Watched and Read - February 1, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

 

 

MOVIES

Blue Moon (2025), directed by Richard Linklater, centers on lyricist Lorenz Hart, played by Ethan Hawke. The film takes place over the course of one evening at Sardi’s restaurant after the premiere of the musical Oklahoma! I enjoyed the conversations about high and popular art. As with many of Linklater’s films, the dialogue is well written. This is definitely one of Hawke’s best performances.

Collateral (2004), directed by Michael Mann, is one his best films. It’s a great neo-noir that unfolds over the course of a single night and also functions as a journey through Los Angeles.

WALL-E (2008), directed by Andrew Stanton, is up there as one of the greatest animated films. The film presents a dystopian vision of technology, evident in what has happened to Earth. At the same time, the relationship WALL-E and EVE form invites us to reflect on what makes us human. It’s a powerful sci-fi story that doesn’t argue that all technology is bad, but instead asks us to think about how we choose to use it. I think the film is even more relevant now than it was in 2008. A great film.

Dr. No (1962), directed by Terence Young, gets the Bond franchise off the ground. There are some great moments, including the spider-in-the-bed scene with 007 and the chase on the island. Many of the Bond films are currently on Netflix, which I plan to revisit. I’ve seen all of them many times, and they’re always fun to watch.

From Russia With Love (1963), directed by Terence Young, is a nice follow up to Dr. No. The train sequence is very good. And Robert Shaw is so young! 

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TV

Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man! (2026), directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, is an excellent documentary that chronicles the life of actor and director Mel Brooks. I love that Apatow continues to make documentaries about comedians.

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BOOKS

I am currently reading Cornell Woolrich’s short stories. Woolrich is best known for “It Had to Be Murder,” the short story on which Rear Window is based. So far, all of the stories are engaging, with plenty of cool twists. Many were written during the dire days of the Great Depression, which adds even more depth to these crime stories.

 

 

 

Watched and Read - January 25, 2026

MOVIES

The Running Man (2026), directed by Edgar Wright, has some strong action sequences, especially the segment featuring Michael Cera. I love Wright’s films, but I would consider this one a minor one in his body of work.

Gone Girl (2014), directed by David Fincher, is a very good neo-noir film. The movie’s moody atmosphere and haunting score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross contribute to the sense of instability surrounding the world created by Amy Dunne’s mysterious disappearance.

Hugo (2011), directed by Martin Scorsese, is a wonderful and touching film about the relationship between Hugo, a boy who works in a clock tower, and the silent filmmaker Georges Méliès, best known for A Trip to the Moon. The film is both a love letter to cinema and a reminder that we must preserve cinema’s past. I’m so glad Scorsese is involved in film preservation. If you love cinema, this is a must-see film.

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TV

Star Trek: The Next Generation: I’m rewatching season three and there are some excellent episodes, especially Ronald D. Moore’s second story, “The Defector.” It’s the first time TNG explicitly calls back to an earlier episode from the same season, “The Enemy.” Standalone episodes were the bread and butter of television’s classical period, especially when recording episodes on a VCR was still new. That’s why I found it cool that Moore acknowledged the fans and their attention to detail in “The Defector.”

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BOOKS

The Excessive Subject: A New Theory of Social Change by Molly Anne Rothenberg is an outstanding book that traces several theorists who have written on social change. If you’re interested in Jacques Lacan, this is a must-read. It also serves as an excellent introduction to thinkers such as Pierre Bourdieu, Michel de Certeau, and Slavoj Žižek.

Newsletter #5

 

Happy New Year!

I’m happy to announce that my new novel, My Lovely Dark Summer, is now available for pre-order.

A big thank you to Lynda at Easy Reader Editing for her excellent copy editing. I also designed the cover for this one.

 

This is a young adult novel with sci-fi elements set in 1994. I was inspired by a YouTube video about an abandoned highway that was once planned in Connecticut. I had so much fun writing the story, and I hope you’ll check it out.

