It’s Saturday

It’s Saturday without our gods.

Without our films, without our movies, without our blockbusters. Without our cinemas and cineplexes that are our churches and cathedrals. Without our stars playing our gods.

The collective role of cinema is for us to experience the triumph of good over evil, right over wrong. All at once and all at the same time. All those struggles that all those protagonists endure and overcome - whether interplanetary spectacles or intimate art films - remind us that we will ultimately triumph despite whatever hurdles befall us.

That public catharsis as the movie peaks and crescendos and everything is right in the end? That purging of negative emotions — particularly pity and fear — necessary for renewal and restoration?

All a memory as we scroll through one bad story and another and another and another until it feels like our phones are sucking in the light around us.

It’s Saturday and the cinemas are closed.

And our dreams are empty.