Movie Reviews

Rock 'n' roll legend Little Richard is the subject of a new PBS American Masters documentary. He's shown above rehearsing at London's Wembley Stadium in 1972.

Little Richard Documentary celebrates the talent — and mystery — of a legend

5:00am June 02, 2023

by David Bianculli

A new PBS American Masters documentary showcases the influence of Little Richard, a dynamo performer who never let himself be defined for long by any one musical category or sexual identity.

Clockwise from top left: Elemental, Flamin' Hot, Barbie, Shortcomings, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Secret Invasion.

Arts

These are the new movies and TV shows we can't wait to watch this summer

5:00am May 30, 2023

Studios raced to finish summer attractions ahead of the writers strike. So we're back with a great big, filterable guide of what to watch — and where to find it — as the days get hotter and longer.

Arts

'The Little Mermaid' reimagines cartoon Ariel and pals as part of your (real) world

2:24pm May 26, 2023

by Bob Mondello

Ariel and her pals have been given a live-action makeover in The Little Mermaid.

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Halle Bailey plays Ariel, a mermaid who wishes she could be part of the human world, in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.

Arts

Is it see-worthy? The new 'Little Mermaid' is not that bad ... but also not that good

1:55pm May 26, 2023

by Justin Chang

The live-action reboot has its charming moments, but like a lot of Disney remakes, this Little Mermaid feels like a dutiful cover rather than an inspired reimagining.

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Halle Bailey stars as Ariel in Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid — the studio's latest blatant cash-grab.

Arts

'The Little Mermaid' is the latest of Disney's poor unfortunate remakes

11:59am May 22, 2023

by Aisha Harris

Disney has a formula: Take a beloved animated property, update its sensibilities for modern audiences, recast it with a bunch of familiar faces and voices, and rehash it all in "live-action"/CGI form.

Arts

'Stay Awake' explores the fallout for brothers after their mom overdoses

6:31pm May 19, 2023

by Bob Mondello

The coming-of-age drama Stay Awake takes its title from the efforts of two teens to get their mother safely to the hospital after an accidental overdose of prescription pills.

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After her friend Clara is killed walking home, Nanie (Pauline Serieys) is questioned by a police officer (Bastien Bouillon), who has taken over the local homicide squad.

Arts

What happened 'The Night of the 12th'? A murder remains a mystery in this French film

1:32pm May 17, 2023

by John Powers

A vibrant student named Clara is walking home one night when a faceless man steps out of the darkness and sets her on fire. The award-winning film is a study in misogyny — not a simple whodunnit.

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Jay Baruchel plays Research In Motion co-CEO Mike Lazaridis in the film BlackBerry.

Arts

A new film explains how the smartphone market slipped through BlackBerry's hands

1:31pm May 12, 2023

by Justin Chang

This smartly entertaining new movie tells the story of how the BlackBerry became the hottest personal handheld device on the market — only to get crushed by the iPhone.

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World News

In 'L'Immensita,' a vibrant Penelope Cruz plays the mom of a trans boy in 1970s Italy

4:29pm May 11, 2023

by Bob Mondello

Penelope Cruz is a vibrant, if troubled, mom in L'Immensita, Emanuele Crialese's largely autobiographical portrait of an Italian family in the 1970s.

Bruno (Alessandro Borghi) and Pietro (Luca Marinelli) reconnect in the Italian Alps as adults in The Eight Mountains.

Arts

Majestic views and unforgettable friendship await you in 'The Eight Mountains'

1:38pm May 05, 2023

by Justin Chang

Two young boys meet in the Alps and forge a life-changing bond. It's not just the visual grandeur of the Italian-language drama that wows you; it's also the way it merges the epic and the intimate.

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