Focus on...the cinema
Gareth & Ellis had a candid conversation about cinema. From the films they've seen this year to the memories they've created watching new and old releases on the big screen.
*Ellis is in italics and Gareth is in bold
I'm so pleased with how many 2021 films I've seen!
Oh me too! I feel like going forward I'll have developed such a deep knowledge of modern cinema. Which as good as it is watching older movies, you're never going to have a true understanding of what was going on in the world at that time.
I agree with most of that but disagree slightly. I agree that you're going to have an amazing knowledge of the 20's and that you won't know what it was like to have lived in those older eras, but I think:
a) older movies are a window in to what it was like to live in those times
b) things like Bond often reflect the paranoia of the era
c) I love older movies as a 20th century history lesson. They offer a lot to me for that reason.
Oh don't get me wrong I love older movies. The 80's is still my favourite decade for film but I will never truly understand the impact those films had at the time. Film is a massive history lesson but I'm talking about the feelings and buzz around the film at the time.
You mean the reaction to the films as an experience?
The hype for Dune (2021) for example; it was expected to be brilliant but perhaps not perform at the box office. There was so much build up to it and the pandemic pushed it back to prolong that wait. The want for a second part to be green-lit was huge and the conversations around the film were riveting.
A film like the original Star Wars I can read up on and learn about the film and how it was initially received but I will never truly understand what it felt like in that moment.
Yeah I suppose those moments fade over time. There are only a few, like Star Wars that are still talked about today.
Very true.
I suppose because a lot of it is personal to the moviegoer a lot of the time. The releases that stand out to me seem very random but they usually have a story as to why the release seemed huge to me. Some of mine are:
Casper
Star Wars re-releases
Lord of the Rings
Toy Story
The Flintstones
Independence Day
Interesting. Casper eh?
I'll tell you why! They had a massive banner outside the cinema for ages. They had Casper ice lollys which were blue, their merch was absolutely on point for my age bracket (5 years old). It was huge at the time, so that's exactly your point I guess!
Yeah exactly, all of those choices are from your personal experiences.
If I was to just think of the films that spring to my head then I'd say:
Ratatouille
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland
The Force Awakens
Avengers: Infinity War
All of them have some sort of attachment or memory. Not necessarily all great films but the experiences have stuck with me.
Yeah, Force Awakens is definitely another one of mine.
It was huge. I also remember a lot of hype for Bolt (the Disney animated film).
My partner's still not seen that. Livid!
What a joke!
I remember going to watch Bolt with my cousin and my brother - my aunty took us - and we stood behind this giant cardboard cut out and accidentally knocked it over.
This 15-foot cardboard cut out fell flat and there we were behind it.
Brilliant. Ah, the great memories of cinema.
And to be honest I've had so many great memories this year to add to the list.
How many cardboard cut outs have you knocked over in 2021?
Unfortunately, none.
Tell us your favourite cinema moments. Get involved in the conversation on Instagram - @focusfilmmovies - click on the button to redirect