Sitemap - 2025 - The SS Ben Hecht, by Stephen Silver
The 2025 Ben Hecht 600 Part VI: The Finale
The 2025 Ben Hecht 600, Part V
The 2025 Ben Hecht 600, Part IV
The 2025 Ben Hecht 600, Part III
The 2025 Ben Hecht 600: Part II
The 2025 Ben Hecht 600, Part I
'One Battle After Another' and 'Sinners' dominate the 2025 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle awards
Fin: My 10 favorite nights at the movies this year
The 20 best documentary features of 2025
Rob Reiner: 1947-2025- The life and death of a mensch
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' is beautiful but ephemeral
‘Ella McCay,’ and a kinder, gentler bad movie pile-on
Fin: The scourge of “how dare you not like my favorite movie”
Stuart Scott is lovingly remembered in ESPN’s very moving ‘Boo-Yah’
'Chi-Raq,' an oddball entry in Spike Lee’s filmography, turns 10
10 thoughts on 'Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair'
Fin: What the hell is the National Board of Review?, and other early awards season thoughts
'Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead,' a mid-1990s oddity, turns 30
'Marty Supreme' is a supremely American triumph
On James Bond casting news, be careful who you trust
Fin: Why 'Rush Hour 4' will never be made
'Unbreakable', M. Night Shyamalan's second major film, turns 25
November review roundup: 'Dracula,' 'Zootopia 2,' 'Eternity,' 'Rebuilding' and 'The Floaters'
‘Zodiac Killer Project’ capably skewers the conventions of true-crime documentaries
Trump, 'Rush Hour,' and why the president shouldn't decide which movies get made
Fin: Olivia Nuzzi, and why reporters-sleeping-with-their-sources scandals are actually quite rare
‘Wicked For Good’ is a sluggish conclusion to the musical saga
‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’ a 1970s touchstone, turns 50
Show us Tom Cruise winning the Oscar!
Fin: The left and right can agree on being super-weird about Sydney Sweeney
'Arco' is a beautifully-realized animated fable
'The Swede of Philadelphia' takes a reverent but odd look at the Flyers' Pelle Lindbergh
Journalists take on evil and win: ‘Spotlight’ turns 10
‘The Perfect Neighbor’ is the big winner at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards
‘To Live and Die in L.A.,’ a neo-noir of the 1980s, turns 40
'Predator: Badlands' is a pleasant surprise
Reviews of some recent short films of note
Fin: 10 final thoughts on the 2025 Philadelphia Film Festival
20 years ago, ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ helped revive Robert Downey, Jr.’s career
Fin: Just how left-wing is ‘One Battle After Another’?
‘In Her Shoes,’ a very underrated Philadelphia movie, turns 20
‘Allen Iv3rson’ examines the basketball legend, without much new to say
Reviews: ‘Hamnet,’ ‘My Father’s Shadow’ and ‘La Grazia’ at the 2025 Philadelphia Film Festival
Fin: Philadelphia Film Festival memories, as PFF34 begins
‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ is an ultra-tense look at motherhood (Philadelphia Film Festival 2025)
'Kicking and Screaming,' Noah Baumbach's sharp debut, hits 30
The blessed bankruptcy of the Parents Television Council
Fin: I demand to see the Bill Belichick UNC documentary
‘To Die For,’ a story of fame, sex, murder and Nicole Kidman, turns 30
On Comedy and Sadness: ‘John Candy: I Like Me’ and ‘Are We Good’?
