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Joshua Rothkopf

@joshuarothkopf.bsky.social
17K followers 282 following 295 posts

Film Editor, Los Angeles Times | Member, LAFCA | Vice-Chair, National Society of Film Critics | I'm watching a movie right now.

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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"There’s no hope in DIGGER, only a seductive, mischievous malevolence that, by design, feels empty as soon as the end credits roll." Amy Nicholson on the movie of the moment. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Review: Tom Cruise destroys Earth in 'Digger,' a messy climate satire that occasionally strikes gold
Director Alejandro González Iñárritu teams up with a prosthetics-swaddled Cruise for a bleak comedy about a Texan oil driller who triggers the end of the world.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Headed to the Academy Museum's new "The Horror Show" exhibit when it opens tomorrow? Josh Rottenberg scared up a list of the 10 must-sees. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
10 must-see scares at the Academy Museum’s killer new horror exhibit
From Bela Lugosi’s original 'Dracula' cape to a room dripping with blood, here are the highlights of the Academy Museum’s new celebration of horror.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Some Oscar front-runners were unofficially coronated, while more young horror directors continue to rise worldwide. These were the best films of the fest. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
The 9 best movies we saw at the Toronto International Film Festival
Julianne Moore, Kate and Rooney Mara and Amanda Seyfried captivated in their showcases, while more young horror directors continue to rise worldwide.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
What are the essential post-9/11 movies? Josh Rottenberg and I assembled this canon of trauma, obliquely related to an era we'll never forget. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
9 movies that best capture the mood of 9/11
Twenty-five years on, our list of post-9/11 dramas includes "Donnie Darko," "Munich" and "The Dark Knight," movies that evoke the uncertainty of the moment.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Telluride's 53rd edition, just concluded, turned out to be an all-timer. Culling out the Cannes and Sundance debuts, we picked our 6 favorites — and yes, that crazy secret screening was one of them: www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
The 6 best movies we saw at the 2026 Telluride Film Festival
Some major Oscar contenders were forged, notably Andrew Scott and Julianne Moore, as the exclusive Colorado film showcase pulled off a successful edition.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
It felt electric being in the room when Julianne Moore rocked the audience of THE DEBUT with a monologue for the ages. At Telluride, our Glenn Whipp sat down with Moore and Paul Giamatti to discuss the comedy scene of the year. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti talk about the funniest scene you'll see in a movie this year
Midway through Jesse Eisenberg's "The Debut," there's a scene that makes the audience go wild. Its actors sat down with us to discuss how they did it.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
What happened inside Telluride's secret screening? A meta new Elizabeth Holmes documentary, a fun Q&A moderated by Emma Stone and, for the departing audience, another secret to keep. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
What happened inside Telluride’s secret screening of Nathan Fielder’s new Elizabeth Holmes documentary
“You Can See Everything,” co-directed by Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, offers extraordinary access to the convicted Theranos founder before taking a reality-bending turn.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
There really is nothing else this year like John Malkovich in WILD HORSE NINE: a spooky creation with a thousand-yard stare that adds a backstory we can only guess at. No redemption here, only release. Haunting to the extreme. Read our interview with him: www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
John Malkovich is still finding new ways to be John Malkovich
At 72, John Malkovich is still working relentlessly, contemplating mortality and finding absurdity everywhere, from octopus attacks to the Oscars.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Deepest congrats to our two new members!
