If you were anywhere close to screen yesterday you probably saw what is the biggest movie news of the year and potentially of the next few years to come. Warner Bros. announced that they will be releasing their entire slate of 2021 movies on their streaming partner HBO Max the same day as they hit theaters. Yep, that means “Dune”, “The Matrix 4”, Denzel Washington’s “The Little Things”, “Godzilla vs. Kong”, “The Suicide Squad” and many other big WB titles will be available to stream at home on their theater release date. 17 movies in total. And just like that HBO Max is a major player in the streaming game.

Now maybe this won’t have a big effect. Maybe this is just Warner offering viewers choices. Maybe this will be a “unique one-year plan” as WarnerMedia CEO Ann Sarnoff stated. On the other hand this could be a tectonic shift in the moviewatching landcape. It could be the beginning of a major change in the way movie fans consume blockbuster content. And it brings with it some obvious questions. If the decision proves profitable would WB really consider going back to the old model? Will other major studios follow? If they do can the already struggling multiplexes sustain another year? How many will be forced to close permanently? How many jobs will be impacted? As is often the case, there is a cost to convenience.

Many of us were posing similar questions earlier in the year when Universal Pictures began testing the waters at the start of the COVID-19 theater closings. Some theater chains were criticized for fighting the move by banning Universal’s films from their screens. In reality those chains understood the potential damage a streaming future would have on their industry and they took a desperate stand. It did them no good. Since then other major studios have tinkered in the streaming space. Disney put “Mulan” on their streaming platform for a “premium” price. Sony Pictures sold rights to “Greyhoud” to Apple. Netflix bought distribution rights of “Enola Holmes” from Warner Bros. Paramount sold the rights to “Coming 2 America” to Amazon. These are just some of the digital moves we have seen from studios since March.

But nothing has been quite as significant and potentially game-changing as the Warner Bros. announcement. Yes COVID-19 still lingers and too many theaters remain closed for exclusive big screen releases to be profitable. In that sense this seems like a smart and well-calculated business move. From a viewer’s standpoint the idea that people can look forward to a slate of big studio movies without the fear of delay is exciting and gives the still apprehensive moviegoers a way to watch where they feel safe.

But let’s not overlook the big unknown. How will this ultimately effect the big screen movie experience? Is it realistic to think that movie houses won’t be effected by this? Is it remotely plausible that Warner and any other studio that follows their lead will abandon this new model if it proves to be a moneymaking success? Many theaters have worked hard and gone to great lengths to show that movies can be watched safely on the big screen. But without public confidence or big movies to show, they now find themselves up a creek without a paddle. And its hard to believe that big blockbusters going to streaming is going to help their already precarious situation.

So what do you think of this huge news? Are you excited or concerned, fascinated or shocked? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Carrie Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, and Lily James? I’m sold. The trio star in the upcoming Netflix drama “The Dig”, an adaptation of John Preston’s 2007 novel. The filmed is helmed by Australian director Simon Stone from a script by screenwriter and playwright Moira Buffini. It was originally set to star Nicole Kidman, but she left the project and was replaced by Mulligan. I like that change.

“The Dig” reimagines the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, England. With World War II boiling in the background, Mulligan plays a widow who hires an amateur archaeologist (played by Fiennes) to excavate Anglo-Saxon burial grounds on her property. They end up making a historic attention-getting discovery that scratches a scab from the country’s past. I really like the look of this. The cast, the story, the set design. I’m onboard.

“The Dig” is set for a limited theater release January 15, 2021 before releasing on Netflix January 29th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

An eye-catching cast leads the upcoming legal drama “The Mauritanian”. Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, and Zachary Levi tell the troubling story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi who languished in the Guantanamo Bay prison camp for 14 years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was held without charge and without a trial. The film is directed by Kevin Macdonald and will finally get its release following several COVID-19 related delays.

The first trailer dropped this morning and it leaves a pretty mixed impression. On one hand it’s filled with lines of stilted made-for-the-screen dialogue. On the other hand there is an undoubtedly rich story to be told and (with the exception of Cumberbatch’s hilariously exaggerated accent) the cast looks up to it. It all comes down to the script and if it can avoid the temptation to preach and let its story do the talking.

“The Mauritanian” currently has a February 19, 2021 release date. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I love Thanksgiving! It’s a wonderful time to be with those we love, to eat great food, and be thankful for the many blessings we have. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, whether you’re here in the States or abroad, I just want to say thank YOU. Thank you for reading my stuff and following my site. Thank you for the many likes, comments, and discussions over the past year. You may not realize it, but every one of you who has spent time here have been encouragements and have helped make this thing truly fulfilling.

So once again thank you and all the best to you and your families.

Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Casey Affleck star in the upcoming dramedy (I really hate that word) “Our Friend”. The film is from director Gabriela Cowperthwaite best known for her critically-acclaimed documentary “Blackfish” and is written by Brad Ingelsby who earlier this wrote the terrific “The Way Back’.

In “Our Friend” Dane (Segel) puts his life on hold in order to help his two best friends Matt and Nicole (Affleck and Johnson) after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Dane’s experience with his friends and their two young daughters turns into a heartbreaking yet life-changing experience. The film is based on a true story and originally premiered at the 2019 Toronto Independent Film Festival. The first trailer makes good use of its high-profile cast and its emotionally meaty material has loads of potential.

“Our Friend” is set to release January 22, 2021. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Disney’s “Godmothered” is coming to Disney+ just in time for the holiday season. This part fantasy, part family comedy comes from director Sharon Maguire best known for her “Bridget Jones” movies. Disney was kind enough to provide me with a screener around the same time as its new trailer dropped. At first glance I can see the film appealing to some audiences more than others. And for better or worse it’s hard to miss the similarities to “Elf”. Tell me if you agree.

In a world fittingly known as The Motherland Jillian Bell plays Eleanor, a fairy godmother-in-training who learns that her beloved profession is on the outs. Determined to prove that the world still needs fairy godmothers, Eleanor targets a cynical single mother (played by Isla Fisher) whose hardened shell could prove to be tough to crack. It’s an undeniably sweet concept and I’m always up for a little Christmas cheer. We’ll see where this one lands.

“Godmothered” premieres December 4th exclusively on Disney+. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.