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Caryn James

@carynjames.bsky.social
828 followers 250 following 76 posts

Film and TV critic, novelist. Film Critic BBC Culture. Contributor to The Hollywood Reporter, among others.

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Reposted by Caryn James
David Rooney @david-rooney.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Love these projects where the THR critics team wrestles over favorites. Proud of the range of work in our ranked breakdown of the 25 greatest docs of all time. And hats off to our amazing editor @jon-frosch.bsky.social for streamlining a mountain of copy. www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/best-d...
hollywoodreporter.com
The 25 Best Documentaries of All Time, Ranked
From 'Grey Gardens' to 'The Gleaners and I,' 'Gimme Shelter' to 'Grizzly Man' and beyond, THR critics pick their favorite non-fiction films of all time.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
No detail too small, no action scene too big in Christopher Nolan's magical, humane epic with a great Matt Damon performance. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
'Full of magic and humanity': Five things you need to know about The Odyssey
As Christopher Nolan's epic blockbuster starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland arrives in cinemas – here are the key takeaways from the film.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
The key to Disclosure Day is in Close Encounters www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Close Encounters, UFOs and cover-ups: Why Spielberg's 1977 conspiracy theory classic is so relevant in 2026
Steven Spielberg's 1977 classic tapped into anxieties about the US government hiding UFO information from the public. It holds the key to the director's new film, Disclosure Day.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
It's not just about the weather, but about facts and speaking truth to power. The new film Pressure: www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
'He told people what they needed to hear': The weatherman crucial to D-Day victory
History's boldest military operation hinged on weather forecaster James Stagg. A new film with Andrew Scott and Brendan Fraser explores his role in the end of World War Two.
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Kurt Andersen @kurtandersen.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Longest, loudest booing in U.S. history? I’m counting on you, Knicks fans.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
So many great lines in this savvy op-ed by Bill Carter. On Trump & Colbert, "a grudge match made in media heaven." Pointedly, on CBS' claim that canceling Colbert was a business decision, "Nobody really believes that."
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Helena Fitzgerald @hellafitzgerald.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
I’m in one group chat where the whole thing is that we exclusively talk about and share poetry we like and somebody shared this in the chat today and we were all like “yes, absolutely right, this belongs in here alongside John Ashbery”
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
I LOVE this spot-on review, which made me laugh out loud, and am so glad it calls out Sheridan's maddening NYC-phobia. Would also point out to Sheridan that the Met Gala is never on Saturday as the show claims, but famously first Monday in May. That's just willful ignorance. But Pfeiffer is great.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Is Markwayne the new DHS Secretary because Jimmy Kimmel made fun of him the other night? Sounds like just the kind of stupid retaliation we've come to expect.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
It's gigantic, sprawling and impressive. Maggie Gyllenhaal doesn't wrap things up in a neat bow, but why should she? Her ambition is exhilarating. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
The Bride! review: Maggie Gyllenhaal's riff on the Bride of Frankenstein is 'exhilarating' ★★★★☆
A ferocious Jessie Buckley and a heartbreaking Christian Bale star in a bold film of "huge scope and ambition" that is "loaded with surprises".
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Perfect headline, perfect column. No notes.
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Jonathan Coe @jonathancoe.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Will the credits on Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights be as honest as the credits on the Morecambe and Wise version?
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Wuthering Heights is pretty dazzling. Pure Emerald Fennell on the surface, but she channels something essential in Bronte too: the anger and jealousy beneath the passion. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Wuthering Heights review: This bold reinvention of Emily Brontë's novel is 'sexy, dramatic and swoonily romantic'
Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, Emerald Fennell's new take on the classic romance is far from faithful to the original book – but it is "utterly absorbing" in its own right.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
And the composition of that scene is exquisite, as well as beautifully played. One of my favorites too.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
British-American alliance is strong. This is perfect, Jimmy Kimmel.
