PETERSON REVIEWS
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‘Secretary’ is a Transgressive, Darkly Funny Romantic Comedy
Maggie Gyllenhaal is terrific in her breakthrough role.
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Hedy Lamarr is Wickedly Good in ‘The Strange Woman’
In the vein of the previous year’s ‘Leave Her to Heaven,’ the fun of ‘The Strange Woman’ is primarily found in our desire to see its villainess get away with her crimes.
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The Stylish Sensuality of ‘Story of O’
Just Jaeckin’s follow-up to the infamous ‘Emmanuelle’ is even better than the movie he’s most associated with.
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‘Samson and Delilah’ is a Silly, Pretty-to-Look-At Epic
It’s impossible to take Cecil B. DeMille’s biblical epic seriously outside its aesthetic pleasures.
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Celebrating 30 Years of ‘Guyville’ with Liz Phair
The singer-songwriter played an anniversary show commemorating her debut album, ‘Exile in Guyville,’ at the Moore Theatre last night.
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‘The Killer’: A Cutthroat, Cool-to-the-Touch Thriller from David Fincher
Plus: ‘All of Us Strangers’ is a rare misfire from Andrew Haigh.
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‘Shortbus’ is a Bruising Sex Comedy
John Cameron’s Mitchell’s 2006 dramedy famously pushes the envelope, but it’s not shocking for the sake of being shocking.
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Skating Polly’s ‘Ugly Pop’ Returns
The Tacoma band brings its five-year hiatus to an end with a great new double album.
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‘Ecstasy’ is More Than Its Reputation
The 1933 Czech film was, and continues to be, best known for its nudity and sexual frankness. But that’s only part of what makes it feel ahead of its time.
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The Hard Truths of ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ and ‘The Holdovers’
New movies from Justine Triet and Alexander Payne, reviewed.
NOVEMBER 2026
The Theme is ‘Sibling Bonds’
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‘Visible Secret’ is a Low-Key, Surprisingly Spooky Romantic Comedy
Ann Hui’s 2001 movie posits what a rom-com might look like with a ‘Sixth Sense’-esque underlay.

October 16, 2026

August 19, 2026

May 25, 2026
Smoke and Mirrors
Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s inventive documentary isn’t just about the disgraced entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes.
October 19, 2026


Ghost World
Kaneto Shindō’s ‘Kuroneko’ is still forward-looking in its contempt for patriarchal devastation.
October 15, 2026
Strong, Stoic Types
Director-star Paul Newman’s 1971 treatment of Ken Kesey’s ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’ perceptively observes the corrosiveness of toxic masculinity.
August 7, 2026














