Movies & TV Staff Picks (January 2026)Like this list

14 items

• CODA

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  High Schooler Ruby is the child of deaf adults (a CODA), often serving as their helper, but when she discovers a musical gift and is encouraged to pursue education, she worries about leaving her family behind. Starring Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Fantastic Four, First Steps

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  Marvel's fun, well-acted, retro-style, 1960s-ish relaunch of the beloved Fantastic Four characters is an enjoyable popcorn movie that, no, doesn't require anything in the way of homework (or knowledge of other movies or TV shows).

• Ghostlight

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  A regular-guy construction worker and father is talked into helping out with a storefront theater's rehearsals of Romeo and Juliet. Featuring some of Chicago's finest stage talents, this moving little indie film could very well surprise you with its…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Gilded Age. The Complete Third Season

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  Critics and viewers alike agree that this historical drama has really started to hit its stride in its third season. The show boasts a stellar cast (Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Audra McDonald and far more), every…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Showgirl

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  An aging Vegas showgirl struggles with the end of an era while reckoning with the choices she made as a parent in this humble but tender acting vehicle for Pamela Anderson.

• The Long Walk

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  This dark and disturbing story follows a group of teen boys who compete in a contest where they must keep walking and maintain their speed - or be shot. Fans of Stephen King (who wrote the novel it's based on) won't want to miss this.

• Mission Impossible

  the Final Reckoning

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  Is it the end? If you choose to accept that, it's not a bad way to finish. Picking up where Dead Reckoning left off (but easy enough to follow if you're new to the series), the story follows spy Ethan Hunt and his team as they race to prevent the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Naked Gun

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  This next generation sequel that revived the old comedy franchise finds Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin, Jr. (son of the original Drebin, played by the strangely similarly-named Leslie Nielsen). This hatches waves of fresh jokes (verbal as well as sight…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Secret Mall Apartment

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  In what began as a prank in the early 2000s, a group of friends in Rhode Island carved out an apartment for themselves in a mall and went unnoticed, living there for four years. This smart documentary share the audacious story.

• Small Things Like These

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  In this excellent adaptation of Claire Keegan's beloved novel, an Irish coal deliverer (the always excellent Cillian Murphy) working during the busy holiday season is faced with a moral predicament. Encouraged to look the other way because of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Splitsville

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  This indie comedy about two couples whose relationships are on the rocks makes for some cringe entertainment, to be sure, but fans of extremely messy relationship drama will be glad they checked it out.

• Weapons

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  This horror drama, partly inspired by Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia for its structure, deliver crazy twists alongside Oscar-caliber performances (honestly, Josh Brolin deserved a nod almost as much as Amy Madigan). This disturbing movie is moving,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• When fall is coming

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  Michelle is retired and living in the French countryside, excited for a visit from her grandson even if her relationship with her daughter has become strained. Meanwhile her friend's son is being released from prison. The sedate, lightly…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Movies & TV Staff Picks (January 2025)

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  Looking for more suggestions? Check out the previous batch.