JP Mangalindan
@jpmanga.bsky.social
Culture Writer
TIME | ELLE | L.A. Times | Bloomberg Businessweek
Scene and Unheard newsletter
Proud Dog Dad
TIME | ELLE | L.A. Times | Bloomberg Businessweek
Scene and Unheard newsletter
Proud Dog Dad
I interviewed Elizabeth Olsen and director David Freyne about their film 'Eternity.'
It's a rom-com that turns the afterlife into a meditation on love, memory, and the choices that shape us.
We talked first loves, last loves, and why the ending lands with quiet force.
time.com/7335405/eter...
It's a rom-com that turns the afterlife into a meditation on love, memory, and the choices that shape us.
We talked first loves, last loves, and why the ending lands with quiet force.
time.com/7335405/eter...
Breaking Down the Unexpected Twists and Turns of 'Eternity'
In David Freyne's romantic dramedy, a woman must choose between the two loves of her lives, once and for all.
time.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I interviewed Elizabeth Olsen and director David Freyne about their film 'Eternity.'
It's a rom-com that turns the afterlife into a meditation on love, memory, and the choices that shape us.
We talked first loves, last loves, and why the ending lands with quiet force.
time.com/7335405/eter...
It's a rom-com that turns the afterlife into a meditation on love, memory, and the choices that shape us.
We talked first loves, last loves, and why the ending lands with quiet force.
time.com/7335405/eter...
This Weekend Watch is a little obvious, but honestly? They earned it. 'Wicked' and 'Wicked: For Good' make a deliciously wicked double feature (I know, I know).
It’s a rare thing: an ambitious movie-musical adaptation that mostly pulls off what it sets out to do.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
It’s a rare thing: an ambitious movie-musical adaptation that mostly pulls off what it sets out to do.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Weekend Watch: 'Wicked's' Spell, Then and Now
With 'Wicked: For Good' in theaters now, we look at both chapters of a story about friendship, power, and becoming
substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:32 PM
This Weekend Watch is a little obvious, but honestly? They earned it. 'Wicked' and 'Wicked: For Good' make a deliciously wicked double feature (I know, I know).
It’s a rare thing: an ambitious movie-musical adaptation that mostly pulls off what it sets out to do.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
It’s a rare thing: an ambitious movie-musical adaptation that mostly pulls off what it sets out to do.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I rewatched 'The Devil Wears Prada' and kept coming back to Miranda Priestly’s entrance.
It’s a scene that proves a character can arrive long before they actually "arrive."
I wrote about why her entrance still works.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
It’s a scene that proves a character can arrive long before they actually "arrive."
I wrote about why her entrance still works.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
First Impressions: How 'The Devil Wears Prada' Introduced Its Most Powerful Character
The magazine editor’s first moments onscreen reveal everything the film wants to say about ambition, authority, and the cost of excellence
substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I rewatched 'The Devil Wears Prada' and kept coming back to Miranda Priestly’s entrance.
It’s a scene that proves a character can arrive long before they actually "arrive."
I wrote about why her entrance still works.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
It’s a scene that proves a character can arrive long before they actually "arrive."
I wrote about why her entrance still works.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Jonathan Bailey isn’t just having a moment—he’s rewriting what a leading man can look like.
I wrote about how 'Wicked: For Good' and 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' signal a shift in movie stardom and why Bailey’s rise feels groundbreaking.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about how 'Wicked: For Good' and 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' signal a shift in movie stardom and why Bailey’s rise feels groundbreaking.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Jonathan Bailey and the New Leading Man
He's openly gay, undeniably magnetic, and quietly changing what movie stardom looks like
substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Jonathan Bailey isn’t just having a moment—he’s rewriting what a leading man can look like.
I wrote about how 'Wicked: For Good' and 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' signal a shift in movie stardom and why Bailey’s rise feels groundbreaking.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about how 'Wicked: For Good' and 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' signal a shift in movie stardom and why Bailey’s rise feels groundbreaking.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I explored 'The Beast in Me's' finale for ELLE.
