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Stephen Silver

@stephensilver.bsky.social
408 followers 537 following 1.1K posts

Journalist, film critic, dad stephensilver.substack.com

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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
In this week’s notes column, I wrote about PRIMETIME, dumb guy opinions, the first PFF titles another Daily Wire movie, “Miller Night Football” and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-primet...
stephensilver.substack.com
Fin: ‘Primetime,’ the Dumb Guy Opinion, and the questions no one is asking
Plus, the first look at the PFF lineup, another Daily Wire movie, “Miller Night Football,” and more in this week’s notes column.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
For the @inquirer.com, I wrote about BUCKS COUNTY, USA, a @pbs.org documentary series that covers three years of a culture war in suburban Philly www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
inquirer.com
The screening of a Bucks County-set documentary series was canceled last month. It’s now available to stream on PBS.
"Bucks County, USA" is what filmmakers Robert May, Barry Levinson, and Jason Sosnoff call a “nonbiased portrayal” of a politically polarized Pa. county that acts as microcosm of the whole country.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I reviewed VERITY for Splice Today www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Verity or Consequences
Verity isn’t much better than most other Colleen Hoover adaptations. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
10-pack! I reviewed documentaries about Mr. T, AI, a legendary production of “Godspell,” 100-year-olds, a very down-bad cyclist, an old MTV show, a serial killer who got in the way of the Florida Gators, and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/october-20...
stephensilver.substack.com
October 2026 documentary review 10-pack: ‘Mr. T: I Pity the Fool,’ ‘Ghost in the Machine,’ ‘You Had to Be There,’ ‘Cycle of Love,’ ‘This is Buzz,’ ‘Teenage Wasteland,’ and more
Reviews of ten new documentary features.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I wrote about 35 years of MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO stephensilver.substack.com/p/my-own-pri...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘My Own Private Idaho,’ Gus Van Sant’s truly original Shakespeare pastiche, turns 35
In Gus Van Sant’s 1991 film, River Phoenix played a street hustler with low-grade narcolepsy and a high-grade crush on Keanu Reeves.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
For Broad Street Review, it's my October repertory preview: www.broadstreetreview.com/previews/you... @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social @karinalongworth.bsky.social @philafcc.bsky.social
broadstreetreview.com
Your October guide to Philly-area repertory film screenings
October brings lots of scary screenings, naturally, but there’s plenty more in the mix, including a Talking Heads classic, 1949’s The Heiress , Sofia…
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I reviewed DIGGER, which is terrible stephensilver.substack.com/p/tom-cruise...
stephensilver.substack.com
Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ is completely insufferable
We all wanted to Cruise to get back to ambitious, risky projects. Just not like this.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I wrote about the outstanding new Amazon documentary about ex-Eagle DeSean Jackson stephensilver.substack.com/p/go-deep-th...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Go Deep: The DeSean Jackson Story’ is a truly special sports documentary
Director Mandon Lovett’s examination of the retired NFL wide receiver draws on three decades years of home movie footage- and is remarkably illuminating and honest.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I wrote this week about the Star Wars report, Tilly Norwood, and why you shouldn’t believe all the movie news you read stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-new-st...
stephensilver.substack.com
The “new Star Wars movie,’ Tilly Norwood, and why you shouldn’t believe every movie announcement
The Jon Watts-directed ‘Star Wars’ movie may or may not be real, but the A.I. actress definitely isn’t.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
In this week’s notes column I wrote about the promise of fall movie season, the lesbian bar story, Sly as a Trump ambassador, the merger and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-the-sw...
stephensilver.substack.com
Fin: The sweet promise of fall movie season, and also the Massachusetts lesbian bar story
Plus: The Paramount/Warner merger, I was right about Stallone and Trump, and more in this week’s notes column.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I wrote about 30 years of EXTREME MEASURES, the first movie I ever reviewed stephensilver.substack.com/p/30-years-o...
