Pop-Tarts For the Soul

Originally published on by MacGMaagazine, June 30th 2019, 4:00:07 pm

The latest iteration of Godzilla just hit theaters. Unsurprisingly, it’s another example of critics being unimpressed by a film while fans eagerly bought tickets. This isn’t a new phenomenon. Critics have been thumbing their noses at the masses for consuming cultural junk food for ages. But this time feels different.

First off, I want to say this: Art is art. It might not be your preference, you might not understand it. Heck, it might be generally considered to be terrible, but it’s still art. It’s similar to food, the nutritional value of a Pop-Tart might be low, but it’s still food. Art is meant to inspire some sort of feeling or thoughts. Granted, some art might inspire a “Why on earth does this exist?” feeling. Nonetheless, that counts as an emotion.

All art will have its lower brow section. Overly generic pop music, pulp or romance novels, pop art, comic books and so on. I call these “Pop Tarts For the Soul.” It might not be the best for me, but I always get a little rush of energy when I consume it.

Growing up in a sci-fi-loving family, I’ve encountered the arguments of “Anyone with REAL taste wouldn’t enjoy it” more times than I can count. Then came the fad of watching things ironically and with it, even more arguments. I quickly learned to brush it off, but even now, I encounter people who hide the things they love, such as cheesy soap operas or K-Pop.

  

Interestingly, over the past few years, there’s been a subtle shift. Romantic comedies and musicals are back on the scene after a brief drought during the early 2010s. Yes, there have been a few over the years but none that spring to mind as quickly as “Crazy Rich Asians” or “La La Land” does.

Netflix is a great example of this shift. Last year, the site launched their Summer of Love project and focused on rom-coms during the season. This gamble paid off big, grabbing audiences the same way “Stranger Things” and “Orange Is the New Black” did. While they’re not officially doing another Summer of Love, they have definitely released more movies this year, including “Always Be My Maybe,” starring Ali Wong and Randall Park, which quickly won the fans’ love.

So why am I talking about Godzilla? Well, around 2009, the movie trends favored movies that were introspective and grim or mindless popcorn blockbusters. Now, we’re receiving more movies that are middle ground. Movies such as “Detective Pikachu” and “Captain Marvel,” which are fun and campy but still carry an emotional punch, are being well received by the public.

There’s also been a shift in consumers as well. Years ago, anyone who willingly watched a Hallmark movie were either openly mocked or laughed at. However, when Netflix released the trailer for “The Princess Switch,” a very Hallmark-esque movie, people talked about it without shame, actively setting aside the time to watch it.

As I stated, the goal of art is to make people feel. While I’m not sure if this shift was caused by the desire to make good art or to make good money, the people have clearly spoken. We want the Pop-Tarts for the Soul.