It's a story about grief, denial, complicity, and the monsters we choose not to see.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
It's a story about grief, denial, complicity, and the monsters we choose not to see.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
The Truth Comes Out in <i>The Beast in Me</i>’s Chilling Finale
Aggie and Nile confront the monster within.
www.elle.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I explored 'The Beast in Me's' finale for ELLE.
It's a story about grief, denial, complicity, and the monsters we choose not to see.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
It's a story about grief, denial, complicity, and the monsters we choose not to see.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
It’s pouring in L.A., which feels like ideal TV watching weather.
My Weekend Watch picks are up: 'Palm Royale' Season 2 and 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.' One’s bright, the other cool and elegant. Both are great escapes.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
My Weekend Watch picks are up: 'Palm Royale' Season 2 and 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.' One’s bright, the other cool and elegant. Both are great escapes.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
Weekend Watch: 'Palm Royale,' 'Feud,' and a Double Dose of Glamour
Two different eras, two striking stories: 'Palm Royale’s' bold return and 'Feud’s' glamorous intrigue
jpmanga.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:58 PM
It’s pouring in L.A., which feels like ideal TV watching weather.
My Weekend Watch picks are up: 'Palm Royale' Season 2 and 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.' One’s bright, the other cool and elegant. Both are great escapes.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
My Weekend Watch picks are up: 'Palm Royale' Season 2 and 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.' One’s bright, the other cool and elegant. Both are great escapes.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/weekend-wa...
20 years ago, 'Pride & Prejudice' premiered in the U.S.
I wrote about how the 2005 film version reimagined Jane Austen’s literary classic with raw emotion, natural light, and an incandescent Keira Knightley.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about how the 2005 film version reimagined Jane Austen’s literary classic with raw emotion, natural light, and an incandescent Keira Knightley.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Keira Knightley Still Bewitches in 'Pride & Prejudice' 20 Years Later
Released in 2005, Joe Wright’s 'Pride & Prejudice' reimagined a literary classic with raw emotion and natural light, reminding audiences that love isn’t about performance so much as recognition
substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:35 PM
20 years ago, 'Pride & Prejudice' premiered in the U.S.
I wrote about how the 2005 film version reimagined Jane Austen’s literary classic with raw emotion, natural light, and an incandescent Keira Knightley.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about how the 2005 film version reimagined Jane Austen’s literary classic with raw emotion, natural light, and an incandescent Keira Knightley.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I unpacked 'All Her Fault’s' twisty finale with star Sarah Snook, creator Megan Gallagher, and executive producer Nigel Marchant for TIME.
We dug into what happens when love crosses the line into possession.
time.com/7331873/all-...
We dug into what happens when love crosses the line into possession.
time.com/7331873/all-...
Breaking Down the Devastating Ending of All Her Fault
All the major revelations in All Her Fault's dramatic finale
time.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
I unpacked 'All Her Fault’s' twisty finale with star Sarah Snook, creator Megan Gallagher, and executive producer Nigel Marchant for TIME.
We dug into what happens when love crosses the line into possession.
time.com/7331873/all-...
We dug into what happens when love crosses the line into possession.
time.com/7331873/all-...
Holiday movie season starts early—and for good reason.
I wrote about why we need them now more than ever: the comfort, the chaos, and the quiet belief that kindness still matters.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about why we need them now more than ever: the comfort, the chaos, and the quiet belief that kindness still matters.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Why We Still Need Holiday Movies
They may be predictable and sentimental, but that’s the point. In a year defined by fatigue and cynicism, these stories still offer something radical: hope
substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Holiday movie season starts early—and for good reason.
I wrote about why we need them now more than ever: the comfort, the chaos, and the quiet belief that kindness still matters.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about why we need them now more than ever: the comfort, the chaos, and the quiet belief that kindness still matters.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
For ELLE, I wrote about the new Netflix thriller 'A House of Dynamite.'