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
And apart from features on WILD HORSE NINE and CLUB KID, our staff chose 17 more movies you'll want to earmark as we head into the fall. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
The 17 fall movies we can't wait to see
From a new "Resident Evil" reboot from the director of "Weapons" to Oscar contenders starring Mikey Madison and Tom Cruise, here are the movies we'll be at this fall.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Jordan Firstman is at a pivot point, between what we know him for and CLUB KID, his forthcoming feature, a writing and directing debut of real wisdom. I enjoyed visiting him and chatting about the work he's done to get there. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
After years of the snarky grind, ‘Club Kid’ feels transformative for Jordan Firstman
A real screenwriter and director emerges with his feature debut, a Cannes knockout coming from A24. But getting there required a pivot to to the heart.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
We still love getting in John Malkovich's head and WILD HORSE NINE is his best work in years: a complex and funny turn about a professional secret keeper gone rogue. For our fall preview, Josh Rottenberg sat down with him. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
John Malkovich is still finding new ways to be John Malkovich
At 72, John Malkovich is still working relentlessly, contemplating mortality and finding absurdity everywhere, from octopus attacks to the Oscars.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Our @theamynicholson.bsky.social finds THE ODYSSEY a "monument to movie craft" — "one that engraves marvelous images onto the ancient oral poem" even as it sacrifices some of its hero's moral complexity: "Nolan refuses to tremble before the canon." Her review: www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Review: Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' is a mighty Trojan horse of his thematic obsessions
Generously sized and steered toward realism, the director's take on Odysseus is epically satisfying, even if it skimps on the character's ego and lust.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
My favorite of Sam Neill's will always be John Carpenter's IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS — finally, a leading role, but one in which Neill, strapped in a straitjacket, screams things like “I’m not insane!” www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Sam Neill's legacy in 7 movies, from Australian thrillers to 'Jurassic Park'
A crisp, charming presence opposite volcanic stars like Nicole Kidman, Isabelle Adjani and Holly Hunter, Neill made a career out of letting others shine.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Wild essay by @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social on one of my all-time favorites. Still no bigger flex than following up DRACULA, one of Hollywood's earliest proto-blockbusters, with FREAKS.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
"I’ve been telling this story in all my films for years." Christopher Nolan sits down with Kenneth Turan to discuss his personal journey into THE ODYSSEY, along with its casting, physical effects and the one actor whose take made everyone on set applaud. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
The intimate odyssey of Christopher Nolan’s latest epic: ‘I’ve been telling this story in all my films’
Christopher Nolan explains ‘The Odyssey’: The director discusses how he made the epic new film starring Matt Damon that was shot entirely on Imax.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
THE ODYSSEY is staggering. Earthy, ghostly, weighty, touched by humor and grandeur alike. It's pure cinema. Obviously the story is about returning home, but in a larger sense, this is also a return home to the robustly entertaining action movies that cinema was invented to tell.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Some worthwhile movie options for the holiday weekend (🧵): Happy Fourth, everyone. First up, our film team tells the story of America in 10 essential films, all set at moments of deep national change. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
10 must-watch movies that capture America in times of profound change
From classic dramas like 'The Grapes of Wrath' and 'Nashville' to a John Carpenter sci-fi nightmare, these movies articulate a shifting national mood.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Make room in an already stellar year of horror debuts for Sundance breakout LEVITICUS, which nails a tricky tone and lingers long after. @jenyamato.bsky.social has the story. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Making the queer horror romance ‘Leviticus' was an exploration — and a reclamation
In a crowded year for chilling debuts, director Adrian Chiarella and actors Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen impress with a fear that hits close to home.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Lovely reminiscence by our Glenn Whipp about how the TOY STORY movies take root. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
A highly personal ranking of the 10 best toys in the 'Toy Story' movies
I watched my children play with their toys over many years and multiple 'Toy Story' movies. These are more than just animated characters to me.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
If you've seen DISCLOSURE DAY, you've noticed Courtney Grace, who, as a news anchor, carries the climax almost wordlessly and delivers a knockout turn. Our @davidviramontes.bsky.social spoke to her about the shoot. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
'Disclosure Day' ends with a bang. Here's how a former news anchor stole the show
Her name is Courtney Grace and she carries Steven Spielberg's sci-fi thriller to its emotional climax. She discussed her experience working on the film.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
DISCLOSURE DAY works best as someone’s desperate fantasy to recreate the monoculture, made by an artist who used to define it. (The villain clearly prefers one-to-one streaming.) The ending is basically Spielberg begging us to rewatch E.T. He believes in movies more than aliens.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Threats from another world? Or “vaguely benevolent interstellar therapists trying to help humanity get its act together”? Our staffers have thoughts. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
What is it with Spielberg and space aliens? We break down his career-long fixation
With 'Disclosure Day,' the director returns to a longtime preoccupation. Two Times staffers explore his ongoing fascination with extraterrestrials.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
"When lens flares continually beam right at the screen, the whole movie feels like enlightenment under duress." @theamynicholson.bsky.social on fire with this one. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Review: In Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day,' the aliens are here — but the wonderment isn't
Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor race around the Midwest trying to expose UFOs in a hectic adventure that lacks intelligent life.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
These are excellent picks, especially Killer Films. Such a huge impact on the indie world. Much cooler than the Oscars usually get. Deepest congrats to Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Academy to honor Glenn Close and Ridley Scott at Governors Awards
Animator Floyd Norman will also receive an honorary Oscar, while producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler will receive the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Rush, now with with monster drummer Anika Nilles, killed last night at the Forum in a show that marks a new phase for them. Here's everything that happened: www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
EDDINGTON is the most blackly funny American satire in a decade. Come hear me speak with Ari Aster after the @amcinematheque.bsky.social Bleak Week screening on Friday night. www.americancinematheque.com/series/ari-a...
