The hottest Film Substack posts right now

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The Saturday Selection, Vol. 94

Why is this interesting? • 361 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A new Rilke-inspired collection called Letters to a Young Creator gathers short pieces of advice from leading designers, executives, and artists to help guide creative work.
  2. Rolex has opened an intensive watchmaking school in Texas to address a shortage of professional watchmakers, and entry to the program is extremely competitive, on par with elite universities.
  3. The roundup highlights striking science and culture stories — from a potential stem-cell therapy that eases frailty to archaeological evidence about Hannibal’s war elephants — showing broad, unexpected developments across fields.

HALLOWEEN HORRORS

THREE SEVEN MAFIA • 1278 implied HN points • 04 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The horror film 'X-TRO' explores deep themes of family and alienation against the backdrop of 1980s UK troubles. Its unique approach makes it not just a scary film, but also a reflection of society's issues.
  2. In 'FOUND', the story of a boy dealing with a serial killer brother unfolds in a disturbing, shocking way. It's not just about horror; it shows the complex family dynamics and the impact of violence.
  3. The classic 'PHANTASM' combines elements of science fiction and horror, raising questions about reality and death. Its surreal style captures the fears of childhood, resonating with anyone who grew up in the dangerous environment of the late 70s.

How ‘Puss in Boots' Reveals the Key to Human Happiness (Seriously)

The Take (by Jon Miltimore) • 158 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Appreciating what you have is key to happiness. Instead of focusing on what you don't have, think about the good things in your life.
  2. The characters in 'Puss in Boots' show that friendship and love matter more than wishes. Sometimes, you realize what you want is already around you.
  3. Envy not only makes you unhappy, but it can also lead you down a dark path. Being grateful helps you enjoy life better.

15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 576 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A long magazine piece examines a new crop of "agentic" young men in Silicon Valley and paints an unsettling, despairing picture of their behavior and influence.
  2. The trailer for the upcoming season of Jury Duty, called Company Retreat, provoked shock and strong reactions.
  3. The roundup is distributed behind a paywall for paid subscribers, with clear subscription and sign‑in prompts.

Listening is the whole deal

Austin Kleon • 6554 implied HN points • 26 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Listening is really important in music and art. It helps you connect deeply with what you're experiencing, whether it's a song or a piece of writing.
  2. Movies like _Perfect Days_ show us the beauty of simple life moments, like taking photos and enjoying music, reminding us to appreciate everyday experiences.
  3. When creating something, many artists say they listen to their work. It’s like the art guides them on what to do next—this shows how important it is to be open and receptive during the creative process.
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The Quiet King of Japanese Stop Motion

Animation Obsessive • 11122 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Dwarf Studios focuses on creating cute and warm characters in their stop-motion animations, using storytelling that connects with Japanese cultural elements. They believe that good animation comes from how well characters convey emotions through their designs and movement.
  2. The studio values its heritage in Japanese stop motion and aims to expand its style, blending traditional influences with new, diverse themes in its projects. They work with both local and international studios for collaboration and learning.
  3. Dwarf Studios sees its audience as a mix of adults and families who appreciate craftsmanship in animation. Their partnership with Netflix has helped increase visibility and funding for their projects, providing opportunities for broader reach.

How To Build Your Own Tower

The Ruffian • 460 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Build a personal "tower"—regular, intentional solitude or focused time—to get distance and perspective from the nonstop news and information feed. Without those retreats you can get anxious and lose control over what you think about.
  2. Keep a disciplined daily habit like freeform writing or journaling; short, consistent sessions help ideas germinate and feed larger creative projects. This practice captures stray thoughts and turns them into usable material.
  3. Stay open to the world but choose when to engage with it, not the other way around. Controlling your information diet and stepping back sometimes leads to clearer judgment and better work.

Animation Gift Ideas for 2025

Animation Obsessive • 9687 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. For 2025, there are many unique gift ideas related to animation for different budgets. This year, it's important to consider how shopping has changed, especially for those outside the U.S.
  2. The animated film 'My Brother, My Brother' has gained attention for its personal story and unique portrayal of memory and identity, capturing the deep connection between the filmmaker and his late twin brother.
  3. 'I Am Frankelda,' Mexico's first stop-motion feature, has been a box office hit, proving that there is a market for such films in the country despite initial doubts from industry insiders.

