I agree with you that you should have a good reason. I also agree that distracting the viewer can be a negative thing. However, I did a short film that experimented with various aspect ratios and interestingly, most people said that after awhile they didn't notice them.
I agree. It's frustrating when it seems that anytime a director does something outside of the box (pun intended) there is always a backlash from people who want to call it a "gimmick". Why would we not experiment? Are filmmakers not artists? Any artist that made any breakthrough got there by experimenting with the medium. The people who stamp anything that plays with form as a "sad hipster gimmick" get us nowhere new.
I viscously attacked being gear minded for a long time. As with most things, I've come around to a moderate opinion. If you can afford to ponder about the gear that will be used, then it's important. If you can't afford to ponder about the gear, it's not important. I think the most ridiculously hilarious concept ever are these un boxing videos. Not only is opening a new box the high lite of people's week, but they make videos about it!
Fellow filmmakers, you have to look at things in context. When approaching filmmaking at the highest level, of course story is important, but you also have every tool one could possibly want available to you. With that being said, the selection of tools becomes important in the telling of the story. Choosing to film on 70mm and projecting in 70mm has an impact on the viewer and the way they perceive the story, so it is important. I think we should save the comments on filmmaking being about story and not the camera for people who don't have every tool available to them and unfortunately wait to make a film because they don't have the latest hot camera, that is the context in which that statement has value.
The post specifically states that 50 theaters will be retrofitted with 70mm projectors.
Anyone who likes making movies does not care to waste time talking about this.