Director Kathryn Bigelow ends the movie on a question. That’s the point.
I dug into the meaning behind that final, haunting choice.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
Director Kathryn Bigelow ends the movie on a question. That’s the point.
I dug into the meaning behind that final, haunting choice.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
'A House of Dynamite' Ends With a Choice That Could End the World
Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film leaves us with a big question. That’s the point.
www.elle.com
October 24, 2025 at 10:17 PM
For ELLE, I wrote about the new Netflix thriller 'A House of Dynamite.'
Director Kathryn Bigelow ends the movie on a question. That’s the point.
I dug into the meaning behind that final, haunting choice.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
Director Kathryn Bigelow ends the movie on a question. That’s the point.
I dug into the meaning behind that final, haunting choice.
www.elle.com/culture/movi...
The 'Invasion' Season 3 finale hits hard.
I spoke with creator Simon Kinberg about the climactic episode and how it reshapes its hardened survivors.
We unpacked it all. No stone left unturned!
I spoke with creator Simon Kinberg about the climactic episode and how it reshapes its hardened survivors.
We unpacked it all. No stone left unturned!
Breaking Down the Shattering Ending of Invasion Season 3
What to make of Invasion's emotional Season 3 finale
time.com
October 24, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The 'Invasion' Season 3 finale hits hard.
I spoke with creator Simon Kinberg about the climactic episode and how it reshapes its hardened survivors.
We unpacked it all. No stone left unturned!
I spoke with creator Simon Kinberg about the climactic episode and how it reshapes its hardened survivors.
We unpacked it all. No stone left unturned!
Saw 'Black Phone 2' last night...
This sequel turns the basement into a blizzard and the Grabber into a ghost, trading jump scares for dream logic, faith, and frostbite.
Messy and mesmerizing, it’s a haunted hymn about trauma that refuses to stay buried.
#BlackPhone2
This sequel turns the basement into a blizzard and the Grabber into a ghost, trading jump scares for dream logic, faith, and frostbite.
Messy and mesmerizing, it’s a haunted hymn about trauma that refuses to stay buried.
#BlackPhone2
October 16, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Saw 'Black Phone 2' last night...
This sequel turns the basement into a blizzard and the Grabber into a ghost, trading jump scares for dream logic, faith, and frostbite.
Messy and mesmerizing, it’s a haunted hymn about trauma that refuses to stay buried.
#BlackPhone2
This sequel turns the basement into a blizzard and the Grabber into a ghost, trading jump scares for dream logic, faith, and frostbite.
Messy and mesmerizing, it’s a haunted hymn about trauma that refuses to stay buried.
#BlackPhone2
We know how dog movies will end, but many of us still watch them anyway.
I wrote about why dog movies break us and what they teach us about grief, presence, and the ordinary kind of love that stays.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/why-dog-mo...
I wrote about why dog movies break us and what they teach us about grief, presence, and the ordinary kind of love that stays.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/why-dog-mo...
Why Dog Movies Break Us
Dog movies don’t just make us cry, they remind us what love looks like when it stays
jpmanga.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:14 PM
We know how dog movies will end, but many of us still watch them anyway.
I wrote about why dog movies break us and what they teach us about grief, presence, and the ordinary kind of love that stays.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/why-dog-mo...
I wrote about why dog movies break us and what they teach us about grief, presence, and the ordinary kind of love that stays.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/why-dog-mo...
Diane Keaton was luminous, offbeat, and never afraid to be vulnerable.
I wrote about the performances that made her unforgettable, from 'Annie Hall' to 'Something’s Gotta Give.'
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about the performances that made her unforgettable, from 'Annie Hall' to 'Something’s Gotta Give.'
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Diane Keaton’s Special Grace
The screen icon, who died on Oct. 11, was magnetic, disarming, and funny—making vulnerability feel like strength and turning simply being into a kind of art
substack.com
October 12, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Diane Keaton was luminous, offbeat, and never afraid to be vulnerable.
