A compass doesn’t dictate which direction we are to go, but it quietly influences every step we take. The stories we watch and the messages we absorb often work the same way, subtly shaping how we see ourselves, others, marriage, family, and the world. As the media landscape rapidly evolves, understanding these influences—and learning how to navigate them wisely—has become an essential skill for every family. Cristina’s article shares some great insights and ideas that can benefit all of us.
Because families matter,
Wendy Wixom, President
United Families International
What’s Happened to Hollywood?
How modern film and TV changed – and why it matters more than we think.
Cristina Cevallos
Choosing something to watch has become exhausting. Sometimes we spend more time scrolling through streaming platforms than actually watching something. Along the way, we find ourselves asking the same questions: Can I watch this with my family? Will there be explicit scenes? Excessive profanity? Even worse is starting a movie only to be caught off guard by inappropriate content or feeling compelled to finish it because there’s nothing else to watch. More often than not, we leave the theater disappointed, or skip going altogether after hearing that yet another remake has failed to capture the magic of the original.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find films that genuinely move us, make us laugh, make us cry, or stay with us long after the credits roll. The same is true for television, and children’s entertainment is no exception. So, what happened? We have made extraordinary technological advances in filmmaking, yet many people still feel that movies and TV shows from previous decades were better. Are today’s productions simply reflecting a society with lower expectations for storytelling, family entertainment, and artistic quality, or are they helping shape that very culture?
What changed?
Audiovisual content has changed significantly, both in form and substance. There have been major technical and production advances, particularly with the implementation of digital cinematography, which has made audiovisual production more accessible. Creating videos and films is now easier and more affordable, allowing more people to produce content and resulting in a wider variety of productions with different levels of quality.
Another major transformation has occurred in the distribution and exhibition of audiovisual content. Digital projection, streaming platforms, and HDR video have fundamentally changed how films are delivered and consumed. Today, a movie can be released directly on a streaming platform and watched on a smartphone screen rather than having its primary release in theaters. Platforms such as Netflix have even developed specific guidelines for film and television studios to ensure that content meets their technical requirements.
Aesthetics and visual style have also evolved. The use of lighter digital cameras has enabled more dynamic camera movements and different filming techniques. At the same time, backgrounds, crowds, and even actors through the use of digital doubles are increasingly created or enhanced digitally. Content is now filmed in front of green screens, with much of the final environment added during post-production. In some cases, high-effort storytelling has been replaced by high-effort editing and visual effects, which are often easier to achieve with modern technology. As a result, today’s audiovisual content is frequently more vivid, sharper, and higher in contrast, compared to previous decades.
Narrative trends have changed as well as studios increasingly prioritize established intellectual properties, sequels, cinematic universes, and reboots because they lower perceived financial risk and allow for cross-media monetization. As a result, there is less emphasis on originality, as studios are often more hesitant to produce films that challenge audiences or present thought-provoking, deep, and unique stories.
But technology isn’t the whole story
In the past, many films were built around strong storytelling and a sense of transcendence, in the sense that they conveyed meaningful messages that could resonate across generations. It was common for children, parents, and even grandparents to watch the same movie together because the story contained values and themes that appealed to everyone.
Today, many films have moved toward faster and more compressed storytelling, often cutting out moments where characters have time to reflect on their experiences and develop emotionally. However, these quieter sections are essential for audiences to understand the characters more deeply. Viewers need time to connect with the characters, to care about them, and even to “fall in love” with them. Building that emotional connection requires time, something that is increasingly sacrificed in modern storytelling.
This transformation can also be explained by changes in pacing. Everything in modern audiovisual content seems to move faster. Films increasingly compete with platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, which have contributed to shorter attention spans and higher expectations for constant stimulation. As a result, contemporary films tend to feature quicker edits, more frequent scene cuts, and earlier inciting incidents in order to maintain audience engagement.
Compared to previous decades, many films today feel more rushed and intense as high-stimulation media is often characterized bed storytelling, quick-speaking characters, shorter shot lengths, loud music or sounds, brightly colored visuals, rapid scene changes, and more dynamic camera movements.
