Tamar Lilienthal 6/26/22 Tamar Lilienthal 6/26/22

Halftime (The J.Lo Documentary): Why Netflix Could’ve Left More “On The Floor”

Jennifer Lopez was one of those people who always popped up in the most random of scenarios, whether as a reality show judge, an awards show performer, or, most often, as the face of the latest tabloid publication. Yet despite how often I encountered her, she was still never someone I paid much attention to – except when rewatching old dance recital videos where we danced to her hit, “Let’s Get Loud.” (Seriously, I don’t know what my studio’s obsession with the song was, but we danced to it a lot.)

Tamar Lilienthal 4/15/22 Tamar Lilienthal 4/15/22

The Dropout, Inventing Anna, and the Fascination with Female Fraudsters

Audiences have soaked up The Dropout and Inventing Anna because of the piece inside of them that craves seeing a woman in a position of power. I can’t blame them; I love seeing it too. But does our desire to see strong, independent women erase any shred of a moral compass that tells us when a woman’s actions are wrong?

Hayley Sussman 12/28/21 Hayley Sussman 12/28/21

Tick, Tick... Boom! A Love Letter to Art and the Artist

I don’t need to convince you to watch tick tick… Boom!, the film adaptation of the creator of the revolutionary rock musical Rent Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical about living in the pressure cooker of eighties New York and trying to make his big break before the age of 30. “Older than Stephen Sondheim and Paul McCartney” when they achieved fame. Gasp!

Tamar Lilienthal 11/24/21 Tamar Lilienthal 11/24/21

Maya and the Three Offers Stunning Visuals But a Confusing Story

When I heard that Netflix was releasing an animated adventure series by Jorge Gutierrez, co-writer and director of Golden Globe-nominated movie The Book of Life, I thought it was destined to be a smashing success. Featuring an exciting story about a Mesoamerican warrior princess, and boasting a cast of some of the most famous Latino actors of our time, I couldn’t wait to see what this monumental animator had created.

Hayley Sussman 10/20/21 Hayley Sussman 10/20/21

Don’t hate the player, hate the game: Netflix’s breakout hit Squid Game

Squid Game has taken the recipe for a bingeable Netflix show and seasoned it to perfection. The Korean drama follows Seong Gi-hun, a father who has gambled with both his life and his relationship with his young daughter. With little left to lose and everything to gain, he enters to compete in a series of children’s games, along with 455 other debt-ridden and desperate contestants, enticed by a handsome cash prize. The twist? Losing gets you killed.

Hayley Sussman 7/25/21 Hayley Sussman 7/25/21

Queer love is intimate, hilarious, and real in Feel Good Season 2

If you haven’t seen Feel Good, let me put you on to Netflix’s most chronically underrated series: an LGBTQ+ dark comedy about gender identity, addiction, and love. Canadian comedian Mae Martin writes and stars in the semi-autobiographical tale. The show’s cynical, self-aware humor mirrors that of Fleabag, and it similarly spans two seasons, each containing six perfectly packaged episodes. While the second season, released this year in June, falters on the comedic front in favor of a bolder, darker storyline, you’re certain to fall in love all over again with the complex characters and genuine relationships Martin so beautifully curates.

Tamar Lilienthal 5/1/21 Tamar Lilienthal 5/1/21

When You Try Your Best But You Don’t Succeed: Shtisel Season 3 Review

Reviewing Season 3 of Shtisel brings back memories, since the series was the very first thing I wrote about for The Moviegoer! At the time of my initial review, Shtisel was one of my favorite shows. It had the cultural intrigue of Hasidic Jews without the sensationalism that usually characterizes other shows about these ultra-Orthodox communities. Instead of exoticizing the Hasidic community, the series sought to familiarize the audience with it by telling raw, human stories that touch on universal experiences.

Hayley Sussman 1/26/21 Hayley Sussman 1/26/21

Big Mouth Season 4 Review

I’m convinced Big Mouth is written by hyper-self-aware 13 year olds. It’s unapologetic in portraying some of the most embarrassing parts of growing up and its characters feel like honest middle schoolers — “I don’t like movies. I prefer watching YouTube 2 inches from my face,” says Nick. Over its four-season run, the Netflix animated series has perfectly captured the woes and wonders of puberty through inventive storylines and a signature raunchy humor that only preteens (and me, and all the reviewers who’ve given three seasons a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and probably you) find funny. In season 4, each of Big Mouth’s flawed and lovable tweens work on forging their identities as adolescents, a struggle all of us can empathize with.