Happy New Year! Hope you rang in 2022 with the Harry to your Sally, or Sally to your Harry, or however you wanted to have it. Remember, though, that the way you start a year does not always determine how you live (much less finish) a year … so don’t fret if today feels weird.
In the interest of transparency, I thought I’d share a few resolutions of my own that specifically pertain to this newsletter (in large part because I find that putting them out there to others encourages me to, you know, keep them):
Consistency — Sending out this newsletter on a regular basis in 2021 was not a strong suit of mine. I resolve to keep some semblance of stability in 2022 to earn your support, especially from paying subscribers. I’m already getting started on this by banking some posts that I can use if I don’t have the time to write what I have planned on my editorial calendar. Here’s to fewer hiatuses and interruptions this year!
Attentiveness — I spend far too much time split-screening. I don’t multitask for anything that I’m formally reviewing or writing about, and I wish I could say I extend the same courtesy to everything else … but I don’t. Stopping cold turkey will be tough, but I have to start putting my phone farther away from me while I watch movies. It’s doing the artists a disservice — and myself as well given how much I’ll miss when giving something a fraction of my attention.
Sustainability — The previous quarter was an experience of burnout and exhaustion like few I’ve ever experienced (and this newsletter, as you probably know, was usually the first responsibility I shirked off). I felt constantly behind the eight-ball, always scraping by with just enough to get by and maintain performance levels. But I want to thrive rather than just survive, which probably means rationing my attention, my assignments, and my viewing to more sustainable levels.
Look back — Actually watch more classics, both in terms of obvious blind spots and just to fill out my knowledge of cinema history. There are plenty of great things to watch with no obvious bearing on any writing I’m doing that are still worth seeing!
Look ahead — Actually go beyond the obvious topsoil of indie and global cinema, elevating voices before they have the platform of a well-known distributor or a festival prize.
Go longer — 2021 was a year where most of my writing was focused on shorter and more succinct pieces. In 2022, I’d like to reconnect more with long-form pieces both here and in freelance venues.
FEELING ‘22 (MARSHALL’S VERSION)
OK, a little treat for you! The next few months on the release calendar look pretty bleak, even when you consider that winter and spring are traditionally a slower time for movies. But if we can survive that, here are 22 movies waiting for us on the horizon…
Amsterdam/Cantebury Glass/Untitled David O. Russell — I don’t care what it’s called but this cast is basically an “Avengers Assemble” specifically for me. Sign me up.
Armageddon Time — James Gray is one of the most underrated New York filmmakers, and I’m excited to see him return home to make what appears to be a highly personal look at his youth and schooling. Apparently, Fred Trump is a character.
Avatar 2 — Hope springs eternal for this long-delayed sequel. James Cameron sees you laughing about how the original has left no discernible pop culture footprint … and he’s only all the more ready to wow you again.
Babylon — Damien Chazelle, a filmmaker who’s already shown his obsession with classic Hollywood cinema, making a movie set in classical Hollywood? One ticket, please.
Blonde — Knives Out breakout star Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in the long-awaited third film by Andrew Dominik, a director whose previous features got chewed up and spat out by the studio system. Hopefully, Netflix is kinder to whatever singular vision he’s working on here.
Bones & All — Luca Guadagnino got one hell of a performance out of Timothée Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name. I can’t wait to see what they’ve cooked up together here.
Crimes of the Future — “It’s set in a world where people have evolved to a point where we don’t feel physical pain,” Kristen Stewart has said of her upcoming collaboration with legendary horror director David Cronenberg. “Sex has changed quite a bit, and the new art form is growing organs.” Sounds like precisely the kind of weird curio worth getting hype about!
Don't Worry Darling — The movie where, allegedly, Harry Styles and director Olivia Wilde fell for each other. I can’t wait to see if that plays out on the screen.
Elvis — Always here for Baz Luhrmann’s excesses (yes, I will defend his Gatsby) and excited to see this marriage of filmmaker and subject.
Killers of the Flower Moon — Who knows if we’ll get the latest Scorsese movie in 2022 given his luxurious edit times these days, but he can take his time to keep delivering banger after banger! I can wait.
Knives Out 2 — Excited to find out what kind of donut Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc finds in Europe for the sequel.
Mission: Impossible 7 — These movies have only gotten more exciting as Tom Cruise and co. realize how much we crave intricately executed action set-pieces. I’m so hyped to see what they have in store for us next.
Nope — New Jordan Peele … yup.
Passages — This is probably not on many people’s radars, but my interest was fully piqued at this dynamite cast of international cinema stars Franz Rogowski and Ben Whishaw as longtime partners who have their union tested by Adèle Exarchopoulos. Each of these actors has such a unique set of skills, and I’m curious to see director Ira Sachs’ alchemy.
Poor Things — Another Yorgos Lanthimos-Emma Stone collaboration. Hook it into my veins.
Tár — The first movie in over 15 years from Todd Field, the great chronicler of aughts suburban discontent with In the Bedroom and Little Children! And it stars Cate Blanchett! I don’t even need to know what it’s about!
The Fablemans — I’m out of the Oscars prediction business, but I just want to call my shot here: I think this is what will win Michelle Williams her statue. As a version of Steven Spielberg’s mom in a highly personal project, it just feels too good to pass up.
The Killer — We haven’t really gotten a great Michael Fassbender role in about five years as he’s pursued his weird racecar fantasies or whatever. I hope he’s gotten all that out of his system because he’s been sorely missed on screen. Hopefully he was ready for the full David Fincher treatment of hundred-take scenes!
The Northman — The only title here with a trailer for us to marvel over. If you haven’t seen what the director of The Lighthouse has in store for us next, brace yourself.
The Way of the Wind — Who knows when we’ll ever see this movie, but Terrence Malick making a literal movie about Jesus is maybe the best match of filmmaker and subject … ever? Whenever he decides to grace us with this movie, I’ll be there.
The Whale — Darren Aronofsky back in body horror mode with Brendan Fraser sounds great. I’ll be intrigued if he’s still willing to spite his audience as much as he did with 2017’s mother!
White Noise — First! Greta! Gerwig! Performance! In! Six! Years! And I’m excited to see her hubby Noah Baumbach’s take on this impenetrable Don DeLillo novel (that I read in high school and retain some faint memories of).
Back to you with The Upstream on Monday!
Yours in service and cinema,
Marshall