The Bulwark: Across the Movie Aisle

How one company is singlehandedly reducing most of the nerd media ecosystem to clickbait drudgery.

On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) ask if Tom Ortenberg and Briarcliff’s mission to distribute contentious movies like The Apprentice and Magazine Dreams is a controversy or a nontroversy. (You can find the Wall Street Journal article referenced in the episode here.) Then they review Snow White, a disastrous misfire on virtually every level. Make sure to swing by for our bonus episode on Friday about consolidation in the nerd-media business space. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

Share

We went a bit high-concept this week and asked how best to raise awareness about the existence of specific movies like Black Bag, which we reviewed this week. Between the decline of TV advertising and seating changes that reduce exposure to trailers, studios are having a tough time letting folks know about movies hitt…

On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss Joe Russo’s war on Harvey Weinstein (but not for the reasons you might think). Then they review Black Bag, a movie that makes marriage look fun. (Kinda. Depending on the fun you like.) Make sure to swing by Friday for a bonus episode on how to resurrect movie marketing. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

Share

On this week’s bonus episode, Sonny, Alyssa, and Peter discuss The New Literalism, a trend decried by Harvard professor Namwali Serpell in the New Yorker.

On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) try to fairly adjudicate Kathleen Kennedy’s run at the Disney-owned Lucasfilm. Then they review Mickey 17, a movie that’s more committed to timely satire than big ideas. Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for an episode on the new literalism. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!

Share

On this week’s bonus episode, we let you know what’s on our bookshelves. Peter is reading On the Calculation of Volume, by Solvej Balle. Alyssa suggests checking out The Last King of America, by Andrew Roberts. And Sonny’s been reading Barry Sonnenfeld’…

On this episode of Across the Movie Aisle, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) said goodby to Gene Hackman, who was found dead at the age of 95 last week. Then they discussed the Oscars, hosted by Oscar O’Brien. How was the show? What about the winners? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ on Friday for a bonus episode with some reading recommendations. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!

Share

It’s AppleTV+’s most watched movie ever over the first week or something! Maybe! But is it any good?

On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) talked about Amazon’s newfound ability to greenlight James Bond vehicles without the approval of the Broccoli family or Eon Productions. What does this mean for the British superspy? Then they review the first proper MCU movie in nearly 18 months. Has absence made the heart grow fonder for Captain America: Brave New World? Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for our bonus episode on Friday, when we’ll be reviewing The Gorge. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!

Share