Nathan Rabin
@nathanrabin.bsky.social
I've been writing about pop culture for 28 years, primarily as the head entertainment writer for The A.V. Club and staff writer for The Dissolve. My Substack is Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas, and my main site is Nathan Rabin's Happy Place. Author, autistic
ICYMI: On Wednesday, I officially released The Fractured Mirror, a 548-page encyclopedia of American movies about filmmaking with a foreword by the great Joe Dante and illustrations by Felipe Sobreiro that's like a Leonard Maltin guide with more profanity and jokes. www.nathanrabin.com/shop
November 21, 2025 at 11:45 PM
ICYMI: On Wednesday, I officially released The Fractured Mirror, a 548-page encyclopedia of American movies about filmmaking with a foreword by the great Joe Dante and illustrations by Felipe Sobreiro that's like a Leonard Maltin guide with more profanity and jokes. www.nathanrabin.com/shop
ICYMI: I had a big week. On Wednesday, The Fractured Mirror, a massive encyclopedia of American movies about filmmaking that I have been working on for 3 years, came out. I marked the occasion with a list of the 20 juiciest documentaries on the subject: nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-twenty...
November 21, 2025 at 11:21 PM
ICYMI: I had a big week. On Wednesday, The Fractured Mirror, a massive encyclopedia of American movies about filmmaking that I have been working on for 3 years, came out. I marked the occasion with a list of the 20 juiciest documentaries on the subject: nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-twenty...
I'm running a different entry from The Fractured Mirror, my epic new book on movies about movies, every day. We start, alphabetically, with the very first film, 1945's Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. It, astonishingly, gets both more and less obscure from there. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 21, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I'm running a different entry from The Fractured Mirror, my epic new book on movies about movies, every day. We start, alphabetically, with the very first film, 1945's Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. It, astonishingly, gets both more and less obscure from there. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
To promote my new book about American movies about filmmaking, The Fractured Mirror, I'm running a ten-part series on the 100 greatest movies on the subject. We kick off with entries 90-100. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 21, 2025 at 6:36 PM
To promote my new book about American movies about filmmaking, The Fractured Mirror, I'm running a ten-part series on the 100 greatest movies on the subject. We kick off with entries 90-100. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
There are only a few days left in Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas Freaking Golden Deal: sign up for a yearlong membership for 50 dollars and get signed copies of my massive new book, The Fractured Mirror, and my "Weird Al" coloring book free, a 50-dollar value for nuthin'! nathanrabin.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:02 AM
There are only a few days left in Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas Freaking Golden Deal: sign up for a yearlong membership for 50 dollars and get signed copies of my massive new book, The Fractured Mirror, and my "Weird Al" coloring book free, a 50-dollar value for nuthin'! nathanrabin.substack.com
To promote my new book, The Fractured Mirror, I'm running a 10-part list of the 100 worst American movies about filmmaking. We begin today with 90-100. I saw all of these stinkers so that nobody else has to. You're welcome! substack.com/home/post/p-...
November 20, 2025 at 4:38 PM
To promote my new book, The Fractured Mirror, I'm running a 10-part list of the 100 worst American movies about filmmaking. We begin today with 90-100. I saw all of these stinkers so that nobody else has to. You're welcome! substack.com/home/post/p-...
My 9th book, The Fractured Mirror, a 548-page exploration of American movies about filmmaking with a foreword by Joe Dante and illustrations by Felipe Sobreiro, comes out today. To promote it, I am offering what can only be deemed a F****** Golden Deal.
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/i-am-proud...
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/i-am-proud...
November 19, 2025 at 5:34 PM
My 9th book, The Fractured Mirror, a 548-page exploration of American movies about filmmaking with a foreword by Joe Dante and illustrations by Felipe Sobreiro, comes out today. To promote it, I am offering what can only be deemed a F****** Golden Deal.
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/i-am-proud...
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/i-am-proud...
The "Weird Al" Yankovic song of the day at Nathan Rabin's Happy Place is "Midnight Star."
www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 12, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The "Weird Al" Yankovic song of the day at Nathan Rabin's Happy Place is "Midnight Star."
www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
It took me twice as long as anticipated, but I finally finished The Fractured Mirror, a 548-page exploration of the complete history of American movies about filmmaking, with a foreword by the great Joe Dante and illustrations by the also great Felipe Sobreiro www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 12, 2025 at 7:33 PM
It took me twice as long as anticipated, but I finally finished The Fractured Mirror, a 548-page exploration of the complete history of American movies about filmmaking, with a foreword by the great Joe Dante and illustrations by the also great Felipe Sobreiro www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
The "Weird Al" Yankovic song of the day at Nathan Rabin's Happy Place is "Eat It" www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 11, 2025 at 8:50 PM
The "Weird Al" Yankovic song of the day at Nathan Rabin's Happy Place is "Eat It" www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
In the latest entry in my column on pop star vanity projects, I cover 1985's Copacabana, a Dick Clark-produced, James Lipton-written TV movie that marked the beginning and end of Barry Manilow's career as a leading man. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/in-the-lat...
