jdbrecords

been here stay here

2026-05-15T14:29:02.810-07:00

I've been really impressed by two thoroughly American climate change-minded documentaries from this year so far: the Tangier Island-set Been Here Stay Here, and the roaming rumination of Humboldt USA.

My Film-Forward reviews are here:

Been Here Stay Here

Humboldt USA

re-animator playlist

2026-05-13T13:24:06.130-07:00

Here is a Spotify playlist of music referenced in my poetry collection, Re-Animator.

Re-Animator is available to order from Indolent Books. Cover photograph by Michael Galinsky.

i swear

2026-04-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Both Robert Aramayo and Scott Ellis Watson as John Davidson in I Swear.

My Film-Forward review here.

Stills courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

interview with pine hills review!

2026-04-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

I answered a few questions on Re-Animator from Alex Tunney, up here at Pine Hills Review.

the christophers

2026-04-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

My review of The Christophers, starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel, here at Film-Forward.

re-animator

2026-04-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Copies are in of my debut poetry book, Re-Animator!

Order here at Indolent Books.

poetry reading!

2026-03-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Reading poems as part of Wayne Kral's long-running First Floor Walk Up reading series at One and One, Lower East Side, NYC. 4/6 at 7 PM, alongside Laura B. Weiss, Janet Rosen, and Coree Spencer.

poetry + coffee

2026-03-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

Reading as part of Brad Vogel's Gowanustasia series alongside Oblivion Daybook, Seth Williams, and June Lei, at Principles GI Coffee House, Brooklyn, NY on 4/19 from 11 AM to 1 PM.

dream master

2026-03-20T16:12:00.000-07:00

My poem, "Dream Master," is now up at the lovely and scintillating, Disco Kitchen Mag.

undertone

2026-03-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

My review of the sound design-driven horror film undertone, here at Film-Forward.

epic: elvis presley in concert

2026-02-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

My review of Baz Luhrmann's bombastic, fairly dazzling concert doc EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, here at Film-Forward.

nirvanna the band the show the movie

2026-02-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised by the goofy, bittersweet, Canadian time-travel bromance, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. My review here at Film-Forward.

photography by robert pallesen

2026-02-11T09:03:00.000-08:00

Here is an array of Portland, Oregon-based Robert Pallesen's distinctive photography.

via Robert Pallesen

art by sophi odling

2026-02-09T08:47:00.000-08:00

Here are some vibrant murals from Australian artist Sophi Odling.

via Sophi Odling

paintings by sebastian blanck

2026-02-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

via Sebastian Blanck

kokuho

2026-02-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

I was moved by Lee Sang-il's sprawling Kokuho. The kabuki theater sequences are absolutely stunning.

My Film-Forward review here.

art and photography by peter solarz

2026-02-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

I always love sharing the art & photography of Peter Solarz.

singing

2026-02-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

New from Gia Margaret is the album Singing, produced by Guy Sigsworth.

Per Secretly Store,

"Led by soft piano lines and a voice that feels newly trusted, Singing is intimate without being fragile. It's an album about reconnecting with old parts of yourself, without pretending the years in between didn't matter."

Pre-order here from Secretly Store.

Listen to the single, "Everyone Around Me Dancing," below.

sentimental value character posters!

2026-02-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

New promo character posters from NEON of key cast members from Sentimental Value.

Sentimental Value was #2 on my top 10 2025 film list and won Supporting Actor, Ensemble, Original Screenplay, and International Film at the jdb awards.

dirtbag

2026-01-30T16:03:00.000-08:00

My poem, "Dirtbag," here at @poet_ryhole.

Photo source here.

the 2025 jdb awards!

2026-01-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Again, just for fun, here are my personal awards for 2025 films!