Hitchcock Project update. I have written five chapters and am about halfway finished with the conclusion. I’ve already completed a close edit of the introduction and chapters one and two. The proposal is almost done, and I may begin sending it out in February or March. Hopefully, the next newsletter will include some good news.

Run to the Future. This is the second Charlie One book I wrote last year. I am currently editing the third draft and think it could be ready by spring 2027.

Books read and currently reading. I’ve been reading extensively on Lacanian and Freudian psychoanalytic theory. This has been my area of study since 2005, when I was a graduate student at the University of Vermont. There is still so much to learn.

You can always see what I’ve been watching and reading by subscribing to my Substack page or checking out my blog.

Well, that’s it for me.

Enjoy the winter.

Keep reading. Watch movies.

Tom C.

www.tomconnellyfiction.com

tomconnelly.substack.com

 

Watched and Read - January 18, 2026

 Here's what I watched and read last week...

 

MOVIES

La La Land (2016), directed by Damien Chazelle, is a masterpiece. It is not only a love letter to classic musicals like Singin’ in the Rain, but also a love letter to Los Angeles. The film features stunning cinematography, vibrant colors, and wonderful songs. The Griffith Observatory sequence is one of my favorites. 

Lady Bird (2017), directed by Greta Gerwig, is a beautiful coming-of-age film. I love the pacing of the story, which unfolds in snapshots of Lady Bird’s final year of high school. Occasionally, the film slows down for more dramatic moments. I found the ending especially touching.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), directed by John Hughes, is a classic comedy/coming-of-age film. I think the movie is really about Cameron, Ferris’s best friend, and how Ferris helps him open his eyes and see the world. Sometimes, you have to break the rules.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952), directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, is an amazing musical. The dance numbers are wonderfully choreographed, and the songs are so catchy that you’ll be humming them all day after watching the film. This was my third time seeing it, and I am still amazed by how effectively it breaks cinema’s fourth wall—especially in the opening, when Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) explains how he became a star. This was an unusual technique during the classical Hollywood era.

Spooktacular! (2023), directed by Quinn Monahan, is a solid documentary about Spooky World in Massachusetts. The frequent use of stock footage is sometimes distracting, but overall I enjoyed it.

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TV

All Creatures Great and Small, one of my favorite cozy shows, is back on PBS. If you love pets, this is a must-see.

One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things Season 5 is an excellent documentary about the making of the final season. It should be recommended viewing for anyone interested in making movies. I found the scene in which the cast reads the final script for episode eight especially touching.

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BOOKS

I’m very busy preparing for a course I’m about to teach. I was hired as a replacement with little time to prepare the syllabus. For context, some of the films mentioned above are all on the syllabus. One story I recently reread that will also be included is Ray Bradbury’s “The Veldt,” a prophetic story about what we would now call a smart house.

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Watched and Read - January 11, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…Lot’s of documentaries this week. 

 

 

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MOVIES

The Ice Storm (1997), directed by Ang Lee, is one of his best films. It’s a nuanced story with complex characters. I also highly recommend Rick Moody’s novel on which the film is based.

Dead Presidents (1995), directed by the Hughes Brothers, is an okay film. I appreciate the The Deer Hunter–inspired vibe they were aiming for. The Hughes Brothers have a great sense of style, which unfortunately is stronger than the story itself.

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (2024), which aired on Nat Geo, is a wonderful and beautiful documentary. The cinematography is incredible, and it’s available on YouTube. Definitely worth checking out.

The World Beneath Your Feet (2018) is an excellent documentary that follows Matt Green, who set out to walk every street in New York City. Green, once a civil engineer, not only journeys through every street but also seems to know everything there is to know about the sites and places he encounters. I highly recommend it.

Secret Mall Apartment (2024) is a documentary about a group of artists who built an apartment in an unused space inside a mall in Providence, Rhode Island. The characters are a bit hard to identify with, but I really enjoyed watching how the apartment continued to grow over time.

Lily Topples the World (2021) is a very cool documentary about Lily Hevesh, a domino artist.

