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.

Watched and Read - December 21, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read…

MOVIES

 

Eyes Wide Shut (1999), directed by Stanley Kubrick. The Criterion Blu-ray looks amazing. I love this film so much and think it’s one of Kubrick’s most personal films. The second disc has lots of extras. I really enjoyed hearing Larry Smith, the DP, talk about how he lit the film. The interview with Lisa Leone is great as well. 

American Psycho (2000), directed by Mary Harron, is a funny and disturbing film about Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a yuppie who works on Wall Street and also happens to be a serial killer. I love the ambiguity of Bateman’s character. We never know for sure whether he imagines the violence he inflicts on his victims or if it’s real. There are clues to this throughout the film, but no clear answers. A cult classic.

Megadoc (2025), directed by Mike Figgis, is a documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. The documentary follows the film’s entire production. I would have loved to see how Coppola edited the film and how it was released into theaters, but that’s not what the documentary is about. Still, I very much enjoyed it. Megalopolis, on the other hand, is kind of a mess that I nonetheless somewhat enjoyed. Who knows? Maybe we’ll view it differently in twenty years.

Maggie’s Plan (2015), directed by Rebecca Miller, is a romantic comedy with some funny moments. The casting is strong, although most of the characters are unlikable. It was also cool to see Žižek referenced, though I highly doubt that Ethan Hawke’s character loves Žižek’s books.

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TV

I finished the fifth season of Slow Horses and thought it was outstanding. It might be one of my favorite seasons. The unfortunate thing is that now I have to wait until next year for season six.

I very much enjoyed Welcome to Derry. At first, I thought Pennywise would lose its scare factor, but it didn’t. The writers came up with many clever ideas that build on and complement King’s novel while still creating scary moments.

The Beast in Me. I’m really enjoying this so far. The setup is great. The chemistry between Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys is really good. I can’t wait to watch more episodes.

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BOOKS

I am currently reading Slavoj Žižek’s Surplus Enjoyment, which has been excellent so far. I’m also halfway through Cameron Crowe’s The Uncool, which I am immensely enjoying.

Watched and Read - December 14, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

 

 

MOVIES

Jay Kelly (2025), directed by Noah Baumbach, is an excellent film, featuring strong performances by Adam Sandler and Laura Dern. It is definitely one of George Clooney’s best acting roles since The Descendants. The film reminded me somewhat of The Player, as well as 8½ and perhaps even Death in Venice. It is definitely one of the top films of 2025.

The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema (2006), directed by Sophie Fiennes, is a three-part documentary featuring philosopher Slavoj Žižek, who analyzes a range of films through the lens of psychoanalytic theory. I have always found the sections on the gaze, fantasy, and ontology the most fascinating. I am particularly drawn to his argument that reality is ontologically incomplete and that we are always haunted by an ultimate version of ourselves. As I am finishing my book on Hitchcock, I wanted to revisit the documentary, since many of the concepts Žižek discusses are central to my work.

The Million Dollar Hotel (2000), directed by Wim Wenders, is another film featured on the Criterion Channel as part of a collection centered on hotels. The film follows an ensemble cast of eclectic characters who live in a hotel. Filmed at the Rosslyn Hotel in Los Angeles, the plot involves the murder of one of the residents, though the film is less a traditional whodunit than an atmospheric character study centered on Tom Tom (Jeremy Davies) and Eloise (Milla Jovovich). Bono shares a story credit, and U2 contributes several songs to the soundtrack. It takes some time to adjust to Davies’s unusual performance, and the film is slow-paced—as most of Wenders’s films are. While it is nowhere near as great as Paris, Texas or Wings of Desire, or even Perfect Days, which I loved, it is still worth checking out.

My Blueberry Nights (2007) is not as strong as Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love or Chungking Express, but it is still worth seeing, especially for Darius Khondji’s awesome cinematography.

Mahjong (1996) is the last Edward Yang film I watched on the Criterion Channel, and I enjoyed it. Of all the Yang films I’ve seen so far, this one has the most humor.

 

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TV

I finished the fourth season of Slow Horses and found it the toughest to watch. As always, there are big surprises and strong performances, but this is by far the most violent season.

 

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BOOKS

I’m almost finished reading Slavoj Žižek’s Quantum History: A New Materialist Philosophy (2025). Žižek offers some intriguing interpretations of ontology through the lens of quantum mechanics. He has been writing on this topic for some time, and I’ve never fully understood his arguments before, but I think I finally grasp what he’s getting at this time. I’ll try to write a review of the book once I’m finished.

 

Watched and Read - December 7, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

MOVIES

Four Rooms (1995) is featured on the Criterion Channel in a collection of films that take place in hotels. I hadn’t seen it in a long time and thought it would be fun to revisit. It’s not a very good movie. The sets and the lighting are awful—the whole thing feels thrown together and rushed. The only segment worth checking out is Robert Rodriguez’s.

