‘Michael’ is as surface-level a biopic as it gets Jaafar Jackson capably channels his uncle, but Antoine Fuqua’s estate-approved biopic doesn’t much let us in to the King of Pop’s story.

I reviewed MICHAEL, which gets all the little details right, but has something empty at its center stephensilver.substack.com/p/michael-is...

PFS SpringFest 2025 presents Mile End Kicks, These Are My Friends!,… Drexel alum and New Jersey high-school teacher by Aaron Bartuska’s new film These Are My Friends! joined Mile End Kicks (out April 24) and Hokum (out May…

For Broad Street Review, I reviewed three opening night films from @phillyfilmsociety.bsky.social's #pfsspringfest2026: MILE END KICKS, THESE ARE MY FRIENDS and HOKUM www.broadstreetreview.com/reviews/pfs-...

Four reviews from 2026 PFS Springfest: 'The Furious,' 'Carolina Caroline,' 'Tuner,' and 'I Want Your Sex' Some highlights from the festival's first weekend.

I reviewed four films from @phillyfilmsociety.bsky.social's #PFSspringfest2026: THE FURIOUS, CAROLINA CAROLNE, TUNER, and I WANT YOUR SEX stephensilver.substack.com/p/four-revie...

Fin: On Pete Hegseth and 'Pulp Fiction' Plus, Dave Chappelle is embarrassing, I hate “Hopecore, a documentary pet peeve, and more in this week’s notes column.

In this week’s notes column: Pete Hegseth and PULP FICTION, Dave Chappelle going “I didn’t do it,” my biggest documentary pet peeve, I hate “hopecore”, and more. stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-on-pet...

Receding Raunch Balls Up is a significant step down from Peter Farrelly's recent films. || Stephen Silver

I reviewed BALLS UP for @SpliceToday2022 www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...

If there were a term for when people specifically hate Jewish women, misogyjuive or something, it’s that.

Guess Oz isn't realistic?

The Boss and the Rabbi: ‘Lucky Number Slevin’ turns 20 Bruce Willis and Josh Hartnett starred in this twisty noir, built around a holy gangster war.

I wrote about the 20th anniversary of LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN, featuring the movies' first-ever gangster/rabbi stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-boss-a...

#SkyKing is an uneven documentary about the man who stole a plane The story of Richard “Beebo” Russell is a compelling one, but the Hulu documentary seems to be stretching to fill its time.

I reviewed the documentary #SKYKING, now on Hulu stephensilver.substack.com/p/skyking-is...

‘I Love Boosters’ is a wild and incendiary sophomore satire from Boots Riley Hollywood’s only open communist director celebrates thieves and union organizers in this candy-colored send-up of the fashion world.

I reviewed I LOVE BOOSTERS, which @bootsriley.bsky.social brought to @phillyfilmsociety.bsky.social last week stephensilver.substack.com/p/i-love-boo...

Owning a printer is a curse. Always broken. Ink is expensive. Everyone is constantly asking to use it. It's the computer equivalent of owning a pickup truck

Trump Goes On Unhinged Rant, Attacks 'Weak' Pope Leo The president on Sunday night launched a blistering attack on the Pope.

I wrote for Political Tribune about Trump vs. the Pope polinews.org/trump-goes-o...

2026 PFS Springfest preview What I’m looking forward to at the annual festival, which starts on Friday

I previewed the @phillyfilmsociety.bsky.social Springfest film festival, which starts Friday: stephensilver.substack.com/p/2026-pfs-s...

I thought this was about The Pitt…

A disconsolate Rod Dreher ordering one exorcism after another at his local in Budapest. A manager discreetly tells him that he's cut off and Dreher howls "just gimme the fucking rites" at the barback.

In this week’s notes column, I wrote about ‘MICHAEL’ two weeks out, the King of Pop’s insane fandom that makes “The Pitt” stans look rational, the Basic Instinct reboot, keeping Kanye out, a movie title change, and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-michae...

I remember the Night Court one! Dan Fielding's old friend

I wrote for Political Tribune about Melania's surprise Epstein statement polinews.org/melania-trum...

This is not only really fucked up, but also I remember embarrassing this guy a bunch of times on the everything app.

‘Outcome’ is a total mess, starring Keanu Reeves Jonah Hill’s film for Apple TV mashes together too many tones and plots, and just about none of it works.

I reviewed the new Keanu Reeves movie OUTCOME, which is horrible stephensilver.substack.com/p/outcome-is...

I reviewed YOU ME AND TUSCANY for @SpliceToday2022 www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...

I wrote for Political Tribune about the Ragin' Cajun vs. Trump polinews.org/top-strategi...

A Democrat Just Filed Impeachment Articles Against Pete Hegseth Rep. Yassamin Ansari has filed articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth for "repeatedly violating his oath of office" and "reckless endangerment of U.S. service members." The impeachment won't pas...

I wrote for National Security Journal about the push to impeach Pete Hegseth nationalsecurityjournal.org/a-democrat-j...

‘The Gleaners and I’, Agnes Varda’s most beloved documentary, reached the U.S. 25 years ago Varda, known for her ability to discover fascinating people with fascinating faces, released the film in 2000, bringing it stateside the next year.

I wrote about THE GLEANERS AND I stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-gleane...

‘Baseball: Beyond Belief’ documentary explores the “Church of Baseball” The examination of this well-worn topic is thought-provoking, although it gets a bit long-winded in the late innings.

I reviewed BASEBALL: BEYOND BELIEF stephensilver.substack.com/p/baseball-b...

Selling ‘The Drama’: A post-release, spoilers-inclusive discussion Looking at the first few days of discourse around A24’s dark comedy.

I wrote about THE DRAMA again, this time (WARNING!) with spoilers included stephensilver.substack.com/p/selling-th...

Fin: The Epstein show, and what to expect Plus, fans vs. superhero actresses, 2026 at the quarter pole, SNL UK vs. junketeers and more in this week's notes column.

In this week's notes column, I wrote about the newly announced Jeffrey Epstein TV show, Supergirl, the best of 2026 so far, SNL UK vs. junketeers, and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-the-ep...

The April 2026 documentary review 10-pack: 'Marc by Sofia,' 'Ghost Elephants,' '1,000 Women in Horror,' 'The Plastic Detox,' 'It's Dorothy' and more. A roundup of recent feature documentary releases.

Here's my April documentary review 10-pack stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-april-...

The BSR April 2026 repertory movie roundup Martial arts on 16mm, revisiting a groundbreaking film from 2024, and a classic thriller turns 35. Stephen Silver previews.

Here's the April repertory roundup for Broad Street Review www.broadstreetreview.com/previews/the...

30 years ago, ‘Primal Fear’ introduced the world to Edward Norton Norton’s first-ever movie role was this 1996 legal thriller, starring Richard Gere as an arrogant defense lawyer.

I wrote about PRIMAL FEAR stephensilver.substack.com/p/30-years-a...