Carmine Street Guitars (2018) is a rocking good documentary about a shop that makes handmade guitars in Greenwich Village.

Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds (2020) is a good documentary about meteorites that have impacted the Earth. I love that Werner Herzog preserves the quirks and oddities of the characters he and Clive Oppenheimer interview.

Sliding Doors (1998), directed by Peter Howitt, is a romantic comedy that depicts two alternate timelines in the life of Helen Quilley (Gwyneth Paltrow): one in which she catches the Tube home and one in which she doesn’t. It’s an interesting premise. I hadn’t seen the film in a long time and, for some reason, remembered it as more of a psychological thriller, so I was in for a surprise. Ultimately, I didn’t think the film worked as a whole, and the ending didn’t work for me at all.

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (2022) is a really good documentary directed by Sam Jones. I was shocked to learn that skateboarding declined in popularity in the early 1990s. And I couldn’t believe that Tony Hawk and his friends are still skating in their 50s!

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TV

Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Timescape,” Season Six. I’m doing research for my new novel, which involves time, and this episode has a bit of a Twilight Zone feel. Captain Picard discovers the Enterprise frozen in time while in battle with a Romulan warbird. It’s really cool how they resolve the story. Definitely one of Star Trek’s top episodes about time.

Besides that, I’ve watched all the shows I wanted to see! I’m now looking forward to All Creatures Great and Small.

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BOOKS

Insomnia (2022) by Sarah Pinborough is a good whodunit with a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde–style storyline. It also makes effective use of the unreliable narrator.

Watched and Read - January 4, 2026

 

Happy New Year! 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

 

 

MOVIES

The Lost Bus (2025), directed by Paul Greengrass, is an intense survival narrative. Matthew McConaughey is excellent, and the film’s special effects are awesome. I’m not sure whether the film is eligible for Academy Awards, since I don’t think it had a theatrical release, but it is definitely worthy of some nominations. Greengrass previously directed United 93, a film I don’t think I could ever watch again, but he clearly knows how to create tension and suspense.

The Mastermind (2025), directed by Kelly Reichardt, is a slow-paced story about an art thief played by Josh O’Connor. The film has a touch of Robert Bresson’s influence and reminded me of Pickpocket and L’Argent. A good film overall.

Once Upon a Time in China (1991) features martial arts sequences that are much stronger than the story. If nothing else, it’s worth watching to see Jet Li, who is amazing.

City on Fire (1987), directed by Ringo Lam, is one of the better Hong Kong action films I’ve seen recently. This is the film that influenced Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. Definitely worth checking out.

The Big Sleep (1946), directed by Howard Hawks, is one of the most complex stories in the film noir canon. If film noir is defined by its labyrinthine plotting, this may be the ultimate example. I won’t even try to summarize the plot, but I agree with Roger Ebert’s view that the film isn’t about solving the mystery so much as experiencing the process.

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TV

Stranger Things. The fourth season was one of my favorites, but I also enjoyed the fifth and final season. I particularly liked the last episode and thought the Duffer Brothers did a nice job wrapping up the story. There are always going to be complaints about series finales—the only one I can think of that avoided this was Breaking Bad.

One of the things that impressed me most was how well the Duffer Brothers mapped out the characters. Stephen King is one of their major influences, and it’s worth noting that his epic novels—’Salem’s Lot, The Stand, Needful Things, and Under the Dome—all feature ensemble casts. King is great at weaving a complex tapestry of characters without confusing the reader, and I felt the same way about Stranger Things. It will be fun to watch the entire series straight through.

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BOOKS

James Patterson’s Return of the Spider is one of the top books in the Alex Cross series. I think the novel works best for longtime fans of the series rather than for readers who have never read a Cross book. That said, newcomers shouldn’t avoid it altogether. Having read all of the Cross novels, I found this one especially effective as a backstory.