Two Artists, Linked Across Distance

Animation Obsessive • 8341 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Martine Chartrand spent years creating her animated film 'Black Soul' using a unique paint-on-glass technique, inspired by Alexander Petrov's earlier work. This style allowed her to convey a powerful narrative about Black history.
  2. Chartrand and Petrov developed a strong friendship through their artistic journeys, despite the distance between them. Their connection helped both artists grow and achieve significant success in their careers.
  3. The experiences and lessons learned from each other ultimately led to their respective films receiving prestigious awards, highlighting the importance of collaboration and mentorship in the arts.

The Weekend Press: A Soldier’s Letters Home

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 301 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A retired general’s wartime journal shows how fear, love, and the human cost of war shape soldiers and the families they leave behind. It reminds readers that each casualty represents a whole life and many lost plans.
  2. A new subculture of AI enthusiasts wants to outsource everyday work and even whole jobs to agents, celebrating tools that automate digital life and reduce admin tasks. Their excitement highlights how quickly people are ready to hand responsibilities over to machines.
  3. The newsletter mixes sharp cultural picks and lively opinion pieces, from a striking Iranian-set vampire film that speaks to women’s lives to debates about motherhood, plus weekend recommendations for books, films, and food. It offers varied reads and viewing ideas for the weekend.

Will West Coast Jazz Finally Get Some Respect?

The Honest Broker • 8610 implied HN points • 06 Dec 25
🎶 Music Film
  1. West Coast jazz was historically marginalized and often dismissed by the jazz establishment, even when its musicians had significant success. Those players deserve recognition as an important part of jazz history.
  2. A new documentary project aims to tell the definitive story of West Coast jazz but is struggling for funding and public attention. People can help by donating, sharing the project, or otherwise spreading the word.
  3. Many West Coast musicians were forgotten, lived in poverty, and efforts to preserve their oral histories have been underfunded. Grassroots advocacy and financial support are needed to rescue and celebrate their legacy.

The Ultimate Midnight Movie, Reborn

Animation Obsessive • 10135 implied HN points • 17 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A forgotten Mexican animated movie called 'Roy from Space' is getting a second chance after being rediscovered. It was a flop when it was first released, but a film scholar's research revealed that the original negatives still exist.
  2. The film's unique, homemade animation style caught the attention of a distributor, leading to plans for a re-release. They are even creating new animation for parts that originally used stolen footage.
  3. There's growing excitement about other animation projects, like 'Crocodile Dance,' which is gaining positive attention and funding support. It shows the potential for diverse voices and stories in animation.

What I'm reading about A.I. economic doom and Trump's War on Iran. Plus: a great twisty documentary and a good new crime thriller

Read Max • 447 implied HN points • 02 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A high-profile A.I. report recently rattled markets and sparked intense debate about the economic risks and real-world consequences of advanced AI.
  2. A twisty, gripping true-crime documentary about fraud and confirmation bias is highlighted, and the director’s new crime thriller is also recommended.
  3. The newsletter curates books, films, and music, asks readers to take a short survey, and encourages subscriptions and reader recommendations.

The Voice of Hind Rajab: The Film They Don’t Want You to See

The Chris Hedges Report • 498 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Film
  1. The film uses the recorded voice of a six-year-old and the frantic calls of rescue workers to put a human face on suffering and the desperate moral effort to save life.
  2. It shows how military restrictions and direct attacks stopped an ambulance and left civilians and medics dead, illustrating the brutal, deadly effects of occupation.
  3. Because it challenges dominant political narratives, the film faced distribution resistance, and it forces viewers to confront their own moral choice between compassion and complicity in the face of mass violence.

