The Commentary Magazine Podcast: "Lights, Camera, Inaction!"

Date: March 16, 2026
Host: John Podhoretz
Panelists: Abe Greenwald, Seth Mandel, Eliana Johnson

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the cultural and societal shifts underlying the ongoing decline of Hollywood’s influence, the waning power of the Oscars, and the shrinking relevance of the American moviegoing experience. The hosts examine why even dedicated cinephiles barely watch Oscar-nominated films, reflect on the broader collapse of shared cultural moments, and connect the hollowing out of movies with trends in music, television, and American social life. The discussion shifts in the second half to current geopolitical crises, focusing on U.S. and Israeli actions in the Middle East, and the Trump administration’s strategies in handling war, oil, and alliances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Oscars: An Institution in Decline

(Begins ~04:00)

• Panel’s Oscar Movie-watching:
  • None of the panelists except John (9/10) had seen more than a few Best Picture nominees.
  • Seth: “I think I saw zero.” (04:51)
  • Eliana: “Zero.” (04:58)
  • Abe: “Three, possibly four.” (05:03)
• Moviegoing Habits in Sharp Decline:
  • 37% fewer tickets sold in 2025 vs. 2019 (not just revenue, actual ticket sales). (06:09)
  • Moviegoing used to be a generational ritual; now, only about 7-9% of Americans see more than two movies per year in theaters.
• Abe’s Perspective:
  • “The decline and fall of the Hollywood motion picture is totally and completely deserved because Hollywood is irredeemably wretched, morally depraved, repulsive, hates America, et cetera.” (07:35)
  • Movie theater experience itself has become less appealing, though with fewer people, the previously prevalent "phone screen distraction" issue has improved. (08:56, 09:28)

2. Cultural Fragmentation & Shifting Attention

(11:20 onward)

• Generational Shift:
  • Once, everyone shared movies and Oscar moments; now, fragmentation means even pop culture followers are often out of sync.
  • Trailers and kids’ movies keep some hosts connected, but even that’s waning.
• Reality TV as New Tabloid Fodder:
  • Entertainment media focuses on reality TV and personalities unknown to older audiences.
• Eliana’s Take:
  • “The classic Disney movies... remain appealing to young kids... So it’s not a hostility to movies or theater. It is what Hollywood is producing right now.” (15:12-15:49)

3. Technological and Social Roots of Moviegoing’s Demise

(17:00–30:00)

• John’s Historical Perspective:
  • "In 1946... 90 million people in the U.S.—a majority—went to movies every week. That number is now under 7%." (20:54)
• Home Technology:
  • Massive improvement and affordability of home viewing makes theatergoing unnecessary.
  • “You can argue that watching a movie at home on a 100-inch screen is a more optimal viewing experience than going to a movie theater.” (27:38)
• Loss of Social Rituals:
  • Shared moviegoing, religious services, and community activities have all declined, contributing to increased solitude and isolation.
  • “People talk about a loneliness crisis. It's not a loneliness crisis. It's a solitude or isolation crisis. It's about this broad desire to be alone that has taken over.” (25:15 – Abe)

4. The 2025 Oscar Movies: High Quality, Little Impact

(31:36–39:58)

• Quality Year, Audience Apathy:
  • “2025 was the best year for American movies in about two decades... But so what?... Maybe you'll watch them on streaming or maybe you won't.” (35:44)
• Highlights:
  • John touts "Eddington" (ignored by Oscars), "One Battle After Another" (winner, praised but politically loathed), "Sinners" (genre-blending folk horror), and "Marty Supreme" (Chalamet’s performance).
  • “Timothée Chalamet... gives what is easily the performance of the year, if not the decade.” (36:51)
• Politics and Paradox:
  • Hollywood’s best work can be “leftist, anti-American garbage, but pretty great.” (34:25)
  • Modern movies don’t catalyze national conversations as “The Graduate” and earlier hits once did.

