Off Broadway and streaming

I wrote two theater roundups for the NY Times this month. The first one covers new shows that are playing Off and Off Off Broadway. The second features streaming theater. Since we've extended the net to theater-centric film and television, I included the 1982 made-for-TV movie Who Am I This Time? Trust me, you want to see that gem with the young Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon.

Five sci-fi movies for March 2025

Here's my latest batch of streaming sci-fi movies you may have missed. Oh, let's face it: You're extremely likely to have missed them!

Buena Vista Social Club

I didn't actually use that term in my review, but Buena Vista Social Club is a jukebox musical, and a good one. My write-up for the NY Times is here.

The Electric State

Watching The Electric State, I wondered what the writers and directors understood from their nominal source material (an illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag), because the movie is pretty much the polar opposite in terms of both content and aesthetics. Just baffling. My review for the NY Times is here.

O'Dessa

I reviewed the offbeat sci-fi musical (as if a sci-fi musical could be anything else) O'Dessa for the New York Times — one of my two reviews of movies starring Stranger Things alums in a single week. Click here for my take on this Sadie Sink vehicle.

Mary Said What She Said

There's an expression for actors like Isabelle Huppert in France: "monstre sacré." And wow did she live up to it in this show at Skirball. It was a demonstration of rigor and virtuosity the likes of which we don't often see in the US. So yeah, I was impressed, as you can tell from my review for the NY Times.

Dakar 2000

Rajiv Joseph's new play is described as a thriller but for that it'd need suspense or menace or sexual tension or something. My review is here.

Five sci-fi movies for February

Life comes at you fast…and you forget to post link to your own articles! I've been working on my selection of streaming sci-fi movies for March and remembered that I hadn't posted the February one so here goes.

Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy

The new Bridget Jones movie is going to do really well: Not only is it better than it needed to be but it's landing in an anxiety-making context where people are craving a well-made comedy. My review is here.

Night Sings Its Songs

Jon Fosse plays are a rare occurrence in NYC so of course I had to check out a new production of Nights Sings Its Songs — and reviewed it for the NY Times. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming.

Urinetown is back

I didn't like Urinetown the first time around, but re-watching the original Broadway production at the Library for the Performing Arts then seeing the Encores! revival made me change my mind: This is a really good musical. You can read my review of the Encores! Urinetown here.

A week in Peter Mills Weiss's cultural life

Another culture diary, this time from one of my favorite NY theatermakers. Weird theater is alive! Thataway for the article — and its terrific photos!

Primero Sueño

To write this story about the new processional opera Primero Sueño, I watched part of a rehearsal at the Cloisters and was bowled over. Unfortunately I could not see the finished piece due to other commitments, but at least I got to write about it.

Vanya on Huron Street

Once upon a time, Uncle Vanya was on 42nd Street. Now it can be found near the Brooklyn-Queens border. Click here for my review of Matthew Gasda's surprisingly faithful Vanya on Huron Street.

There is theater in Las Vegas

Of course there is theater in Las Vegas, you might say. Well, yes, but probably not the kind you're thinking about. In November I flew to Sin County (you read that right) to report on its thriving Off Strip scene. And the resulting story is here.

Let's watch some sci-fi movies in January

Yes, I know, I'm late posting this and January is almost over — it's not too late! The latest installment of my sci-fi column for the NY Times can be found here. Of course, I'm now working on the next one.

Some Under the Radar shows

This year's Under the Radar festival is presenting 33 works. I wrote about five of them in this critic's notebook for the New York Times. Hint: Wakka Wakka strikes again!

Ad Vitam

Fast-and-furious French action movies may well be my favorite Netflix category, so you can imagine how psyched I was about Ad Vitam. But boy, did they muck it up. Click here for my review.

Palisades Tahoe

I came, I didn't see much and I got my ass kicked: My trip to Palisades Tahoe last season coincided with one of the snowstorms that periodically hit that famed California resort. But it was still great fun and yeah, I'd go back in a hot second! Here's the article that came out of that sojourn in the white room.