menu_open
Laura Babiak

Laura Babiak

Observer

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

‘Challengers’ Review: Zendaya Serves Up a Psychosexual Tennis Flick

Loud, long, a little messy, and very sweaty, Challengers may not be as sexy as its explosive first trailer implied, but it’s still a hell of a...

23.04.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Under the Bridge’ Review: A Miniseries That Interrogates the True Crime Genre

Each episode of Hulu’s newest true crime adaptation Under the Bridge begins with a disclaimer: “Based on actual events. Certain elements have been...

17.04.2024 50

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘The Sympathizer’ Review: HBO’s Experimental Satire Takes Big Swings

If there’s one thing you can say about The Sympathizer, it’s that this show can hardly be described as just one thing. It’s a miniseries...

11.04.2024 6

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Ripley’ Review: Netflix Noir Is The Year’s Best Show So Far

In a sea of mediocre family melodramas and slightly stale satires, Ripley rises to the top with style. This new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s...

05.04.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Palm Royale’ Review: Apple’s Shiny, Starry Comedy is All Style, No Substance

Much like the vapid, ostentatious characters it revolves around, Palm Royale is a show with a shiny surface and very little depth underneath. This...

18.03.2024 3

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: March 15-21

It’s a week full of major projects, from the television return of some of the biggest names behind Game of Thrones to the streaming premiere of...

15.03.2024 6

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Apples Never Fall’ Review: Another Middling Mystery Melodrama

Just about halfway through Apples Never Fall the dysfunctional family at the center of the series gets described quite succinctly by a supporting...

14.03.2024 7

Observer

Laura Babiak

The Oscars 2024: Surprises, Snubs and Takeaways From the 96th Academy Awards

Hollywood’s biggest night has now come and gone, but there’s still plenty to discuss. From shocking last-second snubs to big wins and beautiful...

11.03.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: March 8-14

From fantastical tales to true stories brought to life on screen, this week brings plenty of exciting movies to streaming. Plus, there are some great...

08.03.2024 9

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Love Lies Bleeding’ Review: Pure Pulp Packed With Gory, Sexy Fun

Love Lies Bleeding is an exhilarating ride from beginning to end. Whether that’s because of its status as a tense crime thriller, its brutal...

07.03.2024 7

Observer

Laura Babiak

Where to Stream ‘Poor Things,’ ‘Napoleon,’ And Other Oscar Nominees

The 96th Academy Awards are rapidly approaching, which means you have a limited time to catch up on all of this year’s nominees. Luckily, just about...

04.03.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

What’s Leaving Streaming This Month: March 2024

With the Academy Awards closing in and blockbuster season officially kicking off, March is the perfect month to enjoy quality movies big and small...

01.03.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: March 1-7

From Oscar-nominated dramas to delightfully funny new series, streaming is overflowing with quality content this week. Whether you want to see Adam...

01.03.2024 5

Observer

Laura Babiak

The 2024 Oscar Race: 96th Academy Awards Predictions and Analysis

From the expected winners to a few potential upsets, you can find your final awards season analysis here.

29.02.2024 8

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘The Regime’ Review: Kate Winslet Wows in HBO’s New Political Satire

A cutting political satire with a twisted romance at its center, The Regime makes for an enjoyably odd miniseries. In its best moments, the show feels...

27.02.2024 7

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Review: Live-Action Adaptation Is Just OK

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t the flop that many were expecting from a streamer with a string of failed ...

23.02.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: February 23-29

From a major Oscar winner to one of this year’s biggest awards snubs , this week is filled with some recent quality content. Plus, a fun new...

23.02.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Bobi Wine: The People’s President’ Review: A Daring Document of Resistance

In 2017, African music star Bobi Wine decided to run for his local parliamentary seat and won; in 2023, he’s the face of Uganda’s National Unity...

16.02.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: February 16-22

From major Oscar nominees to a massive new Netflix series, this week boasts some exciting new titles across streaming. Action, thriller, musical...

16.02.2024 6

Observer

Laura Babiak

Where to Watch 2024’s Oscar-Nominated Films (Part 1)

The 96th Academy Awards are just under a month away, and there’s no time like the present to catch up on all of your prestige movie watching....

13.02.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Such Brave Girls’ Review: Daddy Issues & Depression in a Darkly Funny Sitcom

In a television world full of comedy-dramas that are fun if not funny, Such Brave Girls is a refreshingly scrappy sitcom. The British import is...

09.02.2024 40

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: February 9-15

We’re just under a week out from Valentine’s Day, and streamers everywhere are taking note. The week is dominated by romances, dramatic and...

09.02.2024 3

Observer

Laura Babiak

What’s Leaving Streaming This Month: February 2024

Whether you want surprisingly funny family dramas, international excellence, or a refresher on one of the decade’s biggest sci-fi franchises,...

03.02.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: February 2-8

From espionage antics to a new animated film from DreamWorks, offerings on streaming really run the gamut this week. Whether you’re in the mood to...

02.02.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans’ Review: Gossip and Glam Don’t Impress in New Series

Back in 2017, when Ryan Murphy all but reigned supreme over cable, the television auteur brought Feud: Bette and Joan to our screens. A campy,...

31.01.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

A Guide to ‘Anatomy of a Fall’: Plot, Characters, Awards Chances and More

While it seems like every year post- Parasite there’s been an international film that really breaks through to the mainstream, few have been as...