David Mamet: Robert Duvall Was the Best Actor of His Generation

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 978 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Robert Duvall’s acting was marked by truthful simplicity, showing a real person with a clear objective instead of theatrical embellishment.
  2. Sanford Meisner urged students to study Duvall, seeing him as the prime example of authentic, watch-and-learn acting.
  3. Duvall is remembered as the best actor of his generation and as a model who teaches actors to prioritize honesty over technique or interpretation.

HALLOWEEN HORRORS (cont.)

THREE SEVEN MAFIA • 659 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. In 1988, many horror films were released, making it a great year for horror fans. Movies like 'Night of the Demons' stood out with their unique style and practical effects.
  2. 'Ghost Town' mixes western themes with horror, featuring a sheriff facing off against undead outlaws. It's an interesting take on classic cowboy stories.
  3. 'Trick or Treat' reflects the fears of the 1980s about heavy metal music and Satanism. The movie taps into that era's moral panic, making it a unique snapshot of its time.

The Next in Line

Animation Obsessive • 1435 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. When the USSR collapsed, state studios and funding for animation fell apart, causing a big loss of skilled artists and a real fear that the craft’s generational knowledge would disappear.
  2. Veteran animators set up School‑Studio Shar and other teaching efforts to pass on techniques to younger artists, and that training helped Russian animation slowly rebuild over decades.
  3. Anton Dyakov, a Shar graduate, earned an Oscar nomination for BoxBallet, proving the mentorship pipeline can produce world‑class work, but his rise also highlights how fragile the succession and revival remain.

Awards Season Rivals Sinners and One Battle Another Are Both Very Good, Very Fun, and Very Overrated

Freddie deBoer • 4981 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Both Sinners and One Battle After Another are very entertaining, well-made genre movies but don’t actually contain the deep political or prophetic meanings critics keep assigning them.
  2. Auteur prestige and the cultural economy of importance create a halo effect that leads critics to read symbolic weight into films that are primarily popcorn entertainment.
  3. It’s fine for films to be fun and lightweight; critics should be willing to praise craft and enjoyment without forcing unwarranted profundity onto every popular movie.

Make Art Complicated Again

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 855 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Good art shouldn't be an endorsement; it should show ambiguous, complicated human behavior instead of preaching how to act.
  2. Pressure to make every character a clear moral example or perfect representative flattens stories into simplistic, moralizing cartoons.
  3. True representation includes letting marginalized people be messy, flawed, or even villainous sometimes, because that complexity is more honest and often more empowering.

The Pressure That Made Miyazaki and Takahata

Animation Obsessive • 28523 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Miyazaki and Takahata faced a lot of challenges early in their careers, producing shows that often did not succeed. They learned from these failures and began to create works that felt more real and relatable.
  2. Their work on series like Heidi focused on everyday life and human relationships, aiming to draw viewers into a believable world. This unique approach ultimately led to their success.
  3. As they grew as artists, they started to drift apart in their creative visions. Miyazaki loved fantasy, while Takahata leaned toward realism, showcasing how different pressures and experiences shaped their art.

Animating the World Around You

Animation Obsessive • 2242 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. Many young animators borrow Western character designs and tones, and that can make their work lose the distinct flavors of their own cultures.
  2. Local languages, rituals, colors and emotions are rich storytelling resources that can give animations a unique and authentic voice.
  3. Stop motion can put regional materials and traditions directly on screen, helping films feel rooted, tactile, and original.

What Are Your Guilty Displeasures?

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 492 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A guilty displeasure is when you actually don't like something but feel you should because it fits your identity or social expectations.
  2. These feelings often come from your social environment, upbringing, or sunk costs in a career, creating a mismatch between your true tastes and what you think you ought to like.
  3. Being honest with yourself usually makes these feelings fade; identify them, decide whether to change or accept them, and focus on positive preferences rather than forcing dislikes into your identity.

The Oscars Died This Weekend, Did Anyone Notice?

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 61 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The Oscars have lost their place as a shared cultural event and now feel like an insider industry banquet that many ordinary viewers ignore.
  2. The ceremony and its winners often don’t match what mainstream audiences have seen, while the broadcast tries to juggle honoring films, chasing ratings, and delivering political messaging, which makes it feel unfocused and awkward.
  3. A fragmented media landscape and countless parallel awards and online debates have eroded the Oscars’ authority, turning the show into a self-congratulatory ritual largely disconnected from everyday audiences.

