Watched and Read - September 6, 2026

 Here's what I watched, read and listened to last week...

 

 

MOVIES

China Girl (1987), directed by Abel Ferrara, reimagines the gangster film through the story of Romeo and Juliet. There’s a gang war between the Italian and Chinese gangs. Tony is from Little Italy and Tye is from Chinatown, and they fall in love. You can probably guess what’s going to happen, but I very much enjoyed the film.

The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), directed by Jon Favreau. I watched the movie with low expectations but wound up really enjoying it. The film had some great surprises, especially in the last half. I also liked that they brought in some characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels. I heard some critics saying that the film is more like television than cinema. I would say it is an intimate and quieter film than the epics we typically associate with the Star Wars universe.

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DOCUMENTARIES

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, a new documentary streaming on Netflix, is a startling and shocking documentary about the corporate brass putting money over the safety of people. This was a frightening one to watch.

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TV

I finished the fourth season of The Wonder Years. There were a lot of great episodes, especially the ones involving Kevin and Winnie. But I also enjoyed many of the episodic ones, such as “The Cost of Living,” “Who’s Aunt Rose?,” and “Separate Rooms.”

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BOOKS

The Children by Melissa Albert. I read almost 300 pages and wasn’t sure what to make of this novel. Stephen King’s quote mentioned that the prose reminded him of Ray Bradbury, which I definitely agree with. But I didn’t find the characters to be likable. However, when I read the last 100 pages, most of my thoughts on the novel changed. I read that this was Albert’s first adult novel. I’d be curious to read her next book.

Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury is a book of two novellas, “Somewhere a Band Is Playing” and “Leviathan ’99.” The first is about reporter who arrives in a mysterious town to learn that the residents never die. The second is Bradbury’s take on Melville’s Moby Dick as a space expedition. Both embody many of Bradbury’s themes. “Somewhere a Band Is Playing” has a nostalgic vibe, one that reminded me of Dandelion Wine. “Leviathan ’99” has a Martian Chronicles feel, especially the part where the crew comes across a moon with an abandoned civilization. I also loved the scene where they make contact with the famous broadcast voices of the past. The story reminded me of Star Trek, given that the crew’s mission is to explore and report their findings.

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PODCASTS

The Kingcast is a podcast I have been listening to since it debuted in 2020. They have had many great guests on talking about Stephen King’s books, including King himself. But the episode they recently did with Sam Weller, who wrote Ray Bradbury’s biography, was one of their best. If you love Bradbury and King, you should definitely check it out.

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YOUTUBE

If you like or even love Pearl Jam, I highly recommend Ric Beato’s interview with Mike McCready and Jeff Ament. Beato asks great questions about their songs and their techniques. I also learned some new history about the band, especially about its formation. It is definitely worth the watch.

 

Watched and Read - August 30, 2026

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

 

 

MOVIES

Pather Panchali (1955), directed by Satyajit Ray, is one of the great films in world cinema. Ray was inspired by Bicycle Thieves, a quintessential film of Italian neorealism. Pather Panchali’s on-location shooting, non-professional actors, and depiction of poverty are all characteristic of neorealism. My favorite scene is when Apu sees a train for the first time - what a wonderful and poetic moment. Great film.

Rififi (1955), directed by Jules Dassin, is a classic French noir film. The heist sequence is one of the best I have ever seen. It is definitely up there with Michael Mann’s Heat and Thief.

The Life of Chuck (2024), directed by Mike Flanagan, is a very good adaptation of King’s story. Mark Hamill gives a great performance as Chuck’s grandfather, especially in the scene where he discusses the importance of math.

9 to 5 (1980), directed by Colin Higgins, is a movie I watched all the time on cable in the early 1980s when I was young. We watched it this weekend in honor of Dolly Parton’s passing. The film’s humor still holds up.

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TV

Spoiler alert! I loved the first season of Mr. In Between. The last two episodes were funny and suspenseful. I enjoyed the unpredictability of Ray’s character. My allegiance toward him would sometimes shift, such as when he figures out that Nick is working undercover for the police. I found myself rooting for Nick to live. But most of the time, I am rooting for Ray not to get caught or killed. This is why suspense does not primarily operate on morality. I am looking forward to checking out the next two seasons.

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BOOKS and STORIES

Spoiler alert! Black House is a great follow-up to The Talisman. As mentioned in my last post, the story starts off slow and then gradually moves faster. There are some very cool connections to the Dark Tower series. It was only a few years later that King released the last three books in the series. I loved the book’s prose, especially the scene where the Fisherman attacks Henry in his home. Henry is blind, which made it even more devastating to read. Lastly, some of the kills were very graphic, especially Henry’s and Charles’s deaths. Great read.

