What to watch this weekend, and how Trump’s movie tariffs shook Hollywood to its core

Donald Trump’s tariffs have reached Hollywood when the president announced there would be a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the U.S. earlier this week.

It’s the latest obstacle the industry has had to face in the last half-decade, with a pandemic shutdown and extended strikes in the rearview mirror.

Studios have been relocating their productions to locations outside the country, like the U.K., Canada, and Australia, where they offer generous tax credits and lower labor costs. Christopher Nolan’s next epic is being filmed across Europe, the latest Marvel projects are mostly shot in London, and “The Last Of Us,” with its second season based in Seattle, opted for Canada instead.

The consequences of this decision are wide-ranging. On the surface, the intent is to boost U.S. manufacturers and protect jobs within the industry. But moviemaking is globally integrated within the fibers of the process. Major feature films require hundreds of people for their crews, the largest requiring thousands. These crewmembers are stretched across the globe, seamlessly pitching in and contributing to a final product: a movie. 

And what are the ramifications of placing tariffs on a service-based entity? The U.S.’ export of services is massive. What happens if countries counter with service-based retaliation? A decrease in jobs due to rising costs and an increase in disruption to workflows could spell disaster for an industry already facing some of its most severe woes in history.

What & How to Watch

On Max: ‘The Righteous Gemstones’

Inarguably the best project Danny McBride has ever penned, and one of the best projects he’s ever been a part of in his career, “The Righteous Gemstones” has finally come to an end.

For 36 episodes across four seasons, this show followed a Southern family’s televangelist empire. Megachurches, gospel records, wild schemes, and more, it developed into one of the best comedies the streaming platform has ever produced and delivered. The humor delivers both bombastic and subtle blows as it threads the needle between sharp and crude throughout each fast-paced episode.

Featuring John Goodman, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman, Walton Goggins, and a slew of supporting and guest appearances, if you want a laugh this weekend, continue your journey with the Gemstone family or pick it up from the beginning.

In theaters: ‘Friendship’

Speaking of comedies, because we need some light entertainment, the next big “studio” comedy is here. It’s been long discussed and documented how the studio comedy has fallen by the wayside in the current moviemaking culture. Whether it’s because they were replaced with superhero movies, or theaters want to invest in tentpole franchises and “event-type films,” or people are finding their comedy in other places (streaming, social media, etc.), the theater comedy has been in a rut.

“Friendship” wants to change that. People and critics have cited it as one of the funniest movies in the last 10 years, with theaters having “wall-to-wall” laughter through each screening. “Friendship” is what the title entails, a film about a budding friendship between two men that can find itself full of brotherly love, deranged humor and exchanges, and lots and lots of cringeworthy comedy.

It’s a big swing for Tim Robinson (“I Think You Should Leave”), but for those who love his style of comedy, fans will see this as a turning point in his career. Co-starring Paul Rudd, check out what will be one of the most talked-about comedies in some time, as its limited release includes Seattle.

On Netflix: ‘The Eternaut’

To be honest, this one snuck up on me. It wasn’t on my radar, but “The Eternaut” became a sensation overnight, reaching the No. 1 spot on Netflix’s Global Top 10 for non-English TV while nabbing a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The foreign-language, six-episode series from Argentina is the latest post-apocalyptic journey audience can engage in (a sub-genre that has grown exponentially post-COVID-19).

It’s a science fiction tale based on a graphic novel where a group of survivors battle an alien menace controlled by an invisible force after the world and most of its inhabitants were wiped out by a deadly snowstorm.

The graphic novel was produced initially in installments between 1957 and 1959, but its author, Héctor G. Oesterheld, was kidnapped decades later during the Argentine military dictatorship in 1977. He was presumed dead, and his graphic novel became a symbol of resistance. Its story and its author powerfully resonate throughout Argentinian culture, so Netflix’s adaptation had big shoes to fill with its adaptation. Check out the series for yourself to see if the streaming giant was up for the challenge.

On Netflix: ‘Nonnas’

Those looking for an easier watch can turn to “Nonnas,” the equivalent of comfort food for a movie. And comfort food it is, because the film stuffs you with visuals of Italian cooking and feasts.

Starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire, and Lorraine Bracco, the Netflix vehicle is based on a true story about a New Yorker trying to honor his mother by opening a Staten Island restaurant with Italian grandmothers as the chefs. It doesn’t reinvent modern narratives or provide jaw-dropping twists, but certain scenes, powered by the charms of its actors, can provide the comfort and coziness of a warm fire snuggled within a fireplace.

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