Weekly Digest
Watch List Weekly Recap 4/7/23
Featuring a spring thaw, a deep dive into film scoring, and the first great movie of 2023.
Ty Burr
Good Movies 📽
What to Watch: "Air" Apparent
Directed with wit and flair by Ben Affleck, “Air” is the first bona fide crowd-pleaser of 2023. Plus pointers to films and shows new and old, in theaters and on VOD.
Podcast
Classics of the New Millennium: "Michael Clayton" with Mason Daring
The film composer for John Sayles (among others) on what makes great movie music -- and why James Newton Howard's score rules.
Notes on a Change of Season
Twitter is dying. The birds are returning. An electorate comes alive.
Weekly Digest
Watch List Weekly Recap 3/30/23
March goes out like a lamb with a Keanu encomium and six best bets in theaters and on VOD. ("Rye Lane," people.)
Good Movies 📽
What To Watch: Post-Op Edition
"Rye Lane" on Hulu is a romcom tonic for the coming of spring; plus six other good movie bets across the VOD spectrum
The full Keanu: Mellowest guy on the planet to onscreen killing machine
As ‘John Wick’ enters what might be its final chapter, Keanu Reeves remains appealingly hard to pin down. (Reprinted from the Washington Post)
Weekly Digest
Watch List Weekly Recap 3/24/23
A brief bubble of air as the Watch List continues to mend.
Good Movies 📽
Bardo, or Unforeseen Consequences of a Medical Intervention
A half-post while the Watch List recuperates.
Weekly Digest
Watch List Weekly Recap 3/7/23
The nicest Oscars in years, Happy 90th to Sir Michael Caine, and a new podcast on an ever-burning movie and subject.
Podcast
Classics of the New Millennium: "4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days" with Dana Stevens
Slate's film critic and I discuss the powerful 2007 Romanian drama about abortion, friendship, and everyday sainthood.
Awards 🏆
Everything Everywhere All at the Oscars
The multiverse comes out on top at a grateful and gracious 95th Academy Awards.