Movies

Musical biopics have become an easy target of criticism these days, and it’s even easier to be entirely cynical about them. Sometimes, a movie about a musician dares to break the mold and escape the tried-and-true formula to create an unique experience (2024’s “A Better Man” wasn’t a good movie, but certainly tried to do […]

In the early moments of “Fantasy Life,” written and directed by Matthew Shear, Sam (played by Shear himself, in a feature debut) is told he is being let go from his job at a law office. While trying to process the news, he goes to a bookstore and a panic attack overtakes him, causing him […]

“You, Me & Tuscany,” directed by Kat Cairo, is less its own film and more a patchwork of other, better films that came before. Escape to an Italian villa? “Under the Tuscan Sun” and “Only You.” A heated moment during an impromptu rain (or in this case, sprinkler) shower? “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” A […]

Despite solid lead performances by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, this dramatic character study can’t justify doing it for the plot.

Author Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary,” his latest book, follows “Cast Away” (but in space) to the big screen, bookending 2015’s “The Martian.” The previous Weir adaptation, which was directed by Ridley Scott, garnered seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture and starred Matt Damon as an astronaut presumed dead but trapped on Mars. Now it’s […]

This uneven (Heath)cliff’s notes adaptation hits some hot highs.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” worked last year’s festival circuit with no distributor but plenty of A-list support (Brad Pitt, Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix all ended up boarding the film as executive producers). When it debuted at the Venice Film Festival in September, writer-director Kaouther Ben Hania won the Grand Jury Prize (considered the […]