, Hollywood is losing its luster with the people. The theater isn't the trafficked place it once was, and that's because few movies truly grab the attention of the people. Even when there wasn't a major "Barbenheimer" moment, the cinema used to be a place you'd go to because you had nothing else to do. It used to be a great date night.
Now, Hollywood has delivered such garbage that it's taught people to stay away. The truly incredible films are oftentimes now coming from outside Hollywood.
(READ: America's Entertainment Industry Should Cower in the Shadow of Japan's 'Godzilla Minus One')
Some might argue that popularity is returning just judging by the increased number of people tuning in to watch the Oscars...but while it's true that the Academy Awards saw a rise in viewership, that's hardly the whole story. Look at this graph that shows you the viewership over the decades and you'll see a failing industry.
When they tell you that the ratings are going up for the Oscars, it's not exactly something to brag about. pic.twitter.com/URdGE79UTU
— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) March 11, 2024
And I'm excited about this.
Hollywood has run out of ideas, not because there aren't any more ideas to be had, but because it refuses to step out of its own way. It's become an industry of radical politics while sticking to "safe ideas." It creates checklists for itself in order to be considered "good."
I'm done with Hollywood, or more accurately, I'm done expecting anything great out of it. I'm willing to be pleasantly surprised if it does produce anything truly worth seeing, but I won't expect it. My expectations have turned toward the future itself, where Hollywood is a relic.
Cinema will soon become something by the people or, more accurately, something that is carried forward by people who truly care about it.
And that is a truly exciting prospect. Consider the implications of a movie creation landscape where people aren't bound by the rules of Hollywood, and where the subject matter, characters, and stories are arrested by the tastes of people who have lost touch with the world.
The future of cinema is bright. The future of Hollywood...is non-existent.