Happy 75th, "Sunset Blvd."🔒

Three-quarters of a century on, Billy Wilder's classic is still a bitter, bitter pill

New Reviews: "Weapons," "Freakier Friday," and more 🔒

A stunning new horror film, a congenially plastic Disney sequel and a music doc that swoons a bit too much.

What To Watch: "Caught By The Tides" (plus: Japanese Cinema 101)

Jia Zhangke's latest is a literal career summary. Also: You have to pick ten movies to represent Japanese cinema to newcomers. Quick: what do you choose?

Watch List Digest 8/2/25

A quiet week this week. It happens.

New WaPo reviews: "Together," "The Naked Gun," "Folktales"🔒

This week: A kinda brilliant new horror-comedy, a better-than-expected reboot and Norwegians with sled dogs.

What to Watch: "Easy Living"

Jean Arthur stars in a great, underrated screwball comedy from director Mitchell Leisen.

New WaPo Reviews: "Oh, Hi!" and "Bad Shabbos"🔒

Two new comedies about love and criminal behavior. One zings, the other doesn't.

What to Watch: "Blues" in the Night

Something (streaming) for everyone: "40 Acres," "Materialists," "Drop," "On Becoming a Guinea Fowl," "The Shrouds" and "Peking Opera Blues"

What to Watch: "The Remarkable Life of Ibelin"

Plus: Brief reviews of new releases "Sorry, Baby" and "Oh, Hi!" and a heads-up on hard-to-find classics.

The Watch List Top Ten

For Watch List newcomers: The most popular movies on demand recommended by this newsletter since its inception in 2021. (Plus a bonus for paid subs.)

The Last Superhero Movie

In the new "Superman," James Gunn betrays everything we love about the title character.

Watch List Digest 7/6/25

My picks for the 100 Best Movies of the last 25 years, the latest VOD picks and two new releases, one small and excellent, the other big and stupid and fun.