The hottest Film Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Art & Illustration Topics

The Only Five Things I Liked in 2025

I Might Be Wrong • 10 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Nostalgia and reboots were everywhere in 2025 but mostly underwhelming, showing people often romanticize the past even when it wasn’t actually better.
  2. Small personal joys — like a child’s funny moments and annoying bedtime rituals — mattered more than big cultural events and often became the year’s real highlights.
  3. Online culture shifted toward sharper skepticism and new forms of entertainment: smart shows like Pluribus stood out, viral “how-to” hacks were frequently called out as misleading, and AI-generated animal content rose as a new comedic force.

The Chair Company (2025)

The Author Is Dumb • 3 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Tim Robinson essentially plays a familiar, narrow-range persona and the show drops that character into a 1970s-style conspiracy thriller, making the premise feel original and intentionally strange.
  2. The series mixes anti-comedy and thriller elements in a Lynchian way, so moments can be either hilariously brilliant or gratingly awkward, with occasional real vulnerability that lands powerfully.
  3. The show is polarizing: devoted fans defend it fiercely while many critics find it baffling or unfunny, which highlights the gap between personal taste and professional review.

Scrapbook #1: Venom 3, Podcasting, and the 'demise' of the Sony-Verse

Textual Variations • 165 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The new movie Venom: The Last Dance is better than the last one but still has its flaws. Some parts felt rushed, yet the action scenes at the end are impressive.
  2. The Sony Spider-Man Universe isn't ending, but it's shifting focus. They are pausing some projects while still working on Spider-Man titles and exploring what's successful.
  3. Alan Wake 2 is a unique horror game that's worth playing if you enjoy narrative-driven stories. It's beautifully made but hasn’t sold as well as expected, which is disappointing because we need more creative games like it.

"15 days" movie this Friday in Los Gatos at 7pm

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 3 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The film "15 Days" is screening this Friday in Los Gatos at 7:00 PM, with doors opening at 6:30 PM and tickets available online.
  2. It's a one-hour documentary that claims the US stopped the spread in just 15 days.
  3. A trailer is online and the film can be bought or streamed from the film's website if you can't attend in person.
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A little 'paradise' beside Hell

Wrong Side of History • 370 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Visiting Auschwitz can be a haunting and unforgettable experience, leaving a profound impact on individuals.
  2. The portrayal of evil and the Holocaust in history can be overwhelming and psychologically challenging.
  3. The movie _The Zone of Interest_ offers a different perspective on the Holocaust, focusing on the mundane lives of individuals involved in immense atrocities.

Amazon Unearthed Rare Cuts of Rob Zombie’s Halloween 1&2

Textual Variations • 165 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Rob Zombie's _Halloween_ films have different cuts that show how the director's vision changed. The theatrical versions focus more on compromises made for distribution.
  2. The director's cut of _Halloween 2_ is seen as more authentic and explores deeper themes than the theatrical cut. It tackles Michael Myers' humanity, diverging from traditional horror expectations.
  3. The theatrical versions of the films are now available on streaming, allowing fans to experience these unique takes for the first time in years.

Inside Hollywood’s $200 Million Bet on Formula 1

Huddle Up • 58 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Hollywood made an ambitious sports movie about Formula 1, spending $200 million on it. This shows how big the movie industry is getting into sports.
  2. Brad Pitt stars as a retired F1 driver in the film, bringing star power and excitement to the project.
  3. The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, highlighting strong talent behind the scenes.

Review: BlackBerry

Anarchonomicon • 100 HN points • 30 May 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The rise and fall of BlackBerry symbolizes the importance of faith in a business venture.
  2. Success in business can depend on the personalities and ethos of the founders.
  3. Culture and belief in the product can greatly influence the success and loyalty of customers.

The world is on fire, but I want to talk about Hot Frosty

Men Yell at Me • 141 implied HN points • 05 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The author is feeling relieved that the holiday season is over and is ready for a break from holiday activities.
  2. They have been thinking about a specific Netflix movie called 'Hot Frosty', featuring Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan.
  3. The author seems to enjoy discussing pop culture and movies, even in the face of larger world issues.

A definitive catalogue of modern rom-coms

Teniade Topics • 98 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Rom-coms have evolved over the years, ranging from cozy and deeply melancholy to more sophisticated and grown-up vibes.
  2. Actresses like Julia Roberts brought a flirtatious and sexy twist to rom-coms, subverting traditional genre norms.
  3. Different eras in rom-coms, from the '90s to the present, showcase the evolving styles and themes of these movies.