Skeletons and Noses

Animation Obsessive • 1704 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. Mickey Mousing pairs music tightly with movement so the score mirrors every on‑screen action, a technique Disney perfected in films like The Skeleton Dance.
  2. The Nose goes the opposite way: its music often clashes with the animation, and its metal‑pin animation and wild score create a strange, unsettling effect.
  3. Comparing the two shows that music can either reinforce visuals for clarity and charm or oppose them to provoke and expand what animation can express.

Nobody in Britain is going to see the new Melania movie – I've crunched the data to prove it

Odds and Ends of History • 2010 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Pre-sale ticketing at Vue across 878 screenings (70,765 seats) shows just 1,160 bookings, roughly 1.6% of available seats and about 1.8% filled per screening.
  2. Most bookings are concentrated in the opening weekend with sales trailing off sharply after, indicating limited broader interest.
  3. Some seat markings may be system quirks or reserved wheelchair seats so the true number sold could be even lower, and overall the film looks unlikely to be a UK box-office hit.

The Monday Media Diet with Shannon Deep

Why is this interesting? • 965 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Podcasts are her go-to medium — she prefers comedian-hosted shows that dig into the creative process and quieter, therapy-like narrative podcasts that explore people and cultures.
  2. She reads widely but leans toward literary craft over commercial fiction, recommending contemporary women writers like Marie-Hélène Bertino and Lisa Taddeo and currently favoring nonfiction (especially polar exploration).
  3. She curates short-form and visual media for creative inspiration — following therapists, feminists, and artists on TikTok, watching off‑beat creative competition shows, and enjoying beautifully designed apps and games.

The way you wanted to feel

Austin Kleon • 5295 implied HN points • 28 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Riding a bike can make you feel like a kid again, giving you a sense of joy you wanted when you were younger. It's important to give yourself those little joys in life.
  2. Think about what you loved doing as a child because it can help you discover your passions today. Reflecting on those moments can guide your hobbies and career choices.
  3. Creative work often connects with childhood memories. Embracing what made you happy as a kid can inspire you to be more creative and fulfilled now.

15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 659 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. "Tool Shaped Objects" is highlighted as a particularly thought-provoking response to a viral AI article.
  2. Bear Naked Cacao & Cashew Butter Granola was a memorable food item this week.
  3. The full list and details are available only to paid subscribers behind a paywall.

Indie Culture Is Great—But What's Coming Next is Better

The Honest Broker • 24169 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Indie culture started strong by emphasizing freedom and independence, but over time, it has become less influential as major platforms promote conformity.
  2. There's a need for a new movement that goes beyond indie, focusing on collaboration among artists, protecting their rights, and encouraging creative risk-taking.
  3. We can build a better artistic future by creating supportive communities, developing new platforms, and advocating for artists' ownership of their work.

I'm Recommending 14 New YouTube Videos

The Honest Broker • 5917 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. You can train the YouTube algorithm to favor higher-quality videos so it starts delivering content you actually enjoy.
  2. Simple street interviews can prompt strangers to share deep, intimate stories, showing the power of genuine conversation.
  3. Great musical discoveries still exist — from lively contemporary pop bands with electric chemistry to brilliant, underrated film composers who never got major awards.

The Visual World of 'Samurai Jack'

Animation Obsessive • 30856 implied HN points • 26 May 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Samurai Jack told stories through visuals instead of dialogue. The team focused on creating beautiful images that captured emotions and actions without needing words.
  2. The show's unique art style came from mixing different influences, like classic films and mid-century cartoons. This made the backgrounds and characters really stand out.
  3. Tartakovsky believed kids could understand complex stories, so he created a show that treated them with intelligence. This bold approach made Samurai Jack memorable and different from other cartoons at the time.