Somewhere (2010), directed by Sofia Coppola, is a film about Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff), a movie star going through an existential crisis. Recently divorced, he has an eleven-year-old daughter, Cleo, played by Elle Fanning. He lives at the Chateau Marmont, the famous hotel in Los Angeles. The film is slow-paced and beautifully meditative, emphasizing atmosphere over plot. It’s a great companion piece to Lost in Translation.

 

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TV

I finished season three of Slow Horses and loved it. I don’t want to spoil anything if you haven’t seen it, but I really liked the time frame of this season. As I’ve mentioned before, there are lots of twists and turns, along with great performances. A very cool series.

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BOOKS

Keith Rosson’s Coffin Road is a gritty vampire story set in the 1970s. Duane Minor has recently returned from Vietnam and is struggling with the traumas of war. He works at a bar run by his in-laws while caring for his thirteen-year-old niece, Julia, who is also battling her own traumatic past. A major event occurs that changes Duane’s life forever. I love Rosson’s visceral writing style—each sentence has a film noir–like punch to it, and some of the horror is gruesome. I definitely recommend this novel, as well as his recent book series Fever House and Devil by Name.

Watched and Read - November 23, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week…

MOVIES

It’s Impossible to Plow by Reading Books (1988) is Richard Linklater’s first film, which he shot on 8mm. It follows a year in Linklater’s life, involving travel to visit a friend, riding trains, preparing dinner, watching television, and more. The film grew on me as I found myself curious about what he would do next. It’s a film you have to lean into and let its language draw you in. Plow’s slow pace and spontaneity contain the seeds of Slacker (1991), the film that would launch Linklater’s career.

Days of Heaven (1978) is another beautiful and haunting film by Terence Malick. The cinematography is stunning—one of those films you could watch with the sound off and still be mesmerized by the images alone. It’s hard to believe Malick didn’t make another film until The Thin Red Line, nearly 20 years later.

Frenzy (1972). I watched it again for research, as the film provides the conclusion of my manuscript on Alfred Hitchcock. Although there is much to appreciate about Hitchcock’s final film, Family Plot, Frenzy is truly his last great work—some even call it his final masterpiece. My research focuses on the expression of horror and the Gothic in his films. My book proposal is almost ready, and I’ll be sharing updates as the process unfolds. It’s been an amazing journey writing about Hitch.

 

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TV

Slow Horses is an exciting series with some great twists. Gary Oldman’s performance is outstanding, and I love Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner. I’m looking forward to watching more episodes.

Welcome to Derry: Episode four was probably the least action-packed of the episodes so far this season, but it served an important purpose in bringing us closer to Pennywise and setting up the stakes for the rest of the season, especially for Charlotte (Taylour Paige), who is turning out to be a great character. Lastly, that eye-horror scene was gruesome. Eek!

I watched the fourth episode of Pluribus and I’m getting the same feelings I had when I first watched Breaking Bad. Gilligan does such a great job sustaining my curiosity and building anticipation about what’s going to happen next to Carol (Rhea Seehorn). Just like with Breaking Bad, I wish I didn’t have to wait each week for the next episode.

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BOOKS

The Subject of Torture by Hilary Neroni. A great read, especially for those interested in psychoanalytic theory and media. Her writing is highly accessible and supported by strong examples. See my post.

Watched and Read - November 16, 2025

 Here's what I watched and read last week:

MOVIES

A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987) is another high-octane action film from John Woo. It’s not as good as the first movie, but I still enjoyed it. I especially loved Woo’s depiction of Americans in the New York sequence—so over the top! I couldn’t stop laughing.

The Blue Gardenia (1953) is part of Criterion’s “blackout” noir theme. I read online that it’s one of Fritz Lang’s “newspaper noirs,” and I really enjoyed it. There’s a good twist at the end, and Anne Baxter gives a great performance.

Guilty Bystander (1950) was the last film I watched from Criterion’s “blackout” noir theme. I didn’t really connect with it, but I thought the subway sequence was very well done.

Badlands (1973) is a haunting and poetic film by Terrence Malick. The juxtaposition of Kit’s (Martin Sheen) violent killing spree with the sprawling Midwest landscape is deeply unsettling. Malick’s first film is one of his best.

Nouvelle Vague (2025) is an excellent and fun new film by Richard Linklater that wonderfully and beautifully recreates Jean-Luc Godard’s making of Breathless (1960). The French New Wave is one of the most significant movements in the history of cinema, and I thought Linklater did a wonderful job capturing the spirit and spontaneity of these filmmakers.

