By Hipolito Navarrete, Managing Editor/Publisher

I have learned to not accept blindly anyone’s opinions about films. I go see the ones that I want to see, regardless of the publicity they garner, even if they receive bad ratings, Suicide Squad see you soon, because at the end of the day its all about how they affect you as an individual emotional emotionally.

As moviegoer’s get more sophisticated about the viewing experience, there is always something to boohoo about the films, especially the “Hollywood (Studio Financed)” films in the offering. Once we get to a point that we can dismissed a 100 million dollar effort because there was no story, of bad VFX, or acting, we are just not really allowing the film to entertain us or inform us. Having said that, films live or die by the audience word of mouth, so the producers should and need to keep in mind that they are making the film for a paying customer and an individual can easily spend $15 – 20 just on a ticket. If you want the full experience and take a date, or a family…. well, you get the picture.

Are the summer popcorn films not enough or did they inspire you to check out more “meatier” stories? Don’t fret; check out your independent theaters, you may find some gems that you had no idea existed. Many of the independent cinemas have a curator that knows and understands all type of film genres. Some examples would be The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA, https://www.facebook.com/TheFridaCinema/?fref=ts or the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, CA, https://www.facebook.com/newbeverlycinema/?fref=ts, the Laemmle Theaters would be considered a more independent chain as opposed to AMC and Regal Cinemas.

Like most filmgoers and enthusiasts, I would say that big budget films do drag me out of the home and into the theater. I would venture to say that it has to do with the advertising and publicity and most of those stories are the film extensions of books or stories I have read in the past. The more independent films may not have that feeling of personal connectedness, but that is the beauty of the genre, it introduces folks to new experiences and expands their breath of joy in the medium.

The best way to understand a craft is to just try it your-self. If you have a camera, or a phone, try making a one-minute film become more than an audience, become a filmmaker.