I wrote about the performances that made her unforgettable, from 'Annie Hall' to 'Something’s Gotta Give.'
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I wrote about the performances that made her unforgettable, from 'Annie Hall' to 'Something’s Gotta Give.'
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Kathy Bates doesn’t need special effects or grand gestures to hold the screen—just a camera that’s paying attention.
In 'Matlock,' she turns stillness into power; in 1990's 'Misery,' she turns kindness into terror.
I wrote about what connects her two performances.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
In 'Matlock,' she turns stillness into power; in 1990's 'Misery,' she turns kindness into terror.
I wrote about what connects her two performances.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Weekend Watch: Kathy Bates, Now and Then
Two roles, 35 years apart, one lesson: Kathy Bates doesn’t need special effects or grand gestures to hold the screen. She just needs a camera that’s paying attention.
substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Kathy Bates doesn’t need special effects or grand gestures to hold the screen—just a camera that’s paying attention.
In 'Matlock,' she turns stillness into power; in 1990's 'Misery,' she turns kindness into terror.
I wrote about what connects her two performances.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
In 'Matlock,' she turns stillness into power; in 1990's 'Misery,' she turns kindness into terror.
I wrote about what connects her two performances.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
For TIME, I wrote about 'Boots,' Netflix’s new limited series inspired by Greg Cope White’s 'The Pink Marine.'
It's a story about friendship, belonging, and the courage to live authentically.
time.com/7324433/boot...
It's a story about friendship, belonging, and the courage to live authentically.
time.com/7324433/boot...
The True Story Behind Netflix’s Military Drama 'Boots'
The limited series explores the coming of age story of a young man who joins the Marines
time.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:24 PM
For TIME, I wrote about 'Boots,' Netflix’s new limited series inspired by Greg Cope White’s 'The Pink Marine.'
It's a story about friendship, belonging, and the courage to live authentically.
time.com/7324433/boot...
It's a story about friendship, belonging, and the courage to live authentically.
time.com/7324433/boot...
L.A. has officially made the hard shift to fall—and I’m here for it.
October 9, 2025 at 1:21 AM
L.A. has officially made the hard shift to fall—and I’m here for it.
Nicole Kidman’s performance in 'The Others' has been on my mind lately.
I wrote about why it still haunts. It isn’t just the twist, but the story itself—a ghost story built on empathy and denial.
It's horror that whispers instead of screams...
jpmanga.substack.com/p/deep-cut-n...
I wrote about why it still haunts. It isn’t just the twist, but the story itself—a ghost story built on empathy and denial.
It's horror that whispers instead of screams...
jpmanga.substack.com/p/deep-cut-n...
Deep Cut: Nicole Kidman and the Last Great Gothic
Before horror became loud and ironic, 'The Others' whispered through the fog as a ghost story built on empathy and denial, where silence carried more power than screams
jpmanga.substack.com
October 8, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Nicole Kidman’s performance in 'The Others' has been on my mind lately.
I wrote about why it still haunts. It isn’t just the twist, but the story itself—a ghost story built on empathy and denial.
It's horror that whispers instead of screams...
jpmanga.substack.com/p/deep-cut-n...
I wrote about why it still haunts. It isn’t just the twist, but the story itself—a ghost story built on empathy and denial.
It's horror that whispers instead of screams...
jpmanga.substack.com/p/deep-cut-n...
Caught an early screening of 'Tron: Ares.'
October 7, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Caught an early screening of 'Tron: Ares.'
Even if you think you’ve seen—or heard—it all in true crime, 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' will test you.
Not for the faint of heart, this season digs deep into one of America’s most disturbing cases and doesn’t flinch. Even true crime devotees might find their stomachs churning at points.
Not for the faint of heart, this season digs deep into one of America’s most disturbing cases and doesn’t flinch. Even true crime devotees might find their stomachs churning at points.
October 5, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Even if you think you’ve seen—or heard—it all in true crime, 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' will test you.