americancinematheque.com
Ari Aster: A Bleak Week Retrospective - American Cinematheque
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Romania's Cristian Mungiu now joins an extremely exclusive group of two-time Palme winners — a club of only 10. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival
Awards for acting were shared by the co-stars of "Coward" and "All of Sudden," while the Russian thriller "Minotaur" took home the festival's Grand Prize.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
@theamynicholson.bsky.social and I leave Cannes with 10 winners, though we honestly wish it were more. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
10 Cannes movies worth looking out for in a year of disappointments
Not every returning auteur brought their A-game, but we found enough to like, including strong work from Pedro Almodóvar, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Jane Schoenbrun.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
“This far into an underwhelming festival, good films have a way of looking like great ones,” says @theamynicholson.bsky.social at a Cannes studded with high-profile misfires, one that’s taking its time to come into focus. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
At Cannes, the search goes on for a knockout — or at least a decent ending
Disappointing offerings included such anticipated titles as
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
"Throughout the entire process of making this film, I was bloodthirsty. I was thirsting for blood. I have another script written already." Talked to Na Hong-jin about his big swing HOPE. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
'Hope,' Korea's biggest gamble, comes to Cannes. Its director is ready to level up
Director Na Hong-jin's latest, a sci-fi adventure co-starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, brings a huge sense of blockbuster scale to his filmmaking.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
“TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH is a bold step forward. It’s got bravery and heart and a masked killer costumed like an air conditioning vent. Ultimately, it’s about challenging yourself to get vulnerable." @theamynicholson.bsky.social on the the first few days of Cannes. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Fast and furious? Not for the most part at this year's Cannes so far
Jane Schoenbrun's "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" supplied slasher-inspired juiciness while "Fatherland" marked the return of Sandra Hüller ("Anatomy of a Fall").
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
ALL OF A SUDDEN is about the toughest subject, death, but also about something trickier: How do we help people approach that moment with dignity and even vigor? In the friction between those two ideas, the movie lands on something truly sublime. We are lucky to have a Hamaguchi.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Don't even pretend you're not curious about the 20-year-old director who made BACKROOMS for A24. We got Kane Parsons to tell us the whole story. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Kane Parsons is 20. Here's how he made A24’s biggest summer movie, the spooky 'Backrooms'
After developing his concept over years, the 20-year-old Parsons worked with Oscar-nominated actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve along with A24 to make it happen.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I often found myself sitting with Rex at critic screenings because I loved hearing his steady stream of sotto voce commentary. My favorite, after we saw SUPERMAN RETURNS: "Well, it wasn't as good as *my* Superman." He was the star of it. I'll miss him. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Rex Reed, contrarian film critic who perfected the skewering celebrity interview, dies at 87
Rex Reed, who never held back in celebrity interviews and movie reviews, died Tuesday in Manhattan at age 87. He often lamented the lack of quality coming from Hollywood.
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Reposted by Joshua Rothkopf
Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 12/05/2026
“I don’t have many fears. In a generalized Spanish sense, here we’re not afraid to call things for what they are,” director Pedro Almodóvar tells The Times. www.latimes.com/entertainme...
