I couldn’t end my stint at the Student Movement without leaving you all with a final thought to meditate on. Over the course of the year, I have attempted to share thought-provoking new takes on the recent media entering our world. I hope this has encouraged you to think about what you consume, and about how your position, as a consumer and a creator, can make you a world changer. Use your choices wisely—every choice to stream something is, in essence, a “vote” for that content. In capitalism, consumers often choose which way markets swing. You have far more power than you might assume—so make good choices, uplift unique stories, and let’s make the world a better place.
In recent years, Hollywood seems to have lost its appetite for originality, opting instead to reboot or remake classic films and TV shows. While some may argue that these reboots and remakes are simply a way to bring beloved stories to a new generation, others are concerned about the implications of this trend for the future of storytelling.
The most recent examples of this trend are the announcement of the new “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” reboots. Both franchises were wildly successful in their initial runs, but now they're being revisited and reimagined for a new audience. While it's too early to say whether these reboots will be successful, it's clear that studios believe that they will be, or they wouldn't be investing so heavily in them.
So what's the problem with this trend? Well, for starters, it means that we're not getting as many original stories as we used to. Instead, we're getting rehashes of stories that have already been told, often with the same characters and plotlines. This lack of originality can lead to a sense of creative stagnation in the industry, as writers and directors feel pressure to stick to established formulas and storylines.
But the problem goes deeper than that. By constantly revisiting the same stories and characters, we're perpetuating a cycle of exclusion in which certain voices are heard more than others. Returning to age-old stories may be comforting, but it also hurts minorities whose stories have often historically been forgotten. If we continue to tell the same stories over and over again, we miss out on all the new stories there are to be told.
What can we do to remedy this? The answer is simple: encourage new and upcoming voices to write their own unique stories, and listen when they do. There are so many incredible stories out there waiting to be told, and we need to make sure that the people who are telling them are given the resources and support they need to succeed.
One recent example of an original story that's been getting a lot of buzz is Netflix's “Beef,” a series starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, that tells the story of the fallout in two people’s lives after they take part in a violent road rage incident. It’s a fascinating meditation on adulthood, money and power, societal pressure, and evangelical Christianity. The entire cast and creator team is almost exclusively Asian, but the story resonates with everybody. Personally, I think it’s one of the most fascinating and original stories to come out of Hollywood in the last few years.
Another example is “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a film that blends elements of science fiction and martial arts to tell a truly original story. The film, which stars Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis, has been praised for its inventive visuals and genre-bending approach to storytelling.
I recently read a really excellent book that I hope gets remade via film, and soon! Film offers a unique and accessible vehicle for all kinds of stories, which is why I think book-to-film adaptations are great! Not all people have the time or energy to sit down and read a book, but they might be okay with catching a movie!
These are just a few examples of the kind of original stories that are out there, waiting to be told. If we want to see more of them, we need to start actively seeking out and supporting new and diverse voices in the arts and entertainment industry. You have the power to do so. By supporting new and diverse voices and encouraging them to tell their own unique stories, we can ensure that the future of storytelling is as rich and varied as it has ever been. Use your streaming choices carefully, drive interest in new books and stories, and write your own!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.