‘Memory’s’ Gentle Approach Makes It Unforgettable
Michel Franco’s “Memory” examines how our ability to recall the chapters of our lives is everything, as we make sense of what we’ve lost and gained, as well as garner a perception of who we are. Hearing that Franco wrote and directed the film gave me a sense of dread – I still remember his …
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The Less You Know About ‘All of Us Strangers,’ the Better
Andrew Scott plays Adam in Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers,” a lonely, quiet man who lives in a London apartment where he is one of the few tenants. Adam meets seemingly the only other person staying at the apartment. Harry (Paul Mescal) is flirtatious but also expresses to Adam how equally isolated he feels. …
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‘Ferrari’ Races to First Place in Best of 2023 Competition
Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” begins with the buzz of race cars and tires spinning, as black and white newsreel footage captures a wild race in which the winner, Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), can’t help but smile as he speeds past the finish line. It is one of the few times in the film where we see …
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‘Boys in the Boat’ Is Everything You Expect (But Somehow Less)
George Clooney’s “The Boys in the Boat” is a true story featuring a “Saving Private Ryan”-like flashback of an old man informing a young whippersnapper how he was once a member of a world-famous rowing team. This narrative bookend is such a lame duck that most will forget it exists or, perhaps, will half-expect the …
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‘Thanksgiving’ Slices Up a New Holiday Classic
Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving” is an extension of his gloriously lurid fake trailer within “Grindhouse” (2007), in which Roth took a benign holiday and gave it the “Friday the 13th” treatment. Running two minutes but packing roughly a dozen Thanksgiving-themed murders, it was as funny as it was gleefully disreputable. It might have been the best …
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Why ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Is Best Film in Decades-Old Franchise
Takashi Yamazaki’s outstanding “Godzilla Minus One” has already arrived with a wave of critical acclaim and positive audience word of mouth. I heard the movie was good but wasn’t prepared for how impactful and tough it is. I’ve loved these Toho kaiju movies all my life, but this feels like something altogether new. Set in …
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‘Poor Things’ Had This Critic Pining for the Exits
Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” has a great deal of personality, marches boldly in unexpected directions and features imagery that I sometimes revisit in my daydreams. It’s also an ugly, irritating work that wore me down early, all but daring me to walk out. In full disclosure, I’ve never walked out of a movie and wasn’t …
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‘Dream Scenario’ Taunts Self-Righteous Millennials
Kristoffer Borgli’s “Dream Scenario” stars Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, a tenured college professor who speaks often of a book he hopes to write about ants. Paul is a family man, a hopeless nerd and socially awkward. It’s to Paul’s great surprise when slowly begins to realize that everyone around him is having dreams in …
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How ‘May December’ Is Both Muted and Worth Your Time
Todd Haynes’ “May December” stars Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry, an actress researching a role by meeting the subjects of the true-life story her new film is based on. Berry meets Gracie (Julianne Moore) and her husband, Joe (Charles Melton), who are both living low-key lives in a small town to evade the intense media …
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Woo’s ‘Silent Night’ Will Delight Director’s Hardcore Fans
John Woo’s “Silent Night” is his first American movie in 20 years, after the so-so “Paycheck” (2003) and the unfortunate 2018 Chinese thriller “Manhunt,” neither of which were worthy curtain calls for one of the greatest living action movie directors. Woo’s worldwide success led to some notable hit and misses; for every “Red Cliff” (2008), …
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