Not for the faint of heart, this season digs deep into one of America’s most disturbing cases and doesn’t flinch. Even true crime devotees might find their stomachs churning at points.
Not for the faint of heart, this season digs deep into one of America’s most disturbing cases and doesn’t flinch. Even true crime devotees might find their stomachs churning at points.
With 'Toy Story' turning 30 next month, I revisited the film that changed animation, not for its technology but for its tenderness.
It’s still remarkable how a story built from code and plastic tapped into quiet truths about love, loss, and growing up.
It’s still remarkable how a story built from code and plastic tapped into quiet truths about love, loss, and growing up.
'Toy Story' at 30: To Infinity and Beyond
Three decades later, the film that changed animation reminds us that storytelling is still about heart, not hardware
jpmanga.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 4:53 PM
With 'Toy Story' turning 30 next month, I revisited the film that changed animation, not for its technology but for its tenderness.
It’s still remarkable how a story built from code and plastic tapped into quiet truths about love, loss, and growing up.
It’s still remarkable how a story built from code and plastic tapped into quiet truths about love, loss, and growing up.
Two weekend picks worth watching:
'Wayward' — Netflix’s limited series centers on a Vermont town with big secrets. Toni Collette steals almost every scene.
'Apollo 13' turns 30 — I revisited Ron Howard’s space drama and explored why it still feels gripping.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
'Wayward' — Netflix’s limited series centers on a Vermont town with big secrets. Toni Collette steals almost every scene.
'Apollo 13' turns 30 — I revisited Ron Howard’s space drama and explored why it still feels gripping.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Weekend Watch: Toni Collette’s in Netflix's 'Wayward,' 'Apollo 13' Still Soars at 30
Looking for something new, or something timeless? 'Wayward' makes its Netflix debut, while 'Apollo 13' reminds us why it’s an inspirational classic.
substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Two weekend picks worth watching:
'Wayward' — Netflix’s limited series centers on a Vermont town with big secrets. Toni Collette steals almost every scene.
'Apollo 13' turns 30 — I revisited Ron Howard’s space drama and explored why it still feels gripping.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
'Wayward' — Netflix’s limited series centers on a Vermont town with big secrets. Toni Collette steals almost every scene.
'Apollo 13' turns 30 — I revisited Ron Howard’s space drama and explored why it still feels gripping.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
A brilliant apple fritter + iced coffee is the most accessible yet moist decadent breakfast on the go
October 2, 2025 at 1:09 PM
A brilliant apple fritter + iced coffee is the most accessible yet moist decadent breakfast on the go
With Netflix's 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' and Peacock's 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy both dropping this month, I wrote about why true crime still grips us—and what it says about trust, fear, and the fragile comfort of everyday life.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/monsters-n...
jpmanga.substack.com/p/monsters-n...
Monsters Next Door: Why True Crime Still Haunts Us
What unsettles us most isn’t the crimes themselves, but the realization that the monsters lived next door wearing faces we thought we could trust
jpmanga.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:22 PM
With Netflix's 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' and Peacock's 'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy both dropping this month, I wrote about why true crime still grips us—and what it says about trust, fear, and the fragile comfort of everyday life.
jpmanga.substack.com/p/monsters-n...
jpmanga.substack.com/p/monsters-n...
I interviewed Glen Powell about 'Chad Powers,' the new Hulu series where he disappears into a prosthetic-wearing quarterback chasing redemption.
We talked disguises, football, and second chances.
time.com/7321932/chad...
We talked disguises, football, and second chances.
time.com/7321932/chad...
The True Story Behind Glen Powell's Hulu Football Comedy 'Chad Powers'
Glen Powell's Hulu comedy was inspired by a stunt NFL great Eli Manning pulled in 2022.
time.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I interviewed Glen Powell about 'Chad Powers,' the new Hulu series where he disappears into a prosthetic-wearing quarterback chasing redemption.
We talked disguises, football, and second chances.
time.com/7321932/chad...
We talked disguises, football, and second chances.
time.com/7321932/chad...