The hottest Film Substack posts right now

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#252: The American spectacle of ‘Marty Supreme’

Maybe Baby • 1322 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The film sets out to critique American individualistic ambition, but its glossy style and star-making spectacle end up glamorizing the same monomania it aims to condemn.
  2. It’s beautifully made and thrilling to watch with strong performances, yet it offers little interior depth and the emotional payoff, especially the ending, feels unearned.
  3. By mixing marketing, celebrity, and art, the movie reflects and reinforces a cultural obsession with measurable success and spectacle over communal or moral values.

A big pile of imperfect things

Austin Kleon • 5815 implied HN points • 24 May 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Reading big books can be enjoyable, especially when you take your time with them. Some people like to read them in parts over several weeks.
  2. It's okay to create imperfect things. The idea is to enjoy the process and keep going despite not being perfect.
  3. Finding joy in what you like can lead to happiness. It's about discovering new things to appreciate and even learning to like things you didn't before.

Success means you get to do it again tomorrow

Austin Kleon • 6554 implied HN points • 10 May 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Success is about doing what you love and getting to keep doing it, day after day. It's not about reaching a final goal, but enjoying the process.
  2. Understanding what you like can help you feel less stressed about being liked, which can make your work more authentic and free.
  3. Artists like Steve Albini believe that goals can create unnecessary stress. Instead, focusing on enjoying the process can lead to true success.

A perfect action flick set in Kowloon Walled City, a brilliant literary debut, and more

Read Max • 395 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Recommendations include a near-perfect martial-arts film set in Kowloon Walled City and a strong debut novel about friendship and ambition in 2000s New York City.
  2. The picks also point to varied longform pieces — essays on Jeffrey Epstein, Infinite Jest, and Criss Angel’s restaurant — plus four music tracks currently in heavy rotation.
  3. Full access is behind a paid subscription that includes weekly emails, curated master lists of good movies and books, merch discounts, and small affiliate commissions on purchase links, and readers are invited to send recommendations by email.

Soviet Anime?

Animation Obsessive • 15786 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Soviet audiences embraced Japanese anime as early as the 1960s, with films gaining popularity in the 1970s. This cultural exchange showed a unique appreciation for animation in the USSR.
  2. The film _The Mystery of the Third Planet_ was produced as a response to successful Japanese animations. It aimed to connect with teenage viewers and became a beloved classic.
  3. Director Roman Kachanov focused on creating relatable characters and a warm atmosphere in his films. He believed in capturing human emotions, which helped make his animation feel alive and engaging.
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Psycho

Nice Try • 379 implied HN points • 07 Sep 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The movie _Psycho_ has a famous shower scene where a woman is killed, but it cleverly tricks viewers into questioning who the real 'psycho' is throughout the film.
  2. Marion Crane and Norman Bates have mirrored characteristics, showing how both characters are driven by desires that lead to their own downfalls.
  3. On multiple viewings of _Psycho_, you can notice different aspects of characters, suggesting many of them might also have their own hidden psychotic traits.

Funny Ha Ha (2002) by Andrew Bujalski

Tao Lin • 879 implied HN points • 18 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The movie _Funny Ha Ha_ shows everyday life without dramatic events. It focuses on real emotions and simple moments between characters.
  2. Marnie, the main character, struggles with her feelings and relationships, reflecting a relatable sense of uncertainty and disconnection.
  3. The ending is unique and surprising, leaving viewers with a sense of closure that feels earned and satisfying, even without traditional resolution.

Drawing Eno

Austin Kleon • 1778 implied HN points • 23 Jul 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. The documentary about Brian Eno is exciting and unique because it creates a different version every time it's shown. This encourages viewers to watch it in theaters for a fresh experience.
  2. It uses a special system called Brain One to generate the film. This system combines new interviews and personal clips from Eno’s archive, making each showing feel like a new story.
  3. The movie has interesting marketing advantages. Since every version is different, it gives people a reason to see it on the big screen instead of waiting for it to stream.

