Why Australians love the absolute cinema meme

A few film memes have recently gone viral, but none quite like “Absolute Cinema.” A simple image of iconic director Martin Scorsese, hands up in the air, has grown to be a statement about our love of storytelling, cinematography, and artistry. For Australians who live and breathe pop culture, it isn’t a meme; it is a way of describing the contemporary celebration of all things film, from Hollywood classics to TikTok videos.

This article describes how Absolute Cinema went viral and became a phenomenon across the world, and examines what it is about this meme that resonates with audiences in Australia.

What does Absolute Cinema mean?

The term Absolute Cinema is frequently used to refer to a film scene or visual moment that is truly breathtaking, powerful, or has an artistic form that feels complete. That is to say: “This is cinema at its best.”

Online, in particular on X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and TikTok, Australians and users from all over the world have been using this phrase to respond to moments in film or TV that are either emotionally impactful or visually stimulating. Whether it was during an impressive sequence in a Christopher Nolan film or a particularly nostalgic clip from Crocodile Dundee, people have been describing cinematic moments with the awe of “Absolute Cinema.”

The origin of the Absolute Cinema meme

• The meme comes from a large black-and-white photo of Martin Scorsese, the director of Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and The Irishman, that was part of an interview for The New York Times in 2020, in which he was raising his hands above his head in an expressive way.
• In 2022, a fan edited that image and captioned it “ABSOLUTE CINEMA”. This version first gained traction when it was attached to a scene from the anime Chainsaw Man, and from there it snowballed into a viral format.
• By 2023, it had become a generic reaction meme, particularly among movie lovers who wanted to signify the sublime nature of a cinematic perfect moment.

How did Absolute Cinema become part of online culture? 

Film enthusiasts in Australia immediately embraced the shared joy of Absolute Cinema, propping up the posts in their countries around the world. Now, there is a meme celebrating Absolute Cinema appearing across social platforms as a way for fans to celebrate the moments of joy that provoke wonder in the cinema.

Common uses include

• Celebrating iconic film scenes that seem to fulfill emotional or visual punch.
• Describe admiration for directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick, or Greta Gerwig.
• Jokingly use the term about random moments in everyday life (like a barista pouring the perfect level of froth-free milk on a latte or an AFL highlight).
• Celebrating local, Australian cinema moments – from The Castle to Mad Max: Fury Road.

The beauty of Absolute Cinema is that it can represent both sincere praise and playful irony, depending on the context.

What’s the buzz behind Absolute Cinema?

The reason for the success of Absolute Cinema can be attributed to a few clever cultural factors that make sense and are also amusing:

1. It mixes high art with internet humour

Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the greats of Cinema (the man behind Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and The Irishman). So, using his image to elevate a TikTok of a seagull stealing chips at Bondi Beach is simply comedy gold! It elevates a serious analysis of cinema into something that is universally entertaining.

2. It’s flexible for all types of content

You can find Absolute Cinema under sports highlights, anime battles, and even pet viral videos. It is an all-purpose reaction that can be applied in any context/platform and continues to work.

3. It’s a perfect expression of irony

Australians love a good laugh, and we are very self-aware when it comes to humour. The mock-serious tone of the meme perfectly fits the Australian irony. We can admire something genuinely, but still have a glimmer of a cheeky smile about it. 

4. It’s visually powerful

The black and white contrast, combined with Scorsese’s gesture and the caps-lock bolded letters, makes it no doubt recognisable. It doesn’t require context to “get it”. This is part of the reason why it can travel so fast online.

Why do Aussies love the Absolute cinema meme?

Australia has a robust cinephilia, from the goods of the national cinema like Picnic at Hanging Rock to the more recent Elvis, and everything in between. The “Absolute Cinema” meme encapsulates this national love of narrative cinema and visual storytelling. 

Many Australians enjoy the interplay of humour and passion as amateur cinephiles use the meme as a means of documenting their more fervent appreciation of cinema in everyday circumstances. It doesn’t matter if you are watching a festival film in Sydney or streaming a Netflix classic in Perth. The phrase “Absolute Cinema” is a moment of reverence for the magic of cinema. 

