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- [00:00]
A
Today is Saturday, February 14th. This Valentine's Day, if you're planning to curl up with a good movie or start a new show, the question is, what should you watch? With awards season in full swing now, we're talking all about the movies and TV getting the most attention and what else is still worth turning on. Today's guest is Nick Shaker, an award winning entertainment critic for the Daily Beast and a member of several major film critics organizations. He's weighing in on the best picture nominees for the Oscars, now just one month away and sharing what's standing out as unique this year. Plus, later, we get into how we watch entertainment in general, from the latest streaming trends, like whether to binge or watch weekly, to the way movies are made, like how our watching habits impact studios decisions. Consider this your weekend watch guide, pop culture update and a love letter to great entertainment. Welcome to the Newsworthy special edition Saturday. When we sit down with a different expert or celebrity every Saturday to talk about something in the news. Forget to tune in every Monday through Friday for our regular episodes where we provide all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. It's now time for today's Special Edition Saturday. Nick Schager, thank you so much for joining us here on the Newsworthy.
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B
Thank you so much for having me.
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A
Erica, what was your personal favorite of some of the most nominated or the biggest movies of the awards season so far?
- [01:20]
B
I was a fan of most of the best picture nominees. There were a couple that I was not too keen on in particular, Hamnet. I'm in the minority in not being the biggest fan of Sinners in America. And I liked One battle after another without loving it. My personal choice for the best film of the year is nominated for best picture. That's Train Dreams, Clint Bentley's film, which I think is really the great film of 2025. Overall, they've done pretty well in covering a wide gamut of critically acclaimed films that I think actually do hold up to scrutiny.
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A
Well, despite you not being a huge fan of Sinners, it is standing out going into the Academy Awards with a record number of nominations and yet it was kind of snubbed at the Golden Globes. Right. So what's your take on what happened there?
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B
I think that Sinners has been such a big hit critically and commercially that it really has benefited here with Oscar nominations. We have a film that is both a drama and and a special effects driven genre film. And so as a result, it places in all these categories and I think that's what really explains its record number of nominations. It just straddles all lines. As for it being shut out at the Golden Globes, though, I think it's still not the favorite in most of the big categories. And that's because one battle after another has really been the front runner with all the critics groups and again, the Golden Globes reinforcing. I think it's a strange situation where sinners may have the most nominations ever and yet may only win a couple of the really noteworthy Oscars.
- [03:11]
A
Can we just pause for a second to talk about one battle after another being labeled a comedy at the Golden Globes? I mean, it's the same thing that we saw with the Bear. I kind of understand why they do that, but I also. It's a big pet peeve of mine for some reason. What do you think about that? Can you explain for people why that is?
- [03:29]
B
I can only sort of explain why that is, to be honest with you, because I agree with you. One battle after another certainly has comedic elements to it, but I wouldn't in general label it a comedy as with the Bear, and I think the Bear is even a more extreme example. They wind up having to fill in nominees for both of these categories, and they want them to be somewhat balanced, and so they really stretch things. I mean, Timothee Chalamet won best actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy for Marty supreme, and I think Marty supreme has some comedic elements but isn't a comedy either in the Oscars. I think it's smarter that they don't separate these things into drama and comedy because they can avoid these odd situations.
- [04:16]
A
I thought it was. Maybe they're trying to have a better chance at winning if they go in the comedy category.
- [04:22]
B
The studios also play the odds and see where they have the best chance of getting somebody in. They do that a lot, not only with the Golden Globes but with the Oscars when it comes to lead actor and actress versus supporting actor and actress, where we get a lot of people in supporting categories, often that for all intents and purposes are lead actors and have lead parts in the films. But it's a matter of maximizing opportunities to win.
- [04:51]
A
Any notable snubs we have to mention?
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B
Well, the biggest snub, I think, in terms of just expectations is Wicked for Good. The fact that it was completely and utterly shut out after the first film did so well in terms of nominations is a big surprise and I think is almost inexplicable given that the second film here was popular. I'm very Surprised? Wicked for Good was completely and utterly snubbed.
