Film

Matt Damon as Odysseus in “The Odyssey.”

Impale and Cry: Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” Impale and Cry: Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”

In the latest rendering of the epic, there is plenty to feel guilty about even if you did not mean it.

Jul 24, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Christian Lorentzen

Odyssey

Nolan’s “Odyssey” Misses the Point Nolan’s “Odyssey” Misses the Point

The big-budget movie keeps much of the violence and spectacle but none of the nuance and wit of the classical epic.

Jul 23, 2026 / Katha Pollitt

A still from “Disclosure Day.”

Steven Spielberg’s Aliens Steven Spielberg’s Aliens

“Disclosure Day” has plenty of UFOs and extraterrestrial species but very little of the human insights found in the filmmaker’s past work.

Jul 1, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Stephen Kearse

Why Amazon Ditched Its Prestige Sam Altman Biopic

Why Amazon Ditched Its Prestige Sam Altman Biopic Why Amazon Ditched Its Prestige Sam Altman Biopic

Artificial had a roster of premier talent and a topical subject—but it no longer fit in with Jeff Bezos’s financial ambitions.

Jun 29, 2026 / Ben Schwartz

Israeli director Nadav Lapid at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

The Curious Case of the Nadav Lapid Boycott Campaign The Curious Case of the Nadav Lapid Boycott Campaign

In seeking to punish artists for ties to Israeli organizations, are boycotters choosing the right targets?

Jun 15, 2026 / Ben Schwartz

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in “The Drama.”

How Much On-Screen Violence Is Too Much? How Much On-Screen Violence Is Too Much?

I’ve always been a little sensitive about films that depict school shootings. But Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama was an outlier.

Jun 6, 2026 / Vikram Murthi

Still from “The Fence.”

Claire Denis’s Haunting Neocolonial Drama Claire Denis’s Haunting Neocolonial Drama

Compared to her other films, The Fence is a minor work. But it contains within it a set of expansive themes.

May 13, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Lovia Gyarkye

The Gospel of Hegseth

The Gospel of Hegseth The Gospel of Hegseth

Movie scripts as scripture. Pete Hegseth was caught quoting a scene from a Quentin Tarantino film and presenting it as a passage from the Bible. I asked some readers to help with w...

May 6, 2026 / OppArt / Steve Brodner

Barbara Kopple on January 23, 2026 in Park City, Utah.

Why Barbara Kopple’s Labor Films Remain As Urgent as Ever Why Barbara Kopple’s Labor Films Remain As Urgent as Ever

As her Oscar-winning labor documentaries return to theaters, Kopple reflects on union-busting, gig work, and her latest film on unions.

May 1, 2026 / Q&A / Ben Schwartz

A scene from the 1967 film “The Battle of Algiers” showing French paratrooper Colonel Mathieu—played by Jean Martin—walking past a a cheering throng.

May Day Films to Inspire You With Solidarity May Day Films to Inspire You With Solidarity

From Modern Times to Harlan County, USA.

Apr 30, 2026 / Erik Loomis

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