“There Will Come a Soft Rain” by Ray Bradbury is a post-apocalyptic story about a house equipped with automatic systems that does routines such as cooking and cleaning. Bradbury paints a dystopian picture of the aftermath of nuclear war. The story is positioned at the end of The Martian Chronicles. Having read all the stories that take place on Mars, it is the post-apocalyptic Earth that is strange and foreign.

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” by Richard Matheson. I have seen the Twilight Zone episode many times, but I have never read the story. Matheson’s prose never lets up, creating a classic tale of suspense and terror.

Spoiler Alert! “The Life of Chuck” by Stephen King, is one of the novellas in the collection of stories in If It Bleeds. King tells a three-chapters story, starting from the end and moving to the beginning. It is not made explicitly clear, but the apocalyptic ending is everything from inside Chuck’s head as he is dying. I very much enjoyed the story’s exploration of life, memory, and death.

 

Watched and Read - August 23, 2026

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

 

 

MOVIES

Sense and Sensibility (1995), directed by Ang Lee, is a very good romantic drama based on Jane Austen’s novel. The film has a killer cast, including Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman. And the cinematography is gorgeous. This is Ang Lee’s first English-language film. I also read Whitney Crothers Dilley’s chapter on the film in her book on Lee, which explores a variety of topics, including feminism and globalization.

Man with a Movie Camera (1929), directed by Dziga Vertov, is one of the masterpieces of documentary filmmaking. The editing and camera movement are amazing. It is no surprise that Sight & Sound ranked it as the eighth-greatest film ever made.

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TV

Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. I very much enjoyed rewatching season two. There were a handful of episodes that felt more like filler. But overall, this is a strong season, especially the last two episodes, which are some of the series’ best.

Mr. In Between. We are watching the first season. This is a solid crime drama. In his book on The Sopranos, Dana Polan writes about the series as having a picaresque format: the small adventures of a criminal you root for. This is definitely the case for Mr. In Between.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I watched “Lamb to the Slaughter.” This is one of the classic episodes that Hitchcock directed. It was written by Roald Dahl. Hitchcock’s mixing of the macabre and humor is on full display.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. This is my second time watching the series. Some of the topics they explore are mind-blowing, such as when Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the Cosmic Calendar. I hope they release Cosmos: Possible Worlds on Blu-ray.

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BOOKS

King’s Ransom, written by Ed McBain, is a novel from his 87th Precinct series and was loosely adapted by Akira Kurosawa into High and Low (1963). I love the gritty feel of the novel, particularly the realism of the dialogue. I am planning to teach the novel next year for my writing course, comparing it with Kurosawa’s adaptation. I also read Matthew Bernstein’s excellent article, “High and Low: Art Cinema and Pulp Fiction in Yokohama.”

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YouTube

If you love rock and metal music, I highly recommend Rick Beato’s channel. There are a lot of great interviews, especially his recent one with Billy Joel. One of the highlights of the series is “What Makes This Song Great?” Beato breaks down the song by isolating the audio tracks and analyzing the different sounds, techniques, and tones used during the recording. After you watch the video, you’ll hear the song in a new way. I also love his “rant” videos.

 

 

Watched and Read - August 16, 2026

 Today marks the one-year anniversary of Watched and Read! Fifty-two postings! Whoa! Looking back, I have learned a few things about myself. I watch at least three movies every week. My television viewing diminished and intensified throughout the year. It was also difficult to write weekly short reviews of books. It usually takes me about 10 to 14 days to read a book, especially theoretical ones. That’s why I sometimes share brief comments on books I’m currently reading. 

 

MOVIES

The Buddy Holly Story (1978), dir. Steve Rash, is one of the great rock biographies, with an outstanding performance by Gary Busey. Having played in many bands, I can tell if an actor knows how to play their instrument. Busey not only knows how to play the guitar, but he plays the songs correctly. But most importantly, he plays and sings from his heart. That’s what elevates this film. If you love music, this is a must-see film.

Tramps! (2022), dir. Kevin Heggeis, is a good documentary on the New Romantic movement in the UK during the late 1970s. It focuses on the fashion that emerged from the nightclubs and venues during that time. I’ve watched many documentaries on punk and New Wave, and it was very interesting to learn about how this subculture was intimately connected to it.