‘A House of Dynamite’ is nerve-wracking- it’s just a shame about that ending
AI “actress” Tilly Norwood does not exist
Fin: 16 thoughts on the 2025 Philadelphia Film Festival lineup
‘The Smashing Machine’ is the sluggish story of an MMA pioneer
The cult film of cult films, ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ turns 50
Selections from NYFF 63: 'After the Hunt,' 'Jay Kelly' and 'Resurrection'
Fin: ‘One Battle After Another’ does not require the validation of box office success
As mid-‘70s as it gets: ’Dog Day Afternoon’ turns 50
‘One Battle After Another’ is an exhilarating story of action, activism, and timeless culture wars
Fin: 10 points on Kimmel, Kirk, comedy and cancel culture
30 years ago, ‘Seven’ was as bleak as crime movies get
‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ nails the little moments, but not the big picture
‘Megadoc’ shows the anatomy of a very expensive vanity project
Charlie Kirk, Bob Dylan, the Eagles and the crisis of Facebook AI slop
Fin: Enough with cinematic “love letters”
‘AKA Charlie Sheen’ is the year’s ickiest documentary
'The Long Walk' is a well-acted but not-quite-great Stephen King adaptation
“Practically the 51st state”: ‘Canadian Bacon’ turns 30
Keep A.I.’s goddamned crayolas off of Orson Welles’ movie
Fin: Ten thoughts on Bill Maher’s interview with Woody Allen
'After Hours,' one of the best One Crazy Night movies, turns 40
‘Splitsville’ is a delightful comedy about love, sex, and friendship
Fall movie preview: The ten movies this fall I'm most looking forward to
Fin: Don’t blame the movies for the rise of Zohran Mamdani
'Stans' and 'Vice is Broke': Two new documentaries about transgressive things from the early 2000s
‘Caught Stealing’ is a familiar but still thrilling New York adventure
After 30 years, ’The Usual Suspects’ still has us asking what really happened
About that ‘Kobe Bryant biopic'
Fin: ‘Honey Don’t!’ shows lightning doesn’t strike twice for Coen and Cooke
‘Relay’ is a jarring ‘70s-style thriller- it’s just a shame about that ending
‘Devo’ is an underwhelming look back at the weirdest band of the ‘80s
'The Aristocrats' turns 20, showing just how much comedy has changed
‘And Just Like That’ bubbles to a close
Fin: With ‘The Road Between Us,’ TIFF violates my “show all the films” rule
‘Highest 2 Lowest’ is Spike Lee's ode to New York, Kurosawa- and the wisdom of elders
‘Been Here, Stay Here’ is a beautiful documentary about a very specific place
20 years ago, ‘Grizzly Man’ was a documentary like no other
Howard Stern, Sydney Sweeney, Britanny Griner, and why nothing on the Internet is ever true anymore
Fin: A farewell to Hulu, and more thoughts on everything Disney just announced
Follow that bike: ’Pee-wee’s Big Adventure’ turns 40
‘Weapons’ follows through on its challenging premise
‘Videoheaven’ is a three-hour tour of video stores, as seen in the movies
After the end of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, will PBS’ documentary series survive?
Fin: The Pedro Pascal female co-stars/anxiety meme is completely fake
‘The Naked Gun’ relights the rapid-fire gag machine
‘Waterworld,’ the flop that wasn’t, turns 30
Don't bring Robin Williams back from the dead with A.I.
