Moviegoers: "People aren't going to the theatres anymore because there's no originality. We want originality!".

Cinema beyond the Hollywood blockbuster is doing fine though. It's just mostly not being watched in cinemas any more.

I do think there are people who could gain from expanding their horizons a bit. 'It's all superheroes now.' No. It isn't. As I've seen you note yourself, there's loads of stuff out there. And people can't survive on a diet of constant marshmallows... although there's nothing wrong with a marshmallow-y treat every once in a while.

But if people are enjoying this stuff -- go for it. Have yourself a blast.

If they're not or they're burned out or whatever, stop hanging around and whingeing about it. They're like people crashing a party to tell the other folk that they're wrong, they're not actually having a good time.

I encounter so many people who seem to imagine being a film fan is sneering about stuff. We all like a good sneer, but these people could introduce some balance and tell us about the stuff they do like for a change.

I do understand that. I do think Disney in particular has been allowed to acquire far too much of the US entertainment industry and it has placed pressure on cinema chains. And they do squeeze out mid-budget and indie films. No denying it.

But the long and the short of it is that thanks to technological changes, and cinema admission prices there are only certain types of movies mainstream audiences will pay to see any more. (And 2023 has even cast those films in doubt.) They'll watch everything else at home. I don't think there's any way of putting that genie back in its bottle.

I don't believe that audiences would rush back to multiplexes if there was more diverse choices like there used to be. I think that ship has sailed.