Fighting In The War Room: A Movies And Pop Culture Podcast

For my 11th anniversary review of the podcast. I’m writing at the end of the live show. (Yes, I was the one who messed up and waiting the entire stream in not an open stream- my wife’s YouTube handle is Annery). For my review this year it’s in two parts: 1) the annual recommendation for this wonderful quartet of hosts who have created a simply stellar film community. Listening is the best choice you can make!! 2) It’s time to update the FitWR Hall of Fame!! This year I bring one potential nominee. The film I think that has entered the HOF this year is: Nightbitch. After many mentions and good discussions this year it’s in prime position to join. But what do you think??? (Also, should the Elder Millennial Cannon be a wing inside the Hall Of Fame— AKA should they be included?)

Question. This should probably be an email but I’m lazy. I’ve been listening for a while now but not forever so idk if this has been addressed previously. Why do you guys not have ads? It’s great as a listener but seems odd for you guys. Just wondering.

I first found Dave, Neil, and Joanna in 2019 during the Lost rewatch podcast, at a time when I was in a very dark place—midway through the first Trump administration and stuck in a toxic job. They got me through those two disasters and followed it up by getting me through (the first?) pandemic. I’ve also followed Katie Rich since her American Crime Story: Impeachment coverage for Vanity Fair, so Fighting in the War Room felt like a natural fit. Now, my husband and I are rewatching The Leftovers with Dave and Neil, making them a core part of our media lives. This podcast often covers films and art that are outside my comfort zone, but the thoughtful discussions have made me braver—sometimes watching through my fingers while my husband reassures me the worst has passed. It’s made me a more informed media consumer, and, according to my husband, more willing to watch movies I’d normally avoid—because if my favorite podcasters say it’s worth it, I’ll at least give it a shot. Fair warning: you may develop a parasocial relationship with the hosts, to the point where your partner claims they no longer need to listen—because you quote them so much, it already feels like they do. And no, this definitely won’t cause any minor household disagreements when you refuse to watch a movie your husband suggested last week… only to suddenly need to watch it now because Dave or Katie said it was worth your time. Not at all. In fact, the state of Illinois should strongly consider adding Fighting in the War Room as an official third party in all movie-watching contracts aka marriage licenses.

Many solid points have been made about the merits of piracy, especially when it comes to lost media. However, Dave casually remarked that one should pirate Sonic 3 because “it’s not hurting anybody.” As an actor, I can tell you—that’s completely false. I’ve worked on a variety of TV shows over the years, and I’ve watched my residuals absolutely plummet. I was on a network show for 17 episodes over four seasons, and now that it lives on a streamer, my residuals are—no exaggeration—a fraction of what they used to be. Meanwhile, that streamer thrives, and the show has been pirated into oblivion. Because streaming residuals are terrible, the theatrical window—or the actual network run of a show—is more vital than ever. That’s where most of us have any hope of making a living. When something gets pirated right out of the gate, it weakens that revenue stream, making it even harder for actors and crew members to earn a fair share of a project’s success. Now, when you pirate Sonic 3 or Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, you might think, Well, the studio made a bunch of money, it’s fine. But every single one of those actors listed in the credits is hoping—sometimes desperately—that they’ll see even a sliver of that success. That includes supporting actors and day players, many of whom rely on those residuals for health insurance and, if they’re lucky, a shot at a pension. That’s a huge part of what the recent SAG strike was about. Am I saying that pirating Sonic 3 is single-handedly taking away someone’s health insurance? No. But it certainly isn’t helping the people below the line. That’s why it’s frustrating to hear piracy justified as if it only hurts studios and celebrities. I haven’t heard this perspective brought up in the conversation yet, and it feels like something worth saying. Beyond acting, I’m also an independent filmmaker, making a lot of content on the internet. The idea that “piracy is fine” has led to people pirating micro-budget projects, which does directly impact sustainability for artists. Maybe the genie is out of the bottle, but hearing you just shrug and say, “It is what it is,” is a massive bummer. Hopefully, this plants a seed for a different perspective worth considering. That said, love the podcast—keep it up.