The regulars

We can’t stop talking about: Why we can’t see everything

Alyx: When the first trailer for You Can See Everything dropped, both my social media feed and DMs became nothing but the trailer. Now the film is out in several territories, is it living up to the hype?

Sian: It is not often that a three-hour documentary is this highly anticipated, but You Can See Everything has been a masterclass in building buzz; a perfect storm of surprises. First, no one even knew this documentary had been made until the teaser dropped. Within seconds it was clear the film was about Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of healthcare startup Theranos who is currently serving a 11-year sentence in US federal prison for wire fraud and conspiracy – a perpetually interesting subject. Then moments later it was revealed she was in the hands of Nathan Fielder, the Canadian film-maker and comedian who has built a cult following with his peculiar brand of deadpan awkwardness (Jimmy Kimmel once described Fielder as having the vibe of “a guy I’d be bummed I had to sit next to on a plane”) and unmatched ability to manipulate his subjects into revealing strange truths about themselves. In that teaser, she barely blinks; he looks intensely, uncharacteristically unnerved. Even those who only had a peripheral understanding of Fielder’s career understood the promise of putting that guy in the same room as Holmes. It is “a thrilling once-in-a-lifetime collision of director and subject”, as Adrian Horton wrote in her review for us.

As more and more details emerged (how does this documentary contain “graphic nudity”?) the buzz only grew. Now You Can See Everything has been released in North America, it is living up to the hype. It is one of the most positively reviewed films ever released. Yes, really.

It has been hard to find a single review that hasn’t been completely blown away by it. (We gave it five stars.)

Alyx: Why do Australians have to wait a month for it to come out here? Why are we always waiting?

Sian: Actually, You Can See Everything is a bit of a weird exception: we used to have to wait for everything, but in 2026, we actually see more films coming out in Australia the day before the rest of the world. This is because studios want to maximise their opening-weekend box office numbers, so films come out here on a Thursday. They also want to do anything they can to prevent us resorting to piracy. But the studio behind You Can See Everything, A24, typically rolls out its films internationally weeks after their North American release. It was the same with Anora, Moonlight, Marty Supreme; although Backrooms was a rare exception.

I have seen a lot of anger and frustration online that the world has to wait at least a month, when this documentary has actual twists to be spoiled. We get it in Australia on 12 November, but the UK has to wait even longer (20 November). Just think of the poor Netherlands (7 January).

Alyx: If I have discourse Fomo, should I just spoil the movie for myself and start reading takes?

Sian: I generally advise against spoiling anything for yourself if you are already keen! Give yourself the space to watch, read, play or listen to something purely on your own terms, then seek out takes afterwards if you are curious. All the reviews have avoided spoilers, but some tell-all pieces are beginning to come out, so be mindful of what you click on. (Including that link.)

Alyx: OK, I won’t spoil it for myself. But what should I be watching while I wait?

Sian: There is plenty of Fielder content to try if you are curious about his shtick. There are four seasons of Nathan for You, his docu-reality series where he gave poor business and marketing advice to small businesses who believed he was a genuine, albeit weird, consultant. (10 Play and Paramount+)

You can also watch two seasons of The Rehearsal, his wonderfully odd show in which he offered regular people the opportunity to rehearse a life moment or conversation they found particularly meaningful – such as a guy who wants to own up to a lie he once told a friend on his trivia team – before they do the real thing. (HBO Max)

Alternatively, if you are curious about Theranos, you could do what everyone else is doing and watch The Dropout, the miniseries where Amanda Seyfried played Holmes; it has skyrocketed up the streaming charts since You Can See Everything was released. (SBS on Demand)

Your week ahead

  • What to watch | Australian author Diana Reid’s Austenian leanings have been apparent ever since she titled her first novel Love and Virtue. Now she has turned her hand to a full period piece, writing the script for Georgia Oakley’s Sense and Sensibility adaptation starring Daisy Edgar-Jones. With the film in cinemas now, we spoke to Reid about the sisterly love at the centre of the story and learning to speak in Regency English.

  • What to read | Australian journalist Richard Cooke has turned his considerable research skills and incisive tone towards a subject so big, he says “writing an ‘exhaustive’ book on it is impossible”: Wikipedia. His new book The Last Best Place on the Internet: A Human History of Wikipedia looks at the people behind the sprawling encyclopedia and finds a committed and wholesome (if sometimes fractious) community of ingenious weirdos.

  • What to see | Bondi’s beloved art trail Sculpture by the Sea has just turned 30, and this year’s sculptures range from playful pop art to a powerful protest against intimate partner violence. If you don’t live in Sydney, you can take a gander at our lovely gallery of the exhibition.

  • What to cook | Benjamina Ebuehi’s roast pineapple with coconut brittle has everything you’d want from a dessert – crunchy, caramelisation, yielding pineapple and a little salt for balance. Best of all, it is in season and it’s not too sweet.

  • What to book | The national Garage Sale Trail is coming up on the weekends of 7 and 8 November and 14 and 15 November. There are more than 8,000 sales registered so far. It’s a fun chance to snoop through other people’s stuff if you’re nosy, or if you have your own stuff to get rid of, you can register to take part.

Wishlist

We’re in the midst of pulling together our exhaustive annual gift guide, which is how I stumbled across The Frame Game, a remixable glasses chain company with a dizzying quantity of options and limited drops. I’ve easily lost an hour to trying to figure out a configuration to recommend, and ultimately decided it’s too complicated and customisable to do so. But if you’re into the Chloé Hayden cyber-fairy look, I think it’d be terrific fun to play around with.

Open tabs

  • Examples of enshittification are everywhere, but Rachel Handler’s deep dive into the decline and fall of chocolate quality for New York Magazine is particularly galling, and brilliantly told. It also includes the following disgusting detail/public health announcement: “The candy is also made with something called confectioner’s glaze, an insect-derived shellac sometimes known as beetlejuice.” Alyx

  • There’s still debate over how Houdini really died on Halloween 100 years ago. For the New York Times, Robin Pogrebin speaks to retired urologist Larrian Gillespie who believes the real culprit was a bowel obstruction brought on by a fibrous mass of chop suey. Sophie Black

Tell us … your biggest gifting dilemmas

Yes, I know it seems excessively early to talk about Christmas, but researching presents takes a surprising amount of time. Time I’m offering to save you. Tell me about the hardest person in your life to shop for or the most challenging kind of gift to find, and I’ll spend the next few weeks recommending ultra-specific gifts in the wishlist section of this newsletter. Let me know by replying to this email or contacting me via savedforlater@theguardian.com.