“Exit 8” Is a Video-Game Adaptation That Ingeniously Subverts Its Source In Genki Kawamura’s infinity-loop thriller, “Exit 8,” a labyrinthine metro station becomes a metaphor for a life lived in extreme tunnel vision.

Train Screams: on Genki Kawamura's ingenious, scary, and unexpectedly moving EXIT 8, now playing in theatres. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

Variety Hires Guy Lodge as Chief Film Critic Guy Lodge, a longtime contributor to Variety, has been hired as chief film critic.

Delirious with happiness for Variety and its new Chief Film Critic, @guylodge.bsky.social, whom I fully intend to begin addressing as “Critic-at-Lodge.” Seriously, the best news: variety.com/2026/film/ne...

“The Drama” Struggles to Justify Its Combustible Premise In “The Drama,” a woman reveals a deep, dark secret before her wedding day—but it simply doesn’t ring true, Justin Chang writes.

On Kristoffer Borgli’s THE DRAMA: squirmily terrific as R.Patzendaya nuptial-disaster flick, half-assed as provocation, and, not to incite Cage-gap discourse, an improvement on DREAM SCENARIO. Spoilers ahoy: www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

The best documentary of 2025 arrives on MUBI this Friday. My review, from August:

About … seven minutes, after poring over a few even more tortured options?

In “Kontinental ’25,” a Guilty Conscience Isn’t Enough In “Kontinental ’25,” Radu Jude’s blistering contemporary riff on Roberto Rossellini, a tragic death sends a bailiff spiralling into a futile campaign of self-flagellation.

Suspension of dissed bailiff? On Radu Jude’s brilliant KONTINENTAL ’25, now playing at Film Forum: www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

“Two Prosecutors,” “Palestine ’36,” and the Tribulations of Resistance in the Thirties Two new historical dramas, “Two Prosecutors” and “Palestine ’36,” are built around courageous acts of opposition and unfold at a politically and existentially precarious moment in the 1930s.

Reviewed the two '30s-set resistance dramas opening in U.S. theatres this week: Sergei Loznitsa's TWO PROSECUTORS and Annemarie Jacir's Oscar-shortlisted PALESTINE '36. One chilling, one stirring, both recommended. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

“Two Prosecutors,” “Palestine ’36,” and the Tribulations of Resistance in the Thirties Two new historical dramas, “Two Prosecutors” and “Palestine ’36,” are built around courageous acts of opposition and unfold at a politically and existentially precarious moment in the 1930s.

Reviewed the two '30s-set resistance dramas opening in U.S. theatres this week: Sergei Loznitsa's TWO PROSECUTORS and Annemarie Jacir's Oscar-shortlisted PALESTINE '36. One chilling, one stirring, both recommended. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

“Project Hail Mary”: In Space, No One Should Hear Your Glib Jokes In Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel, Ryan Gosling’s star power fuels an unlikely tale of far-flung friendship.

Microbe aggression: PROJECT HAIL MARY, reviewed. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/YLupBV

I flash back to that night every so often. Your consolation meant the world!

(I have watched it since, just to see if it’s gotten better. A mistake.)

The fact that neither “It Was Just an Accident” nor “The Secret Agent” won anything at the Oscars “is a reminder of the Academy’s cultural myopia,” Justin Chang writes. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/67xQmu

Were the 2026 Oscars a Swan Song for Warner Bros.? At the Academy Awards, The New Yorker’s correspondent saw a win-win night for the studio behind “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another”—and a lose-lose situation for the industry.

Here's my chronicle of Oscar night, featuring close encounters with Ruth E. Carter, David Sedaris, and Kieran Culkin, plus anonymous partygoers sounding off on the Warner Bros. merger and the future of Hollywood. www.newyorker.com/culture/note...

Shake Shack SmokeShack Cheeseburger, with applewood-smoked bacon, chopped cherry peppers, ShackSauce.

After Michael B. Jordan's In-N-Out run, Shake Shack should rebrand this as the SmokeStack.

The 2026 Oscars Were a Protest Against Their Own Irrelevance With few exceptions, a ceremony that honored two of the most politically ferocious Hollywood action-thrillers in recent memory engaged only fitfully with politics.

About last night: on Amy Madigan and the witches of the Oscars; a ceremony that inevitably became a P.T.A. meeting; and an Academy that, not for the first time, directed its laments about the future inward rather than outward. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

That would, alas, require a skill set that I lack, though I've been tempted to try!

