Samantha James

Samantha James is the author and founder of The Chronicles of History, a site dedicated to history, archeology, historical fiction, literature, and book reviews. She also co-leads the History Group, a social community of 22,000+ buffs.
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Mary & George

A clever, dark and salacious historical drama that brings a much overlooked chapter of European history to vivid life. Mary & George is a richly drawn, rough and raunchy story about the quest for power – and survival – in 16th century England.

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Vikings Valhalla S2

An emotionally intense coming-of-age story underlies Vikings Valhalla, which tackles the tumultuous High Middle Ages and power shift across Europe with all the heroics, gore, and sex of its predecessor.

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It’s not HBO, it’s The Pitt: How streamers are embracing old TV network models  

“It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” Remember that old tagline? For nearly all of its history, broadcast television has been fighting against the perception that it’s subordinate to film as a storytelling medium. Television was just media for the masses, as opposed to the more erudite aficionados of cinema (who, by the way, poured into theaters

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Boyhood

Boyhood captures the importance of moments in time as people grow up and contests the idea that any singular moment is defining to your childhood. It’s a film filled with the full breadth of the emotions of childhood, conveying each one delicately to leave you reflecting on its many pensive conversations. 

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Why Andor is Luring in Non-Star Wars Fans

An edgier Star Wars prequel with a timely story about rebellion, Andor skips some of the more familiar elements of the franchise — from lightsabers to Jedi to the Force — in favor of a more grounded story with parallels in both history and our current moment. While it sets up the legendary world of

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Inside the War Zone: A sit down with Warfare’s director and cast

A harrowing new film from Alex Garland’s production banner, Warfare drops viewers into a real-time combat mission in Iraq. Set in 2006, it follows a team of Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone awry. Co-written and co-directed by Garland and Ray Mendoza—whose own platoon was ambushed during the real-life event—the film is both brutal

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Black Bag

A taut, stylish and steamy take on the high-stakes espionage thriller, Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag keeps you second-guessing every character’s motives until the very end. The tension, the suspicion, the sense that the walls are closing in? It’s all here.

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The Icon Party: The Cast & Producers on Mid Century Modern

A nostalgic tribute to classic sitcoms that adds some R-rated edge, Mid Century Modern has all the making’s of a breakout hit. It follows three gay best friends – played by Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Nathan Lee Graham – who decide to live out their golden years together in Palm Springs after the unexpected

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Lonely Planet

If you’re starting over after a breakup, facing some midlife questions, or looking for a date night movie that might inspire a romantic vacation, add this Moroccan adventure to your watchlist.

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A Watercooler Guide to Hollywood Satire The Studio

A perfectly-timed send-up that is already driving more water cooler talk than the blockbuster movie machines it satirizes, Apple’s star-studded new comedy The Studio just dropped its first two episodes, and the series is sure to be watched and discussed all the way to September’s Emmy awards. Created by one of the most prolific producing

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The stars of Manhunt on the history we did not learn

It’s a story that none of us learned in history classes, and it unfolds as a taut, complex conspiracy thriller — one that raises all new questions. Set in 1865, Manhunt focuses on the aftermath of one of America’s most tragic events: the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. With all of the biopics, TV shows, and

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The Iron Claw

A moving and nostalgic homage to the sport of wrestling and one of its most beloved families, Iron Claw will fully immerse you into an era and a world that many misunderstand, ultimately telling a story about the potency of a family’s bonds.

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Your Seasonal Mood Lift Movie Watchlist

How to cure your Season Mood funk? These 10 movies and TV series will lift you out of your winter blues and inspire your next vacation.

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Transport Me: The Best International Horror Movies

Most horror aficionados have seen the American classics and their derivatives: The Shining, The Exorcist, all the Halloween movies, or the other big franchises. Disturbing in their own ways, American horror often follows predictable patterns and tropes. If you’re ready to explore some new worlds and watch something unexpected, it’s time to head overseas. Each

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A Conversation Guide to Oscars’ Best Picture Contenders

It’s been nearly 30 years since a blockbuster won the big prize at the Academy Awards. The year Titanic won, in 1998, 57 million people tuned in for the awards show. Compare that to the 10.4 million who watched the 2021 ceremony, the year after Covid sunk the theatrical movie business, and you can see

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Lisa Frankenstein

A fresh spin on the campy monster comedy that fully embraces the absurdities of its source material, Lisa Frankenstein subverts familiar tropes and charts its own imaginative path, ultimately moving the genre forward.

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Navalny

In the wake of his death in a Russian prison, Navalny is a timely, tense real life espionage thriller with a call to action.  

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AlRawabi School for Girls

A fun, well-written high school drama, AlRawabi School for Girls brings a fresh perspective to some of the universal challenges facing teenagers today while opening a window into the unique challenges facing Jordanian girls.

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A Valentine’s Day Watchlist for Every Mood

The inescapable Valentine’s Day hype creates tumult for many while opening up a whole new  dimension of decision paralysis: What, exactly, to watch? To help you navigate the overwhelm of new releases and resurfaced romcoms, our writers sifted out the best movies and TV series to watch based on your mood and status. Transport Me

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