An Updated Take May 6, 2025

We go to the theaters.
It twists, it melts, it rewires our minds.
Tells us what we want to hear—
We hear it loud.
We hear it clear.
Flashing images that shape our views.
And what do we say?
Rewind.

Rewind back—
Way back in time.
Blockbuster? Gone.
Stores scamming us blind.
Cash draining from our wallets…
But for what?
To see stories that aren’t real?
To swallow lies
That change our minds?

It’s always the same.
Girl falls in love.
Boy falls in love.
LIES.
Superheroes are just like us?
LIES.
Tragic beginnings lead to perfect endings?
LIES. LIES. LIES. LIES.

Okay…
Fast forward.
Fast forward to the future.
The future is fast.
The future is big.

Netflix. Hulu.
They shut down the stores.
They feed us junk—
At premium prices.
Netflix and chill?
Netflix and chill!?
Scroll, scroll, scroll—
Nobody watches.
Nobody cares.
And yet—
They lie.
Everyone lies.

Pause.
Pause to now.
Right now.
This—this is real.
This is truth.

Go.
Make it your own.
Tell your story.
Say what’s real.
No filters.
No scripts.
Just the truth.

Because you—
You are the truth.

Theme:

The poem is a critique of the film and entertainment industry, especially how it shapes people’s thoughts, expectations, and values through often deceptive or repetitive narratives. It takes the audience on a journey through time—past, present, and future—to explore how the media we consume has changed and what that means for us.

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Section by Section Breakdown:

1. “We go to the theaters…” (Opening)

This introduces the central idea: movies have a powerful psychological effect. They distort reality, tell us comforting or exciting lies, and influence how we think and feel.

“Tells us things we want to hear… Showing us images changing our views…”
This implies media isn’t neutral—it’s persuasive and can be manipulative.

2. “Rewind…” (Past)

The poem rewinds to a nostalgic but critical view of the Blockbuster era—a time when physical video stores still dominated. Even then, there was frustration with how media cost money but often delivered empty content or misleading messages.

“Girl falls in love / Boy falls in love / LIES”
This mocks the clichés of Hollywood romance and superhero tropes, suggesting they’re fake and overused.

3. “Fast forward…” (Present/Future)

Now in the streaming age—Netflix, Hulu, endless scrolling—the content is cheaper and more accessible, but the quality and meaning are questioned.

“Meaningless content with a price like that… Nobody watches… They lie.”
It critiques how platforms produce massive amounts of content with little substance, and how the cycle of deception continues, just in a new form.

4. “Pause…” (Call to Action)

This is the emotional climax—a pause for reflection. It shifts from criticism to empowerment.

“Go out, make it your own. Tell the truth. It’s your story.”
Instead of being passive consumers of false narratives, we’re called to create authentic stories and be truth-tellers in a media-saturated world.

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Big Idea:

Don’t believe everything you see on screen. Question media. Create your own truth.
Be real in a world that’s constantly selling fiction.

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Original:

A Poetry Slam about the Film Industry 

This is a Poetry Slam I made in the  11th grade for English class. A lot of people liked it so I decided to post it here. Up above is audio regarding of what it’s supposed to sound like. I hope you guys enjoy and laugh a bit.

We go to the theaters
It’s ruining, twisting, melting our mind
Tells us things we want to hear
We hear it loud
We hear it clear
Showing us images changing our views
What do we say
Rewind

Rewind to the time back in time
Blockbuster, gone
Stores ripping us off
Money leaving my wallet
For what
To see images that are untrue
Telling us lies
Changing our minds
The same thing
Every time
Girl falls in love
Boy falls in love
LIES
Superheroes are just like you and me
LIES
Hard Beginnings to see theatrical endings
LIES LIES LIES LIES

Okay…. Fast forward
Fast forward to the future
Future is fast, future is big
Netflix and Hulu closing out the stores
Meaningless content with a price like that
Netflix and chill
Netflix and chill!
Scrolling through titles nobody watches
Wasting my time
They lie
Everyone lies

Pause
Pause to now
Right now
This is real
This is now, this is the truth
Go out make it your own
Tell the truth
It’s your story
No lies
Just the truth
You are the truth

*To listen to what its meant to sound like click here.