Mother (1926), dir. V.I. Pudovkin, one of the masterpieces of Soviet Montage cinema. The cross-cutting between the prisoners’ escape and the flow of ice is an iconic sequence. Mother and Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin are two great movies to compare in terms of different theories and styles of editing.

The Drama (2026), dir. Kristoffer Borgli, is a dark comedy filled with uncomfortable moments. I went back and forth between covering my face and laughing out loud. This is the type of film that you know is great but never want to see again. Great performances by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. And what a year for both actors!

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TV

I am Evel Knievel is a good documentary about the legendary stunt devil. The footage of Evel’s motorcycle jumps is breathtaking and really frightening! I kept thinking about Johnny Knoxville and the crew from Jackass.

The Story of Pixar chronicles the creation of Pixar Studios. I knew the studio made several box office hits, but I did not realize how many in a row! Toy Story, Cars, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and The Incredibles.

Elton John: Never Too Late (2024), dir. R.J. Culture, is not a bad documentary. Most of the stuff I already knew. But the section on John Lennon was a complete surprise.

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BOOKS

Rupture by Paul Eisenstein and Todd McGowan is an excellent book on political philosophy. The core of their argument is that rupture is the result of the divided subject. Eisenstein and McGowan draw their notion of rupture mainly from Hegel, Freud, and Lacan. If the subject is split or divided, the symbolic order must also be divided. The split in the symbolic order is what Eisenstein and McGowan identify as the site of rupture. The book offers many examples, ranging from history to the arts, to explain the potential of rupture. But what I found most enjoyable was their engagement with different philosophers.

 

Watched and Read - July 19, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

I am now adding a spoiler alert.

 

 

MOVIES

Niagara (1953), directed by Henry Hathaway. I have been watching Criterion’s “Murderous Melodramas” this month. The Technicolor cinematography of Niagara Falls is beautiful, with some great performances from Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, and Jean Peters. Similar to my review of Leave Her to Heaven, Niagara’s dark themes of deception and murder clash with the film’s luscious colors.

Bigger Than Life (1956), directed by Nicholas Ray. Another excellent noir melodrama that is streaming on Criterion. One of the first things I teach in my television course is to challenge the perception of the 1950s, and the idea of life for many Americans was not The Donna Reed Show. Bigger Than Life underscores this notion. I was shocked by the topics it takes up, such as underpaying teachers and drug addiction—all shot in CinemaScope and Technicolor!

Married to the Mob (1988), directed by Jonathan Demme, is a fun screwball comedy with a good cast. But Mercedes Ruehl steals the show. I can see why she was later cast in The Fisher King, the film for which she won the Academy Award. Even though I enjoyed Michelle Pfeiffer playing a Long Island wife of a mobster, her New York accent sounded forced - a pet peeve of mine.

‘Round Midnight (1986), directed by Bertrand Tavernier. I knew nothing about this film but was interested in seeing it because of Dexter Gordon. I bought the Criterion Blu-ray during the 50-percent off sale. I hardly ever purchase a movie that I do not know anything about. I’m so glad I did! This is an amazing film with a great soundtrack by Herbie Hancock, who won the Academy Award. Gordon is also very good and funny. This is a must-see for jazz lovers.

Hud (1963), directed by Martin Ritt, is an amazing film and a must-see if you are interested in studying movies, particularly cinematography. James Wong Howe’s black-and-white photography beautifully captures the open landscape in wide shots and deep focus. I particularly love the opening scene in which Lonnie traverses the empty town. The wind blowing is haunting and ghostly, especially if we consider how the tragic death of Hud’s brother lingers over the film. My favorite scene is when Homer and Lonnie go to the movies and then out to eat. You get a sense of how much Lonnie loves his grandfather. But it also reveals his loneliness and how he is stuck between Homer, a principled man, and the thrill-seeker Hud, who lacks a moral compass. 

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TV

I am re-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I started with the second season and am up to episode seven. The introduction of Spike and Drusilla is a classic episode. But it is the Halloween episode where the series starts to find its voice. I think it is the first time we start to learn about Rupert Giles’s past, when he was known as “Ripper.”

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BOOKS

Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square by Arthur La Bern. (Spoiler alert). I am currently finishing my book on Alfred Hitchcock and horror, and wanted to read La Bern’s novel for research purposes. Anthony Shaffer did a great job of adapting the novel, which would become Frenzy. The movie is much better than the novel. For example, they shortened the unnecessary long trial of Richard Blamey (Blaney in the film). They added a funny subplot involving the Chief Inspector’s wife, who is a terrible cook. And the ending of the movie is much more suspenseful than the novel’s, where Blaney is finally proven innocent.