November 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
In the latest entry in my column on pop star vanity projects, I cover 1985's Copacabana, a Dick Clark-produced, James Lipton-written TV movie that marked the beginning and end of Barry Manilow's career as a leading man. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/in-the-lat...
My message to Democrats who voted to reopen the government:
November 10, 2025 at 6:43 PM
My message to Democrats who voted to reopen the government:
ICYMI: My ten-part series on the 100 greatest songs of "Weird Al" Yankovic continues with entries 80 to 90. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 7, 2025 at 7:35 PM
ICYMI: My ten-part series on the 100 greatest songs of "Weird Al" Yankovic continues with entries 80 to 90. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
I'm writing up Stephen King's movies for my Substack, Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas. Today I get to 1996's Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, which answers the question, "How is it even possible for a movie to be stupider and cheesier than The Lawnmower Man?" nathanrabin.substack.com/p/lawnmower-...
November 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I'm writing up Stephen King's movies for my Substack, Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas. Today I get to 1996's Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, which answers the question, "How is it even possible for a movie to be stupider and cheesier than The Lawnmower Man?" nathanrabin.substack.com/p/lawnmower-...
To promote the many books I have written about/with national treasure "Weird Al" Yankovic, I'm running a 10-part series on his 100 greatest songs. Today's entry covers the 80th through the 89th. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
November 4, 2025 at 3:54 PM
To promote the many books I have written about/with national treasure "Weird Al" Yankovic, I'm running a 10-part series on his 100 greatest songs. Today's entry covers the 80th through the 89th. www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is the nifty 2020 Frank Grillo vehicle Boss Level, the best non-video game video game movie since Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
October 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is the nifty 2020 Frank Grillo vehicle Boss Level, the best non-video game video game movie since Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is the new Naked Gun.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
October 27, 2025 at 5:59 PM
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is the new Naked Gun.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
It's the 27th, the perfect time to launch the first part of a 10-part series on the 100 greatest "Weird Al" Yankovic songs of all time on my website.
Up first is 90 to 100! Follow along! This is gonna be fun! www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
Up first is 90 to 100! Follow along! This is gonna be fun! www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
October 27, 2025 at 2:32 PM
It's the 27th, the perfect time to launch the first part of a 10-part series on the 100 greatest "Weird Al" Yankovic songs of all time on my website.
Up first is 90 to 100! Follow along! This is gonna be fun! www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
Up first is 90 to 100! Follow along! This is gonna be fun! www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/...
I'll be doing my first event in many years. It's Dare to Be Stupid Day at the Thinking Man Tavern (537 W. Howard Avenue) in Decatur from 3 to 8 today. Come by! Say hi! Buy some of my many books about "Weird Al" Yankovic! It's the Thinking Man's way to be Stupid.
October 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I'll be doing my first event in many years. It's Dare to Be Stupid Day at the Thinking Man Tavern (537 W. Howard Avenue) in Decatur from 3 to 8 today. Come by! Say hi! Buy some of my many books about "Weird Al" Yankovic! It's the Thinking Man's way to be Stupid.
As the world's preeminent expert on "Weird Al" Yankovic, having written three books with/about the national treasure, I chose to commemorate his 66th birthday with a sneak peek at the 1st part of a 10-part series on his 100 greatest songs. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/in-honor-o...
October 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
As the world's preeminent expert on "Weird Al" Yankovic, having written three books with/about the national treasure, I chose to commemorate his 66th birthday with a sneak peek at the 1st part of a 10-part series on his 100 greatest songs. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/in-honor-o...
Tron: Ares has terrific music from Trent Reznor and mesmerizing production design, yet tragically stars Jared Leto.
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/tron-ares-...
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/tron-ares-...
October 23, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Tron: Ares has terrific music from Trent Reznor and mesmerizing production design, yet tragically stars Jared Leto.
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/tron-ares-...
nathanrabin.substack.com/p/tron-ares-...
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is the overachieving B-movie Drop. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
October 22, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is the overachieving B-movie Drop. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
As a mild-mannered author, I thought The Dark Half was pretty stupid, but my switchblade-toting greaser alter ego/pseudonym, Stab Rock, thought it was terrific. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/an-author-...
October 22, 2025 at 2:57 PM
As a mild-mannered author, I thought The Dark Half was pretty stupid, but my switchblade-toting greaser alter ego/pseudonym, Stab Rock, thought it was terrific. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/an-author-...
Very excited to get this t-shirt celebrating Busta Rhymes' Dangertainment company from Halloween: Resurrection. Oh, and to finally be able to hold The Fractured Mirror, a 550 page book I spent a decade researching and writing, in my hands. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/tremendous...
October 20, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Very excited to get this t-shirt celebrating Busta Rhymes' Dangertainment company from Halloween: Resurrection. Oh, and to finally be able to hold The Fractured Mirror, a 550 page book I spent a decade researching and writing, in my hands. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/tremendous...
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is Joe Dante's 1989 cult classic social satire The 'Burbs. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...
October 20, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The Joy of Positivity pick of the day at Nathan Rabin's Bad Ideas is Joe Dante's 1989 cult classic social satire The 'Burbs. nathanrabin.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...