Fin: Colbert, cancellation, and clapter: 10 points on the death of ‘The Late Show’
‘No Sleep Till’ is a moody drama about an approaching storm
35 years ago, ‘Slacker’ launched a career- and a unique ‘90s archetype
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is the best MCU entry in years
'Apocalypse in the Tropics' is a horrifying look at Brazilian politics today
The absolute folly of an “anti-woke reboot” of 'Basic Instinct'
Fin: Jeffrey Epstein, Hollywood, and another mass delusion
‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’ follows eight decades in the life of the Piano Man
'Clueless' and 'Kids,' two very different teen movies, turn 30
‘Superman’ is overcrowded, but nevertheless essential
Our trip to Japan, explained by 20 movies
Sign up for a review-writing webinar, with me- plus, a new podcast
‘Daniela Forever’ is an inert sci-fi pseudo-romance
Godfather and man at NYU: 'The Freshman' turns 35
Halftime: The top ten documentaries of the first half of 2025
Fin: 4th of July/Tokyo Drift edition
‘The Drowning Pool,’ another pitch-black ‘70s noir, turns 50
‘Jurassic World Rebirth,’ and the case for no more ‘Jurassic Park’ movies
Halftime: The best movies of the first half of 2025
Fin: In praise of the New York Times' user-generated movie lists
The passion of Cole Trickle: ‘Days of Thunder’ at 35
'F1 The Movie' is a grown-up sports action-adventure
'Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything' is fantastic boomer broadcast history
I am Steve. And I finally saw ‘A Minecraft Movie’
Fin: On 'Materialists,' it’s not “being weird” to talk and argue about a movie
After 50 years, we’re still living in a 'Jaws' world
'Elio' is decidedly mid-level Pixar
‘Everything’s Going to Be Great’ is a fitfully moving comedy/drama
Let a Thousand A24s, Neons, and Mubis bloom
Fin: Brian Wilson and the movies
'Ballerina' follows John Wick, for better and for worse
‘Congo,’ one of the goofiest blockbusters of the ‘90s, turns 30
AMC pivots... to more commercials
Fin: 'Goodbye Dragon Inn,' and Goodbye Marc Maron
Hey you guys: ‘The Goonies’ turns 40
‘The Life of Chuck’ is a triumphant Stephen King adaptation
The death of documentaries has been greatly exaggerated
Fin: Can 'Original Sin' be a movie?
The surprisingly moving ‘Bono: Stories of Surrender’, and two other music docs
‘Karate Kid: Legends’ is not the best around
Mel Gibson’s Scottish play: ‘Braveheart’ turns 30
People are being weird about 'Lilo & Stitch'
When M.I. went Woo: 'Mission: Impossible 2' turns 25
‘Pee-Wee As Himself’ is the late Paul Reubens like you’ve never seen him
‘The Phoenician Scheme’ is Wes Anderson’s winning take on a shady businessman’s redemption
The case for more movie and TV releases of Broadway shows
Fin: The movie that made Anthony Edwards
‘Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning’ is a step down, but when it’s good, it’s great
40 years ago: ‘Rambo: First Blood Part II’ was a sequel for the Reagan era
‘Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary’ follows seven decades of a British Invasion band
Why movies and TV can’t quit Vivaldi
Fin: Conclave imitates 'Conclave'
'Crimson Tide,' the 1990s’ other great submarine thriller, turns 30
Long-delayed ‘The Comeback Trail’ is a Western comedy oddity
Trump’s tariff war comes for the movies
Fin: Taylor Lorenz and Tung Tung Tung Tung Sahur: Italian Brainrot goes mainstream
‘Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie’ follows the legendary stoners in winter
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail,’ a touchstone of nerd cinema, turns 50
‘Thunderbolts’ is a different type of underwhelming Marvel movie
‘Drop Dead City’ explores how New York (almost) went bankrupt
How 'Sinners' escaped the “wokeness” wars
Fin: Yes, of course Oscar voters should have to see all the movies
30 years ago: ‘Crumb’ was one of the best biographical documentaries ever made
PFS Springfest review: In ‘The Shrouds,’ David Cronenberg gets personal about grief
PFS Springfest documentaries include looks at ‘To Catch a Predator’ and Marlee Matlin
An interview with Michael Horse, from 'Twin Peaks'
Fin: In praise of eclectic careers: Remembering Ted Kotcheff and Nicky Katt
A very charming lie: ‘While You Were Sleeping’ turns 30
Alex Gibney’s two-part 'The Dark Money Game' explores money in politics- and mostly misses the point
‘Sinners’ is a genre triumph from Ryan Coogler
If it only it were so simple as “make better movies”
Fin: China tariffs strike the movies
‘Warfare’ is an Iraq War film unlike any other
'October 8' and 'The Encampments' have a lot more in common than you think
‘Exit Through the Gift Shop,’ a great documentary that might not be a documentary at all, turns 15
Is the ‘Minecraft Movie’ phenomenon good for film culture?