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Cinerama Dome could be the linchpin of an already glorious L.A. repertory scene if/when it finally reopens. @indiefocus.bsky.social reports on yesterday’s permit hearing and developments. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Cinerama Dome takes a likely step toward reopening 'in the near future'
A permit for alcohol sales is likely to be approved, paving the way for the reopening of the beloved Cinerama Dome and ArcLight Hollywood theaters.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
@theamynicholson.bsky.social and I have a back and forth about this years lineup — there’s much that we’re anticipating.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Lucrecia Martel makes fiercely political movies. She also led the Venice Film Festival jury that chose JOKER as its winner. @carlosfilm.bsky.social talked to her about both of those things, plus her Hollywood adventures. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
She's an art-house giant. But Lucrecia Martel sometimes feels the lure of Hollywood
The Argentine director is revered at home and abroad — and even took a meeting with Marvel. Her first documentary, "Our Land," investigates a murder.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Billie Eilish brings the intimacy, James Cameron the 3D sweep, to a concert documentary (opening today) that, it's safe to say, pleased longtime fan @mikaelwood.bsky.social and made a new one in @theamynicholson.bsky.social. They chatted about it. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Review: Billie Eilish, intimate in even James Cameron's eye: Our critics weigh in on 3D concert doc 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'
For all the hugeness of an arena show, the singer establishes remarkable closeness with her fans, a rapport captured by the "Avatar" director's hi-def cameras.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
The last time I saw Rush, it was with @darkforcesswing.bsky.social at MSG, front row. His story for the NYT, about the rehearsals for their upcoming tour, is the one that every superfan wants to read. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/a...
nytimes.com
Rush Lost Its Beloved Drummer. The Band Is Ready to Get Back on the Road.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
BACKROOMS is horror stripped to its essentials: a hallway, a door, knowing that you will go through it. Conceptually, it’s a triumph, a nightmare with its own weather. Kane Parsons may be 20 years old but he knows what haunts us.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
On your way to see ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN at #TCMFF? Here's a piece I've been wanting the great Ann Hornaday to write for us for a while. The movie's lessons aren't just for reporters. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Opinion: 'All the President's Men' is 50 years old. A former Post staffer tells us why that matters
Ann Hornaday, former film critic for the Washington Post, explores the journalism classic from the inside, along with its lessons for publishers.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 doesn't find its own footing until it acknowledges that a Cinderella story about making it in journalism no longer fits, writes our Amy Nicholson: "The real devils wear Fitbits." www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Review: The hellishly hot trend in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is pink slips for the media industry
Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt and an icy Meryl Streep return for a sequel that's less about fashion, more about the horrors of keeping a magazine alive.
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Reposted by Joshua Rothkopf
Amy Nicholson @theamynicholson.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 opens like a knock-off of itself but finds its own footing once it acknowledges that a Cinderella story about making it in today's downsized journalism no longer fits. Here, the devils are MBAs in Fitbits www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
Review: The hellishly hot trend in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is pink slips for the media industry
Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt and an icy Meryl Streep return for a sequel that's less about fashion, more about the horrors of keeping a magazine alive.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Casually @carlosfilm.bsky.social told me that his roommate @conorholt.bsky.social has over 1,100 tapes. I knew that guy because, once upon a time, he was me. A beautiful piece about nostalgia, obsession and "time-traveling." www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
In a digital world, VHS tapes are cool again. Meet the crazy faithful, including my roommate
There's a serious fandom growing around videocassettes, one that includes such directors as Jane Schoenbrun and Alex Ross Perry. Is it retro nostalgia or something deeper?
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
This is some thrilling news for film journalism! Congrats @guylodge.bsky.social — we are all the richer for this.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Here's a 🧵 of what we've been covering: We're not about to spoil the Big Secret of THE DRAMA but, in its first moments, there's a beautiful love song from 1974 by a largely forgotten folk artist, Shira Small. @timgrierson.bsky.social tracked her down for some wisdom. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
She made one album in 1974. Now her song is playing in a new A24 movie
In 1974, Shira Small recorded an album as a teen. Now, with her song opening A24's "The Drama," she may finally be getting her moment in the spotlight.
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Good hiring news — this is an excellent decision by @nytimes.com. As sharp as Leah is as a critic and thinker, she's an even better editor. www.nytco.com/press/leah-g...
nytco.com
Leah Greenblatt Joins the Culture Desk | The New York Times Company
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Joshua Rothkopf @joshuarothkopf.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Checking in with Paul McCartney, well into his "cool-little-place era," here's @mikaelwood.bsky.social on Friday night's underplay at the Fonda for a very lucky 1200 people. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...
latimes.com
At this point, Paul McCartney might play your birthday party
The 83-year-old rock legend did his latest underplay at L.A.'s Fonda Theatre on Friday night.
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