- [05:21]
A
What are some of your other biggest takeaways or things to watch for when it comes to awards season or the Oscars specifically?
- [05:28]
B
The one interesting thing we'll see this year is how well the big foreign films do, because a lot of the most critically acclaimed films of the year came from overseas. And I'm thinking of the Secret Agent and Sentimental Value in particular, which were both nominated for Best Picture. It was just an accident. The Jafar Panahi Iranian film that has been on many critics top 10 lists. I think there is an opportunity here for some of those movies to win some of the big awards, in particular Best actor, which is the big race, I think, of this year's show. Wagner Mora has won most of these awards leading up to the Oscars, and no Brazilian has ever won Best Actor at the Oscars. It's the most highly competitive of all the categories. But I think he has a real chance. I think Sentimental Value has a chance to win a couple of awards. So we could get a situation where some of the most critically acclaimed films of the year that came from abroad wind up trumping some of the most critically acclaimed American films. Even though I will say I do think in the end, one battle after another is going to come away with Best Picture.
- [06:40]
A
And that's a shift, right, that we're seeing more foreign films get some of these big nominations.
- [06:46]
B
Absolutely. I mean, Parasite obviously won Best Picture a few years ago, and that was sort of a groundbreaking win over the last. Whatever it is, five, six, seven years, the Academy has worked really hard to diversify its ranks, and that has led to more attention to foreign films, and I think that's for the better. So we do have a more diverse array, even in the Best Picture cast. I do think it speaks to the work the Academy did to change its voting body that we now see a larger swath of films getting nominated.
- [07:23]
A
How does that ultimately play with the audience that watches the Oscars?
- [07:28]
B
Well, that is the interesting question, because there's always this balance between celebrating the most critically acclaimed films of the year and celebrating films that viewers of the Oscars have seen or even heard about, and that becomes a tricky game. I think normally we have at least one or two Best Picture nominees every year that are sort of more broadly popular choices. This year we have F1 as the sort of token blockbuster best Picture nominee, and I think they're always trying to balance being credible as an organization that really is celebrating the very best and also celebrating Hollywood and movie stars. And people that regular moviegoers know. Marty supreme has a really good chance in a lot of places because Timothee Chalamet is the kind of person the Oscars want to celebrate. Michael B. Jordan is the kind of young star the Oscars want to celebrate. But there's always a push pull between celebrating stardom and celebrating the best.
- [08:36]
A
Any must watch TV series you really liked that didn't get attention from the award shows?
- [08:41]
B
Absolutely. For television. One of my favorite shows from last year, which just seemed to fall by the wayside a little bit, was the Lowdown on fx, which is an Ethan Hawke sort of neo noir shaggy detective crime mystery set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is just an unbelievably entertaining, smart, clever show. Ethan Hawke, who I think gives the best performance of the year in the movies in Blue Moon, which is the movie I would probably recommend people see, is also absolutely phenomenal in the Lowdown. I just think Ethan Hawke has had the year of years and I think that speaks to him and his talent.
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A
Let's zoom out a little bit. What role do award shows still play today with, as you said, so much content and so many platforms? Do they still matter to viewers or is it mainly kind of the industry itself at this point?
- [09:36]
B
I think that's a valid question because as we've seen, ratings for award shows are down. I think, you know, people are going to the movies less. They're certainly watching television more in terms of paying attention to award shows. I think people pay attention to the few big ones still, but I'm not sure that their impact is as great on audiences as it is in the industry itself. Still a big deal to win an Emmy or to win an Oscar or even a Golden Globe in terms of enhancing your professional opportunities and the sort of level you're working at in the industry. And so in that regard, they still are extremely important. I'm just not sure they move the needle in terms of viewership on television or box office at the movie theaters as much as they did in the past. And that's just because of the shifting nature of the landscape, which as we all know, is radically different than it was 10 years ago and certainly 20 years ago.
