I guess my clarified and informed response is watching a movie knowing something changes the experience of watching the movie (which is kind of the unsatisfying, wishy-washy "both sides" argument on spoilers, but still true).
But personally, the whole argument is actually kind of boring, and worrying about movies as an "experience" degrades the conversation of movies as "art". Knowing Assistant Mayor Belwether is secretly the villain the entire time of Zootopia does change the "experience" of Zootopia, but it doesn't change the "meaning."
Of course, on the other hand, in a movie like Avengers: Infinity War, changing the "experience" has bigger consequences, because it's hard to argue that, say, Mantis's turning into dust has any really deep "meaning".
I guess my clarified and informed response is watching a movie knowing something changes the experience of watching the movie (which is kind of the unsatisfying, wishy-washy "both sides" argument on spoilers, but still true).
But personally, the whole argument is actually kind of boring, and worrying about movies as an "experience" degrades the conversation of movies as "art". Knowing Assistant Mayor Belwether is secretly the villain the entire time of Zootopia does change the "experience" of Zootopia, but it doesn't change the "meaning."
Of course, on the other hand, in a movie like Avengers: Infinity War, changing the "experience" has bigger consequences, because it's hard to argue that, say, Mantis's turning into dust has any really deep "meaning".