Aesthetics: Movies look like games that look like movies

Today I noted how computer games, in aesthetics, might have been influenced by movie theory and how movies are made interesting or compelling. The usage of different types of color grading, ”casting” of protagonists (example: Master Chief of Halo), camera movements and framing (birds-, humans- or worms eye view) of games use the same language as movies do. It is not unusual to be presented with a typical ”establishing shot” with typewriting, stating where and when you are located.  It also reminds me of all the times I am being aware that there is a cutscene as soon as my screen fades two black bars in, making it widescreen, to tell me, that a certain ”movie” will be shown where I won’t be able to act or play.

Now, while this is interesting, it made me consider how games have become more popular and mainstream and maybe this could well be an argument for something I mentioned in class: Games are now influencing movies and has done this for a while. An example could be Kill Bill (2003). The fight scenes looks like they are highly influenced by fighting games (example: Street Fighter)

The Matrix (1999) with its loading screens, indicating a change of level or scenery with the aesthetics of a computer game.  

The first person view in the newest Iron Man movies (2008), where we are perfectly able to understand the change of viewpoint and we understand the concepts of his interface in his helmet - maybe because of games?

It would be interesting to, though a bit narrow, research the progression of James Bond movies and how the aesthetics might have changed towards a more game-like product. The interesting discussion would be found in whether a rotating car, being presented, is something movies invented for car racing games to adapt or if it is a feature found in car racing games, that movies have embraced.