"I started the page right after graduating college," the founder of the meme page told Bored Panda via Facebook. "I’d just been gifted Photoshop and thought it’d be funny to just post memes related to whatever movie it was that I watched that day," they told us how everything started.

We were very interested to get the page curator's thoughts on modern cinema. Quite a few people have issues with films that come out these days.

"I think there’s a lot to dislike about modern films, but I don’t want to sound like a doomer and say there’s nothing out there that’s good," they gave Bored Panda a nuanced position. In their opinion, the two biggest problems with modern cinema are films that look unnatural and the idea of 'cringe.'

One of the problems with modern cinema "is the predominance of film which just makes things look unnatural," the curator of 'Cinephile Memes' said.

"Even my wife, who’s not a film buff, whenever we watch a movie, she sometimes says, 'That looked weird' and it always turned out that it’s been filmed in digital," they said.

Meanwhile, the other issue is the idea of 'cringe.' "I posted something recently on this aloof sense of irony. People are afraid to be genuine and it shows in film," the curator explained to Bored Panda.

"Everything, even if it’s a serious issue, or a serious thing in the film, always seems to be followed up in some way by humor, or a punchline, or something to offset the mood even just a little. People are afraid to feel now."

The founder of 'Cinephile Memes' was very kind and shared a list of their top movies that they'd definitely recommend others watch. (It's something that we'll be looking into in our spare time, too!) Among their favorites are:

• Tokyo Story
• Wild Strawberries
• Barry Lyndon
• Stalker
• Ikiru
• Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times
• Wings of Desire
• In the Mood for Love
• M
• The Color of Pomegranates

‘Entry-Level Cinephile Meme Starterpack,’ aka @cinephilememes is a Facebook page that curates “dank memes” for movie lovers around the globe. Over 67k people follow the page for their regular dose of movie-related content. Meanwhile, the social media project also has an Instagram page with nearly 4.2k followers. It’s useful for those fans who prefer IG’s layout to FB’s. 

It’s exactly because we love movies and TV shows as a form of art and entertainment so much that we care about the status of the film industry. Now, don’t get us wrong—we all enjoy watching a cheesy dumb movie now and then. Not everything has to be an incredibly deep and artsy spectacle that forces us to reevaluate how we perceive life. Sometimes, we want to kick back with a mindless action flick or a stupid comedy after an exhausting day.

However, there seems to be a general downward trend in terms of quality. It’s tough to avoid becoming jaded after being let down time after time, after time. At some point, you start wondering if the industry’s been going downhill or if your taste has changed far too much for you to enjoy most of what’s being pumped out from Hollywood.

There are a few main issues that we have with movies and shows that have been released in the past few years. The average quality of writing and dialogue seems to have dropped off a cliff at some unspecified point in time.

New productions seem like they’re unoriginal reruns of the same tired old tropes. And the worldbuilding, as well as the plot are so illogical that it’s hard to keep willingly suspending our disbelief. In short, more often than not, we’re not all immersed in what’s happening on the screen.

As you’re exposed to more and more content—whether it’s films, books, art, or heck, even memes—your sense of taste grows. You slowly become able to realize what genuine quality looks like.

However, this can be a double-edged sword. You might stop being able to enjoy a lot of the low-quality stuff you liked a few years ago. And unless you’re willing to follow what’s being shown at film festivals around the world, you’ll see very little that impresses you at your local movie theater or on Netflix’s home page.

Andrew Buchholz writes on the ‘Spartan Scoop’ that there’s been a “drought of inventiveness” in recent years. Everything feels like a rerun. We’re perpetually stuck with a sense of déjà vu.

“Depending on the genre, there are hundreds of different clichés to be used by any given filmmaker. One example might be a romantic comedy where the two main characters pretend to be dating until they fall in love. Or what about a heist movie with a group of misfits that work together to steal the ultimate prize. These plot ideas lack any flavor; they’re boring and overused,” he explains. In short, there’s a lack of innovation and far too much stagnation.

According to Buchholz, one reason why there are fewer new movies that manage to satisfy us is due to the massive popularity of streaming services. From Netflix and HBO Max to Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.

On the plus side, you have access to tons of movies whenever you want. But if you’ve watched the best of the best, you’re quickly left with the rest which is (at best) something to put on in the background while you eat your cereal or wash the dishes.

Meanwhile, the streaming services themselves are pumping out films and shows, too. It’s a business decision that they hope will pay off, so naturally, they’re taking lower risks and opting for safer (more boring, simpler, cheaper) productions. They want to make a profit and producing films is an expensive line of work to be in. However, from the point of view of a movie-goer, we want quality, not excuses about substandard slop.

Let’s loop back for a moment. One of the main things that take us out of the entire movie-going experience is if the world lacks any internal logic. Even a fantasy or sci-fi world has to make sense. Otherwise, you’re left with shallow characters with constantly-shifting motivations, doing random stuff in a world that has no consistency. It’s hard to enjoy the experience when you’re reminded that what you’re watching is make-believe.

Recently, Bored Panda spoke to author Christopher Burke about movies, immersion, and internal logic. “Superheroes, aliens, and magic are the price of admission. That's what I'm paying for with the movie. After that, everything else should be relatable," he noted.

"There can be a dragon. The dragon can swear, smoke cigars, and drink whiskey if it wants to. But if it starts talking about cigars and whiskey and gets basic facts (which are easily found) wrong, someone's going to notice, and that will pull them out of the moment. The audience will willingly accept the big stuff or they wouldn't watch the movie. It's the small stuff that's distracting, and sometimes you wonder if they could've avoided it,” Burke explained why consistent world-building is vital in films.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the current state of the film industry, Pandas. Do you think that the general quality of new movies is going downhill? If so, what are your pet theories? What recent movies did you happen to enjoy the most? Are there any upcoming films that you're really looking forward to? Share your opinions and recommendations in the comments!