stephensilver.substack.com
30 years of ‘Extreme Measures,’ the first movie I ever reviewed
Hugh Grant and Gene Hackman starred in this medical conspiracy thriller, an also-ran from the fall of 1996, which I remember for only one reason.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I reviewed THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS for Splice Today www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
To the Power of Love
The Love Hypothesis is ridiculous on various fronts, but nevertheless has some charm. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I reviewed THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-histor...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘The History of Concrete’ is an off-beat examination of concrete and much more
John Wilson makes his feature documentary debut with a look at the titular construction material- and every tangent you can possibly imagine.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
For Splice Today, I reviewed HEART OF THE BEAST, the Brad Pitt dog picture www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Pitt Stop
Heart of the Beast is a forgettable thriller. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I reviewed PRIMETIME stephensilver.substack.com/p/primetime-...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Primetime’ is a disturbing study of ‘To Catch a Predator’
Lance Oppenheim’s film is nerve-wracking, full of outstanding performances, and refreshingly un-didactic. But if anything, it has too little to say.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I reviewed RUN HIDE FIGHT: INFIDELS stephensilver.substack.com/p/run-hide-f...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Run Hide Fight: Infidels’ is unintentionally hilarious conservative slop
There’s little doubt the Daily Wire folks would rather be movie moguls- but sadly, they’re not very good at it.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Here's my latest #crimeblotter for @appleinsider.com appleinsider.com/articles/26/...
appleinsider.com
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I wrote a guest post for my friend @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social's Cup of Coffee newsletter, about the day Tommy John got hit in the head by a throw www.cupofcoffeenews.com/r/81384fc1?m...
cupofcoffeenews.com
Cup of Coffee: September 22, 2026
A light schedule, a new name for Tigers Park, the Yankees' private equity deal, the Kaufman Field fence experiment, update on the Clase/Ortiz prosecution, Tommy John, a weird poll, AI frat culture, an...
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
In this week’s notes column: Why I don’t want to see Wahlberg as Pete Rose, De Niro and his opinion of Kingman’s performance, the Sydney Sweeney ad, that Richard Gere podcast, and much more stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-a-pete...
stephensilver.substack.com
Fin: A Pete Rose biopic with Mark Wahlberg is the worst movie idea I can possibly imagine
Plus: Robert De Niro’s opinion of Kingman’s performance, the Sydney Sweeney commercial, Snyder is cut, a strange podcast about Richard Gere, and more in this week’s notes column.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I reviewed THE WEIGHT for Splice Today www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Gold Lust
The Weight has pacing issues, but it's still a successful film. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I reviewed RESIDENT EVIL stephensilver.substack.com/p/resident-e...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Resident Evil’ is a curious video game adaptation from Zach Cregger
Cregger’s film is probably the best ‘Resident Evil’ movie possible, but I’m still not sure why he made this particular movie at this particular time.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I wrote about 40 years of David Lynch’s BLUE VELVET stephensilver.substack.com/p/blue-velve...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Blue Velvet,’ one of David Lynch’s masterpieces, turns 40
In 1986, Lynch visited some of his favorite themes in a psychosexual thriller about a wide-eyed college boy, his blond girlfriend, a sultry nightclub singer, and a violent and perverted Dennis Hopper.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I reviewed ECHOES IN THE NIGHT: THE SEARCH FOR JACOB WETTERLING, a documentary about a case that was very important in my youth stephensilver.substack.com/p/echoes-in-...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Echoes in the Night: The Search For Jacob Wetterling’ is the complete telling of a tragic crime
A fine true-crime documentary about a case that’s very important to me.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I wrote for Political Tribune about why Trump's convention didn't outdraw the NFL polinews.org/trumps-big-g...
polinews.org
Trump’s Big GOP Midterm Convention Ratings Boast Comes Back To Haunt Him As Numbers Are Revealed
The president's midterm convention did not outrate the NFL.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I reviewed the discourse—but not the movies themselves—around four upcoming documentaries I haven’t seen yet. stephensilver.substack.com/p/naza-you-c...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘NAZA,’ ‘You Can See Everything,’ ‘Musk, and ‘The Trial of Alec Baldwin’: Thoughts on four documentaries that I haven’t seen
Almost no one has seen them, but everybody’s talking about them anyway.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I reviewed THE UPRISING for Splice Today www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Hidden Hood
The last minute marketing switch involving Robin Hood is far more interesting than anything that's actually in The Uprising​​​​​​​. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
In this week’s notes column: A roundup of 9/11 anniversary documentaries, the Tupac trial, Elon Musk vs. Gibney’s Musk, McNabb’s Chunky Soup commercial and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-review...
