Most people, no matter what age, grow up viewing memorable cinematic productions that have impacted their lives in some way. Whether you consider yourself a huge movie fan, or simply like to go to the theaters occasionally, deep down, we all have some level of passion for movies. Movies can change lives, alter one’s perspective, or simply leave you in tears or bliss. Throughout the decades, different generations have experienced different types of cinematic productions, whether that be the quality of the entertainment, the plot, or merely a new popular movie series that everyone seems to be going crazy about. Let’s hear out our fellow peers and teachers at Rochester High School as they share their experiences with cinema and their opinions on what makes a movie memorable.
First and foremost, we have the widely loved and cherished Rochester High School APUSH teacher: Mr. Zwolinski! We started by asking him to tell us a little about himself and then got into the details of his perception of cinematography.
He starts off by explaining, “As a Rochester High School teacher who’s turning 40 the following week, I’ve experienced lots of decades of greatness, craziness, and America’s continuity and change over the years.” I proceeded to ask, “What are your opinions about movies?” Mr. Zwonlinski replied, “I prefer older movies. I don’t specifically have a favorite genre, though my favorite movie of all time is ‘Eternal Sunshine in a Spotless Mind’ or ‘Back To The Future.’” He continues on to say “I used to like ILM because they did all the Indiana Jones and Star Wars movies, but nowadays anything produced by Christopher Nolan or David Fincher is enjoyable.” When asked about his favorite genre and a decade of cinema, Zwolinski replies, “I love comedy, drama, or any movies that make you think or teach you a lesson.” “Which decade produced the best cinema?” I questioned. “Oh GOD. That’s tough. 80s movies are garbage but are the best to watch for fun. The 2000s had a lot of outstanding movies but most stuff has become remakes since. If I had to pick one, I think I like 80s movies more with the expectation of 2000s movies having better quality,” says Mr. Zwolinski. “I would consider myself a big movie watcher, I have an Emagine membership, we go all the time, and an 80-inch screen TV in my basement!” Mr. Zwolinksi claimed. To finish off his interview, he ended with a fun fact about his movie-watching experience! “I was actually on a game show called ‘The World Series of Pop Culture’ which consisted of different trivia questions all about movies, music, and TV shows,” Mr. Zwolinski explained.
Our second interview consists of the opinion of a Rochester High School student, Hannah Thibbideau. Starting off, we’ll hear a brief background on Thibbideau and her preference for movies.
“As a senior at Rochester High School, I would say I prefer newer movies. My favorite movies are ‘Spiderman Into The Spider-Verse or ‘The Lego Movie’, and I definitely prefer comedy or horror movies,” says Thibbideau. When asked what decade she thinks produced the best cinema, Thibbideau replies, “Personally, most of my favorite movies were from the 80s or 2000s. I think those movies had a more defined vibe than others. I would say I’m a semi-big movie watcher, and I prefer newer movies because I think as time goes on the quality of those movies increases and they feel a lot more specific to newer viewers. Personally, it’s a lot more relatable,” Thibbideau states. To end her interview, I asked about her favorite childhood movie which she immediately replied to be ‘Rio’!
Finally, we will take a closer look at Rochester High School student Delaney Crandall’s take on cinematography and a brief background on her movie-watching experience.
“Currently, I’m just a student, you know, trying to make my way through this world. As of now, I work at an accounting firm in my cubicle and run food at City Tavern. I love watching movies on the weekends,” says Crandall. Now we will hear her perspective on the best movies and what makes them special. “Personally, I prefer relatively new movies but lowkey still old. I really like early 2000s movies. Currently, my favorite movie is ‘About Time’ – about this guy who can time travel- it has Rachel McAdams in it- so good it literally makes me feel so precious about life every time I watch it,” Crandall explains. Next, we asked her about her favorite producer or genre. “For a producer, definitely Greta Gerwig for the win. Okay, guys, I love a good rom-com, and just like drama you know movies that have no plot but will still make me cry- like Lady Bird,” Crandall states. As a movie watcher myself, I definitely relate to Crandall in her love of Lady Bird. “Personally, I like movies from the early 2000s just because the quality is still good but also has that retro vibe, the styles are always really good in the movies, like even if it’s a bad movie I still live for the aesthetic of it,” says Crandall. To finish off her interview, we dive into a closer look at her life as a movie watcher! “I would definitely consider myself a big movie watcher, and I think newer movies just have that good plot and you can tell there’s a lot of thought behind them with lots more details. I think older movies are still good but they are not as well thought out and well planned as newer movies are. My favorite childhood movies are probably the first 3 Star Wars movies,” presumes Crandall.
Throughout different generations, cinematic production is an aspect everyone has in common. After taking a deep dive into the opinions and perspectives of Rochester High School teachers and students, we can really understand how cinema has changed over time, along with the qualities that make movies special and memorable to individuals.