A Heroine's Journey

Polymathic Being • 63 implied HN points • 08 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The Hero's Journey is often seen as a masculine path, focusing on outward achievements and triumphs. In contrast, the Heroine's Journey emphasizes inward healing and the integration of both feminine and masculine qualities.
  2. Encanto is a great example of a Heroine's Journey. The main character, Mirabel, doesn’t defeat enemies but instead helps her family heal their emotional wounds and reconnect with their true selves.
  3. The goal of the Heroine's Journey is about creating community and fostering connections rather than individual conquest. It's about achieving wholeness and emotional authenticity, which are crucial in today's world.

They can’t all be winners

Austin Kleon • 599 implied HN points • 26 Nov 21
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Street art is a cool way to find art in everyday life and it can really brighten up a city. It's all around us if we just take the time to look.
  2. Typewriters are becoming popular again, especially during the pandemic. People find joy in using these old machines for writing.
  3. There are many creative projects and interesting artists to explore, like documentaries and podcasts. They can inspire us and offer new ways to appreciate art and storytelling.

T.V. Digest #21 Kicks off the Scrapbook line

Textual Variations • 132 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The Scrapbook series allows for quicker and more flexible writing on various topics like movie reviews and recent media news.
  2. Each Scrapbook post can mix different ideas and topics, making it easier to share thoughts that don't fit into standard articles.
  3. Researching for articles can lead to unexpected insights and larger pieces than originally planned, as shown with the piece on the extended X-Men version.

The Salt and the Women

Cybernetic Forests • 139 implied HN points • 22 Jan 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. The film 'The Salt and the Women' is an experimental exploration of AI tools and creativity, blending themes of mushrooms, AI, and generative cinema to tell a unique narrative.
  2. By working with AI tools to create art, the artist can steer emergent themes and create complex interactions between images, text, and music, resulting in a rich storytelling experience.
  3. Pairing AI-generated images and text can lead to stochastic resonance, where noise in the data aligns to amplify a signal, allowing artists to craft new stories by combining different elements.

On the Death of Cinema.

Through the Looking Glass • 99 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Cinema is evolving as an art form, facing challenges with the rise of streaming services and the dilution of visual culture to 'content'.
  2. Auteurs like Martin Scorsese and Susan Sontag criticize the current state of cinema, pointing out the shift from art to transactional 'content'.
  3. The blurring line between cinema and visual content, technological advancements, and changing viewing habits are impacting how we consume and appreciate movies, sparking a need to rediscover the joy and art of cinema.

Members-only watch party for Feud

Disaffected Newsletter • 179 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The next watch party for 'Feud: Bette and Joan' will be on April 27 at 5 PM Eastern Time. Make sure to check your local time, so you don’t miss it.
  2. To join the watch party, you need a subscription to the Substack. The Zoom link will be available after signing up.
  3. There’s a free 7-day trial for the Substack, so you can explore more content before committing.

My Top films/songs/books of 2023

Shakos Metaheuristics • 58 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The list showcases top films, songs, and books experienced in 2023, regardless of release year.
  2. The films discussed delve into themes of fatherhood, space travel, and historical events.
  3. The music selections range from sci-fi themes to pop hits, each carrying personal meanings and reflections.

Telugu Cinema’s Re-Release Culture, Model Collapse, and the Crisis of Cultural Data

Experiments with NLP and GPT-3 • 7 implied HN points • 30 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The re-release craze is turning cinema into a museum: audiences and exhibitors prefer remastered hits over new films, creating a feedback loop that starves the industry of fresh stories.
  2. Industry power is concentrated in ageing superstars and a few pan‑Indian blockbusters, which destroys the mid‑budget ladder and silences young writers and directors.
  3. That cultural stagnation creates a real data problem for Telugu AI and digital culture—without diverse, current Telugu content, models and creativity will be constrained; solutions include screen quotas, digitization of texts, and support for new writers.

Why is this Michael Keaton thriller Censored on Amazon?

Textual Variations • 165 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The movie 'Pacific Heights' has a censored version on Amazon that blurs nudity and mutes swear words. This makes it feel funny and odd, affecting the film's serious tone.
  2. It's unclear who decided to censor the film, but it likely wasn't Amazon itself. The owners may have done it to attract more viewers or advertisers.
  3. With more streaming platforms introducing ads, there are concerns that censorship could become more common. People expect to see the full version of films and should be informed if it's edited.

Good Luck / Suicide in Bed

Nice Try • 39 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The author feels surprised to discover what an apartment really is after living in one for 14 years. This shows how life can hold unexpected lessons even in everyday situations.
  2. The author connects their personal experience with humor and reflection about living in an apartment, adding depth to the story.
  3. The mention of a movie, _The Apartment_, highlights the idea that art can mirror and influence our own lives and perceptions.

Movie Recommendations: 3 Wordless Features

Soaring Twenties • 100 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Recommending good movies is important because it helps people discover great films instead of just focusing on negative critiques. It shows that you care about what you love and want to share it with others.
  2. Wordless movies can tell powerful stories through visuals and music alone, making them relatable to everyone regardless of language. This opens up new ways for filmmakers to connect with audiences worldwide.
  3. The success of wordless films highlights the need for movies that are unique and confident, pushing filmmakers to create innovative content rather than just following trends.

