I really don't know how to translate the title of my article. Yes, this is the first official article I've written about movies. It was published on Epari 18th of January 2017, and yes, it took me a while to actually put it here. I still wanted to share this on my blog because I think this blog will last longer than my career as a journalist - because it already has.
I would link to the digital version of the newspaper, but the website isn't working for me, so I can't.
My translation might seem a bit clumsy, but I hope everyone understands it's one thing to write in English and another to write translate a text from your native language to English.
People went to the movies particularly much in 2016. The year 2017 offers a lot of highly anticipated movies.
The year 2016 was particularly good when we look at movies. In Finland, movies were seen in the theatres over 8,7 million times. It's the second most views since 1983, and only in 2015 have people viewed more movies.*
The CEO of Bio Rex Cinemas Aku Jaakkola says the better availability of movies affects the grown popularity of cinema.
"These days you can see movies almost at the same time all over the world. Furthermore, movie theatres have been more invested in. The experience has therefore gotten better."
People go to the cinemas more in financially tense times, even if one might imagine it being the opposite.
"It's this specific modern-day budget escapism. During unstable times movies are a way to get away from the every day life," thinks Mikko Jokipii from Kino Jalasjärvi.
The happy news is that the popularity of Finnish movies is on the rise.
"Our film makers are doing a marvellous job. You can see it in how many people go to see domestic films," says Jaakkola.
Studios are making both independent films such as Hymyilevä Mies but also certain blockbusters like Luokkakokous 2.
"In the rural areas people are more interested in Finnish movies", Jokipii tells.
Even if movie and TV show streaming services such as Netflix and Viaplay are getting more popular, movie theatres don't have to compete with them.
"Netflix and such are competing with typical video rental stores, not with us. Our biggest rival is just staying home in general," Jaakkola estimates.
A lot of anticipated movies
The most anticipated movies of 2017 show the theme of Finland's 100th year of independence.
Aku Louhimies's version of Tuntematon Sotilas has its premiere at the end of the year. Tom of Finland, the biography of Touko Laaksonen directed by Dome Karukoski, is also coming out this year.
"Tom of Finland is definitely going to be a movie which completely divides the opinions of the audiences. Many people are looking forward for it, but in many places it will be condemned very quickly," Jaakkola predicts.
From Hollywood we are expecting for example the eighth episode of Star Wars franchise, and at the end of this month winner of seven Golden Globes La La Land directed by Damien Chazelle will have its premiere.
Movie series
Many movie series are popular. Marvel and DC are competing in making several superhero movies in one year. Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean are few of the franchises getting their newest sequels in 2017. Also the Harry Potter series has been continued by the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.
"The pros of movie series' is their certain guarantee of what the movie is going to be like. Also the stories are already familiar to the audience, and they don't have to introduce everything again, Still there are a lot of original movies, and people like them," Jaakkola says.
Jokipii thinks it's good to invest in a good, independent story.
"There are huge franchises but there are no longer so many sequels, which are basically just the same movie in a different package. Good screenplay is the most important thing."
One of the trends one can detect in the movies is apocalypse and post-apocalyptic world, like in Mad Max movies. Same theme can be seen in video games. On the other hand there are also a lot of movies meant for kids.
"There are a lot of big studios making these movies. Everyone knows Disney and Dreamworks, but there's also WB making LEGO movies, and a lot of domestic children's movies. There are so many that families don't have the time or money to see all of them," Jokipii says.
Anticipated films of 2017:
- Alien: Covenant, dir. Ridley Scott
- Beauty and the Beast, dir. Bill Condon
- Hidden Figures, dir. Theodore Melfi
- La La Land, dir. Damien Chazelle
- LEGO: Batman Movie, dir. Chris McKay
- Logan, dir. James Mangold
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, dir. Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg
- Star Wars episode VIII, dir. Rian Johnson**
- Spider-man: Home coming, dir. Jon Watts
- T2: Trainspotting, dir. Danny Boyle
- Tom of Finland, dir. Dome Karukoski
- Tuntematon Sotilas, dir. Aku Louhimies
- Wonder Woman, dir. Patty Jenkins
* For some reason the proof reader botched this up in the original article.
** The name The Last Jedi wasn't yet known when I wrote the article.
** The name The Last Jedi wasn't yet known when I wrote the article.
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