Received as an important work of one of our most important film critics, Do the Movies Have a Future? draws from a selection of the New Yorker writer’s published pieces over a dozen years to examine the art, business, and future of the movies.

In the second decade of the twenty-first century, the movies, once America’s primary popular art form, have become an endangered species. Do the Movies Have a Future? is a rousing and witty call to arms. In these sharp and engaging essays and reviews, New Yorker movie critic David Denby weighs in on the frenzied, weightless action spectacles that dominate the world’s attention and celebrates the films that re-affirm the importance of the movies in our national conversation. He assesses the triumphs and failures of legendary auteurs, examines the changing nature of stardom, and re-creates the excitement of reading film’s finest critics. Wry, passionate, and incisive, Do the Movies Have a Future? is an essential guide for movie-lovers looking for ammunition and hope.