The Bad History of ‘Palestine 36’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1182 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The film Palestine 36 is internationally backed and has gained awards attention, but it presents a politically shaped version of the past.
  2. It omits key historical facts—especially Jewish immigration and presence in 1936—resulting in a distorted, incomplete account of the period.
  3. Renewed public interest in the conflict’s origins has produced both rigorous histories and dramatized films, and this movie favors political storytelling over historical accuracy.

Odessa A’zion Needs to Stop Listening to the Mob

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 816 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Giving in to online mob pressure can push public figures to quit jobs, and publicly thanking or praising those attackers looks weak and encourages more outrage.
  2. Odessa A’zion stepped away from a role after critics objected that she wasn’t the half-Mexican character she was cast to play, and she apologized for not checking the source material first.
  3. The episode highlights how casting and identity controversies, celebrity privilege, and snap public apologies can collide to make careers vulnerable and conversations worse rather than better.

The 99-Year-Old Film That Stops People

Animation Obsessive • 18567 implied HN points • 19 May 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A film called _The Adventures of Prince Achmed_ is really special because it's the oldest animated feature still around. Even after almost 100 years, people are still amazed by its magic and creativity.
  2. The director, Lotte Reiniger, used a unique cut-out style that made her work stand out from others. Her approach was different from American cartoons, focusing more on artistic storytelling through puppetry and silhouettes.
  3. Despite the struggles during its creation and the trouble faced by her team with the rise of the Nazis, the film gained huge popularity and helped show the power of animation even in tough times.

Some kinds of monsters

Austin Kleon • 5115 implied HN points • 17 May 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Taking breaks from technology can be refreshing and help us focus on enjoyable activities like listening to music or reading. Simple changes can lead to significant positive effects in our daily lives.
  2. Finding humor in creative struggles can lighten the load of anxiety and procrastination. Embracing these feelings is part of the writer's journey.
  3. Looking back on influential figures and their work reminds us of their impact on creativity. Cherishing their contributions helps inspire our own artistic endeavors.

Hamnet, the movie

The Common Reader • 2303 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The movie adaptation of 'Hamnet' captures the emotion of the original novel, despite some flaws in dialogue.
  2. The performances, especially from the actors playing Agnes and Hamnet, are standout highlights of the film.
  3. The film offers a beautiful visual experience with its depiction of the countryside and familiar themes from Shakespeare's works.

The Maverick Animator of Chaos

Animation Obsessive • 12737 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Shinya Ohira is known for his unique and powerful animation style that brings energy to scenes. His work often combines detailed analog drawing with a chaotic sense of motion, making it stand out in various projects.
  2. The anime industry is evolving into a global collaboration, allowing for more creative freedom. American companies are now partnering with Japanese artists, leading to fresh storytelling and animation styles.
  3. Ohira is not just an animator but also a mentor for younger talent. He enjoys working with new animators and is passionate about helping them grow, showing the importance of nurturing the next generation in animation.

Do Movies Have to Have a Point?

I Might Be Wrong • 11 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Movies don't have to have a clear moral — sometimes a film can just be a story or 'a bunch of stuff that happened' and that's perfectly fine.
  2. What plays out on screen often leads viewers to draw a logical takeaway that may be different from what the filmmaker intended, and those unintended messages can be powerful.
  3. Trying to force big, explicit statements can backfire or produce harmful readings, so focusing on storytelling over preaching is often the wiser choice.

The New Cultural Criticism

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 41 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A new wave of cultural critics mixes novelistic storytelling with serious criticism, producing long, narrative-driven essays that feel more like stories than short reviews.
  2. They favor deep, first-person, character-focused reporting and welcome moral ambiguity instead of quick condemnations, often writing 5,000–17,000 word pieces that let the reporting shape the conclusion.
  3. Publishing on platforms without strict print limits lets this work escape short-form social media, offering a possible antidote to ephemerality and creating criticism that can be read and argued over for years.

