JR Atkinson
Teen Romance for the Sweltering Summer
There’s a particular teenage feeling of promise to summer for me. School is out, the sun is beating, and the space between June and September seems big enough to live a lifetime in. Even for someone staunchly past teenhood, the tickle of summertime is exciting, Teen Romance For Sweltering Summer and self-transformation– and these are
The Curse
As strange as it is funny and as thoughtful as it is surprising, The Curse is as unique a viewing experience as they come. I was first drawn in by the sharp satire and stayed for the company of its richly envisioned characters.
20-Something & Figuring it Out: A Post-College Watchlist
I’ve grown accustomed to seeing people my age on screen. The problem is, 23-year-olds are usually playing high schoolers. And while I’ve relished the avalanche of shows and movies about high school’s clique-ridden trials, and even the few that explore college’s rich landscape by College Watchlist, I was ready for something that reflected my own
If You Were the Last
Though it’s squarely a rom-com, If You Were the Last will pique the curiosity of the sci-fi lover. It’s a date night movie with an undeniable sweetness that never crosses over to cheesy.
Fair Play
A psychosexual thriller with equal parts boardroom and bedroom drama, Fair Play has elements of a gender issue parable in the vein of Promising Young Woman while feeling truer to the thriller genre. With plenty of Watercooler-worthy moments, it has already inspired plenty of social media discourse. Get in while the getting’s fresh.
Bottoms
For lovers of the classic teen sex comedy, Bottoms has much to offer: well-played comedy, over-the-top antics, and underdogs to root for. But those in the market for something fresh will be even more rewarded, as the film flips the script on a well-worn genre. Deservedly so, because anyone who’s been an awkward teen girl
Telemarketers
Telemarketers mixes stranger-than-fiction characters, high-level mystery, and drug-fueled thrills, with the intrigue of a pulpy true crime flick. It’s as journalistically interesting as it is entertaining. Anyone who’s been on the receiving end of a telemarketing call (which is virtually everyone) is in for a shocking treat, as the scene you might imagine is on
The Best of the Barbie Watercooler
This weekend was the biggest of the year for water cooler conversations across the country – and even the world. I saw Barbie on Thursday, the first day it was in theaters in New York City, and I had to get tickets a week in advance. Part of me was annoyed to be participating in
Theater Camp
Theater Camp is a treat for those who remember what it’s like to be young and to have a dream, and who haven’t forgotten all the sweat and ambition that comes with it, and how it can feel like the most important thing that has ever happened. The world of AdirondACTS is richly envisioned, and
JR Atkinson
Asteroid City
Asteroid City is like a trip to a resort — it’s fun, colorful, outwardly buoyant and a little soulless, a potent combination that makes it both a pinnacle of Wes Anderson’s style and a slight miss as a narrative picture.
Riviera
If you’re looking for a glitzy, sexy, escape, Riviera serves up three seasons of a lush, soapy mystery series dripping in yachts, conspiracies, globe trotting art world intrigue, and spy thriller plots that include a somewhat timely Russian threat.
Joy Ride
A truly joyous escape watch with uproarious scenes and must-find soundtrack, Joy Ride resonates on surprisingly deeper levels, reminding us of the transformative power of friendship, laughter, and adventure.
What AI Can’t Tell You About The Bear S2
The Bear just returned for its second season The Bear Season 2 on Hulu, and we threw a party in Brooklyn, home of star Jeremy Allen White. For the uninitiated, and those unwittingly relying on AI bot reviews, we are talking about the show set in a Chicago sandwich shop – not the movie about
The Bear S1
The Bear is a fast-tempo character study set behind the scenes of a family-run Chicago restaurant. It invites you in to pull up a chair and watch the drama unfold, but never lets you get too comfortable.
The Blackening Stars on Busting Tropes and Favorite Films
It may sound like a familiar premise with The Blackening Stars: During a weekend getaway in celebration of Juneteenth, a group of Black friends find themselves stranded inside a cabin, and forced to participate in a game by a disturbed killer. Jay Pharaoh, Antoinette Robinson, and Melvin Gregg. But this a different movie, and the
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Stories about pre-teen girls find a natural rhythm with the hero’s journey. The call to adventure, facing allies and enemies, crossing the threshold of the mortal world—an eleven-year-old girl can experience all of this during one lunch period. When Margaret moves from Manhattan to suburban New Jersey, it begins her harrowing journey through the messiness,
You Hurt My Feelings
A rare grown-up comedy that hits home while delivering an escape, You Hurt My Feelings has something to say about the power of both honesty and vulnerability in helping us connect.
The Greatest Show on Earth: Springsteen, E Street and ‘Road Diary’
Having been a music journalist for over 30 years for the likes of Rolling Stone, The L.A. Times, Billboard, Chicago Tribune and pretty much everywhere else, I have been to easily 5000 plus shows. I can safely say there is nothing on earth like being at a Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band show.
Shrinking‘s Christa Miller on Season 2, Dating Advice & Her Watchlist
She’s been a familiar face in living rooms since she broke out as Kate on the hit 90s sitcom The Drew Carey Show, followed by her role as the jaded Jordan Sullivan in Scrubs. More recently she was part of the Cougar Town trio with Courtney Cox and Busy Phillips. And if you’ve been watching
Defying Gravity: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Christopher Reeve will forever be remembered as the face of the Man of Steel, yes, despite the many well-known actors who have donned the big blue cape in his wake. But in this stirring, intimate documentary premiering only in theaters, the lesser known story of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons is revealed, and it’s
Irresistible
A post-election escape watch from Jon Stewart, the 2020 political satire works as an entertaining crash course on local campaign organizing while doubling as an expose on the dysfunctions of the “election economy.”
A Career Reinvention Watchlist
As layoffs continue in the wake of a year of ominous headlines about the bots who are replacing us, a recent EY report found that over 70% of employees are reeling from AI anxiety. That actually sounds low. The idea of having to concoct a new livelihood – one that won’t be taken over by
A Watercooler Guide to Emma Stone’s Kinds of Kindness
With so many franchises, sequels and prequels arriving in theaters, we get accustomed to seeing familiar worlds and their predictable three-act structures. Then a three-hour theatrical release comes along that defies any simple explanation, and you have no idea what you’re getting into. Kinds of Kindness is that kind of film. With a top-notch cast
The Boys creator Eric Kripke on the hit show’s timely parallels, his inspirations, and what to watch next
The Boys creator Eric Kripke gives an exclusive interview about hit show and its parallels to our own election, and the inspirations behind its Black female vice president, its homicidal dictator, and Kripke’s mind.
Teen Romance for the Sweltering Summer
There’s a particular teenage feeling of promise to summer for me. School is out, the sun is beating, and the space between June and September seems big enough to live a lifetime in. Even for someone staunchly past teenhood, the tickle of summertime is exciting, Teen Romance For Sweltering Summer and self-transformation– and these are