Hi! I'm Pete Volk, a journalist and critic based in DC. Welcome to PV Guide, where I point readers towards exciting entertainment through interviews, reviews, and recommendations – no AI, no algorithm, just good old fashioned human curation.

I have a particular affinity for movies (and specifically action movies from around the globe), so you'll see a bit of a focus on that here. I also love games and seeing them incorporated into other mediums in fun ways, so game shows, streaming, and games in general are all frequent topics I cover. But I also love taking in art from a variety of genres, cultures, and eras –I might cover a direct-to-video action movie one day and then a classic screwball comedy the next. Or maybe an up-and-coming creator on YouTube who's doing fun things with the platform. The bottom line: I'm fascinated by a lot of art and artists, and want to share that fascination with you. Let's discover cool new things together and have fun while we're doing it.

Some highlights from the first year or so of PV Guide, to give you an idea of what you'll find here:

• Back in Action 1991, a yearlong project where I'm taking a month-by-month look at the action genre in 1991 and 2026, comparing trends and discussing notable titles
• Interviews with action stars like Michael Jai White and Marko Zaror
• Interviews with filmmakers like Alice Wu and Guillaume Pierret
• Interviews with Taskmaster contestants Jason Mantzoukas, Ania Magliano, and Maisie Adam
• Interviews with Dropout regulars like Vic Michaelis and Izzy Roland
• Interviews with online creators like Tom Walker and thelukeman
• My best of the year picks from 2025 (as well as guest picks for books and music)
• Weekly recommendations of cool stuff to watch, with reviews of new titles mixed in
• And much more!

 I know your inbox already gets a bunch of garbage, so I want to give you something to look forward to: good recs and extra context about the entertainment you love. Let’s fill your inbox and days with some good stuff, instead. Ditch the algorithm with me by subscribing to PV Guide.

For all inquiries: petevolk91@gmail.com.

Why subscribe?

Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter, updates sent directly to your e-mail inbox, and publication archives. Also, because it’ll make me feel good.

Don’t believe me? Believe this subscriber testimonial!

"I miss the blockbuster movie era, and being able to reliably find great action flicks in theaters. PV Guide has been wonderful for honest opinions on buzzy film/TV and surfacing gems I would have never found, especially now that streaming is so fractured. Pete's got an expansive, off-the-beaten-path sensibility about these and great personalized recs too!! I look forward to each new edition :)" – Nicole Clark

We also have a subscription roadmap, and we're getting close to unlocking our next reward! Want a say in a special monthly post for paid subscribers? We can make that happen.

10 paid subscribers: I can move from Substack to Ghost or BeeHiv (Update: We did this! Huzzah!)

25 paid subscribers: Monthly paid subscriber poll on a movie or project to cover

50 paid subscribers: Monthly personalized recommendations for paid subscribers

100 paid subscribers: The movie fight canon (or another similarly-scoped project to be decided by paid subscribers)

250 paid subscribers: Around the world in action movies – creating a map of the best of the genre from as many countries as possible

600 paid subscribers: Approximately equivalent to a fair rate for my time spent on PV Guide

1000 paid subscribers: This can be my full-time job!

PV Guide founding supporters

People who signed up for an annual subscription in our first year of offering them:

Nicole Clark

Abraham Elterman

Julia Lee

Matthew Reynolds

Tashina Richardson

Annette Volk (thanks, mom!)

Marc Normandin

Zak Auerbach

Alex Kirshner

Ryan Nanni