At Home with Tech

Finding a good movie to watch in the theater feels a lot harder than it used to be. Here’s how I’m handling it, and which films I recommend.

Are you frustrated because there aren’t enough movie options in the theaters for you? Look, I get it. It’s been a rough few years for Hollywood. First the pandemic. And the writers’ strike. Then, we all forgot how to go to movie theaters and stayed home and streamed instead. More movies started to bomb at the box office, and then they made fewer flicks.

So, there’s even more pressure on the movies they do make to deliver. And for the most part, they haven’t.

The Fall Guy
It’s not like any movie can ever be guaranteed to be a sure hit. (It’s always been that way.) Remember 2024’s “The Fall Guy?” That was a blast of a movie. So much fun. I loved it. But it tanked at the box office.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
On the other hand, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” fizzled at the same time for a different reason. This Mad Maxless flick just wasn’t that appealing for a broader audience. Sure, it had amazing stunts and cinematography, but the prequel’s story was hardly riveting, and if we’ve been paying attention to the larger story being built by director George Miller, we knew where it was all going. I would say the first half of the film had much more going for it, and then it ran out of gas.

And yes, I streamed both these movies months after they left theaters. So, I admit, I’m part of the audience problem equation. But it’s not all our fault.

No to Glicked
As I write this, I’m on holiday break with my wife and 14-year-old son. I was hoping to head out to the movie theaters with them a couple times. But there are frustratingly few options for older kids available to us.

Sure, there are the traditional ‘family’ movies for younger kids, like “Wicked” and “Mufasa.”

On the other side the scale, there’s “Gladiator 2.” The promised massive carnage is just a tad extreme for us. And “Kraven the Hunter?” Please.

But there was one choice to consider.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
We did venture out to see the animated “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” (PG-13). Our movie theater was almost completely empty, and it ironically felt like we were back in our own living room.

Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and executive produced by Peter Jackson, the story is based on J.R.R. Tolkein’s appendices to “The Lord of the Rings.” So, this script only has passing references to the larger Lord of the Rings universe. There was one cameo, courtesy of reedited archival audio. Otherwise, it’s your standard standalone feudal warlords anime.

My family enjoyed this return to Middle-earth story more than I did. (My son identified additional “Lord of the Rings” references, and my wife liked the Japanese-style animation.)

As for me, I thought this prequel was just adequate, but it did succeed in checking my box of going out to the movies with the family.

But I think that’s going to be it for the season.

So, I must return to the world of streaming to provide our remaining holiday screen entertainment. Happily, there’s no shortage of good options.

Red One
In what seems like the oddest movie distribution plan ever, “Red One” (PG-13) starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans is simultaneously streaming on Prime Video and playing in movie theaters. So, of course we’re staying home to stream this silly but fun big-budget action treat about saving Santa Claus.

Here’s are a couple other newish choices on my go-to holiday movie list:

• “Spirited” on Apple TV+ with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds
  (2022/PG-13)
• “8-Bit Christmas” on Max with Neil Patrick Harris (2021/PG)

Next Year
Is there hope for the future of movies at the box office?

• In 2025, we’ve got the last “Mission Impossible” and “Superman,” the first superhero movie in the new DC universe under James Gunn. (The teaser trailer looks fantastic.)
• I’m also excited for the MCU’s “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
• And “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” just in time for Christmas.

Is there still hope? Yeah, I think so.