"We must find another word for what happens to us during the films of Béla Tarr. We don’t observe them without them observing us right back,” writes @honorszombie.bsky.social in his tribute to the late Hungarian filmmaker:

"Everyone arrives at some kind of opening for hope in their lives." @isaacfeldberg.bsky.social spoke with the Dardenne brothers abt YOUNG MOTHERS, their career-defining desire to bear witness to the post-industrial circumstances of their hometown, & memories of working w/ the late Émilie Dequenne:

Chaz Ebert will join WGN’s Steve Dale for a guest appearance on his podcast, Booth 46, discussing The FECK Awards at 5 PM. Join us in person to see the live recording at Petterino’s Pasticceria. Details below (and recording of the episode will follow)

"I’m fond of the possibilities for movies to dig into the invisible.” @oldfilmsflicker.bsky.social spoke w/ A PRIVATE LIFE director Rebecca Zlotowski abt working w/ Jodie Foster, the deep connection btwn psychoanalysis, hypnosis, & cinema, & the film community in France:

"Doing something new with zombies has to be a little challenging, but Zak Hilditch, who wrote and directed, manages it,” writes @sheilakathleen.bsky.social about the novel take on the zombie genre, WE BURY THE DEAD.

"I’m fond of the possibilities for movies to dig into the invisible." I spoke with Rebecca Zlotowski about Jodie Foster and their new film A PRIVATE LIFE for @ebertvoices.bsky.social

YOUNG MOTHERS, opening Friday, is a profoundly moving social-realist gem from Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. A joy to speak with them about filmmaking in their native Belgium, mysteries of grace, and memories of the late Émilie Dequenne, star of their celebrated ROSETTA, for @ebertvoices.bsky.social:

"Whitlock didn’t steal scenes as much as he elevated them, becoming a part of the fabric of storytellers like David Simon and Spike Lee, who knew exactly how to use this stealthy genius,” writes @briantallerico.bsky.social in his tribute to the late Isiah Whitlock Jr.

"Bugs can be funny. Sex can definitely be funny. Maybe don’t overthink it,” writes Collin Souter about awkward, uncomfortable, and "a little gross" short film, BUG DINER.

"What you feed your children culturally is a really fraught topic.” Assistant editor @clintworthing.bsky.social spoke w/ Penny Lane abt HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, finding the right subjects to tell the story of this underrecognized genre, & more:

Some great stuff here. And Season 2 of The Pitt starts this week.

I may not have kids but I was enamored of Penny Lane's charming HBO doc HAPPY, AND YOU KNOW IT; for @ebertvoices.bsky.social, I sat down with her to see why this "childless cat lady" took such an interest in the craft and culture of kids' music, & what she learned. www.rogerebert.com/streaming/pe...

"With its 4th season, INDUSTRY has continued to shed its skin, leaving the husks of its already impressive previous seasons behind and transforming into a sharper, shattering version of itself, leaving viewers breathless each week,” praises Kaiya Shunyata.

After a stellar year of television in 2025, @briantallerico.bsky.social looks forward to 40 shows we can look forward to in 2026, including returning favorites as well as new projects from major creative talents.

André Holland was in my favorite film of 2024, EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS, so it was a joy to not only meet and speak with him in-person, but discuss how he views that film in conversation with LOVE, BROOKLYN, THE ACTOR, & THE DUTCHMAN. For @ebertvoices.bsky.social:

My face hurts from laughing the more I think about SUNLIGHT. It's such a special film and when writing my review for @ebertvoices.bsky.social, I felt like I was able to put into words what I loved about it:

Like LURKER, I saw SORRY, BABY at @sundance.org and I haven't been able to shake its tranquil and devastating spell. To talk to writer, director, and star Eva Victor for @ebertvoices.bsky.social about a film that meant so much to me was the highest honor:

For one of my final pieces for @ebertvoices.bsky.social, loved slathering the adulation about Nine Inch Nails' score for TRON: ARES. If this wasn't the score you were using to usher in the new year, you weren't ending 2025 right:

Man, this show is so good.

"The writing on THE PITT has been praised for its medical detail, but it’s the human detail that this non-doctor finds so remarkable,” writes @briantallerico.bsky.social in praise of the show’s second season.

As 2025 draws to a close, @briantallerico.bsky.social anticipates the movies we’ll be talking about 12 months from now. Read the full list of some of the most exciting titles of 2026 which includes a healthy mix of returning masters, follow-ups to recent hits, and even a few interesting blockbusters

"By the time LAND OF SIN limps to its sigh of a finale, it’s hard to justify watching this one over the scores of other, more interesting takes on the cold-blooded crime show out there,” writes @clintworthing.bsky.social.

From @ebertvoices.bsky.social and Chaz Ebert, a look back at 2025 and plans for the new year. www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/h...

Folks, it's high time we reclaim I'll Do Anything

2026 marks the 50th anniversary of when Gru first met the Minions! @briantallerico.bsky.social knew I loved the Minions, so I usually got to review their movies at @ebertvoices.bsky.social. This is a loose and very silly review, something I rarely do at the Globe. www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mini...

