The Batman movie review: to bat, or not to bat
No snark, no spandex pantomime spectacle. Just noir mystery, Pattinson’s sad recluse a detective in a cesspit of corruption. Relentlessly grim, all darkness and despair, not escapist but of our time.
Andy Serkis
Black Panther movie review: absolute Marvel
Classic comic-book stuff made fresh by drawing on underexplored mythologies and cultures, yet still deeply resonant and deeply universal. An exhilarating pulp-fiction dream that ups the ante on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie review: a great disturbance in the Force
Upends expectations, demythologizes the mythos, and takes an iconic series in a bold new direction with a story full of humor, courage, and dazzling imagery.
Breathe movie review: paralyzed but determined to be mobile (LFF 2017)
A romance and a real-life adventure, full of life-and-death peril and unexpected cheerful good humor, about a pioneer in disability rights and dignity.
War for the Planet of the Apes movie review: empathy for the ape
A triumph of science fiction storytelling: a sweeping tale of mythological scope told with astonishing FX wizardry that brings emotion and intelligence to nonhuman people.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes movie review: people get ready
A magnificent science fiction drama, and a beautiful one. Wonderfully radical for the simple fact that it is ruled by principled ideas.
the Force is with white men, and hardly anyone else [update]
Star Wars is stuck “a long time ago”: in a 1950s mindset that was already outmoded when the first film was released in 1977.
Wild Bill (trailer)
I’m hearing lots of my fellow critics here in London raving about this one. Maybe it’s got some more panache than the trailer suggests?
question of the day: What is the most egregious snub among the Oscar nominations for 2011’s films?
Michael Fassbender? Tilda Swinton? Michael Shannon? Elizabeth Olsen? But Jonah Hill gets a nom… *sigh*
question of the day: What part of Hollywood would you #Occupy?
I might #Occupy studio facilities where they do motion-capture, and allow it only for Andy Serkis to portray a hobbitlike creature or an ape…