Picture

MARTY SUPREME

nominees:

HAMNET

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT

THE MASTERMIND

MESSY

MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

THE SECRET AGENT

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

WEAPONS

Director

Kleber Mendonça Filho, THE SECRET AGENT

nominees:

Paul Thomas Anderson, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Julia Loktev, MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW

Josh Safdie, MARTY SUPREME

Joachim Trier, SENTIMENTAL VALUE

Actor

Timothee Chalamet, MARTY SUPREME

nominees:

Leonardo DiCaprio, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Ethan Hawke, BLUE MOON

Wagner Moura, THE SECRET AGENT

Dylan O'Brien, TWINLESS

Actress

Tessa Thompson, HEDDA

nominees:

Jessie Buckley, HAMNET

Jennifer Lawrence, DIE MY LOVE

Renate Reinsve, SENTIMENTAL VALUE

Alexi Wasser, MESSY

Supporting Actor

Stellan Skarsgård, SENTIMENTAL VALUE

nominees:

Benicio Del Toro, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Jacobi Jupe, HAMNET

Dylan O'Brien, PONYBOI

Alexander Skarsgård, PILLION

Supporting Actress

Kirsten Dunst, ROOFMAN

nominees:

Nina Hoss, HEDDA

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, SENTIMENTAL VALUE

Amy Madigan, WEAPONS

Tânia Maria, THE SECRET AGENT

Ensemble

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

nominees:

MARTY SUPREME

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

THE SECRET AGENT

SINNERS

International Film

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

nominees:

ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU

BELEN

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT

MISERICORDIA

MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW

THE SECRET AGENT

SONGS OF SLOW BURNING EARTH

THE TALE OF SILYAN

2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA

Documentary

MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW

nominees:

COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT

FOLKTALES

LANDMARKS

MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR

SONGS OF SLOW BURNING EARTH

STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR

THE TALE OF SILYAN

2000 METERS TO ADRIIVKA

Adapted Screenplay

Chloé Zhao & Maggie O'Farrell, HAMNET

nominees:

Paul Thomas Anderson, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Nia DaCosta, HEDDA

Dolores Fonzi, Laura Paredes, Agustina San Martín, & Nicolás Britos, BELEN

Harry Lighton, PILLION

Original Screenplay

Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt, SENTIMENTAL VALUE

nominees:

Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie, MARTY SUPREME

Kleber Mendonça Filho, THE SECRET AGENT

Jafar Panahi, IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT

Alexi Wasser, MESSY

Cinematography

Dong Jingsong, RESURRECTION

nominees:

Evgenia Alexandrova, THE SECRET AGENT

Steven Breckon, THE PLAGUE

Mark Jenkin, ROSE OF NEVADA

Manuel Dacosse, REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND

Editing

Andy Jurgensen, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

nominees:

Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie, MARTY SUPREME

Viridiana Lieberman, THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR

Joe Murphy, WEAPONS

Michael P. Shawver, SINNERS

Score

Daniel Lopatin, MARTY SUPREME

nominees:

Nicholas Britell, JAY KELLY

Jonny Greenwood, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Johan Lenox, THE PLAGUE

Kangding Ray, SIRĀT

Song

“Love and Obsession,” LURKER

nominees:

"Clothed By the Sun," THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE

"I Lied to You," SINNERS

"Last Time (I Seen the Sun)," SINNERS

"My Baby (Got Nothing At All)," MATERIALISTS

Art Direction / Set Decoration

MARTY SUPREME

nominees:

NO OTHER CHOICE

RESURRECTION

THE SECRET AGENT

SINNERS

Costume Design

Lindsay Pugh, HEDDA

nominees:

Rita Azevedo, THE SECRET AGENT

Miyako Bellizz, MARTY SUPREME

Ruth E. Carter, SINNERS

Jeriana San Juan, ON SWIFT HORSES

Make-Up & Hair

WEAPONS

other nominees:

BRING HER BACK

NO OTHER CHOICE

REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND

SINNERS

Sound

SIRĀT

MARTY SUPREME

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

ROSE OF NEVADA

SINNERS

Visual Effects

RESURRECTION

nominees:

MICKEY 17

NO OTHER CHOICE

SINNERS

WEAPONS

A look back at the 2024 awards where Mike Leigh's Hard Truths snagged Picture and Actress.

jeffery berg's top films of 2025!

