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40 Years, 40 Films
For four decades, award-winning film critic and beloved Chicago broadcaster Nick Digilio has passionately reviewed movies, championed underappreciated gems, and entertained audiences across radio, podcasts, theaters, and live events. Now, in this unique and deeply personal collection, he reflects on 40 years of moviegoing, movie reviewing, and movie-loving — one film at a time.
From Albert Brooks’ Lost in America (1985) to Denis Villeneuve’s Part Two (2024), each chapter is a heartfelt, hilarious, and razor-sharp essay on Digilio’s favorite film of the year — revealing not just his critical insights, but also the moments in his life that shaped (and were shaped by) these cinematic milestones. Alongside these 40 essays, the book includes full Top 10 lists from every year since 1985, as well as Nick’s personal picks from before his critic days, dating back to his childhood in Wrigleyville.
But this is more than a film book. It’s a candid biography — tracing Nick’s journey from movie-obsessed kid to respected voice in entertainment, through triumphs, turmoil, sobriety, and reinvention. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories, showbiz secrets, and genuine love for the art of cinema, 40 Years, 40 Films is a celebration of life at 24 frames per second.
From Albert Brooks’ Lost in America (1985) to Denis Villeneuve’s Part Two (2024), each chapter is a heartfelt, hilarious, and razor-sharp essay on Digilio’s favorite film of the year — revealing not just his critical insights, but also the moments in his life that shaped (and were shaped by) these cinematic milestones. Alongside these 40 essays, the book includes full Top 10 lists from every year since 1985, as well as Nick’s personal picks from before his critic days, dating back to his childhood in Wrigleyville.
But this is more than a film book. It’s a candid biography — tracing Nick’s journey from movie-obsessed kid to respected voice in entertainment, through triumphs, turmoil, sobriety, and reinvention. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories, showbiz secrets, and genuine love for the art of cinema, 40 Years, 40 Films is a celebration of life at 24 frames per second.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 24, 2025
Great job, Nick! I’ve been listening since the 90s and always look forward to a new episode of the podcast hitting my feed. Happy to be a patreon member so I can finally give back.
The book is everything I expected. I’ve kept a spreadsheet of Nick’s top 20 films since 2011 or so. Now I’m going to type in all 400 of these movies and compare them to my IMDb ratings (1392 and counting) to see how close my ratings are to Nick’s. Probably not that close, honestly, but that’s okay!
I’m just really happy to have a Nick DiGilio book after all of these years. So glad things are going great for him and the show.
The book is everything I expected. I’ve kept a spreadsheet of Nick’s top 20 films since 2011 or so. Now I’m going to type in all 400 of these movies and compare them to my IMDb ratings (1392 and counting) to see how close my ratings are to Nick’s. Probably not that close, honestly, but that’s okay!
I’m just really happy to have a Nick DiGilio book after all of these years. So glad things are going great for him and the show.
October 7, 2025
Nick Digilio’s 40 Years, 40 Films is a delight for film lovers — a beautifully rendered tapestry of cinema, memory, and personal reflection. But what makes this book even more compelling is how it springs from the voice we’ve long come to know through his radio and podcast work.
From his celebrated run on WGN Radio, where Digilio hosted the overnight “The Nick Digilio Show” for decades and built a devoted audience through witty commentary, interviews, and cultural chatter, he honed a warm, direct, and conversational style.
That ear for voice and connection carries into these essays.
Nick Digilio now hosts The Nick D Podcast (a pop-culture and film-centric show) and That Show Hasn’t Been Funny in Years: An SNL Podcast, Dand he continues to engage listeners in lively, informed, and personal explorations of art and entertainment.
In 40 Years, 40 Films, Digilio shares how these movies intersected with his years of radio nights, podcast conversations, life changes, and cultural shifts. His voice here is the same friendly, curious, and passionate one longtime listeners have come to trust — only now turned inward and expansive on the page.
In every essay you can hear him voice reflecting aloud, weaving in personal stories, regrets, joys, and epiphanies. That blending of the public (as in his radio/podcast persona) and the private self is one of the major strengths of this collection.
If you enjoy Digilio’s takes on film during his WGN broadcasts and now his podcasts, treat yourself and get this book.
From his celebrated run on WGN Radio, where Digilio hosted the overnight “The Nick Digilio Show” for decades and built a devoted audience through witty commentary, interviews, and cultural chatter, he honed a warm, direct, and conversational style.
That ear for voice and connection carries into these essays.
Nick Digilio now hosts The Nick D Podcast (a pop-culture and film-centric show) and That Show Hasn’t Been Funny in Years: An SNL Podcast, Dand he continues to engage listeners in lively, informed, and personal explorations of art and entertainment.
In 40 Years, 40 Films, Digilio shares how these movies intersected with his years of radio nights, podcast conversations, life changes, and cultural shifts. His voice here is the same friendly, curious, and passionate one longtime listeners have come to trust — only now turned inward and expansive on the page.
In every essay you can hear him voice reflecting aloud, weaving in personal stories, regrets, joys, and epiphanies. That blending of the public (as in his radio/podcast persona) and the private self is one of the major strengths of this collection.
If you enjoy Digilio’s takes on film during his WGN broadcasts and now his podcasts, treat yourself and get this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews