There are still good movies out there, and there are a lot of interesting movies coming out in theaters. Movies like Cloud Atlas, Wreck it Ralph, and The Hobbit, make it easy to see why people still love the blockbuster, big theater format. There is much to love about seeing Tom Hanks and Halle Berry with a million dollar backdrop. Movies are also more than that though, and there are some movies that exude such a fragile aesthetic and soul that can't survive the Hollywood process.At the gateway to the world of indie films are movies like 2011's Bernie. Where the audience get's a sample of Jack Black's powerful ability to take on a character role we never would have imagined him in. Premium indie flicks like these, which are often Sundance, Cann, and SXSW alumni, are tough to see in theaters unless there is a close by independent film theater. That is unless you're okay with committing the crime of downloading.
For all the negative karma surrounding downloading movies for free on the internet, it's revolutionized movie watching for millions of people. Downloading, in general (i.e. iTunes), allows you to access a wide market of films. The illegal downloading from sites that use torrent file sharing has increased the ease and anonymity of downloading, and even though some of the founding sites have been prosecuted it hasn't slowed the speed of torrent popularity growth. Torrent users have access to a nearly unlimited number of titles. Depending on how deep you get into the black market of downloading you can find someone who's uploading anything you want, with the added benefit of having deep international reservoirs of films.The problem with fighting downloads is that the audience knows that they can obtain a copy for free and instantly and they wonder why the market doesn't reflect that. Netflix, Hulu and a growing market of online video hawkers are breaking down the barrier. Until the market completely catches up, people won't stop stealing, unless their consciences poke 'em hard enough.
After a brief and shallow search online you can even find titles like 2000's The Vertical Rays of Sun. Foreign films offer another way for an audience to find movies that stray of the well beaten path and venture on breaking down life into abstract metaphors and pure aesthetics. Rays of Sun delved into family, writing, photography, and beyond to social taboos, through a simple but potent blend cinematography, silence and emotion. The movie is set in the Philippines and that culture shift acts like prism, bring new life and perspective. Foreign Films are often bearing special gifts for those looking for authentic cinema. Like this years The Other Son directed by Lorraine Levy.
People have a big appetite for media, that current movie prices don't completely reflect. So the question becomes; how do I get good movies whenever I want them?
Leave a comment below...