2026-01-21T10:55:00.000-08:00

Amid industry shifts of looming mergers and ever-shrinking theatrical-to-streaming windows, a number of vibrant, original pictures broke through. At this midpoint of the decade, it feels as though cinema is approaching yet another inflection point.

Here goes my Top Films of 2025!

10.

THE MASTERMIND

Kelly Reichardt's film is part shaggy vintage heist movie and a character study of an opaque, drifty character.

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT

Another dryly humorous and powerful piece from Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, this one taking elements of old Hollywood screwball comedies to illustrate the brutal realities of a ragtag group confronting past ghosts.

MESSY

Alexi Wasser's neurotic, ribald comedy harkening back to flicks like An Unmarried Woman, is completely refreshing. I caught this at the Provincetown Film Festival and was practically levitating afterwards.

WEAPONS

As a fan of Zach Cregger's inventive chiller Barbarian, I was surprised he was able to follow with an even better, bonkers, consistently surprising movie.

HAMNET

It was a brief balm to watch the communal bonding in this film's powerful final sequence. Adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's imaginative novel.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Definitely the year's most-discussed in movie nerd world, Paul Thomas Anderson's opus is a slick, technically impressive achievement. The rolling hills car chase sequence was one of the few moments I can think of where I actually felt a movie in a physical way (especially in theatrical VistaVision).

MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I - LAST AIR IN MOSCOW

My heart was in my throat (cliché to say, I guess) in the final moments when the walls begin to close in on the subjects in Julia Loktev's sprawling, vital documentary.

THE SECRET AGENT

A perfect companion to his mesmerizing documentary on Brazilian cinema-going in Pictures of Ghosts, I love Kleber Mendonça Filho's attention to details and use of genre film references in this compelling story of a man trying to outrun his fate.

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

Joachim Trier's aching, drum-tight family drama, with a wonderful cast within a very memorable, lived-in house. Noticed some of its layered, symbolic visual motifs on subsequent viewings (his films often reward even more deeply on repeat watches).

MARTY SUPREME

I was smitten and surprised by the energy of Josh Safdie's picture: its eclectic ensemble, nostalgic, sweeping synth score (a reminder of big budget adult dramas of the 80s and early 90s), Darius Khondji's cinematography capturing the beautifully grimy look of Marty's perspective.

Other notable films of the year (in approximate order):

Sinners, Hedda, Misericordia, The Perfect Neighbor, Songs of Slow Burning Earth, Twinless, Companion, Blue Moon, Plainclothes, Lurker, Roofman, The Plague, 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Belen, Pillion, The Tale of Silyan, Nouvelle Vague, Sorry, Baby, Familiar Touch, Presence, Train Dreams, All That’s Left of You, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Ponyboi, Christy, Materialists, On Swift Horses, Black Bag, Windless, Caught By the Tides, The Testament of Ann Lee, Throuple, Eephus, Folktales, Rose of Nevada, After the Hunt, Viet and Nam, The Wedding Banquet, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, Resurrection, Jay Kelly, Kontinental ‘25, Bugonia, Homebound, Come See Me in teh Good Light, Highest 2 Lowest, No Other Choice, When the Phone Rang, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, Landmarks, Rebuilding, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Die My Love, East of Wall, The President’s Cake, A Private Life, Urchin, Secret Mall Apartment, The Love That Remains, Griffin in Summer, Jimpa, Bonjour Tristesse, 100,000,000,000,000, Everything Moves, Zodiac Killer Project, Miroirs No. 3, Romeria, Opus, Is This Thing On?, Elementary, Garland Jeffreys: The King of in Between, Best Wishes to All, Gavagai, Sirāt, Sound of Falling, Anemone, BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions, Come Closer

A look back at my 2024 favorites!

