Melissa Roth

The co-founder of the Watercooler, Melissa Roth has written for Rolling Stone, VanityFair.com, Marie Claire, The Washington Post, and other outlets.
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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

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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

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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.  

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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.

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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

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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

The co-founder of the Watercooler, Melissa Roth has written for Rolling Stone, VanityFair.com, Marie Claire, The Washington Post, and other outlets.
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WandaVision

With its wildly original tribute to 60s and 70s sitcoms, comic books and superhero movies, Emmy-nominated WandaVision delivers cross-generational appeal while challenging viewers to unravel a dark and complex Marvel mystery.

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This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist

Producers Colin and Nick Barnicle pace their true crime whodunit for maximum entertainment value, laying out pieces of evidence that build up to twists and reveals that make you feel like you’re watching The Departed.

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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recap Episode 5: “Truth”

In the penultimate episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, titled “Truth,” we find out that the truth will set you free, if you can get past it pissing you off.

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Younger

This light and addictive comedy gives flight to the fantasy of getting a do-over to re-live your 20s, albeit with the wisdom and gratitude of mid-life.

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Judas and The Black Messiah: How Impactful Work Still Leaves Black Youth Behind

It’s nominated for six Oscars, just earned a BAFTA for star Daniel Kaluuya’s performance, and made history as the first film with an entirely Black team of producers to earn a Best Picture nomination from the Academy. But is the history depicted in Judas and the Black Messiah a completely reliable picture? Directed by Shaka

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Can the BAFTAs Predict the 2021 Oscar Winners?

Let us explore some of the big wins from across the pond and how they might affect this year’s Academy Awards, now less than two weeks away.

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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recap Episode 4: “The Whole World is Watching”

This episode lays everything out on the table, with a gripping story about how great power can corrupt greatly, at any turn, revealing the strengths and vulnerabilities of each character.

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Mank

For a history lesson and trip down memory lane, movie fans should not skip Mank, a tribute to the cinematic legend of Citizen Kane.

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The Great Pottery Throw Down

Watching a group of craftsman create practical works of art before your eyes isn’t just entertaining, it’s a soothing escape from your day-to-day troubles.

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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.

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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,

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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,

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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