A Matter of Life and Death (aka Stairway to Heaven) (4K restoration) movie review: paradise on Earth
One of the most beloved British films ever is now even more lush, more gorgeous, more humanist in a glorious new restored edition.
dramedy
The Disaster Artist movie review: a view on ‘The Room’
A hilarious ode to talentless passion. James Franco gives the bizarre Tommy Wiseau depth without solving his mystery, but skips a deserved zing at Hollywood.
The Man Who Invented Christmas movie review: but would Charles Dickens approve?
There’s charm and wit in its fanciful depiction of the creative process, but the film downplays the social activism that Dickens fully embraced in his work.
Paddington 2 movie review: wrap yourself up in this bear hug
There is such kindness here, such humanity, such warmth and optimism. This is a fantasy of unique scope and astonishing emotional depth beneath the silliness.
Lady Bird movie review: flights of adolescent angsty (LFF 2017)
An emotional feast full of humor and pathos about the audacity, the wonder, the horror that is female adolescence. Beautiful, bittersweet, and very generous.
Battle of the Sexes movie review: totally ace
An essential history lesson with a smart smack of relevance for today (because feminism always has to be relitigated). It’s also warm, funny, and hugely entertaining.
Victoria & Abdul movie review: one of her best friends was brown
Charming based-on-fact British costume dramedy gently snarks about power and propriety but cuts a lot deeper when it comes to bigotry and bootlicking.
Landline movie review: love in the time before smartphones
A charming delight in a retro timeslip. Gillian Robespierre and Jenny Slate continue their rampage of creating wonderfully, memorably flawed women onscreen.
The Big Sick movie review: girlfriend in a coma, the rom-com
A rom-com for people who hate rom-coms. A painfully funny movie, full of enrapturing emotion that captures the glorious contradictions of all kinds of love.
The Women’s Balcony movie review: men, cross women at your peril
A slyly wise, hugely entertaining portrait of an Orthodox Jewish community that loses its joy when a newcomer sows discord. You don’t have to be religious to love it.
