Alci Rengifo
Daniel Craig Is Phenomenally Tragic in Luca Guadagnino’s Hallucinatory Imagining of Burroughs’ ‘Queer’
Daniel Craig • Published on November 2024
In modern literature there are few figures like William S. Burroughs. He was a major talent defined by his place in the Beat movement and his tragic image as a man wrecked by…
Denzel Washington and Colosseum Sharks Chew Up the Scenery in Ridley Scott’s Massive ‘Gladiator II’
Connie Nielsen • Published on November 2024
Like the Roman emperors, Ridley Scott surely made “Gladiator II” only because he could. It has been 24 years since the massive success of his original “Gladiator,” which was a box office…
‘Wicked’: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Are Magnificent in Jon M. Chu’s Soaring Adaptation of Hit Musical
Ariana Grande • Published on November 2024
A good villain is never born. They are made. The great appeal of “Wicked” is how it takes a classic villain from our collective memories and genuinely humanizes her. As a musical,…
HBO’s ‘Dune: Prophecy’ Trades Galactic Action for the Sisterhood With Impressive Scale
Dune • Published on November 2024
Spinoffs have become a required touch for any major franchise. When Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” films premiered to acclaim and strong box office returns, as well as an instant fan base, there was no…
‘Red One’ Takes the Christmas Cheer Out of Santa Claus
Chris Evans • Published on November 2024
Even Santa Claus has been unsafe from the odd trends dominating franchises and corporate attempts at establishing brand “universes.” Consider “Red One,” an expensive, jacked up production that seems to believe Christmas…
Eddie Redmayne Is a Cold Killer in Stylishly Sharp ‘The Day of the Jackal’ Adaptation
Eddie Redmayne • Published on November 2024
Peacock’s gripping adaptation of “The Day of the Jackal” may attract some viewers out of sheer name recognition. Its title is taken from the classic 1971 novel by Frederick Forsyth, which has…
‘Emilia Pérez’: Jacque Audiard’s Audacious Musical Is an Operatic Saga of Crime, Passion and Identity
Emilia Pérez • Published on November 2024
Here is one of those wild cinematic gestures that almost forces the viewer to either love it or hate it. Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” nearly defies description. It’s an opera about modern…
Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone’ Charts New Melodramatic Pastures Without Kevin Costner
Cole Hauser • Published on November 2024
It is hard to keep a big franchise down. Following an imposed hiatus and the loss of its major star, Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” returns, grasping on to its most melodramatic impulses to…
‘Small Things Like These’: Cillian Murphy Is Quietly Courageous in Magdalene Laundries Tale
Cillian Murphy • Published on November 2024
Some of the most oppressive policies or practices in a society can stay under the surface. Cillian Murphy plays a man slowly building to confront such a reality in “Small Things Like…
Hugh Grant Is a Diabolical ‘Heretic’ in A24’s Unnerving Thriller About Faith
A24 • Published on November 2024
There is a particular fear when it comes to questioning everything you believe in, even more so when someone presents a fierce challenge to those beliefs. Hugh Grant is the ultimate troll in…
The Cure Returns Deep in the Despair of ‘Songs of a Lost World’
Album Reviews • Published on November 2024
Legendary English outfit the Cure emerged from the feverish post-punk era of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, with their own singular mixture of gothic rock and new wave. Now, 16 years…
Steve McQueen’s ‘Blitz’ Looks Beyond the WWII London Bombings at the Human Face of War
Blitz • Published on November 2024
Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” opens with a harrowing moment where firefighters respond to one of the many burning buildings in London under Nazi bombing raids. A firefighter’s face smashes into a firehose, which…
‘Here’ Keeps Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in One Room for a Time-Spanning Cinematic Experiment
Eric Roth • Published on October 2024
Time certainly flies in Robert Zemeckis’ “Here.” This is one of those films where the experiment of its structure counts for more than the story. For decades this director has been associated…
Clint Eastwood’s Masterful ‘Juror #2’ Is a Challenging Thriller About Moral Dilemmas
Chris Messina • Published on October 2024
The guilty conscience is one of the great themes in all dramas because we all have one for large or small reasons. Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” is an engrossing tale of a…
‘The Diplomat’ Season 2 Grabs From More Headlines for Bigger Political Suspense
Features • Published on October 2024
There is such a lack of faith in institutions while major wars rage on, that it’s surprising there’s still room for escapism like Netflix’s “The Diplomat.” It borrows from real world events…
‘Before’: Billy Crystal Is the Somber Heart of Apple TV+’s Paranormal Puzzle
Apple TV Plus • Published on October 2024
As the master of moody television shows, Apple TV can make even Billy Crystal appear completely bleak. “Before” lets the actor tap into his darker side, convincingly making us forget his trademark…
Director Edward Berger on How Universal Doubt and the Allure of Power Inspired His Gripping ‘Conclave’
Conclave • Published on October 2024
German filmmaker Edward Berger returns to a war zone with “Conclave.” After receiving much acclaim and Academy Awards recognition for his visceral “All Quiet on the Western Front,” set in the blood-soaked…
‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Gives Tom Hardy One Final Absurdist Ride With His Alien Buddy
Features • Published on October 2024
The “Venom” franchise has remained solid because it never pretends to aspire to be anything beyond what it is. Despite the ongoing fatigue with comic book IP, this one retains a scruffy charm…
‘Conclave’: Ralph Fiennes Faces Doubt and Corruption in Edward Berger’s Riveting Vatican Thriller
Conclave • Published on October 2024
Wherever societies gather and form hierarchies, the struggle for power becomes ruthless. In Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” the Vatican becomes a den of ambition where faith only raises the stakes. Berger’s gripping meditation…
Guy Maddin’s ‘Rumours’ Mocks Global Power Players With Surreal Antics
Alicia Vikander • Published on October 2024
Our global leaders would be quite farcical if their policies weren’t so consequential to the planet’s health. “Rumours” takes aim at the G7, gathering together fictional takes on the world’s heads of…