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New York Film Critics Circle @nyfcc.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
BEST ACTOR: Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
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New York Film Critics Circle @nyfcc.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM: The Secret Agent
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Whatever you think of Timmy off-screen, he makes this film soar. More fun than you'd expcet a ping-pong movie to be. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Marty Supreme review: Timothée Chalamet's ping-pong comedy is 'fresh, funny and exhilarating'
Timothée Chalamet is "captivating", alongside an "impeccable" Gwyneth Paltrow, in this "madcap" film about a young man who scams and steals his way to becoming a table-tennis champion.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
I agree – it's beautiful and does stay with you more than most films. Slow to start, I think, but worth it.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Orwell meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers in Vince Gilligan's brilliant, entertaining Pluribus www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Pluribus review: This new sci-fi from Breaking Bad's creator is 'one of 2025's smartest shows'
This series from Vince Gilligan stars Rhea Seehorn as a cynical woman living in a world where people are constantly happy. It's George Orwell meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
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Bright Wall/Dark Room @brightwalldarkroom.com · 05/11/2025
Mira Nair, in addition to being a brilliant filmmaker, is now officially the mom of the MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY!
npr.org
Mamdani wins New York City mayoral race, in a historic victory for progressives
Mamdani, a democratic socialist and state assemblymember, will make history as the first Muslim and South Asian person — as well as the youngest in over a century — to serve as New York City mayor.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Highlights of the NYFilm Festival 1st weekend: On screen, Wagner Moura in Kleber Mendonca Filho's searing The Secret Agent. Off-screen, Bruce Springsteen performing after Deliver Me From Nowhere. Honorable mention to Luca Guadagnino's glittery silver jacket on opening night. @FilmLinc #NYFF
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New York Film Critics Circle @nyfcc.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
We join our colleagues in @lafilmcritics.bsky.social and @nsfc.bsky.social in condemning the actions taken by Nexstar and Disney-ABC to pull "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off the air.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
Can't wait to see this. Paterson is so lovely.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
I love this weirdo movie. www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
hollywoodreporter.com
‘The Last Viking’ Review: Mads Mikkelsen Is Funny and Poignant in Danish Crime Comedy About Delusion and Brotherly Love
Revolving around an unusual pair of brothers, Anders Thomas Jensen's latest absurdist feature premiered in Venice out of competition.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Huge respect to Amy Sherald for not giving in. I'm sorry for the people in D.C. who won't get to see her show, one of the most bracing by a contemporary artist in recent years. Her Michelle Obama portrait is, frankly, the least of it. Show is still up at the Whitney. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/a...
nytimes.com
Amy Sherald Cancels Her Smithsonian Show, Citing Censorship
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Julia Ioffe @juliaioffe.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
One of the first things Vladimir Putin did on becoming president was take over NTV, the TV channel that hosted a satirical puppet show because he didn't like the Putin doll and how he was portrayed. He arrested NTV's owner and only released him when he signed the channel over. #Colbert
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
No one believes the CBS line that this is all about finances. No one. www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/c...
hollywoodreporter.com
‘Late Show’ Shocker: CBS Ending Late-Night Franchise in 2026
Host Stephen Colbert announced the news during the taping of Thursday’s show.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Typically astute, to-the-point take from @sulliview.bsky.social "The Mamdani story, however, fell far short of the newsworthiness bar."
theguardian.com
Is the New York Times trying to wreck Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid? | Margaret Sullivan
With their made-up scandal, combined with the pre-election editorial, the Times looks like it’s on a crusade against Mamdani
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
They buried the lede: NYT is poring over the hacked confidential information.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
In a word: Eww! Jurassic World Rebirth is pretty stinky. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Jurassic World Rebirth review: 'Stale' and with 'few thrills', it may be the weakest of the franchise
Starring Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, the latest in the dinosaur blockbuster series follows the template created by the original Jurassic Park – but it's no match for it.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Part zombie-apocalypse, part Heart of Darkness, but best of all: Ralph Fiennes. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
28 Years Later review: Zombie-apocalypse horror is a 'never-dull' monster mash-up
Alex Garland and Danny Boyle have reunited for a follow-up to their 2002 classic. It has visual flair, terrifying adversaries and a scene-stealing performance from Ralph Fiennes.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
Celine Song beautifully sidesteps the romcom www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Materialists review: This 'captivating' romantic drama explores love and money with 'piercing honesty'
Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal make for a starry love triangle in this exquisite new film from director Celine Song, who previously made the Oscar-nominated Past Lives.
