Newspapers are cutting their book sections, but let’s not let that stop us from recommending great reads. Allegra Goodman’s This Is Not About Us, intertwining short stories about a contemporary Jewish American family, is wise, warm and irresistible. Enjoy!

I was so lucky to have interviewed Robert Duvall a few times, the last at his memorable Upper West Side apartment. One of our greatest actors, Duvall told great stories, still modest about his remarkable, personal legacy. And yes, he was very charming. Thank you, Sir.

themovieminute.com/wuthering-he... With this oh so vivid interpretation of Emily Bronte’s romantic classic, Emerald Fennell secures her place as one of the most audacious, undeniable filmmakers working today. Wuthering Heights, in theaters Friday.

Catherine O’Hara. What pure light she was. We have lost a glorious talent who brought so much joy.

themovieminute.com/send-help/ This bloody blast sends help to anyone looking for a bit of diversion. Send Help is playing in theaters starting this weekend.

More later, but just a moment for bragging rights. I called Kate Hudson months ago. Colleagues gave me a look. But I felt it in my bones. #Oscars2026

themovieminute.com/h-is-for-hawk/ This well-intentioned story of grief only takes flight during one key scene. But what a scene that is! H is for Hawk opens in theaters this weekend.

themovieminute.com/dead-mans-wi... Re-upping this review, as Dead Man’s Wire is finally in a broad theatrical release. It’s a terrific treat.

Thank you, Jean Smart.

It kills me when people ask me what films I recommend and, when I say One Battle After Another, they look at me blankly, saying they never heard of it. This is a great film. It has won almost every critics award, now including Critics Choice. In theaters and streaming. Watch it.

themovieminute.com/joanna-langf... Farewell, 2025. Happy to share my list of the top ten movies that cheered, offered inspiration and a most welcome diversion. Thank you for hanging in there with me. And here’s to an easier, truly happy new year for us all.

This may not be the happy-go-lucky Neil Diamond salute you might be hoping for, but this musical drama does hit a few real high notes. Song Sung Blue, in theaters. themovieminute.com/song-sung-bl...

themovieminute.com/marty-supreme/ As entertaining as it is, this one also feels a bit like a scientific experiment: the synthesis of the Safdie and Chalamet energies. Marty Supreme, in theaters.

Any movie that brings Albert Brooks and Julie Kavner back on screen can’t be all bad, can it? Sadly, James L. Brooks’s Ella McCay, although nicely intentioned, is a mess. A rare misfire from the man who will be remembered for Broadcast News, The Simpsons and so much more.

themovieminute.com/dead-mans-wi... Gus Van Sant’s nifty new crime drama reminds us that everything old is new again. Dead Man’s Wire opens in limited release Friday, goes to a theater near you in January.

One of the greatest thrills of my professional life was getting to spend a private afternoon, interviewing Tom Stoppard. He was as charming, relaxed and brilliant as I’d hoped he’d be. And I treasure the fact I could tell him how much his work meant to me. Thank you, Sir.

This literary origins story takes its time getting there, but its remarkable ending takes us to a place that is gloriously cathartic. Hamnet, in theaters now.

themovieminute.com/eternity/ Whip a high concept with emotional depth along with some lovely actors and you’ve got a recipe for another worldly charmer. Eternity, in theaters now.

themovieminute.com/wake-up-dead... Rian Johnson takes us to church for the newest Benoit Blanc detective tale. This time, he doesn’t just aim to charm, he’s also ringing some very resonant bells. Wake Up Dead Man in theaters Wednesday, Netflix, December 12.

themovieminute.com/wicked-for-g... Yes, it’s more of the same. But this one hits differently.

Highly recommend Netflix’s Death by Lightening, the 4 part historical drama, revealing the rise and assassination of President James Garfield, paralleling that of his killer, Charles Guiteau. Tremendous entertainment, great cast and wait till you see Matthew Macfadyen!

themovieminute.com/peter-hugars... Ira Sachs’s newest feels like an experimental theatre piece, daring and unique. But its rewards are far richer than that. Peter Hujar’s Day opens in theaters Friday.

themovieminute.com/sentimental-... Joachim Trier’s (The Worst Person in the World) newest is one of the rare films that not only leaves us happily grounded but also floating on air. Sentimental Value, in theaters Friday.