5. Oscars Ceremony: Politics and Selective Memory

(41:05–55:47)

• Oscars Less Political This Year:
  • "Only two really bad political moments": Javier Bardem’s "Free Palestine" remarks and a director using an anti-Putin documentary win to attack Trump. (41:35–45:02)
• Awards’ Prestige Hollowed:
  • Eliana draws a parallel to the Pulitzer Prize: what once signified excellence now seems like "a political reward award." (45:04)
• Monoculture Replaced by Elites:
  • “America does not have a monoculture anymore... Now the monoculture is upper middle class opinion leaders, all of whom think exactly the same things...” (46:43)
• In Memoriam Snubs:
  • Robert Duvall, a legendary (and conservative) figure, received only brief acknowledgment—“He got 30 seconds... and yes, he was quietly a conservative.” (53:04–54:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On moviegoing’s decline:
  • "Americans are no longer going to the movies... One of the two major cultural habits of Americans: watching television, one; going to the movies, the other." — John (06:45)
• On elite cultural rewards:
  • “It's like a political reward award. I think that's happened across a lot of our institutions.” — Eliana (45:04)
• On movie home viewing:
  • “You can argue that watching a movie at home on 100-inch screen is a more optimal viewing experience than going to a movie theater...” — John (27:38)
• On loneliness vs. solitude:
  • “People talk about a loneliness crisis. It's not a loneliness crisis. It's a solitude or isolation crisis.” — Abe (25:15)
• On the death of monoculture:
  • “America does not have a monoculture anymore, right? We're not watching the same TV shows, we're not watching the same movies... Now the monoculture is upper middle class opinion leaders..." — John (46:43)
• On Robert Duvall’s Oscar snub:
  • "He got 30 seconds... and yes, he was quietly a conservative... He actually thought actors should keep their mouths shut... And Javier Bardem got 30 seconds to say 'Free Palestine'." — John (54:01)
• On this century’s changes:
  • "Things have a century of life in them and movies have had their day." — John (55:25)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Oscars/Moviegoing Decline — 04:00–15:49
• Cultural Fragmentation, Home Entertainment — 15:49–30:00
• Historical Perspective on Moviegoing — 20:54–27:38
• Analysis of 2025 Oscar Movies — 31:36–39:58
• Oscars’ Politicization / In Memoriam Segment — 41:05–54:01
• Broader Cultural Shift, Isolation, Monoculture — 25:15–46:43
• War, Geopolitics, Trump Administration (Second half) — 55:47–79:19

Tone & Language Highlights

The panel maintains a conversational, sardonic tone typical of Commentary Magazine: slightly nostalgic, culturally conservative, and sharp in critique—especially regarding Hollywood, political monoculture, and elite opinion, but also with moments of humor and self-deprecation.

Brief on Final Segment: War & Geopolitics

(From ~55:47)

• Discussion turns to Trump’s handling of the Iran crisis and U.S. foreign policy, emphasizing the complexity, the administration's unexpected steadiness, and the role of allies like Saudi Arabia.
• Panelists broadly agree that traditional midterm political calculations may not be driving the administration’s war strategy.
• John: "There’s no sign from him when he talks every day ... that he is anywhere near [wanting an exit]. He sounds like he's in it for the win." (76:33)
• Seth: "He sounds unusually at peace with his own decision that he's made here." (78:04)

Summary Takeaway

"Lights, Camera, Inaction!" offers a thoughtful, acerbic, and at times elegiac conversation about the passing of Hollywood as a central pillar of American life; the fragmentation and politicization of shared culture; and the broader social consequences of retreating from public life. While warning that the dominant art form of the 20th century may be irreversibly in decline, the hosts also underline the way technology, politics, and society have all shaped this moment. The conversation seamlessly bridges cultural and geopolitical commentary, offering a signature Commentary Magazine blend of passionate opinion, historical depth, and sharp observation.