mailbag
December mailbag!
This month: Rob Reiner favorites, new Oscar categories, and holiday stories crying out for the Rankin-Bass treatment.
Emily St. James
Emily St. James is a writer and critic whose work has appeared in Vox, The A.V. Club, and the New York Times. She is the co-creator of the podcast Arden and a writer on the TV series Yellowjackets.
winter
Always winter, never Christmas: 21 snowy entertainments without a Santa in sight
Celebrate winter - and NOTHING ELSE - with our list of recommendations.
rundown
Episodes Monday Rundown December 8–14 2025
This week: Pluribus and the trauma plot, Disney and the YA-ification of everything, and 1985's strangest Christmas movie.
mailbag
Submit your December mailbag questions!
It's that time again!
preview
It takes an ex-believer to make a film as holy as Wake Up Dead Man (preview)
A preview of Emily St. James's essay on the third Benoit Blanc film
movies
It takes an ex-believer to make a film as holy as Wake Up Dead Man
The latest Benoit Blanc mystery offers a bracing look at what makes faith so necessary and so dangerous, writes Emily St. James.
rundown
Episodes Monday Rundown November 24–30 2025
This week: holiday classics, webs of lies, and a game designed to irritate your friends and loved ones.
open thread
What's the best movie from the year you were born?
Discuss amongst yourselves! (And/or, read our answers below.)
rundown
Episodes Monday Rundown November 17–23 2025
In this week's Monday Rundown: summer blockbusters, feel-bad Bible cinema, and a cake.
mailbag
November mailbag!
This month: Food! So many questions about food! Also, the Criterion Closet, stage plays, and Pluribus.
rundown
Episodes Monday Rundown November 10–16 2025
This week: a better-late-than-never binge watch, Emily's favorite romance author, and two plays of wildly varying quality.
mailbag
Submit your November mailbag questions!
It's that time again!