“He Stood on a Firm Piece of Earth”: John Patrick Shanley on Moonstruck director Norman Jewison
John Patrick Shanley, who won an Oscar for writing “Moonstruck,” talks about working with the film’s director, the late Norman Jewison
Features
Bright Wall/Dark Room January 2024: Making Peace With Our Distractions: On Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up
An essay by Sarah Welch-Larson about Showing Up, excerpted from the January 2024 edition of online magazine Bright Wall/Dark Room.
2023: The Year of the Teacher
An essay about how the experiences of teachers were memorably portrayed on film in 2023.
Spit On A Griddle: The Return of Francis Ford Coppola’s One from the Heart
A look back at Coppola’s underrated musical, returning this week in a restored re-release.
Bergman’s Hour of the Wolf: Another Look at an Underrated Masterpiece
A reappreciation of one of Bergman’s movies that hasn’t received as much attention as it should.
The Future of the Movies, Part 1
The first essay in a new series about where movies are going.
The List is Life: On the 30th Anniversary of Schindler’s List
A look back at the power and sustained relevance of Steven Spielberg’s Oscar winner.
Where’s My Black Girlhood?: The Whitewashing of the Femme Boom
A feature on the boom of coming-of-age films in 2023 and how few of them reflected the Black experience.
Short Films in Focus: Breaking Silence
A great new short about the deaf community in prison.
The Great Craft of 2023
On some of the best craft of the year in film, including The Boy and the Heron, The Holdovers, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, Poor Things, and many more.
The Return of Santa Claus: The Movie — The Box Office Bomb Beloved By Brits
A feature on a film that bombed in the States but has become a holiday classic in its home country.
The Great Performances of 2023
On some of our favorite performances of the last year in film.
A Report from the Color Purple Special Screening with Oprah Winfrey
A report from the November screening of The Color Purple, with a very special panel.
The Individual Top Tens of 2023
The individual top ten lists submitted by the writers of this site.
Fare Thee Well: On the Tenth Anniversary of Inside Llewyn Davis
A look back at one of the best films of the 2010s on its anniversary.
The Best Horror Films of 2023
On the ten best horror films of the year, according to critic Katie Rife.
How Martin Scorsese Uses Music to Enhance His Visions
A feature on key uses of pop and rock music in GoodFellas, Raging Bull, Wolf of Wall Street, Mean Streets, The Departed, and more.
Short Films in Focus: Big Touch
A look at a powerful new short film by Charles Tenzis.
