John Powers

In the new book "Cocktails With George And Martha," writer Philip Gefter tells the story surrounding Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," from its days as a Broadway sensation through the making of the film version with megastars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton through its afterlife in American culture.

"Perfect Days" is the latest film by the German director Wim Wenders, who's best known for 1980s hits like "Paris, Texas" and "Wings Of Desire." "Perfect Days" tells the story of a sanitation worker in Tokyo. It's one of five Oscar nominees for best international feature film. Our critic at large, John Powers, says "Perfect Days" fills you with a good feeling about life.

Fanon, who died in 1961, wrote about the politics and psychology of colonialism. In The Rebel's Clinic, Adam Shatz captures the thorny brilliance of a man whose radicalism is still shaping our world.

Tótem is the radiant second feature by the terrific Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés. Set over the course of a single, life-changing day, this ensemble film thrums with a lively, chaotic intimacy.

In the crime series "Criminal Record," two high-powered London detectives clash over an old murder case that may need to be reopened. Cush Jumbo and Peter Capaldi are the stars in this new eight-part show on Apple TV+. Our TV critic-at-large John Powers says that it's worth seeing for Jumbo and Capaldi alone.

The jokes and bodies pile up in this eight-part Netflix series about a Taiwanese assassin who travels to L.A. to protect his goofy younger brother and his formidable mother, played by Michelle Yeoh.

In the new documentary "Anselm," filmmaker Wim Wenders offers a portrait of the German artist Anselm Kiefer, who became famous for grappling with the violent side of 20th century German history. The film, shot in 3D, opens in New York tomorrow and expands after that. Our critic-at-large John Powers says "Anselm" takes you inside the work of one of the world's greatest artists.

The new romantic comedy "Fallen Leaves" tells a story about love on the margins of society. The film has won several big international prizes. It was written and directed by Aki Kaurismaki, who first put movies from Finland on the map in the 1980s. Our critic-at-large John Powers says "Fallen Leaves" is a rare bird, a refined art movie that's also a crowd-pleaser.

A new Australian comedy series called "Colin From Accounts" is about a 40-something man and a late-20s woman who were brought together by a dog. The series begins streaming on Paramount+ tomorrow, and our critic at large, John Powers, says that its warmth, good humor and essential benevolence might make it the perfect antidote to what's going on in the world.

When Helen Garner published her first novel, "Monkey Grip," in 1977, it made her a literary sensation in her native Australia. She's been a famous writer there ever since. The American publisher Pantheon has begun releasing her most popular books, starting with her 1984 novel "The Children's Bach" and her 2014 true crime book "This House Of Grief." Our critic-at-large, John Powers, says that Garner is one of his favorite writers and that these books offer the ideal introduction to a woman who's forever grappling with the hard stuff of life.