A Film Critic's Wishlist

I see a lot of films. And I review a lot of films. Here are 25 things I’m hoping for in the upcoming movie year. Consider them positive thoughts, helpful suggestions, and a few cautionary warnings regarding the pursuit of cinema in Hollywood.

WRITE WHAT INTERESTS YOU

Not what you’re good at. Nor what sold last year. Write what you feel passionate about. It’ll show on the page and on screen.

DON'T WRITE HORROR UNLESS YOU LOVE HORROR

The horror genre is often suggested as the way to get your foot in the door because horror sells. But if that’s you entrée, at least care enough to avoid all the worst clichés like cheap jump scares, final girl tropes, killing off pets in the first 30 minutes, etc. They’ve become mind-numbingly expected.

DON'T IMITATE ANORA

It was the big winner at the Oscars, but I hope filmmaker Sean Baker’s victories don’t encourage screenwriters to write a "sex worker love story." Anora was so much more than that—a wild ride that blended a character study with comedy, drama, danger, and even farce—but too many in Hollywood will look merely at Ani’s profession and go “Let’s tell more stories about hookers!” Boo. Instead, write good parts for women and broaden their character’s vocations.

BE CAREFUL WITH MIKEY MADISON

Filmmakers, agents, studios—please offer the Best Actress Oscar winner projects that are worthy of her talents. No lame rom-coms or comic book roles, please. Madison has extraordinary range, and I hope the business makes the most out of it.

WRITE LESS HIT-MEN SCRIPTS

You’d think assassins were the number one growth industry as evidenced by the sheer amount of such stories on film and TV. Many are well done, like Hit Man and "Black Doves," but there are still far too many of them.

GIVE INDIE DIRECTORS BETTER PAYDAYS

I hope acclaimed filmmakers like Sean Baker and Brady Corbet get offered worthy paydays rather than just tentpole paydays. Right after she won her Oscars for Nomadland, Chloe Zhao took on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie Eternals. ‘Nuff said.

BUT IF YOU MUST MCU …

At least, Marvel, please start doing one-offs and put all the franchise linkage in your rearview mirror. There are great limited comic offerings to adapt, like 2004’s six-issue X-Men comic Drop Dead Gorgeous. It would make a great solo vehicle to introduce Hunter Schafer as Mystique. (And yes, she’s indicated it’s a dream role she’s coveted.)

AND IF YOU MUST DCU …

Please give Catwoman a new solo feature, DC and WB. Something to wash the taste of the Halle Berry failure from 2004 out of our mouths. The DC comic six-parter When in Rome from that same year would make an excellent vehicle for the Selina Kyle character. A casting suggestion?  Sophie Thatcher.

LEARN HOW TO FORESHADOW

In screenwriting, this trope has become a lost art. Mike White uses it brilliantly in his HBO series "The White Lotus." (Does Chloe talk a little too much this season about ‘almost dying’? Hmmm …) The device of foreshadowing always makes storytelling more interesting. It challenges the audience to truly pay attention to every second. Avidly.

KEEP THE FOREIGN FARE COMING

Netflix has made French shows like "Lupin" into worldwide hits. I’m Still Here not only won Best International Feature, but was nominated for Best Picture, too. Here’s hoping distribution companies import even more foreign fare. (And no dumb tariffs on them, President 47.)

FIND BETTER ROLES FOR NICOLE

I love Nicole, but she’s got to stop playing repressed wives. And AMC theaters? Time to retire her irritating commercial before each showing. Heartbreak doesn’t feel good in a place like this.

KEEP GENRE ON YOUR A-LIST

The Substance, Nosferatu, Heretic … A-list horror became a big deal this year and even Oscar and BAFTA paid attention. Keep it up, Tinsel Town.

MORE VILLAINS PLEASE, HUGH

Speaking of Heretic, Hugh Grant continues to kill it playing baddies. A Bond film, next?

GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING WITH BOND

After what Jeff Bezos did to The Washington Post, I’m more than a little concerned with what he’ll do with the James Bond franchise now that Amazon has bought the rights. Hopefully, they will pick a worthy actor for the role of 007. (Henry Cavill, anyone?) Here’s an aesthetic wish that I hope for—go back to the books and the beginning of Bond during the Cold War. The Russkies couldn’t be a timelier villain today, and the franchise has mostly culled only the titles of the actual books.

LET MARGARET QUALLEY SHAKE & STIR

Was her Bond dance number at the Oscars her audition to be a Bond girl? Hmmm …

PICK STRONGER AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENTS

The American Film Institute missed their chance to award Gene Hackman. They can still give it to those titans whose careers started in the 1960s, like Robert Redford, Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins, and Robert Duvall. Even those who started in the 1980s would still have five decades worth to honor. Jodie Foster? Tom Cruise? Ball’s in your court, AFI. Choose wisely.

LESS IS MORE, MPAAS

Your Oscar show rocked this year. Now, cut the Best Picture nominees back to five.

OH, AND ABOUT YOUR GOVERNOR’S AWARDS

The honorary Oscar committee has passed over too many who’ve yet to win an Oscar. So, honor the following: Harrison Ford, Glenn Close, Catherine Denueve, composer Thomas Newman (15 nominations and no wins) Producer Kathleen Kennedy (eight nominations, yet no wins).

MORE ADULT CARTOONS, PLEASE

The hit Latvian film Flow, and its success at this year’s Oscars, proved that animation doesn’t have to always be child-centric with a shiny Pixar gleam. Why not make more adult-skewed films using animation? The horror genre would be an excellent place to start.

MAKE MORE MOVIES FOR LESS—A LOT LESS

Apparently, the whole Warner Bros enchilada is riding on James Gunn’s Superman being a success. Good luck with that. Studios need not be such gamblers. Go with more productions and smaller budgets. Here’s a thought: Give 10 million each to 20 directors. That’s better than another tentpole that folds, isn’t it?

KEEP HIRING FEMALE WRITER/DIRECTORS

Sarah Polley. Ava DuVernay. Coralie Fargeat. Anna Luif. I wish I didn’t have to qualify these incredible talents, but times what they are, it’s a good reminder to broaden the swath.

FLORENCE PUGH

Give her more leads.

RICHARD E. GRANT

More leads.

MORE EXPERIMENTATION

Two of the biggest hits on Broadway this season use mixed media—Sunset Boulevard and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Live filming, camera crews on stage, ginormous screens behind actors on stage, and modern dress showcase the theater setting in bold, startling ways. Could the film industry benefit from such experimentation? Multiple nights for longer movies? Interactivities during the film like those ‘sing-a-longs’? Mixed media? Netflix played brilliantly with the form turning their TV-movie Bandersnatch into an interactive, audience-driven narrative. Could film do something like keep audiences enthralled? At the very least, do we have to wait a year for the Wicked sequel?

Oh, and speaking of streaming, here’s a TV/streaming hope:

FASTER NEW SEASONS

One of the smartest moves CBS made was ensuring that the second season of runaway hit "Elsbeth" was back on the air less than six months after its first season ended. With so many viewing choices, risking losing an established audience is unacceptable. But in this century, viewers have had to accept a year, sometimes even two, between seasons. ("The Sopranos," "Mad Men," "Evil," etc.) That’s ridiculous. Netflix gets it, and that’s why they started shooting a new season of "Black Doves" immediately after the successful first season ended in January. Same with "The Diplomat." Cliffhangers are fine, but too long a lag between seasons is just poor planning.

So, those are my 25 wishes for 2025. Here’s wishing some of them come true. (Oops! That’s 26.)