Richard Linklater’s poignant Blue Moon may be specific to lyricist Lorenz Hart’s tragic tale, but its compassionate view of missed opportunity and rejection is heartbreaking and timeless. An almost unrecognizable Ethan Hawke is superb in each and every scene. In theaters.

Really enjoyed season 2 of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This. Some pithy stuff wrapped in a loving and oh so attractive rom-com package. Keep your eyes peeled for a few surprises, but mostly this series is sweet, easy and a comfy watch.

Mr. Scorsese is more than the treat we need right now. An immersive look at the man, his astounding body of work and the people he’s worked with and loved. Five scrumptious hours, stream it on Apple + .

As talented an actress as she was, Diane Keaton’s effervescent persona made her, to me, eternal. Shattering news at her passing. But weren’t we so lucky to have had her light up our lives.

As well-meaning as it is, Kathryn Bigelow’s cautionary tale is, for her, a rare miss. A House of Dynamite, in theaters now. Netflix, October24. themovieminute.com/a-house-of-d...

Julia Roberts’s psychodrama is overcooked, but the meaty insights it serves up still make this a bountiful watch. After the Hunt opens in theaters Friday. themovieminute.com/after-the-hu...

Postseason baseball is fun! #Yankees#notourseatsbut still

I’m not quite sure why Bill Condon’s mounting of this Kander and Ebb musical doesn’t grab us, but I try and figure it out in the review of Kiss of the Spider Woman. Opens in theaters Friday. themovieminute.com/kiss-of-the-...

themovieminute.com/eleanor-the-... Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is very human. Intimate and funny, bumpy and well intentioned, it still leaves us entertained, with an undeniable lump in our throats. Eleanor the Great opens in theaters Friday.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s thrilling newest excites us, not just as remarkable entertainment, but also as a masterful piece of art. One Battle After Another opens in theaters September 26. Mark your calendars. themovieminute.com/one-battle-a...

You can have your Housewives and Bachelors. The soapy spin for me is The Morning Show. Frothy, sexy, just grounded in reality enough. With great apartments and clothes. And Billy Crudup. Season 4, in all its gloss and grit, streaming now on Apple TV+.

Artist, activist, philanthropist. Robert Redford leaves an astonishing legacy. But what will stay with me forever, in the interviews I was lucky enough to have had with him, he was always incredibly kind and modest. And handsome.

Seth Rogen has a huge body of work and it has all come together with The Studio. Great work from Seth and his team, great entertainment for us. #Emmys

And I repeat: Adolescence is one of the most outstanding pieces I’ve ever seen on TV. (Okay, streaming. Netflix) I know it’s tough. Watch it anyway. #Emmys

Love the crowd chanting “Stephen, Stephen, Stephen!” #emmys

Adolescence is one of the most outstanding pieces I’ve ever seen on TV. (Okay, streaming. Netflix) I know it’s tough. Watch it anyway. #Emmys

Harrison Ford. 💔#emmys

Happy for Tramell Tillman, but when I saw that speech from Sam Rockwell on The White Lotus, I almost fell off my chair. #Emmys

Jean Smart. Yes, she is that good in Hacks. #Emmys

Seth Rogen, Emmy winner. Very nice ring to that. Well deserved, too. The Studio is a gem. #Emmys

Yup, it is rather refreshing to watch glamorous people being glamorous. #Emmys

A shame Highest to Lowest hasn’t gotten the push it deserves. A slow build for this Kurosawa spin, Denzel Washington’s great, so are Jeffrey Wright and ASAP Ricky. But this is a decidedly Spike Lee joint, in style and substance. His energized stamp is the star.

Delighted that Only Murders in the Building has rediscovered its delightful roots. Steve Martin. Martin Short and Selena Gomez, along with faces old and new, revive the breezy fun that made the series first two seasons such a treat. #5 starts streaming on Hulu today.

Upset??? I’m not upset at all! Go Amanda! Fantastic day at the US Open.

themovieminute.com/caught-steal... There’s fun to be had in Darren Aronofsky’s caper-esque newest, but the real kick is watching Austin Butler, who proves in each and every scene, he is, indeed a star. Caught Stealing slides into theaters Friday.