A great cyberpunk urban fantasy novel, a throwback corporate paranoia thriller, and more

Read Max • 500 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A standout speculative fiction novel blends cyberpunk and urban fantasy to explore work, scams, and resource politics.
  2. The roundup points to recent columns and articles about Jade Helm, Peter Attia, and how the left should approach AI.
  3. It also recommends a throwback corporate‑paranoia thriller with Michael Clayton/Enemy of the State vibes, shares four favorite music tracks, and invites reader recommendations while offering paid subscriber perks.

My Fellow Americans, You Must Watch ‘Pluribus’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1131 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Totalitarian control can come not just from force but from drowning people in safety, comfort, and pleasure until they willingly give up freedom.
  2. Being human isn’t about being perfect but about being broken, and wiping out struggle and pain can erase what makes us truly human.
  3. Managing or censoring books, ideas, and platforms keeps people content and prevents challenges to the system, making pleasant control self-sustaining.

Ancient Wisdom: Dick Van Dyke Is (Almost) 100 and He’s Still Having Fun

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2652 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A performer can stay active and joyful even at 100, still dancing, singing, and embracing life every day.
  2. The 'old man' comic persona grew out of watching and learning from elders in the family, showing how personal history shapes performance.
  3. Iconic character roles can be easily forgotten, and credits or pseudonyms sometimes obscure who actually played them.

The Saturday Selection, Vol. 92

Why is this interesting? • 241 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Jony Ive put physical buttons, aluminum toggles, and glass controls back into Ferrari’s first electric car as a pushback against the touchscreen-everything trend.
  2. New York’s congestion pricing is creating unexpected winners by speeding up trips in suburbs and easing traffic in outer boroughs.
  3. Well-crafted, beautiful design often loses because decisions are made by people who won’t have to live with the results, so systems tend to punish good design.

'Life Is Too Short to Make Remakes'

Animation Obsessive • 13813 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The Annecy Festival is a huge event for animation, attracting around 18,000 visitors and showcasing unique and powerful art from around the world.
  2. Michel Gondry emphasizes the importance of originality and creativity in art, believing that life is too short to spend making remakes of existing works.
  3. New films like 'The Mourning Children' highlight the dedication of animators to produce authentic and impactful stories by deeply researching historical contexts.

A phenomenal alternate-Chinese-history noir, a gorgeous new kids' movie, and more

Read Max • 605 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A standout alternate-history noir set in an occupied China is recommended, especially for fans of Fatherland or Disco Elysium.
  2. A gorgeous, moving kids’ movie is praised for holding a five-year-old's attention and being emotionally resonant.
  3. Four new songs are highlighted, and subscribers get weekly curated recommendations plus access to comprehensive master lists and merchandise perks.

Zvi's 2025 In Movies

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1836 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Rate movies using multiple factors, not just a single number — consider ambition/quality, pacing, message, emotional impact, and whether it fits you personally. This five-part approach explains why some critically praised films still feel wrong for you.
  2. Critical scores are increasingly noisy for personal taste, so use trailers, audience signals (like IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes), and your gut "I'm in" reaction to decide what to watch. Critics are best at flagging stinkers, but personal fit and immediate excitement predict enjoyment more reliably.
  3. Seeing films in theaters meaningfully boosts enjoyment, memberships that make marginal cost $0 are worth it, and while you get diminishing returns as you watch more films, the hobby remains rewarding and worth continuing.

My Cousin Phil Lord, His Co-Director Chris Miller, & the Entire "Project Hail Mary" Movie Team REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY Want You to Go See Their Movie in a Movie Theater

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 138 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The filmmakers and post‑production team spent about $1.5 million per minute and obsessive time on color correction and framing to make sure viewers’ eyes see exactly what they intend.
  2. The first ten minutes are Oscar‑caliber work, and the film is meant to be felt on the big screen where a crowd enhances the experience.
  3. Coming from animation, the directors use an iterative, perfectionist process—trying many takes and tweaks—which helped turn a two‑hour toy commercial idea into genuine art with surprising cultural touches.

