For streaming services, lockdown is proving beneficial to them as they are not only gaining new users but even more recognition in the Oscars. So after lockdown is over, will cinema will have a place?
It was announced last week that the Oscars were lifting their “anti-streaming rules” and allowing films that were planned for theatrical release that are made available on streaming services to be nominated for the awards – as long as they are only available on the academy’s member-only streaming site that is within 60 days of its release.
As the famous saying goes, the show must go on. However, with this rule in place it is undoubtedly sure that all the streaming services out there will become even more popular as we will all be able to enjoy these movies from the comfort of our own home. But what is this going to be for cinemas once they open again after lockdown?
Cinemas have been part of our society as long as time itself (possibly an exaggeration but it feels like it), whether you were going on a family outing, a first date or even to watch the next big blockbuster with your friends, a cinema is always there as a place to go to any day for any occasion.
The cinema has always been the outlet for us to watch new films, with some of them even being nominated for awards such as the Oscars. Nevertheless, with lockdown in place this is stopping us from doing this therefore cinemas are at risk and why the Oscars had to make this change.
Although cinemas have always been important to our society and allowed us to enjoy some of the best cinematic creations in high definition and literally on the “big screen”, there is some aspects that are a downfall to cinemas. The first is those long adverts that seem to always add an extra half an hour to the start of the film.
Yes, the adverts are great when you get to see some upcoming films that you’ll say you will definitely see (well, doesn’t always mean it’s true), but once you’ve seen one advert, you see them over and over again and it becomes a bit tiresome. If you’re able to watch a film where you want and wherever you want without the disruption of adverts, then I feel like this is something most people are going to do.
A second pitfall to cinemas is the price. With the exception of Meerkat Movies (or the old days when it was “Orange Wednesdays”). Compared to back in the day where tickets only cost a small amount, the price of cinema tickets have rocketed, even to the point a single admission cost £10!
For people like us (students on a low budget), this is a high price for us to pay to watch a film. The alternative now of course though is all the streaming services available to us. By only paying around £5-£6 a month for some of the most popular like Netflix, we can watch as many series and films as we want.
This is a popular alternative to not only students but millions around the world. The fact that the Oscars are finally deciding to consider movies from streaming services for the highly regarded awards shows they are moving more into the 21st century.
It would be sad to think that cinemas wouldn’t have a place in the world anymore if the worse came to the worse and streaming services completely took over.
This year would have seen an endless repertoire of great movies in cinema that would have certainly been Oscar contenders. Disney would have seen the release of their latest live adaptation of Mulan, re-created from the cartoon classic Disney initially released in 1998. The film was due to be released on 27 March but moved back to 24 July. However, with the way things are at the moment this is most likely to be pushed back even further.
Audiences would have also seen the return of Bond (James, of course ) in No Time To Die (originally scheduled for April 2020 but pushed back to 12 November 2020) – the much anticipated 25th instalment of the franchise which would have not only included the soundtrack by Billie Eilish. But, we would have seen Daniel Craig in his last stint as 007. Much like the past title songs for the films, Billie Eilish’s song “No Time To Die” will most likely be up for “Best Song”.
These are just some of the films that we are missing out in cinemas and will be at risk of not being nominated for the awards ceremony next year (February 2021). But what are some of the contenders that will be on streaming services?
Some would go as far to say that Trolls World Tour is a potential to be nominated at next years award as it is a film that applies to the rules that it was originally scheduled for theatres but was made available on streaming services such as iTunes and Amazon prime in order for viewers to not miss out.
With everything in jeopardy at the moment as a result of Coronavirus and lockdown, there is a lot of uncertainty that lays upon us and we have no idea what will be normal again. In terms of entertainment, cinemas are at risk of not only losing money but a slight risk of them disappearing altogether due to changes like the increasing popularity of streaming services and even the change in rules by the Oscars.
However, it would be a shame for cinemas to vanish from our society as to any film lover, they are a joy and great addition to all our lives – just as they always have been and hopefully always will be…
By Katie Green
Feature image: Mental Floss