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Still ahead, we talk about the latest streaming trends, from why weekly releases are making a comeback to how a few more shows are getting people talking. Plus more about the movies, like how Hollywood is balancing sequels, remakes and original stories. We've got a lot more coming up for you, but first, a quick break for our sponsors. The Newsworthy is brought to you by Blueland I'm all about living a cleaner and more sustainable lifestyle, but I also need products I use to be effective and convenient. That's why I love Blueland. I've made the switch to Blueland across all the cleaning products in my home, especially at the start of the year when I'm rethinking routines and trying to build more sustainable habits at home. Certified by Cradle to Cradle Blueland products meet the highest standard of clean. They're effective, yet gentle on people and the planet. From cleaning sprays and toilet bowl cleaner to dishwasher and laundry detergent tablets, Blueland's 100% microplastic free EPA safer choice certified formulas are safe to use around my kid and my cat. I truly appreciate not having to choose between the safe option and what actually gets my house clean. And let me tell you, I've never been a fan of cleaning toilets for obvious reasons, but actually Blueland makes it so much easier and more pleasant. The toilet tablets smell good, it's kind of fun to watch it fizz and it works on everything from rust to limescale. Blueland has a special offer for listeners right now. Get 15% off your first order by going to blueland.comnewsworthy. you won't want to miss this blueland.comnewsworthy for 15% off. That's blueland.com newsworthy. To get 15% off the newsworthy is also brought to you by Gunder. In a world full of everything digital, I still look forward to the routine of getting the physical mail every day. There's just something about that real personal touch going outside with my son, waving to our neighbors, and even chatting with our mailman. I can always remember his name because it's Bill. You know, Bill delivering our bills. But I know, I know. I wish we could say no thank you to getting any bills or getting any junk mail, but that's why I'm a fan of Gunder. They create smart, targeted direct mail that people actually want. It's not junk. It's intentional, useful, well crafted mail going to the right audience for the products and services they need. In a world full of AI slop and sketchy digital ads, this is something real. Hand delivered by a human. And here's the best part. Direct mail response rates are way higher than digital, often more than 30 times the response rate of email and other digital ads. So if you're a business owner, CMO or marketing manager and want to reach better customers and cut through the noise of digital clutter, check out Gunder. And don't miss their free 2026 direct mail lookbook packed with over 500 real creative examples that drive response. Just visit trustdirectmail.com and get yours free hand delivered. Of course. That's trustdirectmail.com now back to my conversation with entertainment critic Nick Shaker. We've had this conversation now for years about is your streaming bill going to be just as much as your cable bill was? What are people willing to pay in order to have access to all the different platforms? And, and or how is that limiting what they can watch?
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B
It's hard to tell exactly how many platforms people are willing to pay for, but I do think that we can assume that some of the big ones are still thriving. Netflix, HBO Max, I think Prime Video are all big ones. There's an increase in bundling these packages so that you can get Disney, Hulu and ESPN together or Disney, Hulu and HBO Max together. And so I think that's the way they're trying to keep all of these services afloat. I'm not sure in the long run that's sustainable simply because I don't think the streaming platforms are making the money that they're spending on all of these amazingly lavish original television series. I think there's got to be a breaking point at which a few of them say this isn't worth it and we're going to throw our weight behind other means of producing TV shows.
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A
I was reading that Netflix is going to go all out on live events.
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B
They've already been experimenting with that. They had the recent Jake Paul fight. They had some NFL games. They've been moving into the podcasting arena in terms of broadcasting some of those. So that then begs the question, is Netflix just a television channel rather than streaming platform? And are we just sort of working in a big circle back to where we began? Then there's the other big question, and that has to do with Netflix's impending acquisition of Warner Brothers and how that's going to all play out. Since Netflix is certainly not in the theatrical business first and foremost, I think many people could argue that their business operates in opposition to the theatrical business. And yet Warner Brothers is a major theatrical player. I mean, one battle after another, it looks prime to win the Oscar for the studio. The only thing I think that sure is in the short term, everybody's going to continue to have way more stuff to watch than they possibly to watch it.
