Media Consolidation, Tech 'Disruptors', and Winter Catch-Up, Oh My!

The week after Thanksgiving is always slightly unhinged as the last gasp of FYC events make the rounds ahead of awards season, and this one was no different. Every night of the week found itself packed with screenings and events. The screenings? Dismal! (More on that in a bit.) But so far as activities went it was pretty OK. For fellow Angeleno's looking for activities this holiday season, I highly recommend CineVita's Tinselcolor show. We had a lovely time on Thursday.

And then we woke up to the terrible news.

Video Killed the Radio Star, But Netflix is Coming For Something Much More Important

The moment Warner Bros. Discovery went public with the news that it was up for sale, anyone with an ounce of understanding of the entertainment industry started to sweat. The panic was for good reason, given that the only corporations with the kind of capital to acquire the media giant would be competitors looking to consolidate the industry further.

The worst case scenario (Ellison's Paramount) thankfully didn't come to pass. Still, as mentioned, no option was a good option, and Netflix winning the bidding war means even more turbulence for not just theatrical distribution but consumers across the globe.

Those who kept up with my column back in my IGN days know that I have hemmed and hawed about tech "disruptors" for as long as I've had a career. In every industry they touch, whether it's hotels, taxis, or entertainment, their M.O. always remains the same: destroy the service you want to overtake and then jack up the prices on consumers the second the infrastructure is destroyed. How much was your last Uber? How about AirBnb? Or, for the direct purposes of this conversation: how much do you pay for streaming as a whole now vs. when you first started subscribing? People have tried to stop the bleeding by lowering their subscriptions to the ad-supported tiers, but they didn't bank on those subs not including all of the shows and movies on streamers like Netflix, who currently hides 135 titles behind higher subscription levels.

Everything's getting shittier but costs more, and if this deal goes through it's going to get worse not just for streaming, but for the whole entertainment industry. Movie theaters are particularly at risk, as Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has repeatedly gone on record about the "overlong" exclusivity window granted to theaters that industry experts will tell you are already far too short after never recovering post-quarantine.

For now, though, the biggest problem is that Warners wants to sell, and if this deal falls apart it doesn't go to Netflix it will go to someone else. Maybe (probably) someone worse. I talk about all art being political pretty frequently but, in this case, the sentiment is more literal than ever before. As voters, it's imperative that we back politicians on all level of government who are fighting to protect the feeble antitrust laws that remain, and who seek to stop the unchecked capitalism that's currently destroying the country.

Reviews and Reactions

It's been a busy several days, and perhaps my worst screening week in a good long time. I promise I did see stuff that I liked this week, it's just down in the next section.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Full reviews of Fire and Ash are still embargoed, but my short social reaction is basically that if you enjoyed the first two, you'll still be picking up what ol' Jimmy Cam is putting down here. If you didn't, and are frustrated that James Cameron traded being a storyteller for a sole interest in visuals, that's not going to change when you watch Fire and Ash. It's probably the best of the three films? But I won't be re-watching the other two in order to confirm.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

Quintin Tarantino needing to be reminded that shutting the fuck up is free aside, his definitive version of Kill Bill is finally available to film lovers. You can read my full review of the astronomically long film over at The Wrap, but the short version is that all of the changes are good but still aren't enough to justify an over four hour film. Of course, Tarantino superfans are going to eat this one up. Don't bother staying for the Fortnite tack-on, though. It's inexcusably bad.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

The Five Nights at Freddy's sequel isn't the worst movie of the year, but it's certainly the most insulting. The movie has absolutely no faith in its target demographic, and no third act to boot. While it's already started up another round of critics vs. fans discourse, there's simply no excuse for the constant implementation of video game logic in a film script. Game creator Scott Cawthon should under no circumstance act as solo writer in the future. My full review of this hot mess is up over at Daily Dead.

The Annual Catch-Up

It's been a week full of screenings, so catch-up time before voting hasn't been as dedicated as I'd like. Still, we got a couple in.

Hamnet

I am a Shakespeare hater. I was born this way, I'll go to my grave this way, and I will not be taking questions at this time. However, Hamnet is a wonder. Jessie Buckley is going to run away with so many lead actress awards and she deserves every single one of them. If you know one single thing about Shakespearean history, you know exactly where this story goes. If you don't, please know that tissues will be necessary for viewing. And never forget: behind every great man is a witch holding shit together by her damn self. (In theaters now.)

Is This Thing On

I think people bullying Bradley Cooper for wanting an Oscar is weird. He's not going to get one for Is This Thing On, but I like to bring it up whenever I can because I think people earnestly wanting to make something that their peers see as the best of the best is sweet and also, like, the least harmful thing a man in Hollywood can be doing at any given time. Anyway! Will Arnett and Laura Dern are just lovely in this messy ass film. It's not messy in the sense that it is poorly made, but in that relationships are hard, losing your identity in them is easy, and managing to find yourself once more with someone you truly love is one hell of a thing. (In theaters soon.)

Oh, Hi!

Oh, yikes! I struggle greatly with art that relies on the discomfort of the audience. Not, like, dealing with difficult themes — I'm a horror fan, that's basically my bread and butter — but trading in on the viewer's second hand embarrassment. Oh, Hi! leans into that discomfort very heavily. However, it's also having an interesting conversation about perceptions, boundaries, and modern relationships. (Available to rent.)

I basically watched the entire movie like this:

Train Dreams

My gift to myself is that I won't be learning a single thing about the discourse surrounding this film and the novel lovers who are annoyed by its adaptation. Train Dreams is an introspective, quiet triumph. It's Sisu's distant, gentle cousin. Joel Edgerton will oh-so-softly break your heart while the film's exploration of the West passively questions whether or not the American Dream was ever real and, if it was, who got to benefit from it. It's a devastating romance in all senses of the word, and it's worth your time. (On Netflix.)

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