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IndieWire @indiewire.com · 15/05/2025
Ryan Werner is exiting Cinetic Marketing to be Neon's President of Global Cinema.
bit.ly
Neon Appoints Ryan Werner from Cinetic Marketing to Newly-Created President of Global Cinema Role
Ryan Werner is exiting Cinetic Marketing to be Neon's President of Global Cinema.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Oh, apparently now he's calling foreign films "a national security threat" 😂 www.reuters.com/business/med...
reuters.com
Trump announces 100% tariff for movies produced outside US
Trump said he was authorizing the U.S. Trade Representative to process the institution of the tariff because the United States' movie industry is dying "a very fast death" due to other countries offering incentives to attract filmmaker's and studios.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Starry May: Julianne Moore, Cynthia Erivo, Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard and more . . . www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
The Four Seasons to And Just Like That…: 10 of the best TV shows to watch this May
From Tina Fey's new relationship comedy to an action drama from the creator of Lost, and the return of Sarah Jessica Parker in the third season of And Just Like That...
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
You *could* vote for him for this post alone.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Sinners is at the top of my list. Sex, blues and vampires – what more could you want? www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Warfare to Sinners: 10 of the best films of 2025 so far
BBC film critics Caryn James and Nicholas Barber pick their cinema highlights of the year so far, from a brutal war epic to an ambitious period vampire drama.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Being too faithful to source material is the worst thing an adaptation can do ... Posting my Last of Us (no spoilers) review now that the jaw-dropping event has happened. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
The Last of Us season two review: 'The plot twist tears the heart out of the series'
The video game adaptation won many plaudits for its grim-but-humane first season. Amidst a semblance of civilisation, the second series is an uneven odyssey.
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ian bremmer @ianbremmer.com · 03/04/2025
unprecedented protests this morning on heard and macdonald islands, as the population rises up against trump imposition of 10% across the board tariffs.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
I'll be watching to see if Netflix edits out the Trump jokes when it drops there. No excuse for doing that. www.thedailybeast.com/savage-trump...
thedailybeast.com
Savage Trump Jokes Dominate Conan’s Kennedy Center Ceremony
Another famous “orange” man was in the spotlight as the Kennedy Center undergoes a number of major Trump-inspired changes.
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Colson Whitehead @colsonwhitehead.com · 02/03/2025
From 100 YEARS OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: “New cast member Zeppo Marx walked out in protest, but Lorne Michaels defended his choice of host for the 1933 Christmas episode. ‘You can’t deny Adolph Hitler is an interesting figure, and that’s what we do here — the new, the interesting.”
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
For everyone thinking movies are are great escape/ consolation, this is your weekend! I'm guessing Anora for Best Picture, but Conclave is a real possibility. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
Oscars 2025 predictions: Who will win - and who should?
In one of the most exciting and dramatic awards seasons ever, the field is wide open in several fields. Here are the BBC film critics' expert predictions.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
I don't know where Coppola posted this, but it's the best acceptance speech since any of Kieran Culkin's (high bar).
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Looks like this year's Best International Film at the Oscars. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
'It's exactly what the country needs': How Brazil propelled drama I'm Still Here to be this year's Oscars dark horse
Starring Fernanda Torres and centring on a family torn apart by Brazil's military dictatorship, I'm Still Here is up for three major awards – and could pull off an upset on the night.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
From @sulliview.bsky.social 's Substack. No one is better at analyzing what the media needs to do: margaretsullivan.substack.com/p/four-essen...
margaretsullivan.substack.com
Four essentials for the press right now
If we have any hope of preventing a full slide into permanent autocracy, these must happen
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Best to approach this season with lowered expectations. Some great actors but overall a wasted opportunity. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
bbc.com
The White Lotus season three review: 'Feels flabby and elongated, with far less satiric bite'
The "very slow-burn" new series of the satire about a luxury resort is uneven and disappointing.
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Jon Frosch @jon-frosch.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
Not a great year at #Sundance, but still some excellent stuff — as usual. @david-rooney.bsky.social @thefienprint.bsky.social @carynjames.bsky.social www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
hollywoodreporter.com
THR Critics Pick the 15 Best Films of Sundance 2025
A sexy gay cruising thriller, an all-too-timely drama about post-wildfire recovery and a shocking doc about U.S. prisons are among our critics’ faves from the fest.
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Caryn James @carynjames.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
You have to love the fact that there's a goat tunnel.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 28/01/2025
Jim Acosta announces on air that he's leaving CNN and says, "it is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant ... don't give in to the lies."
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