This type of content can have negative effects, particularly on the youth. Excessive exposure to rapidly changing images may overstimulate the developing brain and contribute to reduced attention spans. Children may become accustomed to high levels of stimulation and find slower activities, such as reading or imaginative play, less rewarding. In fact, research suggests that intense screen stimulation can place children’s brains into a state of heightened alertness, activating stress responses similar to the fight-or-flight response. This may help explain why children can sometimes appear more irritable after extended periods of screen time.
Entertainment doesn’t just reflect culture – it shapes it
Entertainment media provides powerful social models that convey ideas about human values, ways of thinking, and patterns of behavior. The characters portrayed in films and television can influence audiences’ views of work, morality, relationships, and family life. According to Cultivation Theory, prolonged exposure to television and other audiovisual content gradually shapes people’s perceptions of reality, leading them to see the world through the messages and patterns consistently portrayed on screen.
Research has demonstrated a relationship between media portrayals of different professions and people’s career choices, suggesting that entertainment not only reflects society but also shapes aspirations. One of the best-known examples is Top Gun (1986), after which U.S. Navy recruitment reportedly increased by as much as 500 percent, illustrating entertainment media’s influence on real-world decisions.
Scholars have long argued that film and television are powerful vehicles of cultural transmission. Through compelling stories, they encourage audiences to reflect on their beliefs, shape public opinion, and bring attention to important social issues. Because of this influence, audiovisual content should be approached critically. While it can inspire meaningful reflection and positive social change, it can also oversimplify complex issues or present one-sided perspectives. One study found that popular television has increasingly emphasized individualistic values such as fame and wealth, while communitarian values—including community involvement, tradition, and concern for others—have steadily declined.
Another troubling trend is the growing presence of antisocial values and violence. Reports indicate that, over the past fifty years, movie characters have become significantly more likely to talk about murder or killing, even outside the crime genre. A growing body of research suggests that repeated exposure to violent media can increase aggressive behavior, antisocial attitudes, and emotional distress in children and adolescents. Violent and pornographic content may also normalize unhealthy attitudes and lead some young viewers to see violence as an acceptable way to resolve conflict.
One reason for this shift is that filmmakers are no longer subject to the content restrictions that once governed the industry. From 1934 to 1968, most major Hollywood studios followed the Motion Picture Production Code, or Hays Code, which prohibited or severely restricted profanity, nudity, explicit sexual content, graphic violence, drug use, and depictions that glorified crime or undermined public morality. In 1968, it was replaced by the Motion Picture Association’s age-based rating system, allowing virtually any content to be produced so long as it carried the appropriate rating.
What we can do
If the entertainment industry no longer imposes clear limits, those limits must come from us. As viewers—and especially as parents—we have a responsibility to be intentional about what we watch and what we allow our children to watch.
Consumers still hold considerable influence because the entertainment industry ultimately follows audience demand. If viewers stop rewarding poor-quality productions or content that undermines their values, studios will have greater incentive to invest in original, meaningful storytelling.
Experts consistently recommend active parental involvement rather than passive screen consumption. Parents should watch programs with their children whenever possible, choose age-appropriate educational content, and avoid relying on screens to manage boredom, sadness, or tantrums, allowing children to develop healthier emotional regulation skills.
Finally, change begins with our own example. We should choose entertainment thoughtfully rather than simply following what is most popular, and support filmmakers who remain committed to artistic excellence, meaningful values, and respect for their audiences.
As Martin Scorsese observed, “Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.” The stories a civilization tells reveal what it loves, and the stories it rewards shape what future generations will love. If we hope to build a culture grounded in truth, beauty, and virtue, we must begin by choosing stories that are worthy of both our attention and our applause.
Cristina is a Peruvian lawyer with a master’s degree in Human Rights. She combines political experience with her work as a writer and researcher, focusing on bioethics, family, religious freedom, and cultural heritage.