The Long Take Review

Jen Sopchockchai Bankard

Four college professors talk film — providing insight, not assigning homework. thelongtake.substack.com

  1. 1d ago

    The Social Reckoning Review

    Aaron Sorkin has a drastically different track record as a writer collaborating with a director than he does when taking on both jobs: A Few Good Men. The American President. The Social Network. Moneyball. Molly’s Game. The Trial of the Chicago 7. Being the Ricardos. The Social Reckoning. These lists speak for themselves, as one includes so many more critically acclaimed titles than the other. (Though I’m realizing two of the films on the second “worse” list still received multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture! That probably says more about the Academy’s basic tastes than anything else.) Sorkin’s own confession however, is even more incriminating; in a recent interview for The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, the quick-witted idealist said, “I’m very worried that the parts of directing that I’m not good at are those parts that you can’t learn.” The abysmal box office for Sorkin’s latest film, The Social Reckoning, may reflect some of that struggle, with a meager $5.5 million opening weekend and just a little over $16 million worldwide to date. What was it about this sequel of sorts that moviegoers just weren’t interested in? Why is a film about the havoc Facebook has wreaked in the last twenty years falling flat? And can we view this film through The West Wing-colored glasses at all? Greg and I try to tackle these questions and more as we break down the journalistic thriller that just didn’t hit in the way its predecessor did. We go into SPOILER MODE at the 25:00 minute mark. If you’re not yet ready for a reckoning, you can listen safely until then. Image Credit: IndieWire You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. All music licensed through Epidemic Sound. Logo art: Illustration 73265080 © Worldofvector | Dreamstime.com Get full access to The Long Take at thelongtake.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Oct 29

    Quick Takes on the 2026 Fall Film Festival Season

    All the major film festivals have wrapped and we now have a (relatively) better sense of the Oscar race pre-nominations. Which films have risen in prominence and which have fallen on our lists? To find out, we brought back our New York correspondent, Hasib Hossain, who attended both the New York Film Festival and the Montclair Film Festival this year. He saw fifteen films in total! [Insert mic drop and applause here.] In the Quick Takes tradition (copyright Greg Cass), this episode is entirely SPOILER FREE because most of the films are about to hit a theater near you. We’ll share some of the highlights from our experiences attending special screenings, name the winners and losers of festival buzz, and, of course, talk Oscars prospects. Here’s a list of films discussed and when/where they will be released (by release date, not in order of discussion in the episode): * You Can See Everything (in theaters now, streaming later on HBO Max) * The Odyssey (still in select theaters until November 17, when it will be available to rent or buy, streaming later on Peacock) * NAZA (in theaters now, streaming for free on The Guardian website in late November) * Fjord (in theaters now, streaming later on Hulu) * The Last Pickpocket in New York (in theaters October 30, streaming later on HBO Max) * Fatherland (in select theaters October 30, streaming later on MUBI) * La Bola Negra (in theaters November 6, on Netflix December 2) * Godzilla Minus Zero (in theaters November 6, streaming later on Netflix) * Club Kid (in limited theaters November 6, streaming later on HBO Max) * Wild Horse Nine (in theaters November 6, streaming later on Hulu) * Being Heumann (in select theaters November 6, on Apple TV November 13) * I Play Rocky (in theaters November 20, streaming later on Amazon) * All of a Sudden (in theaters November 25, streaming later on Hulu) * The 14th (in limited theaters November 27, on Netflix December 4) * Behemoth! (in theaters December 4, streaming later on Hulu) * The Debut (in theaters December 11, streaming later on HBO Max) * Dune Part Three (in theaters December 18, streaming later on HBO Max) * Artificial (in theaters December 25, streaming later on Hulu) * Bunker (in theaters January 15) * Digger (in select theaters now, but gone soon if not already…streaming later on HBO Max) * The Invite (streaming now on Hulu) * Project Hail Mary (streaming now on Amazon) Image Credit: Cannes Film Festival (Guitarricadelafuente in La Bola Negra), The Hollywood Reporter (Julianne Moore in The Debut), and Vanity Fair (Pedro Pascal in Behemoth!) You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. All music licensed through Epidemic Sound. Logo art: Illustration 73265080 © Worldofvector | Dreamstime.com Get full access to The Long Take at thelongtake.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Sep 28

    Vulture Movies Fantasy League Recruitment Episode (2026)

    If you’re like us and you love movies but also want your cinephilia validated by points awarded in an online competition, then you’ve come to the right place! Every year we at The Long Take Review head on over to Vulture to participate in the MFL or Movies Fantasy League. We come up with pithy usernames and then proceed to unwisely spend 100 fake dollars on this year’s films to create a roster. Films on your roster can earn points for box office revenue, awards recognition, critical reception, and — new this year — Letterboxd scores. Greg, P.T., and I skip over explaining the rules and cut straight to sharing our picks, giving some unsolicited advice about how to balance your budget, take big swings, or, in some cases, spend big to play it safe. Note that when we recorded this on Tuesday September 15th, we did not yet know that La Bola Negra would go on to win the People’s Choice Award at TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival). As you listen to the episode, try to hear the exact moment I get egg on my face because I had La Bola Negra in my lineup but took it out because it’s a Netflix movie. When you register for Vulture’s Movie Fantasy League, type ltrpod under “League Name (optional).” Subscribe to The Long Take on Substack to chat with our community about your picks and progress week to week! We’re hoping to get a regular subscriber chat going to invite trash talk and punditry galore. Image Credit: Vulture You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. All music licensed through Epidemic Sound. Logo art: Illustration 73265080 © Worldofvector | Dreamstime.com Get full access to The Long Take at thelongtake.substack.com/subscribe

  4. Sep 14

    The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Review

    On September 22nd, director George Lucas and business leader Melody Hobson will unveil their brainchild, The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, to the general public in Los Angeles. On September 5th, P.T., Greg (yes, Greg who lives across the country!), and I were lucky enough to visit the museum early, as a part of the Member Preview. And then, as if that weren’t enough, we ended the day with Maestro of the Movies: A Tribute to John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl. In this episode of The Long Take Review, we not only recount our joyful in-person reunion; we reflect on the layout and philosophy of the museum, our favorite pieces, the Star Wars of it all, and what Lucas and Hobson might be trying to say about art, narrative, pop culture, and privilege. Listen in to hear about early film history, critical theory, art and cultural capital, as well as the story behind the previously unaired Star Wars Detours animated series. We go into SPOILER MODE at the 30:20 minute mark. If you don’t want to hear about specific pieces in the museum or other details that may color your experience visiting for the first time, you may listen safely until then. Image Credit: The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art website You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. All music licensed through Epidemic Sound. Logo art: Illustration 73265080 © Worldofvector | Dreamstime.com Get full access to The Long Take at thelongtake.substack.com/subscribe

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Four college professors talk film — providing insight, not assigning homework. thelongtake.substack.com

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