Monkey Man Packs a Wild Punch
With a breakneck pace, Dev Patel’s directorial debut, Monkey Man, delivers on its bloody, brutal promise: a John Wick film in Mumbai that attempts to reclaim Hindu mythology for the underclasses of Indian society.
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Ripley Is a Waste of the Talented Mr Andrew Scott
Netflix’s new series Ripley, the latest iteration of Patricia Highsmith’s murderous con man from The Talented Mr Ripley, is an arty, inert snooze. Its flat portrayal of the title character doesn’t come close to the novels or other fantastic adaptations.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey: A Dissenter’s View
I know I’m in the minority here. I really did try to like it. But Christopher Nolan has taken the wiliest, most delightful hero in Western literature and turned him into one more Nolan sad sack, trudging guilt-stricken through a gray and godless world.
It’s Impossible to Take Alex Garland’s Civil War Seriously
Civil War imagines a crumbling USA torn apart by militias, a crazed president, and murderous ideological rage. The problem is, director Alex Garland never tells us anything about those ideologies. Because then he might be seen as “taking a side.”
If Only Challengers Were as Hot as It’s Trying to Be
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis pro drama Challengers is a test of Zendaya’s star power. She passes. But the promised hot-and-heavy love triangle doesn’t deliver.
Guy Ritchie’s Ungentlemanly Warfare Is a Disappointment
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is Guy Ritchie’s British twist on the old World War II “man on a mission” flicks. But despite being loosely based on a true story, it plays more like a cartoon.
The Fall Guy Is a Sloppy but Sweet Ode to Hollywood Stuntmen
Ryan Gosling is all charm in the new action-comedy The Fall Guy. It’s overstuffed and uneven, but it’s so upbeat that you won’t even mind.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Isn’t Good, but It’s Not Bad
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes never hits the highs of its half-century franchise. But the enduring power of the Apes’ postapocalyptic premise will keep us coming back for more.
The All-American Crack-Up in 1960s Hollywood Cinema
Starting in the 1960s, more and more Hollywood films depicted an increasingly violent and alienated American society quickly losing its mind. It’s hard not to see their relevance to our times.
John Krasinski Can Direct Whatever He Wants, I Guess
IF is John Krasinski doing Pixar. If those words make you excited, you’ll enjoy the film. If they don’t, you probably won’t.
Backrooms and Obsession Are Glimpses of a Better Hollywood
Two indie horror movies with YouTube origins, Obsession and Backrooms, crushed big-budget Star Wars and He-Man movies at the box office. But claims that these films represent a revival of cinematic creativity à la the New Hollywood era are overblown.
Furiosa Fails the Mad Max Series — and the Summer Box Office
Anya Taylor-Joy revs up her engines for Furiosa, but this Mad Max prequel is running on fumes.
Hollywood Invented the Girlboss
The Criterion Channel’s excellent new “Office Romances” retrospective shows how Hollywood’s classic workplace comedies exposed a deep panic about women who dared to be competent.
Hit Man Is a Glen Powell Rom-Com Turned Film Noir
Richard Linklater’s new film, Hit Man, works thanks to the star power and charm of Glen Powell. You won’t even mind the not-entirely-convincing film noir twist.
Inside Out 2 Just Saved the Summer Box Office
Inside Out 2 just saved Hollywood’s summer profit margins. Too bad it’s just another bland depiction of the Pixar Child’s inner life.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 Hits the Right Bleak Notes
At this point, the Devil Wears Prada franchise is a major cultural phenomenon. And The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a worthy addition, with more than a dash of topicality in its treatment of some of the bleaker aspects of contemporary existence.
RIP Donald Sutherland, a Hollywood Legend
Donald Sutherland (1935–2024) projected equal parts warmth, intelligence, and menace on the big screen. But he wasn’t just a brilliant actor — he was a man of the Left who never abandoned those values.
Elaine May Is the Greatest Director You’ve Never Heard Of
A new biography of writer-director-performer Elaine May makes a strong case for her canonization as one of our greatest comic talents. Unfortunately, Hollywood never knew what to do with her.
The Bikeriders Is Running on Fumes
Jeff Nichols’s The Bikeriders coasts on Austin Butler’s outlaw charm and an excellent performance from Tom Hardy. But neither can get this nostalgia piece into third gear.
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Is as Bad as You’ve Heard
Supposedly the first of four films, Kevin Costner’s dull and messy Western throwback, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, is almost certainly dead on arrival.