Chronicling the tragic last years in the life of Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, the melancholy biopic is poignant in its depiction of a gay life cut down by the whims of “polite society.”
Movie Reviews
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Film review: ‘First Man’
Directed with immaculate detail, “First Man” is a stirring tribute to the individuals who dreamed of reaching the stars and succeeded, as well as the sheer force of will and determination it took for them to achieve the seemingly impossible.
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Film review: ‘A Star Is Born’
In her first feature film leading role, Lady Gaga makes for a dazzling presence on screen. It’s no shock that she can sing like the dickens, but the pop star is entirely convincing as a young woman still unsure of her talent, and gradually learning to find her voice.
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Film review: ‘Hal’
Chronicling the life and career of filmmaker Hal Ashby, the lively and engaging documentary celebrates the artist behind such bona fide classics of the 1970s as “Harold and Maude,” “The Last Detail,” “Shampoo,” and “Being There.”
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Film review: ‘Lizzie’
Even if only through the indelible children’s folk rhyme, most people have at least a vague knowledge of Lizzie Borden and the infamous murders she stood accused of. The heart of the story lies in Lizzie’s relationship with her family’s live-in maid, who moves into the Borden house six months before the murders.
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Dispatches from the Toronto International Film Festival
Just across the shores of Lake Ontario, our neighbors to the north host one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world: the Toronto International Film Festival. TIFF came to a close this past weekend, and this year’s lineup had plenty of cinematic goodies to offer, a number of which will be rolling out to theaters before the year comes to a close.
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Film review: ‘The Little Stranger’
More than a haunting Gothic tale, “The Little Stranger” narrows in on class politics, and the social upheaval of post-war England takes its toll on the film’s characters. Director Abrahamson conjurs up a pervading sense of dread and quiet menace.
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Film review: ‘McQueen’
With their deeply affecting documentary, directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui take a close look at Alexander McQueen’s life and work, and in the process create an engrossing film, even for those who don’t consider themselves fashion connoisseurs.
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Film review: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’
Told with plenty of heart, humor, and style,”Crazy Rich Asians” offers a glamorous romantic fantasy that’s as universally crowd-pleasing as they come.
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Film review: ‘Christopher Robin’
The film’s lesson is that Christopher is neglecting the truly important things like family, and needs to recapture the joy of his childhood. But pop culture encouraging grown men to cling to the things they loved as children hasn’t exactly worked out too well for the world lately.
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Film review: ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’
As the espionage action begins to overpower the comedy, the film’s violence turns shockingly brutal at times, leading some of those laughs to catch in the throat. The film can be uneven in laughs and thrills, but when Kate McKinnon’s on screen that’s almost good enough.
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Film review: ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’
Gus Van Sant’s new film successfully side-steps cliché in its details, but feels like yet another story about the healing power of art and the necessity of humor in the face of suffering.
