Slavoj Žižek, philosopher and psychoanalyst, is codirector of the International Center for Humanities, Birkbeck College, London. Among his numerous publications are The Fright of Real Tears: Krzysztof Kieślowski Between Theory and Post-Theory and The Art of the Ridiculous Sublime: On...

The philosopher names Trouble in Paradise “Ernst Lubitsch’s ultimate masterpiece,” praises Peter Weir’s early films, and calls the final scene of City Lights “the most sublime ending.”

Feb 1, 2011 — This essay was originally published in the booklet accompanying the 2006 DVD release of The Double Life of Véronique. A new life experience is in the air today, a perception that explodes the form of the linear narrative and renders...

Oct 13, 2009 — This week marks the publication of Jonathan Lethem’s new novel, Chronic City, another captivating journey through mysterious New York with a host of peculiar characters (and a sci-fi twist), including a certain cinephile who finds his way into the offices of...

Oct 21, 2025 — Set in a postcard-perfect American town, David Cronenberg’s provocative take on the old-fashioned crime thriller examines the pleasure we derive from cinematic violence and the construction of patriarchal impunity.

Jul 3, 2025 — The week wraps with Peter Wollen on Performance, a top ten from Radu Jude, and a conversation with Dag Johan Haugerud.

Sep 19, 2023 — Franz Kafka’s The Trial, the unfinished tale of a man living under arrest and prosecution for an unspecified offense, is perhaps the iconic author’s most paradigmatic text. Following its posthumous publication in 1925, and its translation into English by Willa...

Feb 21, 2023 — An exhibition of his paintings in on view in Berlin, and EO makes its streaming premiere on the Criterion Channel.

Sep 22, 2020 — The New Yorker’s music critic traces the history of the composer’s impact on art, culture, and the movies.

May 3, 2019 — BAM’s Black 90s series, Nina Menkes, a poet, Avengers, and a list of the top films of the 2010s are among this week’s highlights.