- [15:54]
A
What's your take on releasing episodes all at once so people can binge them right away versus once a week? Do you have A strong opinion on that.
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B
I do have a strong opinion, although it's going to be a hypocritical one because I, as a critic, I always am watching things in binge watching fashion. I get all of them or a lot of them in advance and binge watch it. And I like that because I want to see what comes next. That said, I do think that it is in general better for a TV show to come out weekly, because when these shows drop all at once, it's very hard to remain at the forefront of the cultural conversation. It happens when they first drop and everybody talks about them and binges them, but after a week or two, people move on. Whereas a show like the Pit, which comes out weekly, means that every week we're continuing to talk about the Pit for three months. And I think that enhances its place in the spotlight. It winds up being discussed in a way that even people who aren't necessarily binge watching TV hear about it, know about it, and it brings people into the show. Now, that said, we just had Stranger Things drop in a couple of installments, and. And I know that that ended within a month or so of all of them dropping, and certainly a lot of people watch them, but I do feel like people forget about these things after a few weeks if they're not continuing to hear about them.
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A
I couldn't agree more. I think that was such a good explanation where it's like, when there's a cliffhanger, I want that next episode. And yet, like we were recently watching Pluribus, it's like it's been on my mind more because it's coming out once a week. However, you mentioned Stranger Things. I think that was a really nice middle ground because they were doing three or four episodes at a time, so you were still thinking about it, but you had at least a few to get through at a time.
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B
I do think they split the difference. Stranger Things is a very unique case because it's like the biggest streaming show ever and this is the final season, and so they could get away with doing something unusual. Pluribus was another one I was thinking about even while saying what I just said, because I think that show caught on over the course of the season. I mean, the fact that Rhea Seehorn won the Golden Globe, I think is a testament to the fact that the show launched and nobody outside of the industry knew what the show was. People start talking about it, telling their friends about it, and that sort of thing doesn't often happen when a show just drops at once.
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A
Moving to Movies. I've heard a growing complaint that Hollywood is relying too heavily on sequels and remakes and that familiar ip. Do you share that concern? Are you still seeing a lot of originality out there? And if you are, where is it showing up?
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B
Yeah, there is a lot of originality still out there. But people are not wrong to think that Hollywood has increasingly turned its attention to a narrower band of movie. You know, as you can see from what the biggest movies of the year are for the most part recently are all sequels. They're all things that you've heard about. They're remakes, they're reboots, they're. And that has shrunk the mainstream movie landscape in a way that isn't good. And I think a lot of the slack has actually been picked up by streaming television. We get a lot of the adult dramas that we used to get in movie theaters now as eight episode TV shows with big movie stars and with film directors making them. If you're willing to venture outside of the multiplex, there are a lot of great movies. Marty supreme or One Battle After Another. A bunch of the foreign films that have gotten a lot of attention are really great films. But it's harder to attract those audiences because I think they've to some extent subconsciously gotten the hint that a lot of the grown up stuff they were going to see on a Friday night at the movie theater is now dropping on Netflix on a given weekend. But when you look ahead to 2026, there's still a lot of movies worth getting excited about.
- [20:03]
A
I read something that people, if they're gonna spend the money that it takes today to go to the movie theaters, they have enough uncertainty in their lives and they want something that they know what they're gonna get, and that's remakes. And those familiar movies are doing so well.
- [20:19]
B
I think that's a big part of it. It's a safer investment in every way to make Avatar 3 because you know how popular Avatar 1 and 2 are. You don't have to sell the movie, you don't need to be sold on the movie. You just know what you're getting to some extent. And so it's a win win proposition on top of it. Really big franchise movies, as Steven Soderbergh, who I've spoken with many times over the years, likes to tell me, are the only way a studio or an entertainment company can make a billion dollars off of one thing. And they are really enticed by that. And the way to do that is by making Dune Part three. It's not making a modestly budgeted adult thriller or drama, and audiences similarly don't want to take the risk. They can take the risk at home with a TV show and then quit on it if they don't like it. And they're already paying for that subscription, so they don't have to worry about it in the same way. And both TV and movies are still trying to figure out how to best make it work for them.
