What to Watch: "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" and more
A startling documentary from inside Russia, plus two streaming recommendations, one must-avoid and a celebration of Brazil's director-of-the-moment.
Latest
Watch List Digest 1/25/26
What to Watch: "Zelig,""The Rip"
Woody's secret masterpiece makes a rare appearance on VOD. Plus: The new Matt-and-Ben extravaganza and "Kumiko the Treasure Hunter"
The 98th Oscars: Nom Nom Noms
Surprise: Academy voters nominated the strongest group of Best Picture contenders in years.
Watch List Digest 1/21/26
An educational announcement and 10 must-see Sundance movies.
Preview: The Last Sundance (sort of)
Ten films to catch at Sundance 2026
Take a Class with Professor Ty
Starting February 24, I'm teaching a ten-week online course in the history of movie stardom.
Watch List Digest 1/11/26
Deal with reality or go hide in a movie? Why not both?
What to Watch: The Republic, If You Can Keep It
Some thoughts on a terrible week and, yes, some movie recs: "Peter Hujar's Day," "Zodiac Killer Project" and John Sayles' "Matewan." Plus more for paid subscribers.
One Good Film: "Jandek on Corwood" 🔒
An eerie 2004 documentary about the ultimate outsider musician. "Questions etc can't be arranged. Anything else, just ask."
What to Watch: "Köln 75," "Marty Supreme"
A sweet little tale about the making of a famous album, Josh Safdie is running brilliantly out of things to say, and a few streaming recommendations from your constant reviewer.
The Best Movies of 2025
Ten great movies (and a baker's dozen of very good runners-up) for a pretty bad year.
Good Movies 📽
What to Watch: "Resurrection" and most of the year's best films
Bi Gan's epic phantasmagoria cries out to be seen on the big screen. Plus: The Boston Society of Film Critics' picks for the best movies of 2025 -- and where to stream them.
Remembrances ⭐️
Rob Reiner 1947-2025
The actor-director was a great mensch, and the virtues that flow from that informed the films he made and the life he lived.
What to Watch: "Wake Up Dead Man" & More
Politics
Donald Trump's Letter to Santa
Tis the season, God help us all. (I know everyone's doing one of these, but I had to get my licks in.)
What to Watch
What to Watch: "The Left-Handed Girl," "The Stringer," Jay Kelly"
As Netflix gets ready to take over the world, the service offers three fine new films. Resistance is futile.
What to Watch
The Turkey Day List
Reasons to be thankful, part 68.
What to Watch
What to Watch: "Train Dreams," "Listers" and more
One of the year's best comes to Netflix and a scrappy home-made documentary about birding takes YouTube by storm. Plus: Reviews of "Rental Family," "Wicked: For Good" and some bleak humor for a time of ICE.
One Good Film
One Good Film: "Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets" (+ new to VOD)
The Ross brothers's 2020 ode to a Las Vegas dive's last stand is warm, funky and trickier than it seems.
Guilty Pleasures 🤦♂️
Max and Cheese
In which the author bites into the bittersweet Proustian madeleine of a youthful gig picking T&A movies for a major pay cable service.
What to Watch
What to Watch: Herzog on Criterion, "Sentimental Value"
What Not to Watch: "Nuremberg." (Well, if you must.)
What to Watch
What to Watch: "The Summer Book," "The Perfect Neighbor," "Bugonia"
Glenn Close stars in a film adaptation of Tove Jansson's translucent memoir. Plus: A Florida tragedy documented and Yorgos Lanthimos' latest provocation.
New Movies
What to Watch: "Deliver Me From Nowhere," "Blue Moon" & more
The Bruce movie is a brooder based on a good book about a great album. Plus: "Blue Moon," "The Mastermind" and more.