Slate Daily Feed Culture Gabfest: "Is the Warner Bros. Deal the End Of Cinema?" Edition
Dec 10, 2025
Join journalist Mark Harris, an expert in Hollywood history, as he dives into the intense bidding war for Warner Brothers Discovery. They discuss why Netflix might be the better buyer for preserving cinema and what it means for the future of movie theaters. Mark also highlights the fragility of the film industry amid consolidation and contrasts tech companies' priorities with traditional studios. Plus, insights on how an acquisition by Paramount could compromise Warner's legacy. Stay tuned for a peek into Mark's upcoming book about culture and gay rights.
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Stardom As Memory Architecture
- Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly uses movie stardom as a frame to explore memory and identity rather than industry gossip.
- The film treats roles as self-defining memories, asking whether life is lived or performed.
Persona Powers The Film's Emotional Core
- Julia Turner found Jay Kelly moving because it leverages George Clooney's star persona as the movie's subject.
- The film balances affection for Hollywood with a broader meditation on ambition and regret.
Fantasia Scenes Can Distract
- June Thomas felt the film's fantastical train sequences undercut realism and sometimes pulled her out of the story.
- She appreciated the movie's evocations of how films anchor personal memories but found parts cartoonish.