The Film and Studio That 'Should Not Exist'

Animation Obsessive • 13095 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. Cinema Fantasma, a unique stop-motion studio in Mexico, created the first Mexican stop-motion feature film called 'I Am Frankelda.' Their work shows how creativity can thrive even with tight budgets.
  2. The film has a fun, imaginative storyline with memorable characters and songs that resonate with audiences. Its premiere at the Annecy Festival was met with excitement and applause.
  3. The Ambriz brothers, who run Cinema Fantasma, faced many challenges but remained determined to bring their vision to life. They hope their success inspires more stop-motion projects in Mexico in the future.

The Weekend Press: How to Fall in Love

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 343 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Love and relationships are presented as worth pursuing, with personal stories about quick marriage and separation alongside matchmaking and science-backed dating advice.
  2. Culture and controversy are prominent, featuring interviews and opinion pieces on topics like gender dysphoria and AI resignations, plus film criticism and Winter Olympics highlights.
  3. Practical weekend guidance is offered, including event and book-launch notices plus lifestyle tips for food, fitness, clothing rentals, and movies to watch.

15 things I consumed this week

Maybe Baby • 685 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A weekly roundup lists 15 things consumed that span articles, recipes, and music.
  2. Grim or heavy pieces are grouped together at the top so readers can choose how much to read without mixing them with lighter content.
  3. The featured recommendation this week is to use non-overhead lighting to improve ambiance.

Basic pleasantries

Austin Kleon • 7613 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A total solar eclipse will happen soon, and many events are planned. It's great to watch these events in everyday settings, like your backyard.
  2. Being playful as you grow older can make life more enjoyable. Staying curious and lighthearted is a good approach to aging.
  3. Politeness can go a long way; simple gestures like saying 'Hello' or 'Thank you' can really brighten someone's day. Treating others with respect is important.

Figure it out

Austin Kleon • 4556 implied HN points • 03 May 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Reading is valuable! Check out books that focus on writing good sentences; they can help improve your own writing.
  2. Exploring how artists work can inspire creativity. Look into features and documentaries about artists at different stages of their careers.
  3. Listening to music and podcasts about music can open your mind to new genres and artists. It’s a great way to relax and discover something new.

The 2025 Culture Wrap-Up Edition

Why is this interesting? • 965 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A community pooled personal recommendations to create a year‑end roundup of favorite books, films, and TV shows.
  2. Many standout picks explored history, power, and political systems — from wartime espionage and CIA scandals to historical myth‑making and authoritarianism.
  3. The list mixed new releases, indie and horror cinema, ambitious TV, and older classics, with readers enjoying surprise discoveries and revisiting overlooked works.

'The Silence of the Good People'

Animation Obsessive • 10315 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Film
  1. Not all animated films get proper recognition, but some like 'Hangman' from 1964 are powerful and carry important messages. This film adapts a haunting poem that critiques the silence of those who allow injustice to happen.
  2. Les Goldman, the creator of 'Hangman,' worked tirelessly to bring the project to life, showing how passion drives art. His efforts highlight the importance of standing against oppression in society.
  3. Today, 'Hangman' remains relevant, sparking discussions about how silence can enable evil. It's been used in classrooms to teach valuable lessons about morality and social responsibility.

On Wanting To Belong

moviewise: Life Lessons From Movies • 67 implied HN points • 09 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. People have a deep need to be accepted and belong, and that need often feels beyond their control.
  2. Pride, envy, and an inability to accept others can create loneliness and conflict, even in otherwise good circumstances.
  3. Finding peace comes from accepting your life and accepting others; if you want to be loved, start by loving others.

