It’s that time of year again. The time to whittle down the 147 (as of writing) movies in 2018 I’ve seen into a somewhat arbitrary and totally non-definitive Top Ten list. Each and every confounded year, us critics fold ourselves into pretzels to construct these things and year in and year out, usually end up...
“Mary Queen of Scots” boasts a tremendous performance from Saoirse Ronan and laudable costume, hair, and makeup but the regal drama comes up short connecting all the dots, failing to…
‘Ben is Back’ takes a different approach to an emotionally turbulent story of addiction and deception, figuring a suspense-driven framework that keeps the audience engaged and involved even as the…
Alfonso Cuarón’s return behind the camera marks his most personal chapter yet in this subtle masterclass of filmmaking. 'Roma' is a textured, richly-detailed dream; a sympathetic memory of maternal grace…
Let them eat cake, 'The Favourite' declares, offering a sickly sweet delight decorated with a quartet of brilliant performances (Stone, Weisz, Colman, Hoult) that teether this satirical slice of historical…
‘Creed II’ entirely misses the opportunity to drum up any USA/Russia subtext in its predictable second fight but great music, strong (but admittedly less standout) performances, and a tried-and-true underdog…
‘Green Book’ works pretty much however you break it down. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are divine as a traveling odd couple, Peter Farrelly's directorial skills are in sharp focus, and…
Where once magic thrived, ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald’ spells are but a black-hole of wonder. The opposite of alchemy, the spin-off sequel turns what was once gold into…
Disney’s ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ is the cinematic equivalent of clickbait - you just can’t help yourself but follow it down the rabbit hole. Its easy nostalgia-fueled laughs, clever world-building,…
‘Widows’ is a vicious, female-led retooling of the heist movie, mounted with great depth by Steve McQueen and Gillian Flynn; one that puts performance as much in the driver’s seat…