-Jeffery Berg

miroirs no. 3

2026-01-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

I saw Christian Petzold's delicate music box puzzle of a film at the New York Film Festival.

It's coming to theaters this year, opening at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Center in New York, and Laemmle Royal in LA on March 20.

jeffery berg's top 10 singles of 2025!

2026-01-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

Here goes my Top 10 singles of 2025!

10.

Voodoo / Micah Dailey-White

A grand, mischievous neo-soul doozy.

Night to Night / The Magician

The Magician dizzy dance song reworks Baltimora's "Tarazan Boy" with a murderous bass lick.

Ends Meet / Panda Bear

A dreamy, swirling confection.

Crème Brûlée / David Archuleta

Criminally overlooked sticky, slinky pop number.

Relationships / Haim

The harmonies are gorgeous on Haim's topsy turvy, mixed emotion relationship drama.

Orlando in Love / Japanese Breakfast

Referencing the poetry of Matteo Maria Boiardo, this song is a wonderful mesh of Michelle Zauner's vulnerable vocals with a longing, guitar strummed melody.

Dracula / Tame Impala

The party goes on into the AM, with Tame Impala's infectious clubber. A refreshing ditty to hit the pop charts this year.

Sweet Danger / Obongjayar

Obongjayar's bumping banger delivers simmering seduction.

Before You Break My Heart / Jade

Effectively sampling The Supremes with a rubbery pop beat, Jade's notched another sublime tune in her young discography.

Puddle of (Me) / Saya Gray

With its echoing beats and layered guitars and catchy chord changes, this unique tune from the talented Canadian artist goes on a surprising journey.

All the best of 2025 is available below on my Spotify list!

jeffery berg's top 10 albums of 2025!

2026-01-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

2025 brought forth a slew of tense, fraught records across all genres.

10.

NO VALIDATION / Che Noir & The Other Guys

Mesmerizing flows, jazzy beats and contemplative lyrics from the New York-based rapper and production duo.

THE SUMMER PORTRAITS / Ludovico Einaudi

Before Summer broke, I planted marigolds to Einaudi's pleasing melodies and orchestrations on this disc of ekphrastic pieces.

LET GOD SORT 'EM OUT / Clipse

Clipse's first album in over 15 years, is plentiful with crisp, Pharrell-produced tracks. Nearly every cut kills.

WEST END GIRL / Lily Allen

Terse and achingly sad, Allen's delivered what could be one of the all-time tell-all's.

LOTUS / Little Simz

A continuation of Little Simz's grand talents boiled down to a more stripped-down than usual, but still potent, effort.

I QUIT / HAIM

Sunny Californian melodies and breezy idiosyncrasies shine on the sisters's wide-ranging, relentlessly appealing record.

THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! / JADE

The long-awaited full LP release from JADE, whose litany of previous singles were heavyweights since 2024, delivered and then some.

DON'T TAP THE GLASS / Tyler, the Creator

Another vivacious work from the talented artist (his last record, 2024's Chromakopia, was also extraordinary). This one is in a poppier, vintage R&B vein. Th album was marketed with brilliant anti-marketing marketing.

EURASEXUA / EURASEXUA AFTERGLOW / FKA twigs

An elegant mishmash of pop and electronica over FKA twigs' gossamer vocals.

PARADISE NOW / Obongjayar

I hadn't really listened to Nigerian, London-based Obongjayar's solo work prior to 2025 (his Little Simz duet, "Point and Kill," a 2021 jewel), his bouncy, deceptively pleasurable sophomore record quickly became a favorite.

I associate utopia with a destination. We’re constantly searching for a better “elsewhere”, because our current situation never seems good enough. But the ugliness we project onto our environment is just a mental construct, as if we had created the very obstacles we wish to overcome. On that cover, I’m trying to break through a glass ceiling – the one I created myself. -Obongjayar

Obongjayar photo by George Muncey.

A look back at my Top 10 of 2024 when the Pet Shop Boys slayed.

A massive Spotify playlist of all my 2025 favorites here!