Seventies Afrofunk and the Future

Animation Obsessive • 9238 implied HN points • 04 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The movie 'Crocodile Dance' explores the life of Roukia, a mother and musician dealing with a generational curse, and it combines traditional Nigerian stories with modern elements.
  2. The film's music is a mix of 1970s Afrofunk and contemporary Nigerian sounds, aiming to connect different generations and cultures.
  3. Directors Shofela Coker and Nadia Darries focus on the character's personal journey and power, wanting audiences to see themselves in Roukia's story while showcasing African women's experiences.

Into the Golden Era of Chinese Animation

Animation Obsessive • 1704 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The exhibition 'Animating China' highlighted the rich history of Chinese animation, particularly from the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. It showed how these animations have impacted viewers across generations.
  2. Visitors at the exhibition enjoyed a mix of nostalgia and appreciation for older animations, like 'Nezha Conquers the Dragon King', which many felt had more 'soul' than modern styles.
  3. The event served as a reminder of animation's role in shaping cultural identity and personal memories, making connections between past and present for families who attended.

The Nine Best Movies on the Creative Life

The Honest Broker • 8743 implied HN points • 10 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Movies can give us deep insights into the creative process and life of artists. They show us the struggles and breakthroughs that come with creating art.
  2. Films about writers, like 'The End of the Tour,' highlight the real challenges behind public perceptions of success. They remind us that success doesn’t always equal happiness.
  3. Authenticity in storytelling, as seen in movies like 'American Splendor,' connects with audiences because it shows the true, often messy, nature of life and creativity.

An eerie, unforgettable new-age conspiracy drama; a sweeping, gripping true-crime book; and more

Read Max • 579 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. This is a weekly roundup that curates overlooked books, articles, movies, and music for readers to check out.
  2. Current highlights include a sweeping true‑crime book about frauds, gangsters, oligarchs, and blood money, plus a fourth‑wall‑breaking New Age conspiracy drama that explores healing, grief, and memory, along with four recommended tracks.
  3. Full access to the weekly emails and comprehensive 'good movies' and 'good books' master lists is for paying subscribers who also get perks, and readers are invited to recommend things or reach out, with purchases possibly earning a small commission.

When you hear it

Austin Kleon • 5115 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. Experiences like a solar eclipse can be felt with your whole body, not just seen. Sounds from nature during such events can be unique and delightful.
  2. Creating a mixtape or playlist can be a fun way to share music inspired by special events like an eclipse.
  3. Rejecting ideas can hurt your creativity. It's important to explore your own thoughts and not just follow what others want.

‘Wuthering Heights’ Is Delightfully Perverted

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 278 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The new Wuthering Heights throws out strict fidelity for a bold, stylized reinvention. It leans into raw emotion and deliberate perversity.
  2. Some viewers and critics find it superficial, but its emotional thrust and shocking choices make it a powerful, affecting experience for many people.
  3. Don’t expect a faithful Brontë adaptation; expect a polarizing, entertaining film that’s great if you want a wild, emotionally charged good time.

The First Lady Really Doesn’t Care. Do U?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 421 implied HN points • 31 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. The documentary is visually lavish and full of staged, glamorous moments, but it stays tight-lipped and offers little real insight into the First Lady's inner life.
  2. The film's release was wrapped in big-money deals and controversy, with Amazon spending heavily to acquire and promote it and a director who has a troubled past, drawing extra scrutiny.
  3. Much of the attention felt performative and press-driven, with reports of chaotic production, contested ticket sales, and premiere audiences dominated by reporters rather than regular viewers.

Subscriber Writing, December 2025

Freddie deBoer • 1392 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Film
  1. A bimonthly roundup highlights a wide variety of subscriber writing across politics, culture, personal essays, fiction, science, and technology.
  2. It works as a discovery platform that helps readers find new work and helps writers grow their audiences, with an emphasis on leaving kind, supportive comments.
  3. The feature is an ongoing, open opportunity for contributors, and non-subscribers can join to be considered and reach more readers.