Understanding Lacan’s Objet A by Juan Pablo Lucchelli is an excellent book on how Lacan developed the concept of objet petit a—the object-cause of desire. For Lacan, the subject is always divided between consciousness and the unconscious. Once one becomes part of the symbolic order, one becomes a subject of desire, which means the subject must tarry with lack for the rest of their life. This is what Lacan terms the barred or split subject. However, Lacan also argues that there is a remainder—what he calls objet a, the lost, impossible object. If you want to read about objet a in more detail, check out my blog post. Another great example is Slavoj Žižek’s analysis of Coca-Cola in The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology.

 

Watched and Read - December 28, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week… 

 

MOVIES

Wake Up Dead Man (2025), directed by Rian Johnson, is a fun and engaging whodunit. I liked it much more than Glass Onion. Glenn Close is terrific and deserves an Oscar nomination, and Johnson should also be recognized for his writing.

Bugonia (2025), directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, was one I enjoyed—much more than Poor Things. Having written a book on confinement cinema, it was especially cool to see Bugonia embody many of the characteristics I discuss.

The Piano Teacher (2001), directed by Michael Haneke, is a tough film to watch, but it is very good. Some moments reminded me of Caché, particularly in the way Haneke casually depicts violence. This is a film that will stay with me for a long time.

Metropolitan (1990) is a very good comedy directed by Whit Stillman. The film was released just as independent filmmaking was beginning to take off in the United States. Its clever dialogue is one of its strongest components, so it’s no surprise that the film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. What I especially love, though, is the upper-class setting Stillman creates on such a low budget. This is what separates Metropolitan from other indie films of the period, such as Richard Linklater’s Slacker (1991) or Kevin Smith’s Clerks (1994).

The Grandmaster (2013), directed by Wong Kar-wai, is a beautiful martial arts film about Ip Man (Tony Leung). The fight sequences are awesome, and both Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi are excellent. At times, I found myself lost or confused by the film’s plotting, even on this second viewing. My reaction is similar to how I once felt about the Coen brothers’ Miller’s Crossing, which I now consider one of their masterpieces, though I didn’t at first. I’m beginning to feel the same way about The Grandmaster, which makes me want to watch it again.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) is a very cool animated film set 200 years before the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I had to look up some of the names and places of Middle-earth to re-familiarize myself with Tolkien’s fantasy world.

Christmas Vacation (1989). I watch it every Christmas and still love it. Chevy Chase buying lingerie is one of my favorite scenes, and of course I love the moment when he loses it after he doesn’t get his bonus.

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TV

I very much enjoyed Netflix’s The Beast in Me. It has some great Hitchcockian moments and plenty of cool twists. The series reminded me of 1990s thrillers such as Primal Fear, The Game, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. Arguably, the best thing about the miniseries is Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys—both performances are excellent.

Plubribus is definitely one of the best TV shows of the year. Vince Gilligan has created an intriguing and highly engaging story, and I can’t wait for the next season.

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BOOKS

We Live Here Now (2025) by Sarah Pinborough is an excellent Gothic supernatural novel and a new take on the haunted house narrative. I won’t say too much about the plot, but I love the way the book shifts points of view between Emily and Freddie—very effective. The title feels like an homage to Shirley Jackson. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I’m so glad Stephen King recommended it.

Surplus Enjoyment (2022) by Slavoj Žižek is one of his best books since Sex and the Failed Absolute. Surplus enjoyment is a Lacanian notion: enjoyment always involves suffering—enjoying too much—or what Lacan calls jouissance. For example, Žižek views conspiracy theorists as a form of surplus enjoyment. They doubt all existing theories and then construct one grand explanation, which, for Žižek, gives them an overwhelming sense of enjoyment. But it is also detrimental to the big Other—the symbolic structures that hold society together. This is why jouissance is linked to the death drive: suffering for one’s enjoyment. Žižek offers many other examples, but the highlight of the book is his reading of Todd Phillips’ Joker.

The Uncool by Cameron Crowe might be one of my favorite reads this year. It chronicles Crowe’s experiences writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the 1970s. If you love classic rock, this is a must-read. I also recommend Crowe’s book on filmmaker Billy Wilder.