Spotlight
Under the Influence
In this ongoing series of videos, contemporary filmmakers talk to us about the movies that have had a lasting impact on their work.
The Current
A magazine of film culture past and present, with new articles, interviews, and videos published every day
History Is Made at Night: Taking a Chance on Love
The feeling of freedom in this swooningly beautiful blend of melodrama and romantic comedy speaks to director Frank Borzage’s belief in the invincibility of love.
Walkers in the City: Jules Dassin and Bruce Goldstein in New York
With his documentary Uncovering “The Naked City,” beloved Film Forum repertory program director Bruce Goldstein pays tribute to his friendship with the legendary Hollywood auteur and the bygone New York he immortalized on-screen.
Ghosts of the Future: A Conversation with Larry Achiampong
In a suite of four sci-fi-inflected short films now playing on the Criterion Channel, the British Ghanaian artist imagines a time in which Africa has ascended to prosperity but continues to grapple with the remnants of its colonial past.
My Friend Bertrand
One of the world’s most passionate cinephiles, Bertrand Tavernier, passed away last month. His longtime friend celebrates the enduring legacy of his filmmaking, his ideas, and his advocacy of underappreciated artists.
Rock and Roll Arrives in Cold War
Bill Haley and His Comets’ generation-defining hit “Rock Around the Clock” comes through like a seismic, uncontrollable force in Paweł Pawlikowski’s meticulously crafted romance.
Family Affair: The Dinner Scene in Fanny and Alexander
The Oscar-nominated director of Another Round tells us why Ingmar Bergman has always been a cinematic role model for him and what he learned from the Swedish auteur’s approach to capturing human behavior.
Defending Your Life: Real Afterlife
In this comic vision of the great beyond, Albert Brooks finds the sweet spot between the acerbic satire of his early films and the humanism of his later work.
Secrets & Lies: Seen and Not Seen
Mike Leigh’s midcareer masterpiece is one of the finest examples of his ability to construct riveting drama from ordinary life.
The Criterion Channel’s April 2021 Lineup
Next month, we’re upping the ante with a collection of some of the greatest films ever made about the pulse-racing highs and gutter-dwelling lows of gambling.
James L. Brooks’s Closet Picks
The director of Broadcast News and Terms of Endearment paid us a visit and talked about some of his comedy favorites, from Oscar Wilde to Albert Brooks.
Shadow Sides: The Spiritual Journeys of Nina Menkes
In her hypnotic, uncategorizable films, the director serves as a channel for images that emerge from deep within her unconscious.
Life Meets Art in Uptight, Ruby Dee’s Groundbreaking Collaboration with Jules Dassin
A rare example of a bold political film released by a major American studio, this portrait of the struggle for Black liberation embodied the great actor’s mission to fuse art with activism.
