An entire movie genre is failing

And Disney shocker! Swappin' Bobs!

• She Said bombs at the box office, Variety asks why aren’t people going to awards season films?… The Harvey Weinstein journalism drama cost $32 million to make and brought in just $2.2M on 2,000 screens opening week. It’s one of the biggest box office bombs for a studio release ever. But it’s not just She Said, Tár, Armageddon Time, Till, and The Banshees of Inisherin have all underperformed. Analysts and insiders say people aren’t going because the movies are too depressing, or too “arty,” or that they lack A-list talent. I’ll also speculate that perhaps the audience for these movies have become less inclined to go to the theater post-pandemic and instead will wait for the films to release at home, where the experience of watching isn’t all that different. Who knows, maybe The Fabelmans will surprise us and do great box office numbers, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Variety grumbles that, “a whole sector of the theatrical movie business may be imperiled.” I think it’s already gone. The question now is will the Oscars catch up to popular culture or continue to recognize movies no one is seeing? 🏆

• Bob Iger back, Chapek out in Disney shocker… Holy shit! It seemed like the beleaguered Bob Chapek’s time as Disney CEO was numbered, but I don’t think anyone expected him to ousted so soon! And for Iger to return! And for this news to break at 10 PM ET on a Sunday night! What a thrill! Why is Chapek out? Variety detailed his early blunders (the Scarlett Johansson fiasco, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill fiasco, streaming revenue losses) but say the “sagging stock” in the last few months was the final straw. Meanwhile, Chapek has also taken heat from fans as Disney parks price gouging stirred bad word-of-mouth. It really seems like nobody liked Chapek, especially Hollywood talent. For example, perennial Mouse man and new Disney legend Josh Gad welcomed back Iger, “the king,” quite publicly on Instagram. What’s next with Iger back at the helm? The stock price jumped this morning on the news, and besides a steadier hand at the helm, perhaps a “strategic redirection.” Never a dull moment at Disney. 😱

• Chuck Lorre wrote and pitched an R-rated sitcom about the Two and a Half Men-Charlie Sheen drama… Remember Charlie “Tiger Blood” Sheen’s epic 2011 meltdown that led to him being fired from Two and a Half Men? Ten years later, The show’s creator, Chuck Lorre, reportedly wrote a script about it and was shopping it around town. “The following is a true story. Except for cutting the boring shit and making up a bunch of stuff, this really happened,” opened Sex, Drugs and a Sitcom. Lorre’s teleplay also apparently jokes about Matt Lauer “getting laid at work” (uh, that’s not exactly what I’d call it) and refers to the whole Sheen scandal as a “septic clusterfuck” (ok, that’s funny). This is bold, and I’m not surprised it isn’t set up anywhere. 🐅

• Americans are watching more international TV than ever before… Viewing of foreign shows has more than doubled since 2018. This is great! The streamers’ need for content has brought a lot of foreign shows to our shores and in the process expanded our horizons. Perhaps in a way foreign films never could or did? The more global perspectives we get, that challenge our worldview and open our eyes to the experiences of people everywhere, the better we’ll be as Americans. 🌎

• We almost got a sequel to Bruce Almighty called Brucifer… Speaking of unmade projects, this one would have given Jim Carrey’s character devil powers — which would have been a wonderful thing to witness at that stage of his career. Now I’m mad this never happened. 😈

• Ryan Reynolds wrote an entire Deadpool Christmas movie… And rounding out our trio of stalled projects is this what-if. Maybe Marvel Studios will turn Reynolds’ script into a Disney+ holiday special one day. For more Ryan Reynolds holiday cheer see the What to watch section below. 🎅🏻

• Dolly Parton to co-host NBC New Year’s broadcast with Miley Cyrus… Last year, it was Miley and Pete Davidson, so Dolly is definitely a different choice. 🪩

• Harrison Ford will be digitally de-aged in the opening sequence of Indiana Jones 5… Be thankful that it’s just for the opening sequence. 🐍

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What’s new

• Welcome to Chippendales - Nov 22 | Hulu drama miniseries | 🍅 88%

• The Fabelmans - Nov 23 | Drama film in theaters | 🍅 95%

• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Nov 23 | Mystery film in theaters | 🍅 92%

• Devotion - Nov 23 | Drama film in theaters | 🍅 80%

• Strange World - Nov 23 | Animated film in theaters | 🍅

• Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Nov 23 | Peacock comedy series | 🍅

• Wednesday - Nov 23 | Netflix comedy-drama series | 🍅 71%

• The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special - Nov 25 | Disney+ special | 🍅

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What to watch

I’m going to warn you now, Spirited is cheesier than a baked brie. Apple TV+’s new Will Ferrell-Ryan Reynolds Christmas musical leans hard into both the holiday spirit and the song-and-dance. (Song titles include: “That Christmas Morning Feelin’,” “Bringin’ Back Christmas,” and “Do a Little Good.”) If you’ve got a Scrooge deep down inside you, just looking to be cynical, you can skip this one. If everything I just said hasn’t scared you away, you might find a lot to love in this season setter. Reynolds and Ferrell are the main draw here, and while the latter’s singing leaves room to be desired, they equally bring the charisma and comedy you’re expecting. Reynolds also happens to fit well as a song-and-dance man, selling a Harold Hill-esque showstopper early in the film. And I’d be remiss not to shout out to Sunita Mani (Everything Everywhere All at Once, GLOW), who contributes immensely to one of the movie’s funnier running gags.

Behind the leads are song writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman). Pasek and Paul are among the best show-tune writers living today and their work here is at the level you’d expect. Every number is a hooky ear-worm about to embed itself in your brain. They say the sign of a good Broadway musical is if you can hum the tunes when you leave the theater, Pasek and Paul manage that here with a streaming release. The songs have just the right amount of yuletide sincerity and Ferrell/Reynolds cheekiness.

Sean Anders directs the hell out of this thing, going full tilt with the effects and the musical production value. The money is on the screen, which is nice to see in an era mostly devoid of big budget comedies and musicals. Choreographer Chloe Arnold and her army of tappers, hip hop dancers, and chorus members deserve a huge mention, they’re the lifeblood of Spirited.

There’s also a lot to love in Anders and John Morris’ script which inverts and expands A Christmas Carol. There have been a lot of adaptations of Dickens’ long-lasting masterwork, but this felt fresh and just different enough. Anders and Morris throw in a number of successful and interesting twists as well. Spirited is ambitious and full-throated. Leave your Scrooge at the door and embrace the cheese.

For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!