Enjoyed this very much. There used to be movie people, storytellers, actual creative people in movie making. I’m not sure how many of those exist in studios anymore. Today’s’ suits make yesterday’s suits look like cosplay fanboys.
Good piece though I cannot cosign sneaking the White Noise adaptation into that list. I thought about this sort of thing when I was leaving One Battle After Another. Whenever I see a really good and entertaining new movie like that I always leave the theater happy but it's tempered with a feeling of... hang on, we can still do this? Why aren't we doing it all the time??
I agree about "White Noise" - the film completely lacked the sense of dread that the book has. I don't even rate the book that highly either, but it did certain things well.
I think the article is right about the general direction of cinema even if one might quibble with this or that. My totally subjective feeling is that the great age of European art film ended with Kieslowski's death in 1996 and the great age of American moviemaking ended with Altman's death in 2006. Good films still get made, but a certain light or spirit went out.
Also, Woody's best film is "Hannah and her Sisters," although "Annie Hall" is probably a top 3 or 4 choice.
What a great piece, thanks for this, and for the reminder of a time (70s and 80s) when cinema really seemed to matter, when you could go to a theatre and see 1900, or Come and See, or Providence (just three of my important films). What is disappointing in the present era of streaming is how hard it is to see classic cinema. Why is it so hard for the majors to give access to a library of film. It is, after all, only by watching great cinema that you can come to understand how it is made, come to want to emulate those works.
Nice piece. The 2020s are in real need of a Wim Wenders or Ingmar Bergman type figure. Someone to make films with real substance and not for archetypes, value, or Hollywood monarch tropes.
This was really thought-provoking. I've been increasingly thinking (only really articulating it since Bret Easton Ellis recently said that Annie Hall captures the '70s more than any other movie) that, great as those few years were for cinema, it was a byproduct of something larger, cultural.
I agree with a lot of this - but even the author seems to concede an uptick in quality of cinema this year, as well as WB’s success with a diverse slate of films. I would never compare 2025 to 1968 in terms of box office, but the last few years has absolutely seen a rise in quality films being produced and celebrated. There are incredible global filmmakers from Chan-wook to Hamaguchi to Bonello (and many many more as well)
I’m kinda hoping that Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” will become the Dazed and Confused for the aspiring young filmmaker set. Given the excitement for repertory screenings on 35mm and 70mm and increase in repertory theaters in NYC - I’m much more optimistic about cinema culture. Appreciate this more cautious perspective tho!
i also wonder if we need to find ways to make movies more cheaply. i’m not talking about AI, but it’d be interesting to see breakdowns of costs and think critically about what could be lost or reduced
Agreed. I work in contemporary art and my theatre and dance peers find our budgets insanely small, even though in my innocence it boggles my mind that an exhibition or even an exhibition book can go up to £30.000. You tell me that a small film costs a few million?!?! That’s insane to me.
I gave the Studio a try but after two turgid episodes of decades-old Hollywood in-jokes and hoary LA cliches, I realized I hadn't laughed once. So, back to Korea.
I think there's a sense in which the line between film and TV is blurring, and to that extent what I'm going to say applies to both. To state the obvious, the studios are thinking more every day about the viewer streaming at home, as opposed to the viewer a the theater. Regarding these at-home viewers, I don't think the film/TV studios actually WANT you to come away from watching something with the satisfied sensation of having witnessed anything like art. Because if you feel that way, you will go for a walk or interact with your family. You will turn off the streaming service. They want you to feel like whatever you saw was "almost enough." I am never the guy to see capitalist conspiracies everywhere, but you don't have to believe this is a conscious dynamic to believe there's truth in what I'm saying. If the incentives line up to make stuff that will just push viewers to watch the next thing that they MIGHT really like, everyone at the companies will, without realizing it, do exactly that.
Going to push back against The Worst Person In The World being on the list. Boring and aimless main character, boring and aimless movie with boring and unremarkable cinematography. Did I mention it was boring and had no conflict? The lack of a journey of the main character, and subsequent insight for the audience, is the boring cherry on top of this lame sundae.
Her lack of success after that award is confirmation that the award was for the manic pixie dream girl role she played, not for her talent. Any actress worth her salt could have played that role. She didn't bring anything to that role, and the market is confirming that. Not to mention awards get it wrong all the time, especially Cannes, voting Blue Is The Warmest Color best picture only for it get slapped around by its target audience as sexist and unauthentic.
I think that looking at the new wave is nostalgic and … a challenging path. A more promising path could be films like Casablanca or Alien or Play Time, which were trying to be entertaining but delivered something extraordinary.
People aren’t coming to see Fallen Leaves or The Brutalist; Hollywood should be cautious in 2025+ about films that don’t promise some element of fun.
Enjoyed this very much. There used to be movie people, storytellers, actual creative people in movie making. I’m not sure how many of those exist in studios anymore. Today’s’ suits make yesterday’s suits look like cosplay fanboys.
Good piece though I cannot cosign sneaking the White Noise adaptation into that list. I thought about this sort of thing when I was leaving One Battle After Another. Whenever I see a really good and entertaining new movie like that I always leave the theater happy but it's tempered with a feeling of... hang on, we can still do this? Why aren't we doing it all the time??
