Movie Reviews

Michael B. Jordan is back on his beatdowns as Adonis "Donny" Creed in Creed II.

Arts

'Creed II' Isn't In The Same Weight Class As 'Creed,' But It's Got Heart

5:00pm November 21, 2018

by Chris Klimek

The sequel to 2015's winning overhaul of the venerable Rocky franchise is "is a more listless and ordinary film than Creed by any measure, but still a rewarding one."

Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) wants things to stay the same; Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman) has other plans in Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Arts

Toxic Masculinity Is The Bad Guy In 'Ralph Breaks The Internet'

12:49pm November 21, 2018

by Scott Tobias

The sequel to Wreck-it Ralph is awash with jokes about cross-promotion, brand extension, comments sections and Disney clichés; it feels like the way we live now — with more heart.

Arts

Sumptuous And Gloriously Alive, 'The Favourite' Is The Best Costume Drama In Ages

9:42am November 21, 2018

by Justin Chang

Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz vie for the favor an ailing Queen Anne in a new comedy-drama set in the 18th century. Justin Chang says it's director Yorgos Lanthimos' most "emotionally resonant work."

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Summer (Zoe Renee) comes to terms with her mother's new faith in Jinn, one of only a handful of films to deal with the experience of being young, female and black in America.

Arts

From 'Jinn' To 'Just Another Girl On The I.R.T.': Black Girlhood On Film

4:00am November 16, 2018

by Monica Castillo

Too few movies have made black girls their main characters. The release of Nijla Mu'min's Jinn caused critic Monica Castillo to reflect on some of the traits these films share, and how they differ.

The Ear of Living Dangerously: Willem Dafoe is Vincent Van Gogh in Julian Schnabel's At Eternity's Gate.

Arts

'At Eternity's Gate': Dafoe Is Van Gogh, And You Should Go

5:00pm November 15, 2018

by Andrew Lapin

Julian Schnabel's "bold, blissful and deeply sad" film about Vincent Van Gogh's final days is as textured as the artist's canvases; Willem Dafoe delivers "one of the finest performances of the year."

Back on my beast: Eddie Redmayne returns to his old, squirrelly tricks as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Arts

'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald': Beasts? Check. Crimes? Check. Fantastic? Not Quite.

5:00pm November 15, 2018

by Glen Weldon

The second installment of J.K. Rowling's follow-up Potter franchise is as overstuffed as the first, but it's less muddled. It dutifully advances the story, but fails to deliver thrilling set-pieces.

Lara (Victor Polster) is impatient to become the girl she knows herself to be, in Lukas Dhont's Girl.

Arts

'Girl': Belgian Drama About A Young Trans Ballet Student Is On Point

5:00pm November 15, 2018

by Bob Mondello

A precise performance from young Victor Polster grounds this closely observed tale of Lara, a trans girl impatient with the process of transition.

Arts

Crackling Heist Thriller 'Widows' Takes On Issues Of Race, Class And Gender

1:28pm November 15, 2018

by Justin Chang

Steve McQueen's new film centers on four women who come together to pull off a $5 million robbery. Critic Justin Chang says as gripping as it is, Widows never feels like mere escapism.

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Viola Davis stars as Veronica, a woman who loses her husband and gains a heist gang in Widows.

Arts

A Heist, And A Whole Lot More, As Viola Davis Delivers In 'Widows'

5:00am November 15, 2018

by Linda Holmes

The exciting, engaging, entertaining Widows is the rare fun heist film that also functions as a solid drama, thanks largely to the lead performance from Viola Davis.

Aretha Franklin, pictured during a television appearance in January 1972, the same month in which the project Amazing Grace was recorded.

Music & Culture

Aretha Franklin Touches The Infinite In The Long-Delayed Film 'Amazing Grace'

6:00am November 14, 2018

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

It's been worth the long, long wait: Amazing Grace, made in January 1972, is an extraordinary document that depicts an artist at her technical, creative and spiritual heights.