133: December 2025

It feels strange to keep writing while the world feels like it's falling apart. When I think about this past year, I mostly think about the citizens' brigades patrolling the street corners of Chicago, armed with whistles and the conviction that none of our neighbors should be disappeared, least of all by our government. Art–and my writing about it–won't save the world. But it does express some of the ideas that are worth fighting for.

I'll be publishing an official top ten list of 2025 movies over at Seeing & Believing this upcoming weekend, and a top ten list of first-time watches over at Bright Wall/Dark Room. In the meantime, I hope you're keeping safe and warm. I'll see you in the new year.

What I wrote this month:

Over at Seeing & Believing, I reviewed Avatar: Fire & Ash and Marty Supreme. I'm also delighted to say that we published an interview with writer/director Rian Johnson about his latest Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man.

What I talked about this month:

The fine folks at Authorized Podcast use games as icebreakers before recording episodes. I'm usually terrible at them, but it's fun to see what they've cooked up for any given episode, so when they invited me to join a mystery game podcast episode, I said yes.

I was also happy to join my friends over at Eye of the Duck podcast for a special episode of their own: cohost Adam Volerich directed a movie called Drink & Be Merry. Adam and co-host Dom Nero also edited it together. It's good! I joined them to break down the film and the filmmaking process.

Highlights from this past year:

On Nosferatu (2024) and The Vourdalak for Bright Wall/Dark Room

On Denis Villeneuve's movie adaptation of Arrival for Eye of the Duck podcast

On True/False 2025 for Bright Wall/Dark Room

On Mickey 17 for the Think Christian podcast

On Alien: Romulus for Eye of the Duck podcast (sneak peek at things to come for the upcoming second edition of the book here!)

On The Vourdalak for The Fear of God podcast

On Sinners for Seeing & Believing

A piece of fiction (my debut!) for Broad Sound

On Mulholland Drive for The Fear of God podcast (this conversation went placed I didn't expect, and I'm so glad we went there)

On One Battle After Another for Seeing & Believing

On One Battle After Another and Vineland for Broad Sound podcast

On Road House (1989) and Magic Mike for Bright Wall/Dark Room (this pitch made my editor say, "Oh wow")

On the Toronto International Film Festival for Seeing & Believing

On the Chicago International Film Festival for Seeing & Believing

An interview about The Testament of Ann Lee with writer/director Mona Fastvold for Seeing & Believing

An interview with Rian Johnson for Seeing & Believing