It’s time to face the horrible truth: Hollywood is dead—or at least it's dying a slow, painful death. Almost all coming attractions are either sequels that attempt to compensate for its failure the first time around (but are inevitably worse), or reboots of all-time classics that, although embellished with new and improved special effects and filming techniques, will not do their predecessors anything close to cinematic justice. While I can admit that the nostalgia arising from these sequels and reboots is full of sentiment, I cannot deny the fact that the majority of Hollywood films released are complete trash—no originality, no creativity and no depth. If anything is in need of a reboot, it’s the movie industry itself, and for years, there has been a place for the tired and poor movie-goers and film critics to turn their heads when the screen didn’t shine so much, a place that seems long forgotten in the midst of the sequel and reboot excitement: the independent film industry.
Sure, lots of people will tell you they love independent films, and many of these people do in fact have an appreciation for the not-so-blockbustery sphere of film-making, but independent films live in the large shadow of Hollywood. We have to pay extra attention to TV commercials to notice a slot advertising a movie that isn’t playing at the big-time movie theater or already be in an auditorium at an independent movie theater to see these trailers. In my opinion, the only time independent films get the sort of traction and commendation they deserve are at movie-award ceremonies, but this can change—we can choose to see these better-cultured, better-scripted, and often better-casted films instead of wasting $10-$15 on a big blockbuster that is bound to flop or tell the same, old story.
For example, the other night, I went for the first time in a long time to the Angelika Film Center, a movie theatre with very limited locations across the U.S. that screens independent films exclusively. I saw “Hello, My Name Is Doris,” a new film starring Sally Field and "New Girl's" Max Greenfield. It reminded me how enriching and empowering independent films are and, how unlike mainstream Hollywood films, they have that special something that ignites something deep within ourselves; whether it’s the music selection, costume design or cinematography, there is just something about independent—or non-mainstream—movies that give them a certain cuteness I don’t think Hollywood will ever achieve.
Independent films for the most part invoke deeper thought, deeper emotion and deeper understanding of our surroundings or of ourselves. Granted, I’m not bashing on all Hollywood blockbuster films, because movies like "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Martian," or "The Revenant" were all excellent films that both received high traction and positive acknowledgment by movie-goers. I hope that the movie industry comes to an ultimate realization that it is in dire need of a creative and innovative spark, a notion that has been on the back burner for many years and needs to finally be executed. For now, I suggest going to your nearest independent theatre, sitting down in that dark auditorium and letting the magic of an independent movie captivate you.
