Prices for Netflix & Cable SKYROCKET

Welcome to Watch with Comfort, a newsletter that helps you enjoy what you watch! We break down what people have been watching this last week and what's worth your time! I'm also collecting a news and editorials that deserve your attention. Hope you enjoy and see ya next time!

Hello Everyone!

This is an alarmingly busy week. The YouTube channel just crossed 900 subscribers and I’m falling behind on my 1k special video. Meanwhile I have three other videos in the pipeline along with the daily YT Shorts uploads.

It’s a lot but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My goal is to make this all my full-time gig.

The sooner the better and it can’t be done without the generous support of readers like you. So thank you!

That last sentence reminds me of the old PBS “thanks to viewers like you” PSA and I swear that was accidental!

Thank you for your time, on with the show!

• Andrewkfb

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The Top 5 Box Office Weekend (Oct 6-8):

1. The Exorcist: Believer - $27.2m (Opening)
2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie - $11.8m
3. Saw X - $8m
4. The Creator - $6m
5. The Blind - $4m

Box Office Notes:

• The Exorcist: Believer had a nice, strong opening. Despite the poor quality of the movie it makes sense. We’re in Halloween season and everyone’s looking for a nice Horror flick. Same goes for Saw X. If slasher films are up your alley then I recommend Totally Killer on Amazon Prime over either of those.
• Seeing The Creator make so little money is very bittersweet. I want to support and advocate for non-IP based “original” films. But this one is so poorly written and derivative that I can’t wholeheartedly

Top 5 Streamed Titles (From Sept 4-10):

1. Suites - Netflix/Peacock
2. Virgin River - Netflix
3. One Piece (2023) - Netflix
4. The Little Mermaid (2023) - Disney Plus
5. S.W.A.T - Hulu/Netflix/Paramount

Streaming Notes:

• Suits has been in the top spot for like 12 weeks. Please someone, ANYONE dethrone it.
• I think The Little Mermaid is the first movie to get on this list since I started. Probably going to be viewed more on streaming than in the theater.
• Surprised and disappointed that Ahsoka didn’t make another appearance here. I enjoyed the show so I hope it pops back up.
• Gotta give credit to Netflix. They basically sweep this list every week.

I got the idea for a new section that makes a lot of sense! Here’s the big releases for this coming week!

This isn’t going to be a comprehensive list. It’s going to be curated to the titles I think are most noteworthy. No Reality TV or Anime. Just US theatrical and streaming releases.

Theatrical:

• Killers of the Flower Moon (Limited)
  – Hits a wide release next week (Oct 20)
• Taylor Swift: The Era’s Tour
  – I cannot believe I’m adding a concert movie to this list but to be fair it will probably make more money than Exp4ndables.

Streaming:

• Totally Killer
  – (came out last week, but its fun slasher that’s worth a watch) on Amazon Prime
• Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Jule
  – October 11 on Netflix
• Goosebumps
  – October 13 on Disney Plus

Netflix raises prices to the surprise of no one

• I think I’ve covered a streamer price increase ever week.
• The Verge has put together a page of rolling updates on streamer price increases.

Average Cable Bill Rises to $112 per month

• Yikes that’s a big number.
• But I think cable statistics like this miss a big point: streaming services are becoming just as bad.
• Currently you can shed streaming services to lower the price whenever you’d like. I’m concerned the streamers will only allow annual plans in the future, thus recreating the castle of cable.

Apple Considers Bidding for Formula One Streaming

• This is another multi billion dollar deal up for grabs, and it makes sense for Apple to grab.
• F1 is growing in popularity in the US. It fits nicely with Apple’s other big sports deals (MLB for Baseball and famously MLS for Soccer).
• The company has adopted a slow and steady strategy for their Apple TV Plus service and I appreciate that. Rather than be wastefully aggressive like other streamers they wait for good opportunities and pay good money for them.

Disney VFX Workers Unionize

• They will be forming under IATSE with similar VFX branches.
• This follows Marvel Studios in-house VFX team also unionizing.
• I feel like the wave of Hollywood strikes have sent a message to the rest of the business: unions work. For better and for worse a lot more teams are going to be unionizing.

Drew Barrymore Show writer’s decline return offers

• This one is funny to me. The Drew Barrymore show tried to run without its writers during the strike and were essentially bullied into staying stalled. Now the show can get back to filming, and the writers have declined to work on the show! Just goes to show that when you don’t treat your workers well, they’re not gonna treat you much better.

Spending too much time inside?

Does staring at your monitor strain your eyes?

What about that argument on Twitter(X) you’ve been wanting to reply to?

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• “Cocomelon” maker Moonbug is expanding from YouTube to Streaming aggressively
• I CAN’T WAIT for this 90’s Boy Band documentary
• Roku TV is getting a BIG update soon
• Rooster Teeth continues implosion by pulling Red Vs Blue from YouTube
• Reality TV is losing popularity in US
• Buzzfeed sells their video library (which is BIGGER than you might think)
• Dan Harmon getting some good PR
• Netflix had of Advertising leaves company
• AMC Plus gets an Ad-Supported Tier
• AT&T is probably gonna sell remainder of DirecTV

I have no idea why I thought of this one.

I read the book in high school.

That’s your hint.

Last week’s answer was True Grit (2010).