Like many of LRM Online‘s loyal readership, Steven Spielberg is a heavy influence in my love for motion pictures. Many of my favorite films of the ’80s involved his presence in one way or another. Raiders Of The Lost Ark. E.T. Back To The Future. The Goonies. Gremlins. Poltergeist. Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom. Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade.  That admiration continued on through the ’90s and 2000s. From Jurassic Park and Minority Report to Schindler’s List, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan and Catch Me If You Can, Spielberg excelled in both creative imagination and historical storytelling. He is the creator of the summer blockbuster (Jaws) and a breaker of his own box office records (Jurassic Park over E.T.).  He is a three-time Oscar winner and continues to create fictional (Ready Player One) and nonfictional (The Post) cinematic adventures.

Yet, with his recent actions regarding the streaming juggernaut Netflix and its status with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, this die-hard Spielberg fan finds himself torn. Spielberg has openly stated that he feels Netflix original films should be restricted from Academy Award contentions unless the films are in theaters for at least four weeks. Hearing where this filmmaking titan stands on the issue has put me at a crossroads.

Related – Steven Spielberg Supports Changing Oscars Rules For Streaming Services

On the one hand, there is my defense of Netflix. As a father of two boys who shares a crazy work/family schedule with his wife, streaming services have been a blessing for our media content consumption. Between original content like The Haunting Of Hill House and acquired content like The Office and Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, we are thoroughly entertained. For a couple that pre-parenthood frequented the movie theater every other weekend, Netflix has been a saving grace. Sure, it doesn’t have the latest releases in theaters, but it at least provides us with our entertainment fix. Additionally, with original films like Roma and Bird Box, we now have a way to watch the latest from the film industry. We are still hip… kind of.

With that said, I understand where Spielberg is coming from. He wants to preserve the movie-going experience. As much as I enjoy watching films from the comfort of my couch, I adore being in a theater. I love walking into a huge auditorium with a bucket of popcorn and box of Reese’s Pieces (thanks E.T.). I love leaning back in the reclining seats and witnessing a motion picture on a gigantic screen. I even share the love of seeing and hearing an audience’s reaction to what is happening on screen, as if I was the director of the film. In my opinion (unless you can afford a small theater in your home), no matter how advanced television screens and surround sound systems are, they currently do not compare to what a theater offers the viewer.

So I am sorry to say this, but I am indecisive on the topic.

I want Netflix to be a route filmmakers can take in order to tell their stories and show their talent. I feel those filmmakers should also be awarded, when it is deserved, for the content they create no matter where it is displayed. As someone who is making his own attempts at cinematic storytelling, I am excited but the added venues that services like Netflix provide. I also want to head out to the theater with our kids and check out Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse. Those lucky evenings when we have a babysitter, I love the idea of treating ourselves to the latest film out at the box office. If time and money were not an issue, I would visit a theater every other day.

So, whether or not a streaming service should release its film solely in theaters for a period of time in order to be considered for Oscar contention… that’s a tough one. Maybe I will have an answer in the future. Maybe I won’t. As I continue to ponder over this debate, I will remain right here in the middle of the road, watching a film that Spielberg created… most likely on Netflix.

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