 

Watched and Read - June 28, 2026

 Here's what I watched and read this past week...

 

MOVIES

Toy Story 5 (2026), directed by Andrew Stanton, is a very good film that focuses on technology and children. The animation is great, with some nice moments that explore the themes of connection, friendship, play, and imagination. We did not see the 3D version. But you can tell there were some shots made specifically for 3D. Toy Story 5 is not as great as the first three movies, but it is definitely worth watching.

Pavements (2024), directed by Alex Ross Perry. I am not really a fan of Pavement’s music, but I thought it would be interesting to learn about their history, particularly how they became a big indie band in the 1990s. The documentary seems to oppose this approach. I felt it was very indie rock snobbish. These were the people I avoided in the 1990s.

Talk Radio (1988), directed by Oliver Stone. This film is often overlooked in Stone’s body of work. But it may be one of his best, especially given the rise of social media. I wrote about the film in my book Cinema of Confinement, discussing how Stone creates a space of paranoia within the confined setting of the radio station. Tension lies between Barry and his listeners. Who are his fans? Who are the threat? My book is available through open access and can be downloaded if you want to check out the chapter.

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), directed by Jack Clayton, is a good atmospheric horror film based on Ray Bradbury’s great novel. I was skeptical about watching it because I love the book so much. Johnathan Pryce and Jason Robards give great performances. It is a quick watch and is available for streaming on Disney.

The Sheep Detectives (2026), directed by Kyle Balda, is a very good whodunit movie with some very nice moments. I loved Nicholas Braun (aka Cousin Greg from Succession) as Denbrook’s only police officer. The CGI sheep worked, but I would rather see real animals. However, given the complexity of the plot, it makes sense that they took the CGI route. Nevertheless, the film gave me some Babe vibes. I highly recommend it.

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TV

The new Lord of the Flies is a pretty good series on Netflix. Although, I personally prefer the black and white version from 1963. I thought that some of the episodes could have been shorter. There were also many unnecessary close-up shots of characters looking directly at the camera. I am unsure what that was all about. It is hard not to think of the great TV series, Lost, which I am guessing drew some inspiration from Golding’s novel.

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BOOKS

Ghost Town by Tom Perrotta is a good and very engaging coming-of-age book, involving Jimmy, a thirteen-year-old growing up in an Italian American community in New Jersey in the early 1970s. Perrotta strongly captures the time period with some very interesting characters. The story reminded me of the collection of short stories he wrote in Bad Haircut: Stories from the Seventies.

Bradbury Speaks is a great collection of essays written by Ray Bradbury. I enjoyed reading all of them, especially the ones on Los Angeles and Paris. Other standouts were, “How Something Wicked Came,” “Mars: Too Soon From The Cave, Too Far From the Stars,” “Mouser,” “Lord Russell and The Pipsqueak, and “Any Friend of Trains is a Friend of Mine.”

 

 

Watched and Read - June 7, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

 

 

MOVIES

The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936), directed by Jean Renoir. This week I started watching the Criterion Channel’s curation of French poetic realism. I had a seen a few films from this period, but I was curious to learn more about this movement. The Crime of Monsieur Lange is an entertaining film about a small publishing company run by Paul Batala, a shady man. I enjoyed the cast of characters. The set design is cramped and confined, which I am learning is a stylistic trait of poetic realism.

The Lower Depths (1936), directed by Jean Renoir. This is another film from Criterion’s poetic realism collection. A good drama with a great performance by Jean Gabin who plays Pepel. I particularly enjoyed the scene when Pepel becomes friends with the Baron after trying to rob him.

A Wedding (1978), directed by Robert Altman. I‘ve always wanted to see this one. What a cast of characters! Almost fifty! Carol Burnett is amazing. She should have been nominated for an Academy Award. A Wedding is not as great as Nashville or McCabe & Mrs. Miller, but this is a solid and funny film. Altman’s career in the 1970s is amazing. A Wedding is available to stream on Criterion. Don’t miss this one.

Power Ballad (2026), director by John Carney. Another great one by Carney. I’ve loved all of his film, with Sing Street being one of my favorites. Great performances by Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. Fun film with a good soundtrack.

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TV

Welcome to Wrexham. This is turning out to be a really good season. I look forward to each week’s episodes. Go Wrexham!

I watched the third episode of The Boroughs and am still enjoying it. There was a great twist at the end of this one.

