Roxana Hadadi

7/25/21

<i>The White Lotus</i> stalls by focusing on the stagnant Mossbacher marriage in “Mysterious Monkeys”

The White Lotus stalls by focusing on the stagnant Mossbacher marriage in “Mysterious Monkeys”

Chaos agent Armond raises questions about whether the White Lotus will pay enough attention to its staff

7/18/21

Fortunes change and doubt spreads in a consistently sly <i>White Lotus </i>

Fortunes change and doubt spreads in a consistently sly White Lotus

As Chekhov's drug-filled backpack appears, lines are drawn between Shane and Armond and Rachel and Nicole

7/15/21

A star is born in<i> </i>the nuanced, wonderfully acted coming-of-age- tale <i>Rocks</i>

A star is born in the nuanced, wonderfully acted coming-of-age- tale Rocks

Sarah Gavron's deeply felt coming-of-age film evokes the best of Ken Loach and Chantal Akerman

7/11/21

<i>The White Lotus</i> pokes at the romanticized allure of Hawaii in its acidic premiere

The White Lotus pokes at the romanticized allure of Hawaii in its acidic premiere

Series creator Mike White delivers amusement and bitterness in equal measure as The White Lotus begins

6/22/21

In <i>Sun Children</i>, a legendary director shines a light on the exploited youth of Iran

In Sun Children, a legendary director shines a light on the exploited youth of Iran

Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's latest is a portrait of childhood in crisis

TV Reviews

HBO’s <i>Oslo</i> repeats predictable blind spots about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

TV Reviews

HBO’s Oslo repeats predictable blind spots about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

It’s difficult to watch the film version of Oslo, the Tony Award-winning play by J.T. Rogers, without a sense of…

TV Reviews

<i>The Nevers</i> partially explains itself in the genre-jumping half-season finale “True”

TV Reviews

The Nevers partially explains itself in the genre-jumping half-season finale “True”

We certainly had five episodes’ worth of clues that something was up with Amalia: seemingly brought back from the…

Reviews

Berlin winner<i> There Is No Evil</i> tells four stories to condemn the death penalty

Reviews

Berlin winner There Is No Evil tells four stories to condemn the death penalty

Note: The writer of this review watched There Is No Evil on a digital screener from home. Before making the decision…

TV Reviews

<i>The Nevers </i>channels <i>The Usual Suspects</i> as nears its midway point

TV Reviews

The Nevers channels The Usual Suspects as nears its midway point

Well, well. Joss Whedon pulled a Keyser Söze on us!

TV Reviews

Translations and traitors keep the Touched on their toes on <i>The Nevers</i>

TV Reviews

Translations and traitors keep the Touched on their toes on The Nevers

When The Nevers first introduced Lord Massen, he seemed like your standard-issue, old-white-guy fearmonger. By using…

Reviews

Asylum seekers endure a <i>Limbo</i> of loneliness and <i>Friends</i> reruns in this fish-out-of-water dramedy

Reviews

Asylum seekers endure a Limbo of loneliness and Friends reruns in this fish-out-of-water dramedy

Note: The writer of this review watched Limbo on a digital screener from home. Before making the decision to see…

TV Reviews

Enemies strike a major blow as <i>The Nevers</i> questions Mrs. True’s mission

TV Reviews

Enemies strike a major blow as The Nevers questions Mrs. True’s mission

Poor Mary. As we’ve gotten to learn more about the Touched, their turns fall into roughly two camps. As Mrs. True…

TV Reviews

<i>The Nevers</i> reveals a traitor, a secret connection, and more turns in another jam-packed episode

TV Reviews

The Nevers reveals a traitor, a secret connection, and more turns in another jam-packed episode

Who can the Touched trust? The Nevers led with that question in its premiere episode helmed by Joss Whedon, and it’s…

TV Reviews

Halfway through its first season,<i> Walker</i> finally answers one of its biggest questions

TV Reviews

Halfway through its first season, Walker finally answers one of its biggest questions

When The CW’s Walker reboot premiered back in January, the series was focused on the hole in the Walker family left…

TV Reviews

<i>The Nevers</i> kicks off with more villains and Joss Whedon quirks than a premiere really needs

TV Reviews

The Nevers kicks off with more villains and Joss Whedon quirks than a premiere really needs

The Joss Whedon pattern is a predictable one. Whether in Buffy The Vampire Slayer or The Avengers, Whedon’s…

TV Reviews

PBS’ <i>Hemingway</i> is an immersive portrait of the author’s brilliance and cruelty

TV Reviews

PBS’ Hemingway is an immersive portrait of the author’s brilliance and cruelty

When modern readers lambast the American literary canon, they’re probably complaining at least partially about…

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Eva Green rules the much longer, much better director’s cut of <i>Kingdom Of Heaven</i>

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Eva Green rules the much longer, much better director’s cut of Kingdom Of Heaven

Watch This offers movie recommendations inspired by new releases, premieres, current events, or occasionally just…

TV Reviews

<i>Clarice</i> does Ardelia Mapp a disservice in another conspiracy-broadening episode

TV Reviews

Clarice does Ardelia Mapp a disservice in another conspiracy-broadening episode

“Who is Clarice Starling?” remains a question for which the nascent CBS series Clarice has still not really provided…

TV Reviews

<i>Ruth: Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words </i>takes the superhero approach to a Supreme Court icon

TV Reviews

Ruth: Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words takes the superhero approach to a Supreme Court icon

There is an animated gif that appears more than once in Ruth: Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words: It depicts Justice…

TV Reviews

<i>Walker</i> fumbles the model-minority question in the Micki-focused “Don't Fence Me In”

TV Reviews

Walker fumbles the model-minority question in the Micki-focused “Don't Fence Me In”

“Shake that apple tree, you never know what’s gonna fall,” Captain James says to Walker and Micki at the end of…

Roxana Hadadi's posts

The White Lotus stalls by focusing on the stagnant Mossbacher marriage in “Mysterious Monkeys”

Fortunes change and doubt spreads in a consistently sly White Lotus

A star is born in the nuanced, wonderfully acted coming-of-age- tale Rocks

The White Lotus pokes at the romanticized allure of Hawaii in its acidic premiere

In Sun Children, a legendary director shines a light on the exploited youth of Iran

HBO’s Oslo repeats predictable blind spots about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The Nevers partially explains itself in the genre-jumping half-season finale “True”

Berlin winner There Is No Evil tells four stories to condemn the death penalty

The Nevers channels The Usual Suspects as nears its midway point

Translations and traitors keep the Touched on their toes on The Nevers

Asylum seekers endure a Limbo of loneliness and Friends reruns in this fish-out-of-water dramedy

Enemies strike a major blow as The Nevers questions Mrs. True’s mission

The Nevers reveals a traitor, a secret connection, and more turns in another jam-packed episode

Halfway through its first season, Walker finally answers one of its biggest questions

The Nevers kicks off with more villains and Joss Whedon quirks than a premiere really needs

PBS’ Hemingway is an immersive portrait of the author’s brilliance and cruelty

Eva Green rules the much longer, much better director’s cut of Kingdom Of Heaven

Clarice does Ardelia Mapp a disservice in another conspiracy-broadening episode

Ruth: Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words takes the superhero approach to a Supreme Court icon

Walker fumbles the model-minority question in the Micki-focused “Don't Fence Me In”