THE RULES OF THE GAME (1939)
As my Independent Study in World Cinema continues, I dive deep into Jean Renoir's tragicomic critique of French society on the eve of the Second World War.
THE SILENT PARTNER (1978)
We're finishing our "Christmas-Adjacent" marathon with Daryl Duke's unjustly forgotten crime thriller.
DEADWOOD 1×09: "NO OTHER SONS OR DAUGHTERS"
New clothes, new pianos, new ventures, new relationships, new governments: On a relatively quiet episode, everyone in DEADWOOD is grappling with the possibility of change.
WEEK 2: SEDITION EDITION
In this week's blog/newsletter, I share a few thoughts on the white supremacist attack on Washington D.C., as well as a few links to the thoughts of much smarter people than I.
MAKING GOD LAUGH: THE UNAFFILIATED CRITIC'S PLAN FOR 2021
In which—brazenly, and despite a poor track record at this sort of thing—I announce what I'm planning to review, and other changes coming in the new year.
OTHER RECENT POSTS
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
HAMILTON (2020)
The Unenthusiastic Critic is back, to face the ultimate test of her musical-hating convictions.
July 8, 2020
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
ROPE (1948)
The Unenthusiastic Critic is contemplating murder, as we sit down for Alfred Hitchcock's taut exercise in sustained suspense.
January 16, 2020
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
DINER (1982)
This week, Nakea and I are making much ado about nothing, as we revisit one of the most influential comedies of the 1980s.
January 9, 2020
TELEVISION
THE 50 BEST TV SHOWS OF THE 2010S
It was the biggest, most ambitious, most diverse, and best decade in television history. And these were my 50 favorite shows.
January 1, 2020
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971)
If I were a rich man, The Unenthusiastic Critic would probably be less resentful about having to watch a Broadway musical on her Christmas vacation.
December 27, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979)
The Unenthusiastic Critic is contemplating divorce—not for the first time—as we sit down for her first viewing of Robert Benton's Christmas-tangential classic on its 40th anniversary.
December 19, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×08: "A GOD WALKS INTO ABAR"
In a surprising penultimate episode, Watchmen reminds us that every love story is a thermodynamic miracle.
December 15, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
THE APARTMENT (1960)
A serious comedy about loneliness, infidelity, predatory men, workplace harassment, and attempted suicide? Sounds like the perfect Christmas movie for The Unenthusiastic Critic.
December 12, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×07: "AN ALMOST RELIGIOUS AWE"
Past, present, and future collide as Watchmen sets up for the endgame and heads into the blue.
December 7, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
The Unenthusiastic Critic is making first contact with Steven Spielberg's sci-fi classic, and asking the question: Is it about a space-age prophet, or just an intergalactic deadbeat dad?
December 5, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×06: "THIS EXTRAORDINARY BEING"
In one of the best episodes of TV in many years, Watchmen brilliantly explores black anger, the insidious conspiracy of pop culture, and the poisonous nature of nostalgia.
November 30, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×05: "LITTLE FEAR OF LIGHTNING"
A contemplative episode of Watchmen locates the roots of white supremacy in the fears and fragility of the white American male.
November 24, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (1982)
This week we're discussing "Magical Negroes," and The Unenthusiastic Critic is eyeballin' Taylor Hackford's 1982 romantic military melodrama.
November 21, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×04: "IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY STORY WRITE YOUR OWN"
The arrival of the mysterious Lady Trieu starts to bring Watchmen's endgame into focus.
November 15, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
THE BIG SLEEP (1946)
The Unenthusiastic Critic is celebrating #Noirvember with Bogie & Bacall in Howard Hawks' adaptation of Raymond Chandler's classic detective story.
November 14, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×03: "SHE WAS KILLED BY SPACE JUNK"
Wanna hear a good joke? The great Jean Smart, playing a familiar face, descends on the world of Watchmen like a brick to the head.
November 10, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
FRIDAY (1995)
In honor of the great John Witherspoon's passing, we're f–ing up the rotation this week, as Nakea introduces Michael to a '90s comedy classic.
November 7, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×02: "MARTIAL FEATS OF COMANCHE HORSEMANSHIP"
Nothing is what it seems in the second episode of Watchmen, as we begin to question who everyone really is, and what their role is in the larger play.
November 2, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
THE LOST BOYS (1987)
Sleep all day, party all night, never get old, never die. It's good to be the Unenthusiastic Critic.
October 31, 2019
TELEVISION
WATCHMEN 1×01: "IT'S SUMMER AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF ICE"
In a textually dense, stunning debut episode, HBO's WATCHMEN announces its ambitious agenda of tackling the narratives of white supremacy in America.
October 28, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
PHENOMENA (1985)
The Unenthusiastic Critic is bugging out, as our Halloween Movie Marathon continues with Dario Argento's weirdest movie.
October 28, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
DON'T LOOK NOW (1973)
Our horror marathon continues with Nicolas Roeg's masterpiece of grief, marital disintegration, and impending doom. (In other words, it's business as usual for The Unenthusiastic Critic.)
October 24, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
A QUIET PLACE (2018)
It's quiet in here—a little TOO quiet—as The Unenthusiastic Critic continues her 2019 Horror Movie Marathon with John Krasinski's muffled monster movie.
October 11, 2019
THE UNENTHUSIASTIC CRITIC
FRANKENSTEIN (1931) & BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)
It's alive! The Unenthusiastic Critic's 2019 Halloween Movie Marathon gets underway with a classic creature double-feature from the golden age of the Universal movie monsters.
October 3, 2019