Culture Gabfest "Is the Warner Bros. Deal the End Of Cinema?" Edition
13 snips
Dec 10, 2025 
This discussion features June Thomas, an author and critic known for her insightful takes on film and theater, alongside Mark Harris, a writer and Hollywood commentator. They dive deep into the implications of Warner Bros. Discovery's acquisition, exploring the significant bidding war between Netflix and Paramount. June highlights the staggering financial scales in Hollywood, while Mark warns against potential fallout from a Paramount takeover. They also reflect on the broader context of a changing film industry and what it means for cinema's future.
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Stardom As Identity Mirror
- Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly uses celebrity as a lens to examine memory and identity, making Clooney's star persona integral to the film's themes.
- The movie asks whether a life defined by roles can substitute for real human connections and belonging.
Memory Staged As Cinema
- The film stages memory physically, having Clooney walk into past scenes rather than relying on dissolves or voiceover.
- That technique foregrounds cinema's visual power while questioning whether memories are genuine or cinematic reconstructions.
Train Fantasy Enables And Alienates
- The train picaresque lets Jay leave his Hollywood bubble, but reviewers found it unrealistic and sometimes condescending.
- That fantasy device both enables the film's introspection and alienates viewers who expect grounded realism.
