Indiana Jones and the Dumspter Fire of Destiny: The Fall of the Summer Blockbuster

After watching 'Indiana Jones and the Dumpster Fire of Destiny' it got me thinking about what's happening to the movie industry, or specifically the movie star. The decline of the blockbuster movie isn't news to anyone who's been awake for the past decade. No longer are we treated to the sight of anxious crowds waiting for the clock to strike midnight on release day. Instead, we now huddle in the darkness of our own homes, bathed in the glow of Netflix or Disney+.

But why the decline? It's simple: movie stars are no longer the dazzling, unattainable figures they once were. Today, with the democratizing power of the internet, they're as accessible as your Uncle Joe's latest Facebook rant.

Through social media, we can catch our favorite A-listers sipping lattes, walking their pets, or even performing the mundane act of grocery shopping. It's as if the man behind the curtain was not only revealed, but he's also offering a live tour of Oz via Instagram Stories. The enigma of their exclusive, star-studded lives that once kept us enchanted and lining up at the box office has been replaced with the dull familiarity of everyday exposure.

Of course, some may argue that this accessibility makes our favorite celebs more relatable. But there's a reason we don't make films about average people doing average things. Who wants to see Ryan Reynolds brushing his teeth? We prefer him in his red latex suit, fighting bad guys with dry wit and an endless supply of bullets. With the exception of Tom Cruise or Keanu Reeves - the characters are the real stars now.

This shift from actors to characters is palpable. We no longer flock to the cinemas to bask in the charisma of an actor; we come to see Iron Man, not Robert Downey Jr. The name on the poster has become less important than the emblem on the superhero’s chest.

Movies, it seems, have been demoted to just another consumable content, falling in line with cat videos and 30-second TikTok dances. It's no longer about the magnetism of the lead actor, but the pull of the story, the intrigue of the character. After all, a good character can withstand multiple actors. James Bond, anyone?

Maybe it's a good thing. Maybe the relentless focus on actors and actresses was detracting from the actual art of cinema – the storytelling, the world-building, the exploration of complex human emotions and relationships. Or maybe we've simply traded one obsession for another, replacing our infatuation with unattainable celebrities with an equally potent obsession with fictional characters.

Either way, it seems like the sun is setting on the era of the movie star. As we squint into the horizon, it's the silhouettes of characters that stand tall, while the figures of the actors fade into the twilight. One can only hope they remember to turn off their Instagram live feed as they exit the stage.