The artistic philosophy behind the phrase

Although it is tempting to view Absolute Cinema as simply a meme or a way of socialising and combining humour with appreciation for cinema, it is also rooted in a genuine film theory concept that cinema can achieve pure visual storytelling (rather than dialogue or conventional structure). Many of the filmmakers who support this belief regularly engage with some aspect of this concept. 

Scorsese, Kubrick, and Nolan may all showcase scenes that embrace emotion, motion, and visual rhythm with little to no dialogue. The meme, in its own way, acts as an homage to the concept and aesthetics of cinema.

Scenes that truly capture the spirit of Absolute Cinema

Here are some examples of moments in a film that Bros worldwide – including Australians – might label Absolute Cinema:

• The desert chase scene – gloriously chaotic – in Mad Max: Fury Road 
• The beach landing scene in Dunkirk 
• The long running shot in Copacabana for Goodfellas
• The montage of emotions in Up (Pixar) 
• The showdown in The Power of the Dog 
• Cate Blanchett’s performance in TÁR 
• The emotional payoff of the finale in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 

Each of these moments transcends dialogue – they rely on visual moving images, music, and raw emotion to exemplify a narrative truth. 

Examples of Absolute Cinema in action

Here are some examples of people using the meme online:

• Serious praise: An impactful shot from Dune: Part Two or Oppenheimer tagged with Absolute Cinema.
• Ironic humour: A video of a kangaroo boxing with epic music — captioned “ABSOLUTE CINEMA.”
• Gaming context: A slow-motion headshot in Call of Duty, “This is cinema.”
• Sports version: A footy player diving for a goal in the rain, “Absolute Cinema.”

The upside to the phrase is that it immediately elevates the moment, regardless of whether it is appropriate or not.

The meme’s link to Scorsese’s own beliefs

There is an irony to consider, too! Martin Scorsese has always been vocal about what he considers real cinema, and it was added to the joke’s creativity and earned the meme a larger vision when it became a vehicle to repurpose his earnestness and commitment to cinema into a ubiquitous punchline for every artistic expression, which included everything as “cinema”.

The meme is mocking him, but it is, in a way, also celebrating Martin Scorsese and the larger project of joint high-brow film discussion/low-brow internet meme culture.

Absolute Cinema: Bridging film and meme culture

What is fascinating about Absolute Cinema is that it draws a line between film criticism and digital culture. It gives an opportunity to everyone, not only to the critics, to appreciate films.

When an Australian TikTok creator captions and identifies a scene as Absolute Cinema, they are entering into the same community dialogue about what is magic in a movie. The meme is used as a shorthand for assigning brilliance to a cinematic moment, but also reminds us that art can be experienced and shared in a new digital form. 

Absolute Cinema in Australian filmmaking

Australia’s filmmaking landscape is littered with moments that could hold the title of Absolute Cinema. Directors such as Baz Luhrmann, George Miller, and Jane Campion have made films that hold not only visual or aesthetic depth, but also storytelling depth.

A few Australian examples include

• Moulin Rouge! (2001) – Vibrant, musical, and emotional chaos all wrapped up in one film.
• Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Cinematography sequences that were revolutionary got global recognition and appreciation.
• The Nightingale (2018) – Visually disturbing and powerful storytelling in colonial Australia.
• The Sapphires (2012) – Joyful, emotional, and heartfelt.

These titles remind us that Absolute Cinema is not exclusive to Hollywood; it exists where there is creative vision and emotional truth.

Why does the meme have lasting appeal? 

Different from most of the memes on the internet that rise and fall, Absolute Cinema remains stable and engaging because it exists in something always present and eternal: a universal love and human storytelling. 

As AI tools or streaming, or digital media advance, our capacity for emotion upon some great cinematic experience is unparalleled. For Australians who value wit and sincerity, the meme synthesises both artistic esteem and fun, informal internet humour.

Conclusion 

The Absolute Cinema meme has evolved from just an internet joke; it’s a celebration of the art of filmmaking. As Australians who love good stories, this is what those great moments represent and remind us what it means to love movies. Absolutely Cinema is a meme-like phenomenon at its very core; it is the acknowledgment of the fundamental reason we adore films. It is the very basic idea that light, sound, and emotion could be woven together so beautifully to give an extraordinary experience.

So, the next time you are experiencing a movie that gives you the chills, take a breath and say the words: “Absolute Cinema”.