5. Oscars, please put this Popular Film controversy to bed and focus on categories that everyone wants to see
In two short months, the 2019 Oscar ceremony will happen, honoring the very best in 2018 films. However, the talk surrounding the Academy and its award show will most likely go back to the controversial idea of the Popular Film category that the AMPAS floated in 2018, leading to an insane amount of outrage from film fans, as well as those in the industry. Thankfully, it appeared that Academy president John Bailey learned his lesson and killed the idea. But not so. In fact, recently he talked about how he was maybe going to bring the discussion about Popular Film back in 2019.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1027264213473841152
Instead of that, how about the Academy introduce some real changes that people have been begging for? There are still some members of a film’s production that are waiting to get Academy recognition, including the casting department and the stunt teams. Those are surely more deserving of additional categories than the Popular Film debacle. And if ABC is so worried about declining viewership, then that’s something that can be addressed in a variety of ways, including the recent additions of new members to the Academy that potentially could see a change in the types of films honored.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1027224187398545409
6. Please, no more TV “revivals.” They’re almost always garbage.
The trend started a couple years ago and has only gotten worse. TV networks and production companies have become obsessed with “revivals.” With the success of “Roseanne,” it appeared that any series from the last 30 years was ripe for a revival in the eyes of studio executives. Even though the “Roseanne” situation devolved into one of 2018’s biggest controversies, ABC was so eager to keep the revival going, the network rebranded the series to keep it on the air. With the number of scripted TV series reaching record heights each year, there’s just so much stuff on the air that we don’t really need to have these reboots and revivals crowding the field.
READ MORE: 8 Cancelled TV Shows That Got A ‘Twin Peaks’-Style Revival
We understand the revivals are easy to market, easy to develop, and almost sure to be a hit (at least at the beginning), but the shows that stand the test of time are from new, original ideas. A quick fix is just that, quick. Why not take a chance and see if there is another “Stranger Things,” “Homecoming,” “Halt and Catch Fire,” “The Americans,” or any number of other strong series that will go down as some of the best of this era?
7. Please, please, please, don’t let the new films from Jordan Peele, Robert Eggers, and Ari Aster disappoint.
Three of our most anticipated films of 2019 come from three filmmakers making their second features after massively successful first attempts. Robert Eggers didn’t set the box office ablaze with his thoughtful, well-crafted, and utterly enchanting “The Witch,” but the film speaks volumes about the sheer artistic talent on display from the filmmaker. And in 2019, he returns with “The Lighthouse,” starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. That can’t possibly be bad, right? Fingers crossed.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1007716910669037568
Ari Aster came out of nowhere with his masterclass on horror, titled “Hereditary.” The attention to detail, the confidence on display, and the incredible performances he got out of his cast to prove that Aster is a name to watch out for. And with “Hereditary” proving to be an unlikely box office hit for A24, there’s going to be a lot of eyes on his next film, titled “Midsommar,” which stars Jack Reynor, Florence Pugh, and Will Poulter. With “Hereditary” becoming one of our favorite films of 2018 (and one of the best horror films in recent memory), we are praying to everything unholy that Aster can do it again.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/964246220955795456
And finally, there’s Jordan Peele, who has the incredible pressure of winning an Oscar for “Get Out,” combined with the truly breathtaking box office and cultural response. Pressure and expectations don’t even begin to describe what Peele has on his shoulders with his new film “Us.” We’re not sure how he can possibly replicate his “Get Out” success (or even if he should try), but we’re hopeful “Us” won’t disappoint, thanks to a strong first trailer.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1077567912209043456
8. Hopefully, “The Irishman” and “The Laundromat” can prove once and for all that Netflix doesn’t just release terrible films
2018 was a banner year for Netflix. The streaming service saw record numbers of subscribers from around the world watching more content than ever before. And on top of the fairly reliable new TV shows that the streaming giant released (adding to the already huge stable of quality serialized entertainment), Netflix, for the first time ever, had a film slate that was equal to its TV offerings, with “Roma,” ‘Buster Scruggs,’ “22 July,” and more.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/863030132964958208
So, was 2018 a fluke or can the streaming service replicate the film success in 2019? We sure hope so. The main reason for our optimism is two films, in particular, Martin Scorcese’s “The Irishman” and Steven Soderbergh’s “The Laundromat.” Both film feature incredible casts and award-winning filmmakers. Combine that with Netflix’s penchant for acquiring films throughout the year, and we hope that the streaming service’s flirtation with prestige filmmaking continues in 2019.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1069668866828099584