Fin: I don’t care how much money ‘One Battle After Another’ makes or loses, nor should you
'Freaky Tales' is an Oakland tribute that mostly misses
‘I Love You to Death,’ a mediocre dark comedy with a great cast, turns 35
The Daily Wire and the conservative temptation to go Hollywood
Fin: Apple’s ‘The Studio’ is the best Hollywood satire of the century
25 years later: 'Beau Travail' was a woman's take on an all-male world
‘Death of a Unicorn’ is an underwhelming horror satire
Reviewing ‘Art For Everybody,’ and four other new biographical documentaries
Everything you know about the 'Snow White' backlash may be wrong
Fin: Why does David Zaslav hate Looney Tunes?
‘Snow White’ strongly outperforms its disastrous reputation
The conundrum of ‘Magazine Dreams’
Who cares if a blockbuster wins Best Picture?
Fin: The chilling threat against a movie theater by a Florida mayor
40 years ago, 'Lost in America' was a boomer yuppie’s comedic reckoning
‘Black Bag’ is a delightful look at spying and marriage
'CHAOS' is an underwhelming Netflix documentary about the Manson Murders
'Pipe Rock Theory' is a short comedic masterpiece for our time
Fin: ‘Anora’ and ‘No Other Land’ win at the Oscars, and break people’s brains
35 years ago, ‘The Hunt For Red October’ was a cinematic swan song for the Cold War
‘Mickey 17’ is Bong Joon Ho’s return to dystopia
Conan, ‘Anora,’ and a mostly successful Oscar night
'UnBroken' is the amazing story of a family's Holocaust survival
‘My Dead Friend Zoe’ is an earnest, successful drama about PTSD
‘Shutter Island,’ Martin Scorsese’s eeriest film, turns 15
Fin: The next phase of the 'wokeness' wars, from the White House to Saturday Night Live
Six selections from the 2025 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
‘We Beat the Dream Team’ is a delightful bit of basketball history
How ‘The Breakfast Club’ has curdled, after 40 years
Don’t boycott ‘Captain America’ because Shira Haas is in it
Fin: Sexual misconduct seems to be allowed now
‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ is a thrilling but sanitized look at the rock gods
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ promises a better day for Marvel
50 years ago, ‘Shampoo’ introduced us to the world’s horniest hairdresser
Stop saying awards shows are rigged
Fin: Thoughts on the Karla Sofia Gascon debacle
Three new movies about love: 'Love Hurts,' 'Heart Eyes' and 'Parthenope'
40 years ago, ‘Witness’ showed two sides of Pennsylvania
'Twin Peaks': Thoughts on a rewatch
Fin: Michael Jackson may very well have molested children and shouldn’t be the hero of a biopic
‘Presence’ is a ghostly gimmick thriller from Steven Soderbergh
‘This is the Tom Green Documentary’ revisits the life of the 1990s’ most notorious TV prankster
30 years ago, ‘Before Sunrise’ was the start of something big
Down with "Did 'Wicked' direct itself?"
Fin: Donald Trump's surprising approach to Hollywood
'Grand Theft Hamlet' is Shakespeare in a violent video game
‘Inheritance’ is a sharp thriller- shot with an iPhone
35 years ago, ‘Tremors’ combined sci-fi, horror, comedy and worms
“I heard you perfectly”: David Lynch (1946-2025)
Fin: The AMC Fashion District lives!
‘Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy’ gets caught up in too much conspiracist nonsense
'Wolf Man' is another quality take on classic horror
'American Sniper,' a film that a great many people got wrong, turns 10
On 'September 5' and 'No Other Land,' I'm on Team Show All The Films
Fin: With 'The Brutalist' and 'Emilia Perez,' the Golden Globes honor the best and the worst
‘The Prosecutor’ is a unique Hong Kong gem
‘Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action’ explores the legacy of the world’s grossest talk show
‘Internal Affairs,’ a cop corruption thriller full of mind games, turns 35
'The Brutalist,' and the story of that intermission family picture