stephensilver.substack.com
Fin: Reviewing this year’s 9/11 anniversary documentaries
Also, the Tupac trial, Elon Musk vs. Alex Gibney’s ‘Musk,’ 20 years of McNabb’s Chunky Soup commercial, and more in this week’s notes column.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
For Splice Today, I reviewed PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Bent Broomstick
Practical Magic 2 is an unnecessary and lousy sequel to a movie that wasn't that good in the first place. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I reviewed DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER, the great new Oasis concert documentary stephensilver.substack.com/p/oasis-dont...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger’ is a masterful music documentary
The Gallagher brothers’ unlikely reunion tour isn’t just a great rock doc- it does groundbreaking things with the concert film form.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I wrote about the 30th anniversary of FEELING MINNESOTA, the other 1996 crime film that was shot in Minnesota stephensilver.substack.com/p/feeling-mi...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Feeling Minnesota,’ 30 years ago, was an indie movie oddity
Keanu Reeves and Cameron Diaz teamed up in a surprisingly violent crime film.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Here's my latest #crimeblotter for @appleinsider.com appleinsider.com/articles/26/...
appleinsider.com
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I reviewed the terrible BY ANY MEANS stephensilver.substack.com/p/by-any-mea...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘By Any Means’ is not necessary
It might be the most cynical movie ever made about the civil rights movement, but that doesn’t make it any good.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I previewed the fall movies I’m most looking forward to stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-ten-mo...
stephensilver.substack.com
The ten movies I’m most looking forward to this fall
For Labor Day, a brief fall movie preview.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I reviewed DREAMS IN NIGHTMARES for Splice Today www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Road Games
Dreams in Nightmares deserves a word-of-mouth audience. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
In this week’s notes column, I wrote about the “Magneto won’t be Jewish” thing, why I’m over Ali G, Days of Thunder 2, Trump’s tax incentives, an Iranian government spokesman being a Homeland fan, and much more. stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-theyre...
stephensilver.substack.com
Fin: “They’re making Magneto non-Jewish” is the new “Elliot Page is playing Achilles”
The trouble with Ali G, Trump’s tax incentives, the Iranian foreign minister watches ‘Homeland,’ ‘Days of Thunder 2’, and more in this week’s notes column.
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Reposted by Stephen Silver
The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle @philafcc.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
NEW PODCAST: On the latest Film Scribes, @stephensilver.bsky.social @heimlich.bsky.social and @filmbuffrich.bsky.social talk TONY, THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING and COYOTE VS ACME, and also the death of Dolly Parton filmscribes.libsyn.com/the-film-scr...
filmscribes.libsyn.com
The Film Scribes Podcast: The Film Scribes Podcast - TONY, COYOTE VS ACME, Remembering Dolly Parton and More
Join Philadelphia Film Critics Circle members Rich Heimlich (Cinemotic), Steve Silver (Splice Today, SS Ben Hecht Substack), and Rich Drees (FilmBuffOnline) as they discuss the newly released Anthony ...
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Reminds me of one of my favorite alt-history things www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010...
vanityfair.com
Lennon at 70!
