More Moaning About Modern Movie Aesthetics? You Bet!

Look, I know what you’re thinking. ‘With all the horrible things happening in the world, do we really need another piece on why and how modern cinema has descended into a pit of ugliness? Doesn’t that seem like a relatively minor and trivial thing to focus on, all things considered?’ And I mean, yes, sure, but also no. It’s both trivial and important. This is a film website, after all, and, like all good art, for most of us movies have always been a source of joy and solace, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise if a lot of focus is given to what now undoubtedly feels like an aesthetic epidemic in much of the industry. A deep and systemic rot affecting this form that we love so much, in which aesthetics are an integral part of what makes it special and allow it to connect so deeply as it can.

To wit, for example, the recent Wicked movies. I really enjoyed the first one, and was moved by it, but I couldn’t help but think how much more I’d have been affected if it had actually, well, looked good. YouTuber Robert Tolppi uses these films as a mini-case study in his examination of some of the reasons why modern cinema lacks in the visual department:

And because I really can’t get enough of people analyzing this phenomenon at the moment, here’s photographer and videographer, tographer, examining things from another angle.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go watch something to soothe my eyeballs.