"Want to save cinema? Kill the Oscars"

And what 'Avatar 3' has in store

What to know

• Award-winning producer: “If you want to save cinema, kill the Oscars”… Here’s a very thought-provoking op-ed from Ted Hope (The Tender Bar, 21 Grams) in which he argues that money (and campaigning) has to be taken out of award season in order to restore integrity in Hollywood and respect from audiences. “What we’ve allowed the Oscars and all awards shows to become are not celebrations of the art and craft, but childish competitions that demonstrate how deeply narcissistic our industry and culture have become.” I mean, that’s true. Award season seems so manufactured these days rather than an honest celebration of what’s worthy and important. Are the Oscars going to go away any time soon? No, but this is a good conversation to be having. 🏆

• Avatar: The Way of Water holds strong, nears $1.4B worldwide… The Way of Water has found its sea legs and is set to pass Top Gun: Maverick as the highest grossing movie of 2022. This also means, according to Variety’s estimate, the film is nearing its break even point. Now maybe Big Jim will get to make installments 4 and 5? Speaking of which, the third Avatar movie will allegedly feature adversarial “ash people” Na’vi. Earth, water, fire, check, check, check — then comes air, then a mega team up in movie 5? As for my thoughts on Way of Water, it was as beautiful and immersive as promised, though I was a bit frustrated by it ending on an ellipsis rather than a period. That said, go experience it if you haven’t already. 🌊

• Celebs will return to the Golden Globes… If you were hoping for the Golden Globes to fade into obscurity after the HFPA’s numerous scandals, you’re out of luck. It looks like the ceremony will be back in full force with stars—including Steven Spielberg, Michelle Williams, Austin Butler, and more—in attendance. So expect everyone to just behave like nothing happened. I’m sure Ted Hope is thrilled. 🤔

• 1899 cancelled at Netflix… This is a huge bummer as creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese left things dangling for an intended 3-season arc. I’m not entirely surprised though as Netflix has been moving away from challenging prestige series like this. Especially less-talked-about ones that run on end. That said, this single season is still great and worth watching if you like the mystery box genre. 🚢

• Jeremy Renner recovering from surgery in the ICU after snow plow accident… Horrible news from over the weekend. The mayor of Reno says Renner was helping a stranded vehicle when he was injured. Hopefully the actor makes a full recovery. 🙏

• Steven Moffat cheekily asks Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman to come back for more Sherlock… They’re not that busy being in that big superhero franchise, right? 🔎

• Read Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion script… Spoiler alert… unless you know, you’re one of the millions who helped make it Netflix’s 3rd watched movie of all time. 🧅

• House of the Dragon to adapt “Blood and Cheese” story for season 2… Which sounds like a Mad Magazine parody of George R.R. Martin’s works. 🧀

• Variety: “Will Tom Cruise, Super Mario and a Bear on Cocaine Save Movie Theaters?”… Man, the next Avengers movie sounds wild. 🎟

• NBC might be reviving The X Factor… Death, taxes, and singing competitions. 🎶

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What’s new

• Copenhagen Cowboy — Jan 5 | Netflix drama series | 🍅

• The Pale Blue Eye — Jan 6 | Netflix mystery film | 🍅 64%

• M3GAN — Jan 6 | Horror film in theaters | 🍅

• Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches — Jan 8 | AMC drama series

• Returning: Star Wars: The Bad Batch s2

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What to watch

Few shows have hit me as hard recently as Fleishman Is In Trouble, now available in full on Hulu. Maybe it’s because I’m close in demographics and life experiences to the main characters, deeply relating to their Jewishness and their struggles coming of middle age while balancing love, family, and purpose. Maybe it’s because of the show’s compelling nonlinear storytelling modes and its innovative use of different perspectives to enhance its themes. Maybe it’s because of the page-turning mystery that wraps the whole miniseries, a puzzle that has nothing to do with the morose or the supernatural, but is instead gripping because it’s based in grounded and honest human drama. Maybe it’s because showrunner and author of the novel on which the show is based Taffy Brodesser-Akner cast 4 brilliant actors who we’ve seen grow up on a screen—Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, Adam Brody, and Clare Danes—to really make sure we acutely feel their ascent (or perhaps descent) into deep adulthood. Maybe it’s the way Brodesser-Akner trojan horses in crucial stories about flawed women in what you thought was another divorced dad tale and how she tells you she’s doing it. Maybe it’s because the show is not subtle about its themes of identity and love and gender and belonging and facing down your fears — but who has time for subtlety anyway. Maybe it’s because the show is wryly funny and very New York. Maybe it’s Lizzy Caplan’s narration and the way Brodesser-Akner speaks through her. Maybe it’s all of these things.

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