What to Watch: Oscar Shorts!
Reviews, predictions and links for all 15 nominees in all three short film categories, plus a belated look at "KPop Demon Hunters" and "Song Sung Blue."
Latest
Frederick Wiseman 1930-2026
What the great documentarian leaves as his legacy: The human species, observed.
Watch List Digest 2/20/26
Farewells to Bud Cort, Robert Duvall and our collective moviegoing youth.
What to Watch: 10 Good Movies on Netflix 🔒
You want art, go to the Criterion Channel.
Robert Duvall 1931-2026
Farewell to one of the cinema's greatest character stars.
Bud Cort 1948-2026
What the star of "Harold and Maude" once meant to the author's younger self.
Watch List Digest 2/8/26
Getcher Bad Bunny playlist right here. And more.
Fred Smith: Ace of Bass
Farewell to the heartbeat of a legendary rock band.
What to Watch: "The Secret Agent"
Brazil's four-time Oscar nominee comes to streaming platforms in time for you to bone up - or get your Wagner Moura freak on - before the big night. Plus: Sundance reviews of "Josephine" and "Ha-chan: Shake Your Booty!"
How to Prep for a Halftime Show
Catherine O'Hara 1954-2026
Come with us as the Watch List revisits highlights of a brilliantly demented career. Plus a few thoughts on the man known as Conejo Malo -- the Bunny Who is Bad
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.
What to Watch
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"
Awards 🏆
The 98th Oscars: Nom Nom Noms
Surprise: Academy voters nominated the strongest group of Best Picture contenders in years.
Weekly Digest
Watch List Digest 1/21/26
An educational announcement and 10 must-see Sundance movies.
Festival Reports
Preview: The Last Sundance (sort of)
Ten films to catch at Sundance 2026
Events
Take a Class with Professor Ty
Starting February 24, I'm teaching a ten-week online course in the history of movie stardom.
Weekly Digest
Watch List Digest 1/11/26
Deal with reality or go hide in a movie? Why not both?
Good Movies 📽
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
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
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.
Best of the Year
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.