I try to recommend to as many people as possible the documentaries of Frederick Wiseman, a filmmaker who’s been directing & editing observational, fly-on-the-wall documentaries (without any non-diagetic music, narration, or talking-head style interviews) of various institutions for 50+ years. Through this project it becomes a documented history of culture as it's evolved in that matter of time through a lens of serious critique. You can pick any from out of a hat or based on whichever title interests you, but a good start is High School (1968).
Jan 29, 2024
Related Recs
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or maybe Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
I saw hella movies in theaters last year on the AMC stubs membership but it was CGI monkeys carrying heavy emotions ftw
Apr 10, 2025
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Film Forum is the OG but Metrograph is younger and hungrier, with a more diverse slate of films and an emphasis on rediscovered or neglected classics. Great atmosphere too, with a restaurant and bookstore. you can’t go wrong!
Apr 22, 2024
i don't live in NYC anymore but when i did for a beautiful brief moment screen slate was my best friend. basically a collectivized list of all the repertory cinemas and their respective showtimes for the day, plus a summary of current art exhibitions currently on display at various museums. doing a cheeky two day trip to the big apple at the end of march and you already KNOW i'm using this goated site to plan my days.
Mar 18, 2025
Top Recs from @tr0utmask
news from home (1976) is simple but one of the finest ever. long, uncut landscape shots of 70s new york with occasional narration from the director reading out letters written by her mom from belgium. the pairing becomes moving very soon as the mother transparently misses her daughter more and more. also the closest we have to a time machine from the city of yesterday.
no home movie (2015) is much longer and even slower but equally moving if you let it have its way. initially there might not seem to be a point beyond mild enjoyment to the long shots of the trees and fields, or the scattered conversations between a much older akerman and her mother, but what the last.. 20 or 30 minutes encompass hit like a bullet train. the added context of it being akerman’s last film makes it ring louder, even better if you watch it back-to-back with the one above like i did.
good if you have any sort of complicated feelings toward your mom
Jan 30, 2024
a docufiction film about illegal za‘atar and ‘akkoub foraging in israel and the palestinians that still do it in opposition to the israel nature and parks authority. great look into a small facet of how israel polices every part of palestinian life. plus only 65 minutes, very easy to squeeze in!
Feb 2, 2024
Like glacierbaby said, Tubi is great for pulpy stuff.
Tubi has a handful of Mario Bava movies, one of his most popular and a personal favorite being Blood and Black Lace (1964). A fashion-centric giallo mystery with loads of vibrant colors… and murder.
The Driller Killer (1979) is an interesting object. Director Abel Ferrara’s indulgent debut starring himself is a strange mix of absurdist slice-of-life with streaks of a slasher film. These days, it also works as a documentary of a long-gone New York.
Hardcore (1979) is great. George C. Scott basically plays a Calvinist losing his mind.
Jan 28, 2024