Stuart Klawans

Film Critic

Stuart Klawans is the film critic for The Nation.

Frederick Wiseman’s World of Institutions

Frederick Wiseman’s World of Institutions Frederick Wiseman’s World of Institutions

In his 42nd film, the documentarian examines the New York Public Library from both his Olympian and activist perspectives.

Sep 19, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

A Pitiless Heist Movie

A Pitiless Heist Movie A Pitiless Heist Movie

The one thing you can’t do is look away from Benny and Josh Safdie’s acidly titled Good Time.

Aug 18, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

More Than Motown

More Than Motown More Than Motown

Kathryn Bigelow’s instinct for the visceral overflows her chosen subject, making a mess of the themes in her new film Detroit.

Aug 4, 2017 / Stuart Klawans

A Summer of Special Effects

A Summer of Special Effects A Summer of Special Effects

On one end of the scale, there’s the stroke of cinematic inspiration in A Ghost Story; on the other are CGI inventions like the astonishing Okja.

Jul 21, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

The Manufactured Images of ‘The Reagan Show’

The Manufactured Images of ‘The Reagan Show’ The Manufactured Images of ‘The Reagan Show’

The new documentary film is both a valiant exposé and a victim of the president’s publicity machine.

Jul 1, 2017 / Stuart Klawans

Wonder Women

Wonder Women Wonder Women

If you’re looking for a heroine at the movies this summer, you should look beyond the latest superhero story.

Jun 9, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Acts of Insolence

Acts of Insolence Acts of Insolence

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is earnest in a way that’s ill-suited to a movie that pretends to razz the whole superhero business.

May 12, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

The Decade Before the LA Riots

The Decade Before the LA Riots The Decade Before the LA Riots

Let It Fall is a comprehensive history of how Los Angeles tore itself apart from 1982 to 1992, as well as the story of a dozen or more personal tragedies.

Apr 26, 2017 / Stuart Klawans

When Big Names Are Everywhere

When Big Names Are Everywhere When Big Names Are Everywhere

Norman and Obit are movies lovingly dedicated to the virtues of the small and the anonymous.

Apr 21, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

Terence Davies’s Counter-Séance

Terence Davies’s Counter-Séance Terence Davies’s Counter-Séance

A Quiet Passion doesn’t pretend to recall the skeptical spirit of Emily Dickinson to the land of the living but rather projects you into her departed world.

Mar 28, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans

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