Josh Brolin has been doing the press tour for Weapons (my review<\/a>) and one quote that is making the rounds is in regards to streaming. Brolin said, \u201cRight now, with so much content, you\u2019re just watching things on whatever streaming service you\u2019re on, and you\u2019re just going, \u2018Fuck, why is this so boring, man? Why?\u2019 And just go to the next thing. It\u2019s all the same shit.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not the most cohesive and well-researched argument, but Josh Brolin<\/a> does give a solid entry point into a discussion about why streaming programming is falling victim to unavoidable homogeneity. To preface, there are obviously great movies and series being produced exclusively for streaming<\/a> platforms, but streaming exclusivity and that business model have encouraged more\u2026 let\u2019s call it algorithm-friendly projects that end up being forgettable.<\/p>\n So, it is worth arguing for a movie like Weapons as antithetical to the streaming landscape.<\/p>\n Josh Brolin\u2019s comment about streaming does tie into a larger issue with what streaming has done to movies as an art form. The streaming landscape has devalued the placement of a movie in pop culture importance. With any number of services offering a seemingly infinite catalog of movies, the special availability of movies is no longer part of their appeal.<\/p>\n Except at the movie theater. Giving exhibition exclusivity of a new film to theaters is still cause for public interest and excitement. Weapons certainly proved that with its box office performance<\/a>. If you find and encourage a special filmmaker, treat a movie\u2019s production like something special with a sizable budget, and sell it to folks as a special experience, you usually end up with more special movies than factory-assembled ones. That proves that movies are still a major and marketable creative platform when you let actual creative people steer the ship.<\/p>\n Another important facet to the specific argument Josh Brolin is making about streaming is that it is not elevating a new generation of unique cinematic voices. Yes, Guillermo del Toro has cemented a solid reputation at Netflix<\/a>, but he had that established well before he got in bed with the streaming giant. You aren\u2019t seeing a whole lot of young writer-directors being given the spotlight for being behind the scenes.<\/p>\nMovies Are Still Important Creative Platforms<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Streaming Is Surface and That Hurts Filmmakers As Stars<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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