Chris Cookson
Movies to Watch After a Breakup
They say two things in life are inevitable: death and taxes. I argue that there is a third inevitability: Movies for a Breakup. No matter how you protect your heart, if you care for someone you will have your heart broken in time. It doesn’t matter if you are the one ending the relationship or
The Watercooler Guide to Shadow and Bone: Season 2
It has been almost two years since Netflix’s epic fantasy series Shadow and Bone captured 55 million viewers in its first month, hitting #1 in 79 countries around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia, Spain, South Africa, and the U.S. The much-anticipated second season finally arrives Thursday, March 16th, and fans can hardly wait.
The Watercooler Guide to Daisy Jones and the Six
If scoring a voyeuristic backstage pass to the drama and drugs of a world-famous 70s rock band sounds like a dream come true, then here is Guide to Daisy Jones and the Six, Amazon Prime’s limited series Daisy Jones and the Six is a must-see this March. The show stars Riley Keough (Mad Max Fury
12 Book Adaptations to Get Excited About
With each New Year comes a fresh lineup of literary adaptations, and 2023 will not disappoint audiences. Much-anticipated sequels (Dune, Shadow and Bone) finally arrive to satiate followers. Beloved classics (Wonka, The Color Purple) get new spins—and songs. Judy Blume adds another film adaptation to her career as an author, as does Bram Stoker. Whether
Operation Mincemeat
This isn’t a high-octane spy thriller or a war film in the style of Saving Private Ryan. It’s a quiet piece whose entertainment value is found in the incredulous fact that this really did happen, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.
Parallels
This French time-travel series on Disney+ has been compared to Stranger Things and Dark, but you can actually watch it with your kids.
The Real History Behind Our Flag Means Death
Our Flag Means Death is based (very loosely) on real historical figures, but the true story of Stede Bonnet and the legendary pirate Blackbeard is even wilder.
Our Flag Means Death
Our Flag Means Death is a fun escape into the absurd, and we could all use a reminder that even in the 1700s people had mid-life crises and needed to escape reality as much as we do today.
Book Adaptations We’re Looking forward to in 2022
As we enter 2022 we have a brand new and substantial slate of literary adaptations coming to big and small screens near you. From romance to horror to war stories, set in worlds both familiar and fantastic (or even both), there’s bound to be something here to appeal to every kind of fan.
Chris Cookson
Star Trek: Prodigy
The values of Star Trek, and then some: unity, diversity, individuality, optimism, idealism and hope. What more could you ask for? How about the return of Captain Janeway? Yeah, it’s got that too.
Colin in Black & White
You’ll want to talk about this scripted dramatic series about Colin Kaepernick’s childhood – created by Ava DuVernay and Kaepernick – which reveals how he faced down racism and classism while rising to the top of the sports world.
Book vs. Movie: Denis Villeneuve’s Dune
Will the latest version of Dune capture the hearts of loyal readers as well as new audiences? Maybe.
Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building is a gripping mystery with a touch of comedy, a strong sense of style, and charm to spare. There’s nothing else like it on TV right now.
Halloween Kills
Halloween Kills is a worthy entry in the Halloween franchise. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s an above-average slasher movie that will get you in the spooky season mood.
Watch These Sopranos Episodes to Appreciate The Many Saints of Newark
Thanks to the recently released prequel film The Many Saints of Newark, a lot of viewers are rediscovering—or even discovering for the first time—the brilliance of The Sopranos (which scored record ratings on HBO Max in the wake of the film’s release). In case you don’t have time to binge all six seasons of the
On My Block
A clever, witty, and endearing look at the lives of inner-city teenagers that will make you laugh out loud but also sob uncontrollably. On My Block is the perfect blend of romance, drama, and comedy, a true standout in the world of teen drama.
What to Watch After Squid Game
If you happen to be one of the many, many viewers who have already burned through all nine episodes on Netflix, you’re probably going through a lot of feelings right now. If one of them is indecision over what to watch next, we can help with that.
The Many Saints of Newark
While it can’t be compared to The Sopranos, the prequel Many Saints of Newark opens a new angle on the anti-hero standard, and for better or worse, it will make you remember the classic HBO series even more fondly.
A Watercooler Watch: Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything
Before social media and podcasts, there was one undeniable truth about news-making interviews: if a story mattered, Barbara Walters would be the one to tell it. Landing a one-on-one with her didn’t just mean publicity, it meant you had become part of a national conversation. But while the interview signified that you had made it,
A Need-to-Know Guide to The Buccaneers
Was life in the Gilded Age all that gilded? In the HBO Max series, penned by Downton Abbey’s creator Julian Fellowes, the focus is on the class divide between America’s old money aristocrats and new money industrialists, and the often exhausting rules of “society.” Apple TV’s The Buccaneers, which just returned for its second season,
A Watercooler Guide to The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson’s Oil-Baron Fever Dream
Wes Anderson films are easy to spot, but not always easy to describe. Watching them feels like stepping inside a handcrafted diorama of history: symmetrical, stylized, and slightly sentimental. From the wry narration and sharp color palettes to his signature whip pans and deadpan dialogue, Anderson crafts cinematic worlds where emotions are bottled then uncorked
A Need-to-Know Guide to And Just Like That…
It’s been a two year wait, but Carrie Bradshaw and her tribe of fabulous fifty-somethings are finally back with their third season. You’d be forgiven if you lost track of the Sex and the City sequel and its storylines. But with summer’s planes, trains, and automobiles and rained-in weekends, And Just Like That might be
Bring Her Back
A psychological horror film with standout performances, Bring Her Back isn’t just about summoning the dead, it’s about confronting the parts of ourselves we lose in the process. The Philippou brothers have crafted a film that dares to ask whether the true horror lies in what we’re willing to do in the name of love.
The Something for Everyone Show: Poker Face is Back
Can’t agree on what to watch together? Consider putting on your Poker Face. Peacock’s acclaimed mystery-of-the-week series created by Rian Johnson (best known for Star Wars: The Last Jedi and, most relevant here, the Glass Onion films) and starring Natasha Lyonne, is finally back for another season after two long years. That’s great news for
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
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.