The Last Thing I Saw

Ep. 428: Jon Dieringer of Screen Slate on Screaming Mad George series, New Resident Evil, plus Notes on Chronicling Repertory Culture

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, with your host, Nicolas Rapold. Founded by mastermind Jon Dieringer, Screen Slate remains a delightful guiding light for film-lovers of all stripes to read listings and criticism spanning the wild array of movies and moving-image culture generally. I had a wonderful time hearing from Dieringer about a few matters that are currently top of mind: his forthcoming 35mm series honoring the great special effects artist Screaming Mad George (R.I.P.) at the Roxy Cinema in New York, with special attention to his best-known work in Society (1989, directed by Brian Yuzna); the new Resident Evil movie (2026, Zach Cregger) and its related game universe; and the role of Screen Slate in chronicling the vibrant world of repertory film culture—especially in a new era of AI-powered appropriation of things we like.

The 35mm series “Psycho-Fiction: The Surreal Nightmares of Screaming Mad George”, programmed by Jon Dieringer, screens at the Roxy Cinema starting October 23.

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Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Ep. 427: Amy Taubin on Arthur Jafa, NYFF: La Gradiva, Rose, Naza, Everything Else Is Noise, I Deserve a Lover, The Unknown, The Dreamed Adventure, plus Godard

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, with your host, Nicolas Rapold. As the fall film season begins in New York, I sat down once again with Amy Taubin to make sense of it all. We talked about The New York Film Festival 2026, but first Taubin singles out two other notable events: the career-spanning Arthur Jafa exhibition at the New Museum (“I Am Tony”), and the uniquely assembled series “Jean-Luc Godard: Unmade and Abandoned” at L'Alliance New York. Then it’s on to a slew of selections in NYFF: Naza (directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor), La Gradiva (Marine Atlan), Rose (Markus Schleinzer, starring Sandra Hüller), Everything Else Is Noise (Nicolas Pereda), The Dreamed Adventure (Valeska Grisebach), The Unknown (Arthur Harari, starring Léa Seydoux), All of a Sudden (Ryusuke Hamaguchi, starring Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto), My Undesirable Friends: Part II—Exile (Julia Loktev), Paper Tiger (James Gray, starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Miles Teller), and I Deserve a Lover Whose Every Rise Sets Fiery Dooms Raging Across the Skies (Mani Haghighi).

Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony is on display at the New Museum through January 3. Jean-Luc Godard: Unmade and Abandoned screens through October 15 at L’Alliance New York. The 64th New York Film Festival runs through October 12 at Lincoln Center. Several NYFF selections discussed also open in theaters in October, November, and December.

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Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Ep. 426: Julia Loktev on My Undesirable Friends: Part II—Exile

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, with your host, Nicolas Rapold. Julia Loktev’s continuing chronicle of Russian independent journalists My Undesirable Friends: Part II—Exile had its world premiere at the Venice film. I sat down with Loktev in Venice to talk about her equally stirring and urgent Part II. We delved into the trust involved in accomplishing this up-close-and-personal filmmaking as well as capturing all the complex tones (dramatic and even some humor) among these journalists, who boldly continue their work chronicling Russia abroad even as their home country declares them persona non grata.

My Undesirable Friends: Part II—Exiles opens October 9 at Film Forum after screening in the New York Film Festival.

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Ep. 425: Robert Daniels on Toronto 2026: Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Union Town, Alpha Gang, The Liberation, I Play Rocky

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, with your host, Nicolas Rapold. The 2026 Toronto Film Festival kicked off its 51st edition this year, and I saw as many films as I could fit into my visit to the city. Here to talk about some more is Robert Daniels, regular New York Times contributor and associate editor of RogerEbert.Com. Among the titles discussed are Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (directed and written by Bassam Tariq, starring Mahershala Ali), I Play Rocky (Peter Farrelly), Union Town (Barbara Kopple), Alpha Gang (Zellner Bros.), and The Liberation (Guy Nattiv, starring Carrie Coon).

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Ep. 424: Mark Asch on Toronto 2026: Tender Loving Care, The Debut, Misty Green, Idda, The Face of Horror

Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw, with your host, Nicolas Rapold. The 2026 Toronto Film Festival kicked off its 51st edition this year, and I saw as many films as I could fit into my visit to the city. Here to talk about a few is Mark Asch, who’s writing for a number of publications. Among the titles discussed are the new Mike Leigh movie, Tender Loving Care; The Debut (directed by Jesse Eisenberg, starring Julianne Moore); Misty Green (directed by and featuring Chris Rock, starring Rosalind Eleazar); Idda ( directed by Irene Dionisio); and The Face of Horror (directed by Anna Biller).

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Photo by Steve Snodgrass