David Phillips

When the Emmy nominations were announced last Thursday, Anna Friel's name was not called. This is not all that surprising. Her name did not come up on any of the prediction lists. I don't recall a single article so much as tossing a bon mot…

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood ran on television from 1968 to 2001. At first on the local Pittsburgh station where it originated and then for 30 years on PBS. I never liked it. Not for a second. I found it square. Boring. I thought Mr. Rogers was…

Some projects engender a sense of responsibility. A certain fealty to the source. The Looming Tower was just such a project. In telling the story on the lead up to 9/11, you would anticipate the makers to approach the material with a…

The peak of Tab Hunter's career was brief. The 50s icon's stardom barely outlasted the decade in which it shot forth. His resume is slim when it comes to quality work. He never won any major awards. He was an idol, but like many idols, he…

To my considerable shame, it took the death of Robby Muller to make me realize just how many of my favorite films he shot. Oh, I knew individually of his accomplishments, but I never quite put them all together. As I peruse his long…

It might be hard to remember that when Out of Sight came out almost 20 years ago to the day that the careers of both director and star were at a crossroads. George Clooney's transition from E/R heart throb to film star was bordering on…

Yellowstone may not be perfect, but it’s pretty damn good. Better than that even. It has a chance to be great. It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Paramount’s Yellowstone was set up to be the calling card of their new network. They had a…

Why did four Lexington, Kentucky college students from middle-class homes decide to steal a variety of rare books from the Transylvania University Library collection in 2004? That is the thorny question resting at the center of Bart…

Wyatt Cenac talks about his new show, Problem Areas

Tarra Day is a 6-time Emmy nominated makeup artist with credits like Crazy Heart, The Book Of Eli, Breaking Bad, Hell Or Highwater, Godless,  and Rampage. Here she shares with us the art of her craft. What it's like to work in different…

I learned about art from Roger Ebert. I say this even though he was that one critic who gave Cop and a Half, starring low-point Burt Reynolds, a positive review. In fact, if I ever took issue with Roger, it was that I thought he was often…

I was born in the very small town of Pikeville, Kentucky. At the age of 4 my mother took us north and we settled in the slightly less of a small town known as Niles, Michigan. I started school in the mid-70’s, closed out high school in the…

David Phillips asks Emmy voters to consider Showtime's The Chi When Showtime's The Chi premiered in January, the expectations were high. A show from the ever-hot Lena Waithe centered on the turbulent city of Chicago and featuring a large…

It’s fair to say that in recent years horror films have improved greatly. Even modestly ambitious movies like Lights Out and Don’t Breathe manage to deliver the goods, if not the resonance. Hereditary is the other kind. There’s a lot…

I have sobbed only twice in a movie theatre. Oh, I’ve teared up, felt my eyes get wet and whatnot, but break down? Only twice. Once was near the end of Philadelphia when Denzel adjusted Tom Hanks oxygen mask. I don’t even think Philadelphia…

The FX series comes to an end and AwardsDaily TV reviews 'The Americans'

In recent years, Jonathan Tucker has been doing consistently excellent work on television. His roles on Justified, Kingdom, American Gods, and now Westworld, find the actor at the top of his game. In full Bel Canto. Tucker discusses his…

If you think about it, Donald Glover has been on the come for a good long while. His first breakthrough - of a sort - was his role as the meta-jock Troy on Community starting in 2009. A part that allowed him to be goofy and cool at the same…

"Lamarr had a secret life though. One that was far more interesting than her films. She was an inventor. Frustrated by her career, and wanting to do something for the war effort, she set out to create a secure transmission system to be used…

David Phillips on the BBC America show you should all be watching.