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TV

We finished Death by Lightning. This was such an awesome series with great performances. I enjoyed learning about Garfield and what led to his assassination.

Welcome to Derry, episode 3. The series keeps getting better with each episode. The writers are doing a great job working from King’s book while creating new and very interesting stories. It also has a great ensemble cast. I particularly enjoyed Rose and Francis’s relationship.

I love Vince Gilligan’s new series Pluribus. The tone and style are very similar to Breaking Bad, but it’s science fiction. It definitely gave me an Invasion of the Body Snatchers vibe, but with humor. Rhea Seehorn gives an outstanding performance.

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BOOKS

I am currently rereading Hilary Neroni’s book The Subject of Torture. It’s great revisiting it, and it offers some excellent insights into the fantasy of torture in media. I’ll write and post a review once I’m finished.

I halfway through Joe Hill’s book King Sorrow and loving it. This might be his best book yet.

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ME NEWS

My new book, Last Stand, is now available for purchase. It is the third and final book in the Zworsky’s Children series.

Watched and Read - November 9, 2025

 

Here’s what I watched and read last week:

MOVIES

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025) centers on Bruce Springsteen as he writes the songs that would eventually become the albums Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A. Even if you’re not a Springsteen fan, this is a must-see for musicians. Scott Cooper creates a moody atmosphere that mirrors the dissonant, echoing sound Springsteen captured on the cassette recordings of his songs. I also loved the detail that the cassette had no case—it perfectly reflects the raw realism Springsteen was striving for in these sessions. Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong both deserve award nominations for their performances. An excellent film.

Frankenstein (2025) is an outstanding film by Guillermo del Toro. I’d rank it right alongside The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. The film has a richly Gothic atmosphere and beautifully written dialogue. Every performance is excellent—especially Jacob Elordi, who delivers a haunting portrayal of the “monster.”

 

 

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost (2025) is an intimate documentary about Ben Stiller’s parents. I didn’t realize they were such a prominent comedy duo during the early days of television. I also enjoyed learning about Ben Stiller’s childhood with famous parents, though it was sad hearing him talk about his own marital struggles, some of which mirrored those of his parents.

Who Killed the Montreal Expos (2025) brought back a lot of memories for me. I was living in Burlington, Vermont, and could watch the Expos on TV before they moved to D.C. to become the Nationals. I remember how sad it was to see such low attendance at the stadium, unless the Red Sox were playing. I think the documentary would have benefited from telling the story chronologically rather than jumping around, but overall, I really enjoyed it.

Superman (2025) features some great secondary characters, especially Mister Terrific, Green Lantern, and Krypto the dog. James Gunn’s strength has always been portraying misfits, as seen in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, which is why I found his take on Superman less engaging. He also relied on Krypto a bit too often to get Superman out of tough situations. However, I thought Techmacher’s secret relationship with Jimmy Olsen was hilarious.

Black Angel (1946). The Criterion Channel is curating a series of noir films centered on the theme of “blackout.” This one has a strong setup and a great twist at the end. I always love seeing Peter Lorre. The story is adapted from a novel by Cornell Woolrich, who also wrote the short story “It Had to Be Murder,” which Rear Window was based on.

Framed (1947). This film is another entry in Criterion’s “blackout” noir series. Mike Lambert (Glenn Ford) is a drifter and heavy drinker who winds up in a small town looking for work, only to get caught up in femme fatale Paula Craig’s (Janis Carter) scheme involving a banker who has embezzled two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I always enjoy watching Ford. Framed doesn’t quite measure up to Gilda, The Big Heat, or Human Desire, which starred Ford, but it’s still worth checking out.

Blackout (1954) is another entry in Criterion’s “blackout” noir series. I didn’t really connect with this one, but it was interesting to learn that it was made by Hammer Productions, best known for its classic horror films.

Deadline at Dawn (1946) is the fourth film I’ve watched from Criterion’s “blackout” noir series. It’s not a bad movie and has a solid twist at the end. The dialogue, written by Clifford Odets, is sharp, and I liked that the story unfolds entirely over the course of one night.

 

 

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TV

Death by Lighting (2025). I’m really enjoying this series. Michael Shannon is great, but I am still adjusting to Matthew Macfayden as Charles Guiteau who plays the role with intense mania. I hate to admit this, but I know little about James Garfield, only that he was assassinated shortly into his presidency. So, I’m finding this series fascinating, and its making me want to learn more about him, which I think is a mark of a good historical drama.

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BOOKS

Tales from the Crypt Vol. 2: Another great volume of EC horror comics from the 1950s. It was a lot of fun to read during the Halloween season.

I am currently reading Joe Hill’s King Sorrow, which I am thoroughly enjoying. It’s a long book, and I probably won’t finish it until December, but it’s very engaging.