2024 holiday movies

They're baaaaaack! The roundup of new streaming holiday movies has become one of my favorite assignments. And this year, I even got to do a video supplement! The list is here and my NY Times video debut is here.

A week in Jay Wegman's cultural life

In November I shadowed Jay Wegman, artistic director at NYU Skirball, to monitor his cultural diet — which makes me green with envy, of course! Here's the result.

Holiday shows

I wrote a roundup of holiday shows for all ages and tastes. And they're not all in New York! Thataway for a little something that hopefully will give you ideas for the end of the year.

We Are Your Robots

I couldn't help myself and snuck in Devo and Daft Punk references in my review of the new Ethan Lipton musical. Click here for the article.

Five sci-fi movies to stream in November

Wrapping up November with my latest batch of streaming science fiction. The conclusion of Die Alone is one of my favoring endings of the year. Check out the roundup here.

Sabbath Queen

My review of the new doc Sabbath Queen is up at the Times. Thataway for the article.

Baby and Music City

Two reviews in one with a critic's notebook about the music-themed play Babe and the country tuner Music City. I liked one very much, the other less so — which is which? Read on here.

What's your Romeo and Juliet IQ?

My first quiz for the NY Times! To be clear, it's not about the play Romeo and Juliet but about its ubiquity in pop culture. The test was pegged to the revival currently on Broadway, starring Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor. I'm in the minority to have enjoyed Sam Gold's production, though I wasn't crazy about the often confusing double casting. Click here for the quiz.

Tammy Faye

My first visit to the refurbished Palace Theater was for the new musical Tammy Faye, which I reviewed for the Times. For my take on the show, you can click here. For the venue itself, I'll just say that I'm not a fan of theaters where you have to take an escalator to the auditorium (ie the Shed, Perelman, Marquis). It just feels like a fire trap.

Interview with Aldis Hodge

There's a new Alex Cross in town, and this time they got him right. I had the pleasure to talk to Aldis Hodge about taking on James Patterson's creation for Amazon's Cross. Click here for OK McCausland's amazing splash photo (and my article).

In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot

On the one hand, I love seeing any attempt at a science-fiction setting on stage. On the other, I wish Sarah Mantell's play was better. My review is here.

Sci-fi movies keep coming

This list of five sci-fi movies to stream came out in October but I'm posting it the day after the presidential election. I've got to say, it's going to be tough to keep watching all these movies about a dystopian future when we're about to enter a dystopian present. Click here for the list.

Jump scares

I love when the New York Times goes all out with the multimedia stuff, and I love being part of a team effort. Check out this ranked list of some of the best jump scares in movies.

We Live in Cairo

It is possible to do a dull show about fiery revolutionaries: welcome to We Live in Cairo, a new musical at New York Theater Workshop. Click here for my review.

Showgirl

Showgirl singular is Marlène Saldana and Jonathan Drillet's take on Showgirls but also cinema, art and morality. It's a lot more fun that this makes it sound! Read my preview for more, including a reminder than Paul Verhoeven's movie is now a lot talked about than the two prestige Las Vegas movies that came out in 1995. Click here to be reminded what they were. 

The Big Gay Jamboree

I enjoyed Titanique when I saw it, and reviewed it (and had not expected what it would become). I was less keen on Marla Mindelle's new vehicle, The Big Gay Jamboree. Thataway for my review.

Daaaaaalí!

Quentin Dupieux is back! Daaaaaalí! isn't among my favorites by him but I can rest easy knowing he'll have a new movie out in the US soon enough. Click here for my review.

Norman Reedus's culture 10

As an early adopter of The Walking Dead, talking to Norman "Daryl" Reedus was definitely exciting. Cool dude. Click here for his culture picks.

A new batch of sci-fi movies for September

Five new under-the-radar sci-movies to stream this month! Thataway for my selection.

Gabriel Kahane and Todd Almond

Some interesting song cycles happened to open at around the same time Off Broadway: two by Gabriel Kahane and one by Todd Almond. Read on to know which I liked best.

KS6, Medea Re-Versed, The Voices in Your Head, The Ask

Last month I dropped by a few smaller stages to see what was going on. I'm pleased to report that La MaMa is still going strong, hosting Belarus Free Theater once again, that the site-specific The Voices in Your Head is as lovely as it was back in January, and that The Ask definitely was thought-provoking. A bit less enthusiastic about the hip-hop Medea at Sheen but it had some strengths. Click here for my critic's notebook.

Ian McKellen talks about critics and ghosts

Ian McKellen is the living memory of decades of theater and talking to him is just endlessly fascinating. That was one for the bucket list. Click here for my interview.

Counting and Cracking

I recommended this show to soooo many friends, and not a single person who saw it disliked it. Consensus! You can read my review here.

James Earl Jones on stage

A belated link to my look at five important stage turns in James Earl Jones's career. Click here for my contribution to the Times's coverage after his death.

A chat with Norman Reedus

Three rockers with deep gothic roots who came up in my conversation with Norman Reedus: Nick Cave, Gavin Friday and Ian Astbury. Click here for Reedus's 10 cultural picks.

Afraid

The title of this techno-thriller actually is AfrAId, but the NY Times doesn't play typographical games. The movie has some of the worst acting I've ever seen in a supposedly legit production, and it's all downhill from there. Click here for my review.

Ending August with some science fiction

Anchoring my latest sci-fi column, which came out at the end of August, is the South Indian epic Kalki 2898 AD. It is as much of a spectacle as you would expect it to be. Click here for the details.

Profile of Zoe Sarnak

Galileo, The Lonely Few, Empire Records in 2024, and at least four more shows in development: I don't know if Zoe Sarnak is the single busiest musical-theater composer-lyricist right now, but she must be up there. Thataway for the profile.

10 Alain Delon movies

I had to make sure the movies were streaming in the US so there are a couple that I couldn't include, but overall this list is very much what I'd recommend to someone who's never seen any of Alain Delon's work. And people who have seen the biggies will discover some gems, like Once a Thief. The list is here.