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BOOKS

I finished Jacques Lacan’s first seminar. I’ve read a lot of Lacan and do have some familiarity with his concepts. It goes without saying that Lacan is very difficult to read. In Seminar I, he takes up the topics of ego psychology, speech, transference and resistance. This is also the seminar where he discusses the inverted bouquet scenario. I plan to read Seminar II which is a continuation of these topics.

 

Watched and Read - May 31, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

 

MOVIES

Hard Boiled (1992), directed by John Woo, might be one of the greatest action films ever made. I always show the shoot out in the tea house that opens the film to my students, and I always tell them that this is nothing compared to the hospital sequence. The long take of Tony Leung and Chow Yun-fat moving through the hospital corridors is one of the many highlights of the film.

Clockwatchers (1997), directed by Jill Sprecher, is a smartly written movie, with great performances. I particularly enjoyed how space is depicted in the film. There are a lot of shots that compress the work environment, which I think nicely parallels the existential theme of work. This is a great companion film to Office Space. It is streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Marty, Life is Short (2026), directed by Lawrence Kasdan, is good documentary on the comedian and actor Martin Short. It is hard to believe all the tragedy he faced throughout his life. Definitely worth watching.

We Bury The Dead (2026), directed by Zak Hilditch. I was mixed on this movie. I enjoyed the visuals and post-apocalyptic atmosphere, but I didn’t find it to be scary. The sound effects of teeth chattering from the zombies were a little too much for me. I had to turn the down the volume on my TV, it was so intense! But I am glad to see Daisy Ridley on screen.

Abraham’s Boys (2025), directed by Natasha Kermani, is a good movie. I read on IMDb that the film has terrible reviews, but I actually enjoyed it. It is slow paced, with a moody atmosphere. The cinematography is excellent. I particularly enjoyed the deep-focus landscapes which allows us to see the isolation of the Van Helsing family. I also enjoyed the mixture of the Western and Gothic. The film is based on a Joe Hill short story, which I’ve read. Hill is an excellent writer, and I am glad to see some of his stories making it to the screen. Abraham’s Boys might not be for everyone, especially if you are looking for lots of jump scares and fast-paced horror. But I really enjoyed Kermani’s slow cinema style adaptation of Hill’s story.

Marty Supreme (2025), directed by Josh Safdie. I really enjoyed the film’s fast-paced energy. It comes at you like a bullet train. Once you’re on board, it’s hard to get off. This is not your typical sports film. Timothée Chalamet said he watched The Hustler and The Color of Money to prepare for the role. I can see some of Tom Cruise’s Vincent from The Color of Money in Marty. It also might be one of Chalamet’s best performances. The cast of characters is great. 

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TV

Welcome to Wrexham, episode three, is another good episode of the latest season. We are introduced to more new players that might be shifting the tide. And I always enjoy the stories of the Wrexham community.

Spider-Noir. I enjoyed the first episode. I watched the color version. Next episode, I will check out the black and white version. Great cast of characters.

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BOOKS

The Philosophy of Horror, or Paradoxes of the Heart by Noël Carroll is a very good book on the horror genre. The premise is this: why does horror frighten us when we know the monster does not exist. It is what Carroll calls the paradox of horror. One of his central claims is that it’s the thought of horror that frightens us. Carroll offers lots of examples to back this up. However, his critique of psychoanalysis is weak and outdated. I recommend reading Todd McGowan’s article or his book on The Real Gaze and Slavoj Žižek’s response to Carroll and David Bordwell’s critique of psychoanalysis and Marxism in The Fright of Real Tears. Putting psychoanalysis aside, if you are interested in horror studies, this is a must-read even if you don’t agree with some of Carroll’s claims or his definition of horror.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is an amazing book. I teach Hugo in my introduction to film course but had never read the book. I definitely plan to assign the book for my Film and Literature course. If you love movies, this is a must-read.

 

 

Watched and Read - May 17, 2026

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

 

MOVIES

Against All Odds (1984), directed by Taylor Hackford, is based on the classic film noir, Out of the Past. The film started off on a good note, then petered out. I did not feel the chemistry between Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward. But Richard Widmark, who acted in many film noirs of the past, is worth the watch.

Kedi (2016), directed by Ceyda Torun, is a good documentary about cats that roam the streets in Istanbul. I was surprised that all the cats depicted in the documentary looked well cared for and well-fed. Very cool. Meow.