- [21:26]
A
Let's talk about what you're looking forward to in 2026. What new shows, what new films are you most excited about, and why?
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B
It's harder to talk about television because a lot of the things I'm excited about are hopefully the shows I've already been excited about and are going to come out again. So, like right now, everybody's enjoying The Pit Season 2, which I've seen quite a lot of and can vouch for. It's really great. I hope that a lot of the other shows that I really enjoyed this year and that other people enjoyed will make it back on the air. When it comes to movies, there's a lot we get Emeril Fennell's Wuthering Heights, which I think people are really excited about, and the Bride, which is Maggie Gyllenhaal's take on the Bride of Frankenstein, which stars Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley, who in another month may be Oscar winner for Hamnet. And then there are a lot of really exciting summer movies. The Odyssey from Christopher Nolan seems to be at the top of that list. I just think Nolan is our preeminent American blockbuster filmmaker, and the Odyssey is right up his alley. And the fact that the film has been shot completely, 100% with IMAX cameras is just another sort of element to make one excited about it. But there's a lot. It sounds like I've been badmouthing franchise films here, but there's a lot coming out that I'm sure going to be exciting, whether it's Supergirl or the new Spider man or Dune Part 3 and Avengers Doomsday. We have a new Hunger Games. These may be sequels or prequels, but at least they're sequels and prequels of franchises people really like. I'm really interested in April to see the Michael Jackson biopic. I think that's going to be a really interesting conversation starter, given the thorniness of the subject and the work that's gone into making it and working with the estate. We're going to have a lot of movies, so luckily people will have their pick of the litter here can you.
- [23:25]
A
Leave us with kind of a final thought about what you love about the movies or why you think it's important, especially at a time when the news can sometimes feel heavy or controversial all the time? I know sometimes movies and shows are meant to be political in nature. Other times it's meant to be more of a distraction. What do you hope people kind of take away from movies and tv?
- [23:46]
B
As somebody who's dedicated his life to watching movies, I just think the movies continue to be an unparalleled form of not just entertainment, but art is. Sometimes those things dovetail, and that's when it's really at its greatest. People want to go and be distracted sometimes and to, you know, leave their lives and have an escapist fantasy, whatever they're escaping into given the film. And sometimes they want to reckon with more real world things. And I think that the fact that the movies can give you both of those things is what makes it so special. I was thinking about this because I saw the new Elvis documentary from Baz Luhrmann, who made the Elvis biopic, and it's a big IMAX concert film. And when the movies work like this Elvis documentary, there's almost nothing like it. It's so overpowering. It so sweeps you up in every single way, emotionally, intellectually. I just find it to be intoxicating in a way that very few other things are. I mean, sometimes live performances like that too, but the movies have a special way of tapping into that and doing so in a way that brings us together, even though it is an individual experience. I encourage people to go to movie theaters because it is different and better to see things that way. And trust me, I have kids. I understand why people would want to stay home. Why? It's easier, it's more convenient, it's cheaper. But when it works, being in the movie theater is one of those magical things. And I think everybody who's gone to the movies enough has had some of those experiences. Hopefully this year, whether it's the Odyssey or whether it's Dune or whether it's something that we're not even thinking about yet and we'll pop onto the radar at the last second, I hope we get more of those experiences.
- [25:43]
A
Thank you so much to our guest, Nick Schager for sharing his take and insights. Read more from him by checking out the Daily Beast. A quick note. Our team will be off on Monday for President's Day, but we'll be back on Tuesday with the latest news you may have missed over the holiday weekend. We provide daily news roundups each weekday with a wide variety of stories in less than 15 minutes. So we'll be back on Tuesday with the latest news. Until then, have a great rest of your weekend.