Everyone, keep Josh in your thoughts and prayers. The next two weeks will be his Super Bowl, with a new Avatar movie out this week and a Timothée Chalamet Christmas biopic coming next week. None of us has heard from him for days, but his nonstop tweeting about his quest for a Marty Supreme jacket reassures us he’s okay.
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Watchlist Worthy: Jessie Buckley is BACK AND AT IT, but this time with Frankenstein
New Pod Drop: Train Dreams with Spoilers
This week’s movie - Avatar: Fire and Ash
Letterboxd Description:
The world of Pandora will change forever.
In the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully and Neytiri face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na’vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang. Jake’s family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.
Best Watched With
People who can wear 3D glasses and hold their bladders for 3+ hours, and a couple of Skxawngs.
End Credit Thoughts
If Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water were the unfolding of the planet and life of Pandora, Avatar: Fire and Ash is the unraveling. The third installment in this saga fractures and fissures everything built in the first two: the familiar, the family, the foreign, the foe, like a cancer that spreads, disregarding the host’s character; good or bad, division comes to all in this story. The first two are a must-watch before Fire and Ash.
The first two movies showcase a god, Eywa, a Great Mother who is alive, well, and interconnected to all beings. Except for the Mangkwan Clan, the Ash people do not believe this. They prayed, and no salvation came. What happens when one prays to a deity that never comes? That doesn’t listen? That doesn’t show up when your people are starving and shriveling till the last drop of life is squeezed out with the last breath? These are the questions Fire and Ash ask—a theme not only for the Ash people, but for the main characters.
We expect a cinematic spectacle when it comes to James Cameron’s Avatar world-building. In this regard, he does not disappoint. We were still impressed by the expansive, vibrant landscape shots and every introduction of a new element of Pandora. We are not the biggest fans of 3D movies; the glasses can be a pain in the ass, but for Avatar, they are a must. The color spectrum seems to be endless, and the third dimension is never gimmicky. It adds a dynamic that other films dream of achieving.
If you have seen the first two movies, you know what the main characters of capable of. The performances from the usual suspects—Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver—are powerful and epic. The standout here is Saldaña, who brings out a grieving mother and a hatred for those who have taken so much from her. It’s her son, alongside her land, her life, her worldview, her entire world, that brings out a fury and complicates her love.
But the most significant addition has to be Oona Chaplin as the Tsahìk of the Ash People. Usually, the Tsahìk interprets the will of Ewya. But Varang not only turns away, but becomes a god who saves their own by worshiping and embodying fire as their savior; an all-consuming and never satiated entity. Chaplin blew us away with her performance and was a much-needed addition.
The beginning and middle of the movie were the strongest and freshest. The last quarter of the movie sings a tune similar to the one we have heard in the prior movies. This is where the movie loses steam and plays it safe. We definitely desired a more innovative approach to storytelling. Sequels are tricky, trilogies are tougher. Cameron leans on spectacle over substance with the finale of this third movie. You should expect something you have experienced and seen before.
Overall, Fire and Ash still defies what is possible with cinematic imagination. Cameron pushes the limits of what is possible with a camera and a silver screen. The technical aspects of filmmaking still wowed us. We will sing the praises of any and all filmmakers who make something worthy of keeping cinemas alive and well. Fire and Ash may play it safe when it comes to storytelling, but the storytelling still stays true to the medium's foundations. There are heroes, foes, and tension as people strive to build a better world for flourishing. Fire and Ash is not afraid to tap into the messiness of meaning-making and believing in something bigger than ourselves.
Watch this one in theaters. If available, our findings are to see this in Dolby Cinema and in 3D. Dolby provides the best coloring and sound for the ultimate theater experience. If Dolby is not available, IMAX. It is worth the price for the premium watch.
See this one in theaters.
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The Bride (2026) Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
CANNOT WAIT for this one.
The crew LOVES a good horror movie, and we damn sure love some Christian Bale + the Gyllenhaal family. Maggie G in the director’s seat for this one and Jessie Buckley starring as the bride? Oh BOY, COUNT US IN. Peter Sarsgaard is also a name we love in this house. TUNE IN TO THIS TRAILER AND GET ON THE HYPE TRAIN, BABY!
-Eric
Letterboxd Description:
A lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.
Movies Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal:
Train Dreams: Spoilers #66
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
Josh and Eric discuss the critically acclaimed film ‘Train Dreams,’ directed by Clint Bentley and adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella. The conversation delves into the film’s stunning visual storytelling, the compelling performances by Joel Edgerton and William H. Macy, and its impactful narrative about a logger navigating love, loss, and monumental change in early 20th-century America.
00:39 Haunted House Tequila Adventure
02:12 Car Troubles and Christmas Gifts
06:35 Movie and TV Show Discussions
12:25 Train Dreams Spoilers
22:04 Initial Impressions and Viewing Habits
22:31 Emotional Impact and Key Scenes
24:58 Racial Tensions and Historical Context
30:54 Cinematic Techniques and Visuals
36:23 Character Performances and Interactions
44:53 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Tune in next week for | Marty Supreme
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