The Minions also gave readers insight into exactly how my brain works when writing a review. Readers thought this review was a gimmick I concocted after the fact, but honestly, I really was working through my thoughts as I wrote this for @ebertvoices.bsky.social. www.rogerebert.com/reviews/desp...

Sharing again if you're looking for a great movie to kick off 2026 with from 2025. Also recommend reading the other great picks that all the other lovely folks @ebertvoices.bsky.social selected as well. Here's hoping this year brings as many exciting and bold new discoveries as the prior one did 📽️

I wrote about all the stephen king adaptations we got last year!

No rest for the wicked -- my first review of 2026 is up at @ebertvoices.bsky.social, this time on the also-ran Netflix Scandi crime show LAND OF SIN. Basically, yawn, if you've seen one of these you've seen em all. www.rogerebert.com/reviews/land...

"It’s hard to see a need to return to the well here, especially considering THE DUTCHMAN’s greatest weakness–a complete and total disinterest in Black women,” writes @judysquirrels.bsky.social.

For the year’s first UNLOVED series, @honorszombie.bsky.social looks back at ELLA MCCAY director James L. Brooks’ I’LL DO ANYTHING, which he calls "as charmingly weird as ever.”

"So did the Duffers stick the landing & send these popular characters off in style? Yes & no. The finale falls victim to some of the issues that plagued the entire season, but it’s hard to deny the power of the last half-hour,” writes @briantallerico.bsky.social abt the STRANGER THINGS finale:

ESSENTIAL READING: Godfrey Cheshire's new @ebertvoices.bsky.social piece on Panahi and Kiarostami, in celebration of the series he programmed at IFC Center, which starts January 2.

2025 By The Numbers: 233 bylines @ebertvoices.bsky.social 69 bylines @vulture.com 37 bylines @avclub.com 5 bylines @rollingstone.com 9 film festivals attended 3 kids raised I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things here and there but I’ll take it. Toasting to an even better 2026!

From everyone at RogerEbert.com, we wish everyone a happy new year! Read Chaz Ebert’s recap and reflections on the work done by our team:

Our contributor, Godfrey Cheshire, has curated a series at the IFC Center that puts the films of Jafar Panahi and Abbas Kiarostami in conversation Read a preview about how he thought of the pairings:

“RUN AWAY devolves into such a ludicrous assemblage of coincidences and nonsensical plot twists that only the most hardcore Harlanheads will be able to run with it,” writes @briantallerico.bsky.social about the latest Netflix miniseries from Harlan Coben.

My favorite piece of all that I wrote in 2025. My @ebertvoices.bsky.social ode to Ossie and Ruby draws parallels between them and the power couple of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands. www.rogerebert.com/features/oss...

Over at @ebertvoices.bsky.social, I wrote a tribute to Jerry Butler and Roberta Flack. "No matter how it got there, that music worked its way into my cells by sonic osmosis when I was growing up. "Nay, the music worked its way into my soul." www.rogerebert.com/tributes/a-g...

For @ebertvoices.bsky.social, I wrote a tribute to Sly Stone. “Perhaps the burden of Black genius includes speaking to our people in such a way that we’re uplifted. It’s a tough mission, considering what we must endure in this world.” www.rogerebert.com/tributes/i-l...

Hey I'm in this!

“Director Marina Zenovich delivers a gripping, funny, insightful, and at times melancholic look at a comedy legend who is in his 80s and still can be alternately charming and irascible in the span of a New York minute,” writes Richard Roeper about I’M CHEVY CHASE AND YOU’RE NOT.

In time for the holidays, @briantallerico.bsky.social reviews several physical media releases, from POSSESSION to David Byrne’s AMERICAN UTOPIA, that are worth the pick-up.

Our regular video game writers each picked three games they would recommend from this year. Read the full list here:

Stephen King hit a milestone in 2025 w/ 4 adaptations of his work released in theaters, in addition to several shows. @judysquirrels.bsky.social writes abt how the King Cinematic Universe shows no sign of fading, for better and worse:

Trying to prioritize what to watch from this year? Read publisher of the site, Chaz Ebert’s, 30 best films of 2025 list (plus one guilty pleasure) to help you get started:

"I’m not against a comfort watch. It is OK for things to be light and fluffy. But BEST MEDICINE isn’t light so much as it is dumb,” writes Cristina Escobar.

“To enjoy the end, you have to have grown up w/ Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, & Eleven. The truth is that the elongated production of this show makes that likely for a lot of viewers, who now see these people like family,” reflects @briantallerico.bsky.social abt the second volume of STRANGER THINGS S5

If you ever felt uncomfortable simply trying to talk to your family during the holidays especially when you don't have much in common with them anymore, there's a movie coming out today just for you!

sad to report the new Kevin Bacon/Kyra Sedgwick movie is not very good at all My review for @ebertvoices.bsky.social: