film criticism by maryann johanson | since 1997
Pure joy. It is singing and dancing, life and love, food and family, heritage and community in all its complexity. Harnesses Golden Age Hollywood verve and style in breathtaking, enrapturing ways.
Guy Ritchie ups his game on his signature subgenre with a hilariously sublime crime comedy that acts as mirror on the legit world and oozes with crackling cynicism about culture and politics as well.
Doesn’t rock the rom-com boat but absolutely delightful anyway. A smart, modern romantic comedy that flips genre scripts and finds a freshness in making room for new voices and new perspectives.
Our most honored films are Roma (five awards), The Favourite (four awards), and Can You Ever Forgive Me? (three awards).
Chloé Zhao directs modern revisionist Western The Rider; Annemarie Jacir directs Palestinian family drama Wajib; Eva Hausberger codirects a documentary about the Glock pistol; more…
An opulent, juicy, splendidly silly, tears-of-joy spectacle reminiscent of the escapist fluff of 1930s Hollywood… yet also a romantic fantasy that a progressive, feminist gal can actually feel good about.
With smarts, warmth, and humanity, this mystery that unfurls entirely on computer screens becomes an ode to the new digital lives we are all leading, from how we use our devices to what they say about us.
Adele Lim and Lea Carpenter cowrite two of the week’s wide releases, (respectively) Crazy Rich Asians and Mile 22. Progress!
But it doesn’t have a UK release date yet, and there’s no way for me to see it.
