Melissa Roth
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
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
Extrapolations
An urgent, provocative, all-star sci-fi series that imagines a near future impacted by climate change, Extrapolations will grab your attention and make you think — while ultimately prompting you to act.
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
With all of the power and percussion of a Louis Armstrong horns ensemble, Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat is a visceral must-watch that sheds fresh light on an era through an inventive new documentary format.
Oscar Contender: How JFK inspired Dune‘s creator
With a Best Picture Oscar nomination and a haul of over $400 million at the global box office, Dune: Part Two continues to draw all new audiences into the science fiction epic based on the landmark 1965 novel. And the film’s mythic world and timely themes have raised some fresh questions: How did the author
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.”
The Last Letter from Your Lover
A date night movie that transports you to a lush 1960s French Riviera, the adaptation of the JoJo Moyes novel entwines two eras and two sharply contrasted romances, delivering a wistful summer escape watch.
Sundance from Home: 10 Movies to Stream
The most influential film festival in the U.S. is not just for festival goers anymore. For three days during the festival, viewers at home can stream dozens of the the movies that drive cultural conversations — often throughout the year. Here are 10 picks from across the categories to look for.
Flora and Son
The power of chords and lyrics to inspire, connect, and entwine us are at the heart of Flora and Son, an ultimately uplifting story from the writer-director behind Once and Sing Street.
Melissa Roth
Eddington is a pandemic parable. But what is it trying to say?
Set in May 2020 in a fictional New Mexico town, Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix’s new film Eddington draws some parallels to two of the biggest breakout shows of the past decade: The Last of Us and The Walking Dead. It’s a story about a virus that’s less about death and more about exposing the living.
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
Tiny Beautiful Things
Tiny Beautiful Things promises small and delivers big — one woman’s life refracts into universal ponderings about love, death, and parenting. Come for Kathryn Hahn’s magnetic performance, and stay for the series’ delightful and relatable particularity.
What to Watch Next? April Highlights
From the hotly anticipated to the sneaker hit, and a hotly anticipated hit about sneakers (forgive me), this weekend is filled to the brim with worthy premieres. The Affleck/Damon duo is back, musical theater lovers are well-fed with Schmigadoon’s return, and a deserving band gets a deserving tribute. Let us help you sort out your weekend
A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys
A stirring all-star tribute concert honoring the Beach Boys, who brought love and joy for so many in their commercial peak of the Sixties, and received it back from talents like John Legend, Brandi Carlisle, Charlie Pluth – and so many more.
Jon Stewart and the Evolution of Satire
“Evolution of Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful.”— Molly Ivins Comedy has the potential to be the great equalizer. And no one has wielded the power of humor as compellingly as Jon Stewart. The godfather of righteous outrage, the former MTV host was instrumental in bringing investigative comedy to mainstream
Schmigadoon! is Back! A Broadway (and American) History Refresher
It’s time to get some corn puddin’ and freshen up your Broadway history, because Schmigadoon! has returned, Apple TV+’s toe-tapping parody show. The send-up of classic musicals was a favorite pick for SNL and theater buffs, but it also works as a kind of cultural history lesson, taking us through the fantasy lands created by
Succession S4
Come to Succession for the palace intrigue, stay for the relevance of watching the top one percent plot, scheme, and masterfully insult each other as they face the same fears of obsolescence as the rest of us.
How to Jump in to Yellowjackets (Season 2)
Trying to understand all the buzz around Yellowjackets? The Watercooler created a guide to help you figure out why it’s captured such a following and how to catch-up before Season 2.
Lucky Hank
An antidote to the darker worlds currently trending across the streamers, Lucky Hank also delivers a refreshingly new Bob Odenkirk character, a guy whose meltdown might just deliver your own much-needed catharsis — leaving you laughing and pondering and lingering to see what comes next.
The Glory
An often-riveting South Korean revenge thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Glory is also a thoughtful meditation on power, wealth, and the rigid hierarchies that make school bullying systemic — all around the world.