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REVIEWS


Film review: The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Film America Wasn’t Ready For
In this episode I take a deep dive into The Reluctant Fundamentalist , a film that should have been front-row center but never got its moment. I talk about Riz Ahmed’s extraordinary performance, the quiet brilliance of Mira Nair’s direction, the music that pulls you into another cultural syntax, and the way the film exposes America’s post-9/11 blind spots without shouting. It is a story about identity, belonging, and the small humiliations that shape a life. And maybe more t
Christine Merser
Dec 2, 20251 min read


Diane Keaton...
Diane Keaton was part of the wallpaper of the women in my generation's lives.
Christine Merser
Oct 11, 20252 min read


The Morning Show: Season 4, Episode 3, Mia's Moment
Is anyone watching season four of The Morning Show ? I hope it doesn’t get buried in the fourth season, “I don’t need to bother with this series anymore, it’s going on too long.” Spoiler alerts if you haven’t seen the third episode. It’s easy not to notice Mia. She’s got a profound role, and has through all the seasons, but she’s never standing at the front of the line. Why, you ask? Because she’s trying so hard to get to the ceiling, and because she has nothing else in her l
Christine Merser
Oct 2, 20254 min read


Dog Day Afternoon #BlastFromThePast (Released 1975)
Half a century later, its themes feel prophetic. Identity, systemic inequity, and a culture addicted to media spectacle are even sharper in today’s world, where every crisis is broadcast and replayed in seconds. Dog Day Afternoon isn’t just a time capsule of the 1970s — it’s a mirror, reminding us how spectacle, desperation, and humanity intertwine.
Christine Merser
Oct 2, 20252 min read
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