Movie Reviews

Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro play friends — and mobsters — in The Irishman.

Arts

De Niro, Pesci And Pacino Are At The Top Of Their Game In 'The Irishman'

2:50pm October 31, 2019

by Justin Chang

Martin Scorsese's new film about the man who claimed to have killed Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa is a haunting story of loyalty, loss and power — with plenty of whackings.

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Frankie, starring Marisa Tomei (left) and Isabelle Huppert (right), follows a family reunion of three generations in Portugal.

Arts

In 'Frankie,' Huppert Struggles To Keep A Secret — And Our Interest

6:14pm October 24, 2019

by Ella Taylor

Flat characters spout banal observations about life against a lush backdrop in Ira Sachs's film, which wastes the considerable talents of its all-star cast.

Naked and Abroad: Synonyms, staring Tom Mercier took home the 2019 Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Arts

An Israeli Stranded In Paris, Aching To Blend In: 'Synonyms'

5:00pm October 24, 2019

by Danny Hensel

Yoav (Tom Mercier) finds himself without clothes soon after arriving in Paris, and strives to assimilate into French culture.

Let there be fights! Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Thomas Edison racing to electrify America in The Current War.

Arts

'The Current War: Director's Cut' Shines At Low But Steady Wattage

5:00pm October 24, 2019

by Mark Jenkins

This long-delayed film about Edison, Westinghouse and Tesla is "a sumptuous historical pageant that's stronger on sumptuousness than history."

While serving in Afghanistan, a young American soldier (Nat Wolff, left) is mentally and physically tested by his commanding officer (Alexander Skarsgård, right).

Arts

Inner Life, During Wartime: 'The Kill Team'

5:00pm October 24, 2019

by Scott Tobias

A horrified soldier in Afghanistan witnesses atrocities encouraged by his commanding officer in Dan Krauss' feature film, based on his 2013 documentary of the same name.

Bruce Springsteen brings his new album to the silver screen in the concert movie, Western Skies.

Springsteen Concert Film 'Western Stars' Sheds No New Light

5:00pm October 24, 2019

by Chris Klimek

The film dutifully captures the 14 songs from the Boss' latest album, but the half-hour of extra interstitial footage doesn't supply any new or meaningful context.

A Man Tries To Shed His Own National Identity And Adopt Another In 'Synonyms'

4:37pm October 24, 2019

by Bob Mondello

In Synonyms, the quirky drama about national identity, a young man wakes up naked in an empty Paris apartment, and with the aid of a French/Israeli dictionary, attempts to "become" French.

Arts

'The Lighthouse': A Brashly Funny Thriller, Soaked In Rain, Rum And Testosterone

1:59pm October 23, 2019

by Justin Chang

Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson play 19th-century seamen stationed at a remote lighthouse in Maine. Shot in black and white, it's an exquisitely old-fashioned study of souls in isolation.

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Arts

Satirical Nazi Film 'Jojo Rabbit' Treats The Viewer Like A Child

1:52pm October 18, 2019

by Justin Chang

For all its good intentions, Jojo Rabbit comes across painfully one-note as comedy, bogus and manipulative as drama and with an archly whimsical visual style that feels like imitation Wes Anderson.

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JoJo Rabbit follows a young German boy (Roman Griffin Davis, left) growing up in the Third Reich with his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi, right).

Arts

'Jojo Rabbit,' Your Reich Is Calling

6:59pm October 17, 2019

by Bob Mondello

Taika Waititi writes, directs — and stars, as a 10-year-old boy's imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler — in this very silly film about a very serious subject.

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