New Reviews: "A Little Prayer," "Caught Stealing" and "The Roses" 🔒
One of the best movies of the year -- and two that aren't.
Latest
"Highest 2 Lowest" Redux + Ty's TIFF Preview
Some second thoughts on Spike Lee's latest, and a baker's dozen of my most anticipated Toronto Film Festival screenings
Watch List Digest 8/24/25
Some gloomy thoughts on the future of film criticism and film critics + two recommendations and two new reviews.
New Reviews: "Honey Don't!" and "Relay" 🔒
This week: A solo Coen joint and a tight little New York noir
A Farewell to Movie Critics
Some jaundiced thoughts on the field in which I've spent my working life. Plus a few movie recommendations.
New Reviews: "Highest 2 Lowest," "Americana," "Souleymane's Story"
Spike Lee's reunion with Denzel Washington ain't Kurosawa, but it ain't bad.
One Good Film: "Crossing" (and more)
A sweet sleeper of a Georgian movie; plus: a bonkers fascist artifact from Depression-era Hollywood, two fine new streaming releases, and a ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reminder.
Watch List Digest 8/10/25
Japanese Cinema 101, a Hollywood classic revisited, new reviews and more
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 Movies
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
What to Watch: "Easy Living"
Jean Arthur stars in a great, underrated screwball comedy from director Mitchell Leisen.
New Movies
New WaPo Reviews: "Oh, Hi!" and "Bad Shabbos"🔒
Two new comedies about love and criminal behavior. One zings, the other doesn't.
Good Movies 📽
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
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.
Good Movies 📽
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.)
New Movies
The Last Superhero Movie
In the new "Superman," James Gunn betrays everything we love about the title character.
Weekly Digest
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.
New Movies
New WaPo reviews: "40 Acres" & "Jurassic World Rebirth"🔒
A startlingly fresh post-apocalypse drama and a generic (but effective!) serving of corned beef dino hash.
What to Watch
What to Watch: VOD Picks New and Old & a Neglected Master
Four recent theatrical releases hit VOD, plus six recommendations from the back list, plus a retrospective of the films of Mikio Naruse. (Who? Exactly.)
Good Movies 📽
The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century: Watch List Edition
The New York Times just published a list of the top films of the past 25 years. Here's mine.
New Movies
New Reviews: "Familiar Touch" and "M3gan 2.0" 🔒
One beautiful new movie about the end of one woman's memory and one enjoyable new schlock sequel.