My Review of My Showing of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”
Swifties, before I begin, I want to emphasize that this isn't meant as hate towards any of you. I'm a fellow Swiftie, and I believe we can all acknowledge that some of us can be quite annoying – but that's okay; there's power in self-awareness! On the flip side, I must admit that I am an absolute hater, which is also okay! But I digress. Let me attempt to establish what kind of fan I am: Taylor Swift holds the title of my most-played Spotify artist of all time (Source: Trust me, and also Receiptify stats). Say what you will about Tay, but she certainly knows how to make a pop track! I adore her music, and I've been a fan for as long as I can remember. She also never disappoints when it comes to entertaining her fans with elaborate performances.
On the other hand, there are times when I find some of her actions questionable. It's been said before, but Taylor has been known to leverage feminism to her advantage. And we all know her private jet emissions ranking (#1 – go girlboss!). So I'm not inclined to go to great lengths defending her character. All in all, I'm obsessed with Taylor's music, but I approach her character with hesitancy, just as I do with all celebrities.
I was fortunate enough to attend the Eras Tour this summer, and it was so great! Though it was quite lengthy, especially for those of us with small bladders. The show she put on was so great and I was definitely interested in seeing the concert film in theaters. Plus, come on, I needed that $12 collectible Eras cup! As the day approached, I noticed an increasing number of tweets (or X’s – I'm not entirely sure what they're called, to be honest) discussing the event. For context, there are real, REAL, and unironic tweets and TikToks where people are asking other swifties and even actual movie theaters, what the correct movie etiquette is for the film. I assume the reason why grown adults are asking how to act in a movie theater is because it is a concert film (so maybe it is different? IDK!). Anyway, huge news to me because I am simple. Buy movie ticket, see movie, easy!
On the day the film premiered, videos were being posted from various viewings. For those familiar with what I'm talking about, yes, there were viewers dancing, screaming, and singing their hearts out. My personal favorite is the clip of Taylor Lautner dancing in the theater – so so cringe. I'm fully aware that some might say, "You're such a hater; people are just trying to have fun." And they'd be absolutely correct. I won't even attempt to deny it. But I couldn't help but feel a bit anxious about what was in store for our screening.
As we entered Newpark Mall, we snapped a photo with the poster, grabbed our collectible cup and popcorn tin, and settled into our seats. The theater was completely packed. Which was great because we don’t want movie theaters to become a thing of the past. The trailers rolled, and the movie began. Overall, I thought it was excellent. Admittedly, I'd forgotten it was a three-hour film, which caught me off guard. However, aside from that, it was a real treat to see all the intricate details and the whole picture of the different sets and scenes from the show. You can't always appreciate everything altogether from the 200 section of Levi's Stadium. The audience in my theater was very tame, with some light singing and dancing, but nothing crazy. And to be completely honest, it's hard not to join in once you're there. When we left the showing, a girl from our theater gave my friend and me matching friendship bracelets. I got "Dear John," which happens to be one of my all-time favorite Taylor Swift songs, so very lucky for me. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience with a few cringe-worthy moments from the crowd, but honestly, that added to the entertainment. At the end of the day, it's a concert film, and people should be free to enjoy it in their own way as long as they aren't causing chaos and obstructing others from watching. Some of the videos on X of the film screenings are brutal, and I'd recommend checking them out if you want a good laugh. Overall Rating: 8/10.
by Skylar Vinson
NOV 2023
