The Director's Series: Jason Reitman, No. 3


Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey.

Saturday Night (2024)
Starring: Gabriel LaBelle, Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, and Willem Dafoe
Director: Jason Reitman
About: This is the newest film on the list, having released just last Fall. It is also one of Reitman's best. For me, his first three films were an incredible run. Some of the ones in between didn't hit as hard, but his last two films, including this one, have been near perfect. This takes place in the 90 minutes leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live. It's about the chaos in the production, but really it's a love letter to Loren Michaels and the series. The performances are great, but it's the writing that meshes comedy with heart in a way that captivates you. I fell in love from the moment I saw it in the theater. It's a great film from a filmmaker that I have always enjoyed. And it's a great tribute to a show that's been part of the cultural landscape for the past 50 years.

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