As he approaches the big milestone and his highly anticipated reunion dates with the Plastic Ono Band, the irrepressible ex-Beatle talks about cows, survival, and Yoko.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I reviewed MAYDAY, a bad buddy comedy that’s going to seriously piss off the Blackbird Spyplane fandom stephensilver.substack.com/p/mayday-is-...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Mayday’ is a very odd Cold War action comedy
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh star in the strange story of mismatched friends beyond enemy lines in the last days of the Soviet Union.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I reviewed 10 new documentaries, including AMERICAN DOCTOR, MARY OLIVER: SAVED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD, BOORMAN THE DEVIL, BIG CHICKEN: A FAST FOOD CONSPIRACY, and more stephensilver.substack.com/p/september-...
stephensilver.substack.com
September 2026 documentary review 10-pack: ‘American Doctor,’ ‘Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World,’ ‘Boorman and the Devil,’ ‘The Gas Station Attendant,’ ‘ Big Chicken’ and more
Reviews of ten new documentary features.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I wrote about the Ritz Five in Old City in Philadelphia, which was shut down last week due to code violations stephensilver.substack.com/p/what-is-go...
stephensilver.substack.com
What is going on at the Ritz Five?
With the Old City theater shut down due to code violations, let’s hope Philadelphia doesn’t lose five more screens.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
For Splice Today, I reviewed the not-very-good Netflix movie THE WHISPER MAN www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Silence Kit
The Whisper Man is little more than an overlong Criminal Minds episode. || Stephen Silver
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Reposted by Stephen Silver
FilmBuffRich @filmbuffrich.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Hey, new @philafcc.bsky.social podcast is now live! Join @stephensilver.bsky.social , @heimlich.bsky.social and myself as we discuss TONY, COYOTE VS ACME, THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING and the legacy of Dolly Parton. Give a listen! filmscribes.libsyn.com/the-film-scr...
filmscribes.libsyn.com
The Film Scribes Podcast: The Film Scribes Podcast - TONY, COYOTE VS ACME, Remembering Dolly Parton and More
Join Philadelphia Film Critics Circle members Rich Heimlich (Cinemotic), Steve Silver (Splice Today, SS Ben Hecht Substack), and Rich Drees (FilmBuffOnline) as they discuss the newly released Anthony ...
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Reposted by Stephen Silver
Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
2/ themselves up as cosplay American xenophobes. The fewer Milos we have in this country the better. That said, ICE detention is hellish, something no one deserves. The idea that you would drop a dime on someone to ICE as a kind of sick burn or MAGA factional tit for tat is just really sick stuff.
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Reposted by Stephen Silver
Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The Milo / Loomer story is an apt illustration of the viciousness and cruelty at the heart of MAGA. Milo is just thoroughly a piece of crap - part of that long history of Brits who think they're automatically kind of honorary or more than honorary Americans but go the extra step of setting ...
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In this week’s notes column: The worst parody of OBSESSION ever, remembering Dolly Parton, AMC is abandoning Kips Bay, why Ebert was more famous than Siskel, and the Wing Bowl documentary finally arrives. stephensilver.substack.com/p/fin-good-g...
stephensilver.substack.com
Fin: Good Good Golf, and how not to parody ‘Obsession’
Plus, remembering Dolly Parton, abandoning Kips Bay, why Ebert was more famous than Siskel, the Wing Bowl movie, and more in this week’s notes column.
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Reposted by Stephen Silver
Stephanie Farr @farfarraway.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
There's an unfortunate typo in the sign-off of Philly Police's daily email today that seems to encourage grand theft auto.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I reviewed IDIOTS for Splice Today www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictu...
splicetoday.com
Dumb Bells
Idiots has a decent premise but too many tonal shifts. || Stephen Silver
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I reviewed Ridley Scott's THE DOG STARS stephensilver.substack.com/p/the-dog-st...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘The Dog Stars’ is a wildly uneven post-apocalyptic dirge
Still, I admire 88-year-old Ridley Scott for making something this strange.
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
For Broad Street Review, here's the September repertory film preview: www.broadstreetreview.com/previews/the...
broadstreetreview.com
The BSR September 2026 repertory film roundup
It’s time to make your September calendar, and Philly is packed with screenings, from early Star Trek to A League of Their Own , The Silence of the Lambs…
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Stephen Silver @stephensilver.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I reviewed UECK, a documentary about the twilight of Bob Uecker stephensilver.substack.com/p/ueck-is-a-...
stephensilver.substack.com
‘Ueck’ is a rollicking tribute to the late Bob Uecker
The film, currently rolling out throughout Wisconsin, shows us the twilight of the legend of the baseball booth and far beyond.
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