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
The Adam Project
The Adam Project is one of those movies you go into imagining big explosions and kids hilariously making life-or-death decisions (like Zathura, for example). And, to be sure it throws everything it has at the wall and then some: time-travel jiu jitsu soldiers, a stacked all-star cast, and lots of heart.
The Wildest Documentaries Streaming on Netflix
Truth can be stranger than fiction, as you’ll discover in these Netflix documentaries filled with true crime, cults, and colorful characters.
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.
Pam & Tommy
Riding the current trend of dramatized real-life events to the limits, Pam & Tommy does an excellent job of comparing what happened to everyone involved with our still-evolving attitudes surrounding sex, consent, and pornography today.
Together Together
This film is heartwarming and heartbreaking in all the ways you want in a character-driven indie about a subject matter that we need to talk more about.
Catching up on Outlander: The Story So Far
Outlander is finally back after two long years and we’ve got a handy refresher to catch you up on everything that’s happened since Season 1.
Understanding Russia & Ukraine: What to Watch for Context
The best films and series to watch for a deeper understanding of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the historical events that led up to the current conflict.
Oscar Broadcasts Then and Now: How the Academy Awards Have Changed
The Academy has drawn criticism for changing the format of the Oscars this year, but it’s not the first time they’ve switched things up.
King Richard
A riveting and thoughtful look at all of the extraordinary members of the Williams family, King Richard is the rare Oscar caliber film that entertains as it inspires, shedding new light on the lives of two of the most iconic athletes of our time and what they and their parents had to overcome.
What Franklin Can Teach Us About Diplomacy
As conflicts rage on across the world and the need for diplomacy rises, the new Apple TV+ series Franklin — about America’s first diplomat — offers lessons for our times, as a former speechwriter for the US Ambassador to the UN explains.
Rising Star: Our Interview with Dune & The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare‘s Babs Olusanmokun
He is best known for his recent breakout sci-fi roles – from the fierce fighter Doctor M’Benga in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to Jamis – the Freman and best friend to the protagonist Paul – in Dune Parts One and Two. But Babs Olusanmokun has been acting for two decades. A Nigerian-American who speaks
From Aristocrat to Waiter in a Grand Hotel: A Gentleman in Moscow
It’s 1920s Moscow, four years after the start of the Russian Revolution. The aristocracy has been put on trial, staring down their inevitable doom. Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian aristocrat, is sentenced by a Bolshevik tribunal for “social parasitism” — the crime of living off of the efforts of others. His fate is surely death,
The Big Door Prize
A fresh, lighthearted comedy that doubles as a philosophical sci-fi mystery, The Big Door Prize’s biggest question is that regardless of how much we have, are we ever truly satisfied? And that’s a poignant query in our consumer-driven, must-document-every-moment-on-social-media world.
The Classic Film Education in Colin Farrell’s Sugar
If you solely go by the trailer, Colin Farrell’s new Apple TV series might seem like a familiar L.A. noir: A private detective named John Sugar gets hired by a legendary Hollywood producer to investigate the disappearance of his granddaughter, and soon finds himself unraveling a wicked web of family secrets. Apple TV+ A genre
You’re the Worst
Through the eyes of two cynics who seem doomed to be alone, You’re the Worst embraces the complexity of modern relationships and the many emotional layers they surface. It’s also an accurate and empathetic portrait of what it’s like to live with clinical depression.
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
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.
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