Seconded, legit got jump-scared by the White Noise inclusion there.
Seconded, legit got jump-scared by the White Noise inclusion there.
I agree about "White Noise" - the film completely lacked the sense of dread that the book has. I don't even rate the book that highly either, but it did certain things well.
I think the article is right about the general direction of cinema even if one might quibble with this or that. My totally subjective feeling is that the great age of European art film ended with Kieslowski's death in 1996 and the great age of American moviemaking ended with Altman's death in 2006. Good films still get made, but a certain light or spirit went out.
Also, Woody's best film is "Hannah and her Sisters," although "Annie Hall" is probably a top 3 or 4 choice.
What a great piece, thanks for this, and for the reminder of a time (70s and 80s) when cinema really seemed to matter, when you could go to a theatre and see 1900, or Come and See, or Providence (just three of my important films). What is disappointing in the present era of streaming is how hard it is to see classic cinema. Why is it so hard for the majors to give access to a library of film. It is, after all, only by watching great cinema that you can come to understand how it is made, come to want to emulate those works.
Nice piece. The 2020s are in real need of a Wim Wenders or Ingmar Bergman type figure. Someone to make films with real substance and not for archetypes, value, or Hollywood monarch tropes.
This was really thought-provoking. I've been increasingly thinking (only really articulating it since Bret Easton Ellis recently said that Annie Hall captures the '70s more than any other movie) that, great as those few years were for cinema, it was a byproduct of something larger, cultural.
Superior and honest writing that reminds me of David Thompson. Wow, what a discovery, thank you
Damn. Turns out 1968 was a good year after all, at least for the movies.
Excellent piece. TMR's film writing has been on point!
I agree with a lot of this - but even the author seems to concede an uptick in quality of cinema this year, as well as WB’s success with a diverse slate of films. I would never compare 2025 to 1968 in terms of box office, but the last few years has absolutely seen a rise in quality films being produced and celebrated. There are incredible global filmmakers from Chan-wook to Hamaguchi to Bonello (and many many more as well)
I’m kinda hoping that Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” will become the Dazed and Confused for the aspiring young filmmaker set. Given the excitement for repertory screenings on 35mm and 70mm and increase in repertory theaters in NYC - I’m much more optimistic about cinema culture. Appreciate this more cautious perspective tho!
i also wonder if we need to find ways to make movies more cheaply. i’m not talking about AI, but it’d be interesting to see breakdowns of costs and think critically about what could be lost or reduced
Agreed. I work in contemporary art and my theatre and dance peers find our budgets insanely small, even though in my innocence it boggles my mind that an exhibition or even an exhibition book can go up to £30.000. You tell me that a small film costs a few million?!?! That’s insane to me.
I gave the Studio a try but after two turgid episodes of decades-old Hollywood in-jokes and hoary LA cliches, I realized I hadn't laughed once. So, back to Korea.
I think there's a sense in which the line between film and TV is blurring, and to that extent what I'm going to say applies to both. To state the obvious, the studios are thinking more every day about the viewer streaming at home, as opposed to the viewer a the theater. Regarding these at-home viewers, I don't think the film/TV studios actually WANT you to come away from watching something with the satisfied sensation of having witnessed anything like art. Because if you feel that way, you will go for a walk or interact with your family. You will turn off the streaming service. They want you to feel like whatever you saw was "almost enough." I am never the guy to see capitalist conspiracies everywhere, but you don't have to believe this is a conscious dynamic to believe there's truth in what I'm saying. If the incentives line up to make stuff that will just push viewers to watch the next thing that they MIGHT really like, everyone at the companies will, without realizing it, do exactly that.
Pushing back on your dismissal of Sinners. Otherwise, 100% agreed.
Going to push back against The Worst Person In The World being on the list. Boring and aimless main character, boring and aimless movie with boring and unremarkable cinematography. Did I mention it was boring and had no conflict? The lack of a journey of the main character, and subsequent insight for the audience, is the boring cherry on top of this lame sundae.
https://www.criterion.com/films/32661-the-worst-person-in-the-world?srsltid=AfmBOoqhRM4Dn4ca49EtqaegPRySNQ6xHDnjdGHdGgTpsUIV-1VljAIw
Her lack of success after that award is confirmation that the award was for the manic pixie dream girl role she played, not for her talent. Any actress worth her salt could have played that role. She didn't bring anything to that role, and the market is confirming that. Not to mention awards get it wrong all the time, especially Cannes, voting Blue Is The Warmest Color best picture only for it get slapped around by its target audience as sexist and unauthentic.
https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/sentimental-value-renate-reinsve-stellan-skarsgard-oscars-1236498124/
I think that looking at the new wave is nostalgic and … a challenging path. A more promising path could be films like Casablanca or Alien or Play Time, which were trying to be entertaining but delivered something extraordinary.
People aren’t coming to see Fallen Leaves or The Brutalist; Hollywood should be cautious in 2025+ about films that don’t promise some element of fun.
Why do Allen haters even exist. DM me with an answer 😂