STARTERS Chloé Zhao Long Bao Cutting Through Lox Emma Scone (with Jamnet) Ethan Guac If I Had Eggs I’d Whisk You
 Kleber Mendonça Phyllo KPopcorn Demon Hunters Leonardo Pistachios
 Olives Laxe The Secret Agent Lettuce Wraps CHEESE PLATTER Edam Hawke Havarti Supreme Michael Brie Jordan Ricotta Reinsve Sent-Emmental Value MAIN COURSES Bone-In O’Brien
 Chicken Tinga Ibsdotter Lilleaas Daal Thomas Anderson F1-Pot Chili Gamey Madigan Honey-Baked Hamnet Jafar Pan-Seared Ahi Jur Aspic World Rebirth Leg of Lambnet Mr. Nobody Against Puttanesca Roast Byrne Sean Penne Spamnet Musubi Steak Diane Warren Wagyu Moura Wonton Mee Mosaku Zootopia Stew SIDE DISHES Avatar: Fire and Hash Chanterelles Fanning Corn on the Jacob Darius Congee Frankenstein and Beans Jessie Buckwheat Noodles Michael Pea Jordan Plantain Dreams Squash Safdie Stellan Skars Chard Teyana Taters Timothée Chow/Lo Mein BEVERAGES (ONE BOTTLE AFTER ANOTHER) Benicio del Taro Boba Blue Moon It Was Juice Antioxidant Joachim Beer Martini Supreme Michael Tea Jordan Que Syrah, Sirāt Ryan Cooler Teavana Taylor Zinners DESSERTS Brittle Amélie or the Character of Rain Bugonia Split Cake Hudson Melon Skarsgård Train Creams SNUBS After the Bundt Amanda Seyfries Chase Infinitea Cynthia Burrito Jay Jelly Jesse Lemons Joel Edgertongue Marinara Grande No Other Choy Paul Mezcal Sorry, Baby Greens Springsteen: De Liver Meat From Nowhere The Tasty Mint of Ann Lee Wicked: For Gouda

Behold! My 2026 Academy Awards menu, full of #Oscar-themed options for breakfast, lunch and Sinners.

As always, I'd like to thank the Academy — and my wife, for being the best editor and partner in pundom.

The Oscars: Who Will Win and Who Should Win Every awards season is one battle after another, and the ninety-eighth Academy Awards ceremony promises a more climactic showdown than most.

Some perhaps naïve but sincere words on the season-long kinship of ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER and SINNERS: “Whatever happens on Oscar Sunday, I suspect that the two front-runners will share the spotlight in a spirit as companionable as it is competitive.” www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

The Oscars: Who Will Win and Who Should Win Every awards season is one battle after another, and the ninety-eighth Academy Awards ceremony promises a more climactic showdown than most.

The 98th Academy Awards ceremony promises a more climactic showdown than most. See who our film critic @justincchang.bsky.social predicts will win—and who he thinks should win. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/b9miUm

By the artist Min Heo! I love it, too.

“Hoppers” Is a Happy Leap Forward for Pixar In Daniel Chong’s cheerfully ludicrous science-fiction comedy, robot technology enables an environmental activist to walk and talk with the animals.

Village of the dammed: Pixar's delightfully unhinged HOPPERS, reviewed. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Peter Jackson, Honorary Palme d'or of the 79th Festival de Cannes - Festival de Cannes “To be honoured with an Honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes is one of the greatest privileges of my career” Peter Jackson said. “Cannes has been a meaningful part of my…

He will also receive an honorary Palme Mord’Or and an honorary Palme d’Orc. www.festival-cannes.com/en/press/pre...

Thank you and glad you enjoyed the movie!

An amazing piece. Thank you for this, Robert.

Thank you, Chelsea! And great to connect on here.

The End of Books Coverage at the Washington Post Becca Rothfeld, a former critic at the Washington Post, on the death of the paper’s books section.

Becca Rothfeld, a former critic at the Washington Post, on the death of the paper’s books section. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/zmzLbN

Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” Is Extravagantly Superficial A new adaptation of “Wuthering Heights,” starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, is certainly something to behold—but is it something to feel?

" 'WUTHERING HEIGHTS,' " reviewed. Quite the aspic ratio on this one: www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

Tabitha Jackson Announced as Director of Film Forum; Influential Film Industry. Leader Will Assume Role as of February. 23

Oh look, a thing that rules @filmforumnyc.bsky.social

New Interview: www.newyorker.com/culture/q-an...

Very kind of you, Josh, thanks so much.

Now I want to see it again, with you slapping me with your notebook!