29.01.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: January 26-February 1

Between big new prestige series and several film festival releases finally making their way to streaming, it’s a week overflowing with quality...

26.01.2024 3

Observer

Laura Babiak

Surprises and Snubs from the 2024 Oscar Nominations

While every pool of Oscar nominations has a few surprises in store, this year packed some real shockers. Though big players like Oppenheimer ...

24.01.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

These Are the Nominees for the 96th Academy Awards

After a year in film best defined by the Barbenheimer phenomenon and a two-pronged strike season, it’s time to celebrate 2023’s biggest and best...

23.01.2024 7

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Expats’ Review: Amazon’s Smart, Complex Drama Series Has Something Missing

Three women, one city, and countless secrets and complicated relationships between them—that’s the basis upon which Expats  is built. Created by...

23.01.2024 5

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: January 19-25

A cutting dystopian drama, a stirring mystery fueled by trauma, and a handful of unlikely underdog stories both on and off camera make up this...

19.01.2024 3

Observer

Laura Babiak

Highs and Lows From the 75th Emmy Awards

Last night marked the 75th installment of the Emmy Awards, celebrating the best and brightest on television from both today and yesterday. The major...

16.01.2024 6

Observer

Laura Babiak

These Are the Winners of the 75th Emmy Awards

After a lengthy delay due to the WGA and SAG strikes, the 75th Emmy Awards are finally here. Now smack dab in the middle of awards season, the show...

16.01.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Origin’ Review: Ava DuVernay’s Fascinating New Film

It can feel like a critical cop out to say that a movie is good because it’s important, emphasizing a film’s potential cultural impact rather than...

13.01.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: January 12-18

From star-studded mystery series to an emerging Oscar frontrunner, it’s a week with all sorts of streaming options. Plus, comedic actors like Kevin...

12.01.2024 6

Observer

Laura Babiak

These Are the Nominees for the 30th SAG Awards

It has certainly been quite the year for the Screen Actors Guild. Following the massive summer of strikes in Hollywood, perhaps more attention is on...

10.01.2024 6

Observer

Laura Babiak

Bebe Wood on Playing Gretchen Wieners in ‘Mean Girls’ & Reuniting With Tina Fey

Twenty years ago, a movie called Mean Girls fundamentally shifted pop culture with its countless quotable lines and deeply honest depiction of what...

09.01.2024 3

Observer

Laura Babiak

81st Golden Globes: The Biggest Winners, Surprise Snubs, and Takeaways

Last night’s Golden Globes kicked off awards season, as well as a new vibe for the oft-embattled awards body . While things didn’t quite go off...

08.01.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

These Are the Winners of the 81st Golden Globe Awards

Awards season gets started in earnest tonight, with the 81st Golden Globes marking the first awards show of the year. Whether you’re rooting for a...

08.01.2024 5

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: January 5-11

Some unorthodox family comedies, a gripping criminal drama, and a new movie from the man behind Schitt’s Creek grace streaming platforms this...

05.01.2024 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘The Brothers Sun’ Review: Wonky Writing Ruins a Good Show

It seems like very few movies and shows are able to produce a simple story told well these days, with the temptation of throwing in unexpected (read:...

04.01.2024 7

Observer

Laura Babiak

What’s Leaving Streaming This Month: January 2024

With a month that boasts the Golden Globes , a belated Emmys ceremony, and Oscar nominations, it’s easy to get caught up in the awards season...

03.01.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

Sam Song Li on ‘The Brothers Sun,’ Action Sequences, and Michelle Yeoh

The Brothers Sun is set to ring in the new year with a bang at Netflix. The series is a crowd-pleasing blend of action, comedy, crime thriller, and...

02.01.2024 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: December 29-January 4

From likely awards contenders to high-concept horror, it’s a week with plenty of variety across all streaming platforms. Whether you want a cozy...

29.12.2023 5

Observer

Laura Babiak

Who to Watch: Ncuti Gatwa, Star of ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Sex Education’

Few actors can boast the same kind of global appeal as Ncuti Gatwa has in only a few short years, with the British-Rwandan actor being involved in...

26.12.2023 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: December 22-28

Christmas is almost upon us, and whether you want to tuck in with a holiday favorite or look ahead to the new year, there’s something for you to...

22.12.2023 7

Observer

Laura Babiak

‘Fallen Leaves’ Review: A Diverting Love Story With Some Depth

Wearing its references (if not its heart) on its sleeve, Finnish Oscar entry Fallen Leaves is a slight slice-of-life romance with more than enough...

19.12.2023 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

Who to Watch: These Stars and Creatives Made 2023 Their Own

2023 has just about come and gone, but the movies and shows that came out this year are sure to stick in the cultural memory for quite some time....

18.12.2023 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

What to Watch on Streaming This Week: December 15-21

From newly minted Golden Globe nominees to exciting new English imports, there’s a ton of fantastic fare to stream this week. Settle into your...

15.12.2023 10

Observer

Laura Babiak

Surprises and Snubs From This Year’s Golden Globe Nominations

The Golden Globes have kicked off awards season with their fair share of surprises.

12.12.2023 4

Observer

Laura Babiak

4b0ade8f77e2b361ea308d0c9d733b62