Lumière! Le Cinema (2025), directed by Thierry Frémaux, is one of the best films I’ve seen in a while. The documentary provides not only a history of the beginnings of moving images but also offers stunning images of France in the late 19th century. Watching this documentary is like being in a time machine. If you love movies, this is a must-watch.

Breathless (1983), directed by Jim McBride. Caught this on the Criterion Channel. This was my second time seeing it. The first was a surreal experience because I didn’t think it was possible that someone could actually adapt Godard’s masterpiece. So on the second viewing, I was prepared, and I really enjoyed it. Richard Gere gives an amazing performance. The visuals are spectacular, especially the surreal traveling matte car scenes. And I love seeing all the real locations in L.A. Tarantino apparently loves the movie, and you can definitely see its influence in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. This is a hidden gem of the 1980s. Just don’t think about Godard’s film when you watch it.

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TV

The first episode of the new season of Welcome to Wrexham is really good and very emotional. Lots of new players this season. The stakes are once again high for Wrexham.

I watched the first episode of Legends, which I very much enjoyed. I’ll watch anything with Steve Coogan. It’s streaming on Netflix.

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BOOKS

I am currently rereading Stephen King’s From a Buick 8. I love the story’s atmosphere. King takes full advantage of his Lovecraft influence and sense of cosmic horror by not explaining what the Buick is, why strange things emerge out of it, or where it came from. I want to think the Buick was once owned by The Stand’s Randall Flagg. Or maybe it’s from Mid-World.

 

Watched and Read - May 10, 2026

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

 

 

MOVIES

Point Break (1991), directed by Kathryn Bigelow, is a very good film involving Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), an undercover FBI agent, investigating a series of bank robberies in Los Angeles. It is a great action film, involving some incredible sequences. But I think what I enjoy the most is seeing Los Angeles on screen back in the 1990s. The movie is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Zero Focus (1961), directed by Yoshitarō Nomura, is another good Japanese noir. I’ve watched several Japanese noir films on the Criterion Channel and this is the first with a lead female protagonist. I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks in the final part of the film.

D.O.A. (1988), directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. I caught this one on the Criterion Channel. It is a neo-noir that visually looks amazing. The story, however, is not very good. But it’s worth checking out for its cinematography.

Rude Boy (1980) is part documentary and part fiction. The best parts of the film are the performances by The Clash. It is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

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TV

I am now caught up on Bob’s Burgers. So far, this has been one of their best seasons. I love all the Gen X references.

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BOOKS

Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King (2026) by Caroline Bicks is an excellent new book on King’s early work. Bicks had the opportunity to go through King’s archive and unearth early drafts of his work. Her book is a close analysis of Pet Sematary, ‘Salem’s Lot, Carrie, The Shining, and selected stories from Night Shift. Bicks compares various versions of King’s works and explains how the changes affect the trajectory, tone and feel of the story. Since King typed these stories in the 1970s, there are notes and exchanges with the editors in the margins. The notes in the margins are significant for archivists. I also enjoyed the comparisons between Shakespeare and King, especially her observations on Macbeth and Carrie. If you love King, this is a must-read. And it is accessible. And thank God academia is starting to take King’s work seriously. I say this as someone who is in the field.

Watched and Read - May 3, 2026

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

 

MOVIES

A Colt is My Passport (1967), directed by Takashi Nomura, is a very good Japanese noir. It has a Hollywood B-film feel, mixed with a Spaghetti Western. Great performance by Joe Shishido. Super cool ending.

Cruel Gun Story (1964), directed by Takumi Furukawa, is another great Japanese noir. I really enjoyed the film’s setup, which reminded me of Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing. I am starting to become a fan of Shishido. I highly recommend this one.

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026), directed by Ben Feldman, is a great documentary on the band’s emergence in the early 1980s. It is very tragic and sad about what happened to Hillel Slovak.

Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game (2022), directed by Austin Bragg and Meredith Bragg, is a very enjoyable film based on a true story. I liked how they structured the film, intercutting Roger Sharpe (not the real Roger Sharpe) talking to the filmmakers throughout the story. It reminded me of American Splendor, which mixes real footage of underground comic book artist, Harvey Pekar, and the fictional account of his story. Pinball is streaming on Hulu. 

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TV

Pistols (2021). I finished the series and thought it was excellent. They crammed in a lot in the last episode, but overall it was a lot of fun to watch. There is a lot of humor, mixed with gritty realism. Boyle brilliantly captures the feel, energy, and excitement of a punk rock show. I would definitely put this up there as one of Danny Boyle’s great works. I highly recommend it.

