The Letter

Sep 23, 2020 — First Person 1.In the past years I’ve often walked or bicycled alone to the small multiplex in my town, on weeknights. I like sitting by myself in movie theaters—I specify “by myself” to indicate my preference for going unaccompanied, as...

Mar 27, 2006 — Louis Malle’s World War II–era drama follows a young collaborationist in rural France and asks how people with no interest in politics become active participants in brutal torture.

Jun 13, 2005 — Godard’s famous claim that Au hasard Balthazar is “the world in an hour and a half” suggests how dense, how immense Bresson’s brief, elliptical tale about the life and death of a donkey is. The film’s steady accumulation of incident,...

Oct 6, 2010 — In response to our invitation to contribute his list of favorite Criterion titles, director Wes Anderson wrote, “I thought my take on a top-ten list might be to simply quote myself from the brief fan letters I periodically write to...

Aug 1, 2019 — A new book and film series survey the many varied ways filmmakers from outside the country have viewed America.

Apr 27, 2017 — In his latest film, director Daniel Raim explores the legacy of two Hollywood veterans whose highly influential six-decade career has long gone unsung.

Jul 24, 2025 — This year’s Cinema Rediscovered festival spotlights the vitally independent voices of the Thatcher era.

Jun 24, 2025 — As the New York Times rolls out the results of its new poll, we look to a few indicators as to where this might be headed.

Jan 23, 2025 — In the run-up to the forty-first edition, critics have been writing up lists of their most-anticipated films.

May 30, 2024 — The season brings new biographies of Ingmar Bergman and Elaine May, a novel by Miranda July, plus interviews, excerpts, and podcasts