1917 director Sam Mendes hopeful regarding the theatrical experience

One of the pleasant surprises of Sunday's Golden Globe awards was Sam Mendes winning the Best Director award for his WWI picture 1917. The Oscar winner's (AMERICAN BEAUTY) film also won the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, upsetting favorite THE IRISHMAN. A pulse pounding film that appears to be done all in one take, 1917 is the ultimate moviegoing experience and one that deserves to be seen in theaters, preferably on the biggest screen possible. JoBlo's own Matt Rooney raved about the film saying it is "unlike any war film you've ever seen" and will "shake you to your very core."

Despite the almost universal praise, Sam Mendes' 1917 represents something of an anomaly in this day and age. It's an extravagant big budget action/drama released in the theater that doesn't have instant name recognition and isn't attached to a major franchise like Marvel or DC. While I'm not some blind soothsayer out of a Greek play lamenting the impending death of the theatrical experience, there's no question the landscape has changed drastically in the last decade. After receiving his award, Mendes was asked backstage by The Hollywood Reporter his thoughts on the future of the theatrical experience. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Mendes was fairly optimistic:

“I am optimistic, actually, but it’s in the hands of the filmmakers more than anything else. It’s up to filmmakers to make films that need to be seen on a big screen and make an audience feel like if they don’t see it on the big screen, they’ll miss out… I think what’s important is that filmmakers are ambitious and that they use the tools of cinema, surround sound, IMAX, and every fiber of their being to make big stories for big screens.”

What's interesting is that Mendes indicates FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) should be a driving factor for the theatrical experience. While it's a term often associated with Millennials, the concept is nothing new. The goal, as Mendes states, is to create films that leave no question that the movie must be seen on the big screen. Movies like JAWS, STAR WARS, BACK TO THE FUTURE, and GHOSTBUSTERS are just a few examples of ultimate water cooler films. In other words, movies that promised spectacle and story on such a grand scale that people felt they had to see them in theaters.

Sadly, that's something that's becoming harder and harder to do. Streaming services cater to our instant gratification culture. It's much easier to watch a film in the quiet of your livingroom instantly, knowing you can pause or rewind as needed. While these platforms allow movies like DOLEMITE IS MY NAME and MARRIAGE STORY to get made, it makes it less likely these types of films will get theatrical releases. I mean let's face it, MARRIAGE STORY is a phenomenal film but it's not the type of movie you are going to rush out and spend $15 to $20 on before popcorn and soda.

What do you guys think? Is the theatrical experience dying? Will theaters someday soon just be repositories for major tentpole films like AVENGERS: ENDGAME and STAR WARS? Let us know in the comments below.

1917 starring George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, and Benedict Cumberbatch is currently in limited release and opens nationwide this Friday.