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BOOKS

I finished reading Ray Bradbury’s collection of short stories in I Sing the Body Electric! And Other Stories. Lots of great stories, especially “The Burning Man,” “The Lost City of Mars, “The Utterly Perfect Murder,” and “Punishment Without Crime.”

“The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson is a classic short story. Miss Strangeworth is what we would call an online troll. There is no evidence in the mean letters that she sends anonymously to the people of her small town. All she is doing is stirring up trouble. In her view, it is because people need to open their eyes and be aware of the evils lurking in the world. The brilliance of Jackson’s story is that good and evil are not dualistic but dialectical. That is, they are intertwined with each other. The idyllic fantasy is always threatened by something that wants to undo it. I am teaching this alongside Hitchcock’s Shadow a of Doubt. Both are examples of evil within small places.

 

 

Watched and Read - April 19, 2026

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

 

 

MOVIES

Sentimental Value, (2025), directed by Joachim Trier, is a very good movie with excellent performances from Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning. I particularly enjoyed the film’s melodramatic mood.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018), directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman, is one of my favorite animated films. It’s a great story about about finding yourself - for both young and old. Anyone can wear the mask.

The International (2009), directed by Tom Tykwer, is a good movie, with some good action, particularly the Guggenheim Museum sequence. But there are some questionable moments, such as Louis (Clive Owen) walking through traffic with a gun. The cars drive by him as if this were an everyday occurrence.

High and Low (1963), directed by Akira Kurosawa, is an excellent film by one of cinema’s greatest directors. Kurosawa did not direct many contemporary Japanese films, which makes this one fascinating, especially given that it is adapted from a Ed McBain novel. A must-see if you are exploring international cinema.

Take Aim at the Police Van (1960), directed by Seijun Suzuki, is a good Japanese film noir. The style is fast-paced and gritty. Criterion has curated a number of these films, which I plan to watch. Suzuki is known as one of the central figures of the Japanese New Wave.

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TV

Pistols (2022), directed by Danny Boyle. I’ve watched two episodes so far. What a great miniseries on the Sex Pistols. Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography is amazing. Pistols reminds me a lot of 24 Hour Party People (2002). A great miniseries so far.

I am also catching up on the new season of Bob’s Burgers. I loved the 300th anniversary episode where they tell the story of how Linda and Bob started the restaurant.

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BOOKS

I read a very good chapter on Hitchcock’s Frenzy by Luke Robinson. The chapter is from One Shot Hitchcock, where each writer analyzes one shot from one of Hitchcock’s films. Robinson focused on a shot of Barbara (Brenda Blaney) before she is murdered by Rusk (Barry Foster). Robinson provides some very interesting observations, particularly Hitchcock’s use of silence and its connection to death.

 

Watched and Read - April 12, 2026

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

 

MOVIES

Nuremberg (2025), directed by James Vanderbilt, is a good movie with great performances by Michael Shannon and John Slattery. But Russell Crowe’s performance as Hermann Göring is the highlight of the movie, and it’s frightening! I think Rami Malek was miscast as Douglas Kelley.

Out of the Past (1947), directed by Jacques Tourneur, is a classic noir. I love the cinematography and the labyrinthine plot. Great performances by Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. A must-see classical Hollywood film.

Yeast (2008), directed by Mary Bronstein. I caught this on the Criterion Channel. Yeast is considered a mumblecore movie. Criterion, however, does not list it as mumblecore in the description. Are they embarrassed by the term? Anyway! Mumblecore got attached to a bunch of indie filmmakers at the turn of the millennium. The Duplass brothers, Joe Swanberg, Andrew Bujalski, and Greta Gerwig all came out of this cool, little film movement. Yeast’s minimalist plot, emphasis on character, and realism definitely give the film a mumblecore vibe. Although, at times, the film feels amateur, I strangely enjoyed watching it.

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TV

Sebastian Maniscalco’s comedy special, It Ain’t Right, is really funny, especially his bits on Amazon deliveries and turning 50. It is streaming on Hulu.

Billy Idol Should Be Dead (2025). I was a little mixed on this documentary. I was hoping they would have gone more into the music and his band members rather than Idol’s drug issues. But then I should have known by the title of the documentary.

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BOOKS

I finished reading The Last Kings of Hollywood by Paul Fischer and thought it was an excellent read. I’ve read a lot of books and articles about New Hollywood cinema, and this was definitely one of the best. I think Fischer’s book and Peter Biskind’s, From Easy Rider to Raging Bull, are great companion pieces on that era in cinema.