Generative AI and the Movie Industry: Opportunities and Challenges

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Film
  1. Generative AI is reshaping the movie industry with its ability to enhance various production aspects like scriptwriting, casting, editing, and marketing.
  2. OpenAI's Sora technology is a groundbreaking example of generative AI creating photorealistic and interactive movies based on natural language inputs.
  3. The Hollywood strike against AI in the movie industry highlights concerns about how artificial intelligence could impact the rights, credits, and compensation of writers and actors.

Favourite Films of 1975

Sounds Good! • 39 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. The post lists favorite films of 1975, highlighting impactful movies like 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show,' and 'Jaws.'
  2. The author shares personal experiences with the films, like being blown away by the lack of music in 'Dog Day Afternoon' and being scared by 'Jaws' as a child.
  3. The post also includes notable mentions like 'Shampoo,' 'Tommy,' 'The Passenger,' 'Love and Death,' and 'Shivers,' showcasing a diverse film selection for the year.

The Saturday Selection, Vol. 33

Why is this interesting? • 120 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Film soundtracks hold deep meaning for many people and are often tied to personal memories and feelings.
  2. Exploring the daily lives of Roman Emperors can reveal interesting insights about their roles and responsibilities.
  3. Popular media, like film clips, can provoke thought and reflection on various topics.

The Holdovers Escape Room

Aerial Shot • 39 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A group of filmgoers got accidentally locked in the theater after watching the movie 'The Holdovers,' leading to a humorous and unexpected situation.
  2. The author shared a curated list of movies for a 24-hour marathon in a fictional scenario, blending classics with new films for an immersive cinematic experience.
  3. The author's dream is to own a movie theater and host movie marathons, creating a unique experience for fellow movie enthusiasts.

The Narrow Road to the Deep North

Kvetch • 33 implied HN points • 09 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The show 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' is a powerful representation of Australia, highlighting both its beauty and the brutal realities of war. It dives deep into the emotional impacts of conflict on soldiers and their loved ones.
  2. The main character, Dorrigo Evans, embodies the struggles and complexities of war, love, and loss. His journey reflects the harsh realities faced by many during the war, showcasing both strength and vulnerability.
  3. The series doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of history and human nature. It explores themes of suffering, meaninglessness, and the stark contrast between the glorification of war and the tragic consequences it brings.

Does the Black guy always die first?

Teniade Topics • 78 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The trope of the black character dying first in horror movies is complex and rooted in stereotypes.
  2. Black men in horror films often play sacrificial roles to highlight the threat posed by monsters or killers.
  3. Black women in horror movies are usually portrayed as intuitive sidekicks, often with knowledge of the occult or supernatural.

The Gen Z-fication of the Femme Fatale

The Digital Native • 78 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Femme fatales have been powerful and controversial characters throughout history, representing strong women with control over their lives.
  2. Hollywood redefined the femme fatale as a symbol of power, autonomy, and charm, breaking stereotypes and paving the way for bold female characters in media.
  3. Gen Z is rebranding femme fatales as 'dark feminine,' appreciating characters like Maddy from Euphoria who show a mix of boldness, charisma, and vulnerability.

AIR | BEEF | SHOWING UP

Visual Media Overlord • 78 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. AIR is a sports drama film about Nike's partnership with Michael Jordan and offers a satirical take on corporate culture.
  2. BEEF is a Netflix series with strong performances from Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, delving into complex themes with a fresh perspective.
  3. SHOWING UP is a touching film about an artist finding inspiration in everyday chaos, highlighting the artistic journey and self-discovery.

Heresies; Stray Dog; Rachel Getting Married

Unpopular Front • 32 implied HN points • 03 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Christian nationalism is a modern belief that mixes being Christian with being American. This view often changes traditional Christian teachings to fit a national identity.
  2. Many people believe that the Bible's meaning should come from how it's understood in the church community. However, some groups focus on a literal interpretation that ignores deeper discussions.
  3. The idea of Christian nationalism can lead to extreme views and push back against human diversity. It pressures people to conform to a single identity instead of appreciating individual differences.

Taylor Sheridan's Extreme Productivity

SatPost by Trung Phan • 122 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Taylor Sheridan didn't become a successful writer until he was 40, showing that it's never too late to start a new career. His need to support his family pushed him to work hard and produce a lot of content quickly.
  2. He handles creative control differently than others in Hollywood, often working alone instead of in a writer's room. This unique approach allows him to stay true to his vision and produce shows and movies that resonate with people.
  3. Buying a massive ranch for $350 million increased his pressure to succeed even more. This financial burden motivated him to create new shows and push out his work at an extreme rate.