Seventh Row is a nonprofit Canadian film criticism publication and publishing house. We're dedicated to helping you expand your horizons by curating the best socially progressive films from around the world and helping you think deeply about them. This newsletter is run by Seventh Row (http://seventh-row.com) but features exclusive content not found on the website.
How to become your Aspirational Movie-Watching Self
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Hello Reader, When it comes to watching movies... There are the choices you want to be making for yourself (e.g., watching your cultural vegetables that will feed you emotionally and intellectually) And there are the choices you actually make (e.g., watching junk food)...which might be because you're not even sure which choice to make because your watchlist is so long that you're endlessly scrolling. If this predicament sounds familiar...you're not alone. The Good News? Watching your cultural vegetables doesn't have to be hard! You just need to curate a watchlist for 2025...and make sure it has three key ingredients that will keep you feeling secure and excited. Episode 154: Three key ingredients for a great year of moviesToday on the podcast, I discuss three key ingredients to ensure a great year of movies, which include:
On the podcast, I talk about what I mean by each of these criteria, and how you can meet them. Happy watching/listening! Alex P.S. Ready to curate your watchlist? Want help ensuring it has these three ingredients and more? Attend the Curate Your 2025 Watchlist workshop on Sunday! Set yourself up for a great year of movies without the decision fatigue that usually comes with sitting down to watch a movie.
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Seventh Row
Seventh Row is a nonprofit Canadian film criticism publication and publishing house. We're dedicated to helping you expand your horizons by curating the best socially progressive films from around the world and helping you think deeply about them. This newsletter is run by Seventh Row (http://seventh-row.com) but features exclusive content not found on the website.
You might be wondering what it's actually like to step into The Deep Focus. So here's a little taste. The first thing I always do is point you to a moment worth looking at. Below is one from the beginning of Sentimental Value. Take a sec to see what you spot in the image. Everything counts — even (and especially) the obvious. You might have noticed: ✨ We're looking through a window (which takes up most of the frame). ✨ We're watching someone through glass. ✨ Someone is leaving. ✨ It's a...
I’m running something new in April. It’s called The Deep Focus. We’ll spend three weeks with two films by Joachim Trier — Oslo, August 31st and Sentimental Value — following how they’re put together. We'll look at specific moments, trace patterns within and across the films, and see how those choices shape what you feel. If you’ve ever felt a scene hit — and weren't quite sure why — this is a space to stay with that question long enough to find an answer. I won’t tell you what to think.But I...
A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to Bill Hader, the SNL star-turned-writer-director, on the Team Deakins podcast. He was talking about rewatching Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, hitting a moment that felt like an emotional gut punch — and literally pausing the film to ask:“Why did that hit me?!” That kind of moment — where something lands harder than you expect —and you feel something strongly before you know why… You’ve probably had that, too. Even Hader — who thinks about directing...