I read Ray Bradbury’s short story, “The Lost City on Mars.” It is definitely one of the top stories in the collection, I Sing the Body Electric!, which I am almost done reading.

I also finished Dean Koontz’s, The Friend of the Family. It’s an excellent read and beautifully written. The story has a little bit of a Charles Dickens vibe. I highly recommend it.

 

 

Watched and Read - April 5, 2026

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

 

MOVIES

Project Hail Mary (2026), directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is definitely one of the best films I’ve seen this year so far. I love the novel, and I thought they did a great job adapting it for the screen. Ryan Gosling is amazing. Definitely check out the film on the big screen - the special effects are excellent.

The Fantastic Four: Four Steps (2025), directed by Matt Shakman, is a very entertaining film from Marvel's Cinematic Universe. I have not seen all of the MCU films since the third phase, but I really enjoyed Fantastic Four. I particularly like the film’s 1960s look and style. The film even piqued my interest in the next Avenger films.

American Graffiti (1973), directed by George Lucas, is one of my all time favorite movies. The story takes place over one night and is confined mostly to the cars cruising the strip. The film does not follow a traditional narrative structure. Rather than focusing on one main character, the film crosscuts between four characters, Curt, Steve, John, and Kerry. If there is any star of the film it is the music. As much as I love Star Wars, I wish Lucas made more of these types of films.

Michael Clayton (2007), directed by Tony Gilroy, is an excellent thriller about a fixer, played by George Clooney, who works for a big law firm in New York City. The performances from Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Wilkinson are outstanding. Some of the movie was filmed where I grew up in the Hudson Valley. One of my favorite scenes takes place at the Moodna Viaduct. I highly recommend it.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is a great one from the legendary Japanese animator. I teach this for my film course and always enjoy watching it. I particularly love the film’s European architecture.

Is This Thing On? (2025). I was mixed on Bradley Cooper’s new movie. The story was a little too jumpy for me. And some of the dramatic moments were not believable. But I did like the way they shot the movie. 

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TV

I Am Chris Farley (2015) is a very good documentary that chronicles Farely’s beginning as a comedian at Second City to SNL and his final years in Hollywood. Farley was an amazing talent. I can watch his SNL skits over and over.

I am catching up on the new seasons of Family Guy and Futurama. Both are starting out very good. I even went back to American Dad!, which is on Fox again. The first episode of the new season is fun. I got burned out on American Dad! when I watched it on TBS. But I really enjoyed what I watched from the new season.

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BOOKS

I read a very good article on teen and youth films by Timothy Shary. Shary provides a great overview of the history of young people in cinema. He offers different sub-genre of teen movies that begin with what he terms “The Multiplex Generation,” which is really about Generation X and older Millennials. The article ends in the early 2000s. But his book, Teen Movies: A Century of American Youth, explores more recent Generation Z movies.

 

 

Watched and Read - March 29, 2026

 

Here’s what I watched and read…

MOVIES

The Long Walk (2025), directed by Francis Lawrence, is not a bad adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. I enjoyed the performances by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. The novel, however, is more impactful than the film, but it is still worth checking out.

Let’s Get Lost (1988), directed by Bruce Weber, is an excellent and engaging documentary about jazz singer and trumpeter Chet Baker. The footage cuts back and forth between the past and present. The documentary includes interviews with Baker’s family and features great performances by Baker himself.

Remote Control (1988), directed by Jeff Liebermanl. I caught this one on the Criterion Channel. Kind of campy. Might be intentionally bad, but it has an interesting premise as an homage to 1950s sci-fi cinema.

Blackberry (2023), directed by Matt Johnson, is a very engaging movie. At times, the “nerdom” was a little bit over the top. But overall I really enjoyed learning about the rise and fall of the BlackBerry phone. Worth checking out.

Alan Pakula: Going for Truth (2019), directed by Matthew Miele, is a good documentary on Pakula’s film career. The documentary devotes a good portion to Pakula’s paranoia trilogy of the 1970s: Klute, The Parallax View, and All The President’s Men. The documentary made me want to revisit some of his films.

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TV

Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride (2026). This is a funny and very heartfelt one-man-show about Jeff Ross’s life. It was recently on Broadway and is now available on Netflix. I was very moved by his story, and I highly recommend it.

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BOOKS

I am currently reading Dean Koontz’s new book, The Friend of the Family and am very much enjoying it. I am also reading The Last Kings of Hollywood by Paul Fischer, which I am also enjoying.