It’s two in the goddamn morning. Why am I up so late? (Moreover, why did I wait this long to write my article? I’ll chalk that up to not being inspired until now.) I actually just got back from seeing (most of) the midnight showing of 9, the “stitchpunk” film produced – not directed, you nimrods – by Tim Burton. I’ll say this about the film: despite the impressive sound design, and not being as disappointed as my radio-show co-host, I cannot honestly say that it was worth the extra time and money put in by myself. A little less? I may have enjoyed (and been awake for) more of it.

I assure you what I just said makes sense. See, lately I have been doing Early Bird specials at the theater in my hometown. (We have more than one theater, but I like to give the idea that I live somewhere between Smallville and Mayberry.) The first showing of any movie is $5.50, and there’s practically no-one else in the theater but me. With a situation like this, I win either way. District 9? Enjoyed it much, got my money’s worth and then some. Ponyo? Liked it, glad I got my money’s worth. ‘Basterds? $5.50 for two hours of Nazi-killing shared with my date is a helluva deal. Compare all that to spending over ten dollars just so I could pack into a full theater and doze off from a full day with no nap. (Although I agreed to do it, you can tell this was not my idea.)

Between paying for the sum of what District 9 and Ponyo cost me for a movie that seemed to go by quicker than half of one of those, and not being in the right mental or physical condition to properly enjoy everything, I feel like I got jipped. I/We bought into the hype and were reeled in to only find a sense of disappointment.

[At this point I had finally fallen asleep. The following was written after about six hours of sleep; hopefully I am a tad more coherent.]

Children of the Internet Age have always been frugal in their own ways through piracy and bootlegs. While the financial situation for most teens and twenty-somethings has never been one to confidently call for binge shopping and treating all money as disposable income, we of this current generation have arguably had the most reasons to “steal” and leech our preferred way of entertainment

Some would say that the current climate in which the average amount of sales and income would result in pop-products with a generally less sense of quality to them; cheaper actors would be used, cheaper equipment for production, cheaper writers/artists on cheaper paper – the lack of quantity would result in a lack of quality. Anyone who has experienced film & television, video games, and even comics can tell you that this is not the case at all. With constant advancements in technology comes computer-generated footage that’s more and more convincing with every breakthrough, intriguing stories and quick-witted dialogue that keep us hooked every week, whether it is captured by high-definition video or professional artists. We may not have produced any Godfather or Watchmen (via comics) as of late – that’s entirely up to one’s opinion and personal research, though – but it can be safely said that the overall quality of pop-media content consistently improves upon itself.

So why then, with all these advancements, are people still choosing to download or deal for their entertainment? Well, they always have. Besides the obvious – the current state of economies, poor college students, etc. – the simple reason is an increased emphasis on the buying power of the consumer. Dollars and money have become precious to all once again, and consumers have grown weary and wise to marketing and quality of product. Piracy has always been seen as a way to outright steal a product. In these times, however, it’s more like a sample of one’s work; if a person genuinely enjoys the work and wants to see it in its finest quality, they’ll scrape up the cash to actually buy the CD or trade/hardcover or ticket to the theater. The always-pragmatic Kevin Smith, regarding piracy and loss of money, says “See, I think ‘How many more converts did I get from piracy?’“

I won’t go so far as to say that piracy is a great advancement/accomplishment, but I will also not deem it a necessary evil. It’s just necessary, for the time and place we’re all in. Moreover, people of all ages and backgrounds should not give into the hype of latest and upcoming attractions. The consumer, now more than ever, has control and power on their side, not the producers. Think before you spend, and keep a clear head during your journey into capitalism.

But if nothing else, take a nap before a midnight premiere. Seriously.