Bob Mondello

Whether you plan to head out to the theater, or binge from the couch, our critics have gathered together their favorite films and TV shows of the year. Happy watching!

Filmmaker James Cameron's sequel to the biggest worldwide box office hit of all time, "Avatar: The Way of Water," has been in the works for more than a decade.

"Empire of Light" is director Sam Mendes' tribute to cinema. Actress Olivia Colman plays a slowly unraveling employee at Britain's Empire Theater in the 1980s.

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Midwest Modern Twitter account, Unclear and Present Danger podcast, Gemini Rights and more.

Broadway-legend-in-training Stephen Sondheim was a college sophomore in 1948 when his musical Phinney's Rainbow was produced — and recorded — at Williams College in Massachusetts.

Director Sarah Polley's adaptation of the novel "Women Talking" by Miriam Toews is about women in an isolated religious colony who break the silence about abuse at the hands of the colony's men.

Avatar returns, Will Smith stars in a Civil War epic and Bill Nighy is Living. Also, a compelling novel adaptation and three hours of Jazz-era decadence. Find out what else the studios have in store.

Film director Luca Guadagnino reunites with "Call Me By Your Name" star Timothée Chalamet for "Bones and All," a dark, romance/drama based on author Camille DeAngelis' young adult novel.

Director Steven Spielberg's new movie, "The Fabelmans," is a fictionalized version of his life story, growing up a budding filmmaker in the 1960s in Arizona.

Counting ballots is on many Americans' minds this week. NPR's movie critic says he's been distracting himself from the election with cinematic counting.

Marvel's "Black Panther" sequel, "Wakanda Forever," brings together almost all the original cast members for a story that is both an elegy for Chadwick Boseman and a way forward for the story.

The Mars Rovers Opportunity and Spirit were expected to remain operational for 90 days. Fifteen years later, Oppy was still roving, as the new documentary Good Night Oppy chronicles.

Halloween has a film critic remembering the movie fright-fests he conjured in his youth.

Writer and director Martin McDonagh reunited with "In Bruges" stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in his new drama-comedy, "The Banshees of Inisherin."

The Korean film industry is on a roll. First, "Parasite'' won best picture at the 2022 Oscars, then "Squid Game" was a hit. Now, "Decision to Leave" is garnering some of the best reviews of the year.

The film Tár is at once a meditation on a celebrated woman who abuses her stardom, and a star vehicle for Cate Blanchett.

The film is the first gay romantic comedy with a mostly LGBTQ cast to be given a wide release by a major studio. It took in a disappointing $4.8 million in its first weekend.

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Lizzo playing James Madison's flute, Usher's thirst traps, and more.

In the sci-fi drama Vesper, the title character is a 13 year old bio-hacker who lives in a future where humankind has wiped out all edible plants.

Billy Eichner and Luke MacFarlane star in the first major studio gay romantic comedy with an almost entirely gay cast.