Katie Rife

Katie Rife is a writer and film critic based in Chicago. She worked as the Senior Writer for The A.V. Club from 2019-2022, and News Editor from 2014-2019. She currently freelances for outlets like Rolling Stone, Vulture, Indiewire, EW, and Fangoria, and assists with year-round horror programming at the Music Box of Horrors.
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Old Enough!

Though the idea of sending a three-year-old to the supermarket by themselves might seem terrifying, the Japanese documentary series Old Enough! is hardly a white-knuckle experience. It’s a sweet and watchable show showcasing the kids’ natural charisma.

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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.

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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

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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,

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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.

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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

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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.

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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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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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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

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Origin Story: How Friends Became the Ultimate Watercooler Hit

After a year-long delay due to the pandemic, the much-anticipated Friends Reunion Special finally has a “stream date”:  Thursday, May 27th, a tribute to its original “Must-See TV” night.  The big event has already driven legions of fans sign up for HBOMax, turning the service into “Must Stream TV.” David Janollari was a young development

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The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness

The subtitle isn’t just referring to David Berkowitz’s murderous rampage, but one investigator’s never-ending quest for the truth.

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Stream and Scream: The Best Horror Movie Sequels

In honor of yet another Saw sequel, we present some of the best horror movie sequels to stream. When there’s money to be made, horror villains, no matter how shriveled, dead, or decapitated, always manage to return.

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Vincenzo

Looking for an action-adventure, mafia epic, kooky comedy, or romantic thriller? This unconventional K-drama checks all the boxes.

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The Mosquito Coast

Watching The Mosquito Coast, you get the sense that Apple TV+ was trying to make its version of Netflix’s immensely popular thriller series Ozark. And it succeeded.

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The Best of What’s New on Netflix: May 2021

From Zach Snyder and Ryan Murphy’s latest to an all-star Hitchcockian thriller, May 2021 has some particularly promising new Netflix Originals.

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Infinity Train

A thoughtful PG series full of imaginative designs and compelling, layered characters, Infinity Train finds the sweet spot between deeper philosophical themes and lighter, more whimsical fare.

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IMPACT with Gal Gadot

After a year of devastating news that has so many feeling hopeless, IMPACT brings a much-needed jolt of inspiration.

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What the Netflix Adaptation Gets Right About Shadow and Bone (and Six of Crows too)

Why does this peculiar adaptation, which on one hand is so true to the source material and on the other is a departure from a loved series, work? Because no expense was spared.

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