The World of Today

Some Unpleasant Arithmetic • 9 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Many recent high-profile films focus on democratic backsliding and show what life looks like under repression, violence, and systemic injustice. They trace stages from sporadic repression to organized, everyday authoritarian control.
  2. Democratic erosion is usually slow and driven by factors like polarization, rising inequality, economic shocks, globalization, and new information ecosystems that spread conspiracies and hollow out institutions. These forces weaken courts, media, and civil society while keeping a democratic façade.
  3. Protecting democracy depends on clear public narratives and political will: awareness, elite commitment, and active pushback matter, and elite complacency or complicity is a central danger. Without people and leaders recognizing the threat, backsliding can continue.

The New 80% Rule in Culture

The Honest Broker • 25799 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The entertainment industry is increasingly relying on old ideas instead of creating new ones. Nowadays, a large portion of movies and music comes from remakes or older content.
  2. This trend isn't just in movies; music streaming shows a similar pattern where most songs played are older hits, reflecting a shift from new to past favorites.
  3. People are getting tired of the same old stuff, and this won't last forever. The entertainment industry needs to focus on fresh, original content to keep audiences engaged.

SHAME! SHAME! LET CHILDREN READ BOOKS!

The Common Reader • 3862 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Removing full-length novels from the 8th grade curriculum is wrong. Kids should be reading entire books to develop a deeper understanding.
  2. Watching movies on a small screen is fine, but experiencing them in a theater is a different and better experience. It's important to appreciate films as they were intended.
  3. There should be more emphasis on traditional reading and viewing experiences in education and entertainment. Kids deserve to have these opportunities.

When Disney Went Digital

Animation Obsessive • 16325 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Computers changed the way Disney made animations. Instead of using traditional cels, artists began to create and manage animations digitally, which saved time and opened up new creative possibilities.
  2. Disney was initially hesitant about using computer technology. They worried it might take away from the quality of their classic hand-drawn films and even tried to keep the new system a secret for a while.
  3. Despite the initial challenges, the move to digital animation helped Disney produce stunning films with more colors and effects. This technology allowed them to create ambitious scenes that were impossible or too costly with old methods.

The French Film That Changed Japanese Animation

Animation Obsessive • 24397 implied HN points • 02 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The French film _The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep_ had a big impact on Japanese animation when it was released in Japan. It showed animators that animated films could be for adults, not just kids.
  2. Filmmakers like Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata were inspired by the film's unique storytelling and beautiful animation style. They noted how it created a vivid world that felt real and grounded.
  3. The film influenced new ideas about how animation could express deeper themes, such as social and political issues, which changed the way Japanese animated films were made going forward.

Learning the Real Lessons from Ghibli

Animation Obsessive • 14172 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The film 'The Glassworker' tells a powerful story about art, love, and the impact of war on people's lives. It's a journey of two children from opposing worlds who discover their paths are not so different despite their backgrounds.
  2. Inspired by Studio Ghibli, the director aimed to capture deep emotions and realism rather than just mimic the animation style. The goal was to share feelings that resonate with viewers, similar to what Ghibli films evoke.
  3. Persistence plays a huge role in filmmaking. The director emphasizes that pursuing your passion despite obstacles can lead to success, and that it's important to hold on to your creative enthusiasm even during tough times.

The Profile: Larry Page’s money man & Hollywood’s favorite gangster

The Profile • 198 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Al Pacino is a master actor known for playing memorable villains. His performance in roles like Michael Corleone is often seen as a benchmark for acting excellence.
  2. Pacino believes that to truly act, one must absorb the character deeply, allowing their personality to emerge rather than merely pretending to be someone else.
  3. Creating great art means connecting emotionally with the audience. If you tap into real feelings, your work can resonate much more and leave a lasting impact.

The Greatness of Catherine O’Hara

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 941 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Her sudden death at 71 was especially shocking. She had been consistently brilliant in every role across a long career.
  2. She never had a single peak or a career lull, making it hard to point to one best performance; she was exceptional throughout. This steady excellence is particularly rare for a female comedy performer.
  3. She stayed active and delivered strong work into her seventies, including a notable recent role on Seth Rogen's show The Studio.