OK, so here is my theory.
“Movies” are those things that run for about two hours. Their chief purpose is to make lots of money for the people who make them. At the same time, they hope that they might manage to tell some kind of worthwhile story.
“Cinema” are those pieces of art that run for about two hours. When someone makes a piece of cinematic art, their intention is usually to share a story. At the same time, they are usually hoping that their piece of cinema also makes some money. (Of course, in a modern world where everything has to be economically rationalised, this kind of cinema is becoming rarer. Usually it is only the talented, famous, or established who have the chance to go for “cinematic art” because they are likely to have an “economic guarantee” because of their name. )
Do you have examples of each? What movies do you think manage to achieve being both?
Discuss!
Tim Goldsmith 