Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

If you know me at all, you know I adore movies. Whether it be watching them, critiquing them or rewatching the same ones over and over they are a medium I feel very connected to. And with almost every art form recognized as one collaborative piece, it’s hard to look away. 

Growing up, I didn’t watch many TV shows. Instead, I watched the Disney princess movies on VHS back-to-back. I watched “Indiana Jones,” “Star Wars” and the cheesy rom-coms my mom loves. I remember sitting next to the VHS player, watching the film rewind to hear the whir of the motors as the roll respooled so I could start those 90 minutes of escape again. Going to the movie theater with my parents, sitting down with a bowl of popcorn that rivaled my size and finding myself transported to a world unlike my own. Inside my living room or within those theater doors, I was home.

Films have been a pivotal part of my life, and they will continue to move and shape the way I feel and how I navigate through the world. It’s how we learn about our past, express our creativity and put our emotions into music, storytelling and the uptime of human expression.

I now find the magic I felt as a kid has depleted. The novelty of going to the theater has become a chore and a financial choice.

I find myself viewing movies less as something of enjoyment and more through the lens of a critic. I analyze the acting, music and production quality. The wonder I once had has turned into judgement and criticism. What was once a fun, magical trip to the theater has become a classroom I consider bringing a pencil and a notepad to.

And I am not alone. Movies can now be logged, rated and critiqued by anyone, anywhere. The leading platform is Letterboxd, a global social network for logging and reviewing movies. As someone who uses this platform, I have seen both the good and bad of becoming an amateur movie critic.

Some people use the platform for good: They log and make lists to review their favorite movies and express their love. But some use it for the opposite reason: to leave hateful — and often overall performative — extensive reviews, bashing other people’s interests while not fully appreciating the art.

This art that is created every day is built to be enjoyed by all, not to become exclusive or exist on a platform to hate on others. 

In July, Christopher Nolan’s epic “The Odyssey” came to theaters worldwide. Widely considered one of his best movies and one of the film world’s greatest achievements, Nolan’s depiction of Odysseus’ momentous journey swept the world. Viewers showered it with praise and admiration for its technological feats; it is the first feature film in history to be filmed strictly on IMAX’s 70 mm cameras, which use physical rolls of film that require special lenses, audio, editing equipment and software. With a $250 million budget, it became the most expensive — and highest-grossing — R-rated movie ever made.

Because of the format, select theaters were chosen to have 70 mm IMAX projectors and screens installed that would show the movie “the way Nolan intended.” This, unfortunately, paved the way for movie critics all around the world to bash other smaller theaters for showing the movie in a more accessible way with the regular 1.85:1 or an IMAX which is not in the 70 mm format.

Comments on social media centered more on being able to view the movie in a better-than-usual format and less around the art and achievement of the production itself. Filming methods aside, “The Odyssey” excelled in costume, makeup, acting, set design, music, audio mixing and more. A movie is much more than its viewing format; it’s about appreciating the art, marveling at the cinematography and diving into the world that Nolan creates.  

Seeing a movie at the theater isn’t about the format you see it in, what seats are the best, judging the actors or the music score. Despite finding myself disliking a movie because of an actor’s performance or the way it was directed, I am working on realizing that theaters are about the magic of visiting a place where art can be expressed through community, sharing a place where an escape can be mutual and enjoyable.

Movie critics and snobs are ruining the magic that once captivated me as a kid. This attitude needs to change, for me and for all, to keep movies and the arts alive for years to come.