If you’re looking for my list of the best movies that came out this year, I wrote an extended one up over at INSIDER. I pretty much stand by it, except I’d add Phantom Thread, which I didn’t get to see by deadline. Here, too, you can read a list of great movies too many people missed. — This is something different. I watched 135 movies this year, and here are the outstanding ones that came out before 2017. I’m omitting the 2016 releases, which I wrote about here.

Julia Cooper’s ‘The Last Word’ — Not too long ago, I was late to a memorial service for a family member because I had to be at work when it started. When I arrived, the deceased’s son was just finishing up his eulogy. There were a few more speeches, the evening prayer, and some food, but…

Yeah, I know, it’s February. But I don’t get to watch advanced screenings of every movie, and I have stuff to do, so it’s taken me awhile to watch everything I wanted to watch. …

For the record. My predicted winner Runner up possibility Also maybe might win Best Picture 1. La La Land 2. Moonlight 3. Manchester By the Sea Best Director 1. Damien Chazelle 2. Barry Jenkins 3. Mel Gibson Best Actor 1. Denzel Washington 2. Casey Affleck 3. Andrew Garfield Best Actress 1…

After Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States, I wanted to read some more about nationalism and the ideologies that led him to the presidency. The question I wanted to answer was: When does it get violent? I didn’t expect the answers I found to tie into…

2016 was a bad year. Most of the things I read were, literally, bad news. I also read some books. Many of those, fortunately, were very good. I wrote a list like this in 2014 but never finished my 2015 writeup because I’m bad at finishing the things. If you…

In the newest episode of “Atlanta,” there was a moment that looked nothing like I’ve seen on television before. But it did look a lot like something I’ve seen in the movies. Describing a television show as “cinematic” is a cliche at this point. Since David Lynch made “Twin Peaks”…

I am in love with a bad song. Since I found “Closer” by The Chainsmokers (ft. Halsey) on Sunday night, I’ve listened to it about twenty times. I don’t generally accept the term “guilty pleasure” — if you like something, you should own it — but I am ashamed…

I first heard this song in a cafe in Prague. There was a man working there — just one man — who was tall and blonde and had blue eyes and was quintessentially European. There are not many Kosher cafes in Prague (in fact, there is just this one)…