Liam Neeson once again plays a man grudgingly forced into violence in the drama "In the Land of Saints and Sinners." During Ireland's political and social upheaval in the 1970s, a hit man tries to extract himself from the bloodshed but is reluctantly pulled back in. It's got its merits, including...
Did we really need a musical prequel to the classic 1971 fantasy "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?" No. But I'm still glad that we got one. Timothy Chalamet is terrific as the young Wonka in this tuneful and imaginative lark that serves as Willy's origin story. Yes, it's corny...
The second time isn't the charm for Disney's "Haunted Mansion." This movie based on the Disneyland attraction is, at best, an adequate timewaster for older kids. Director Justin Simien has made some very good movies, but he's clearly out of his element here. The cast is capable, yet this musty...
Julianne Moore ("Still Alice") and Sebastian Stan ("Pam & Tommy") lead a sharp cast in a twisty Apple TV+ con artist drama, "Sharper."
Oscar-winner Will Smith returns for yet another powerful performance in the harrowing historical drama "Emancipation," now in theaters and on Apple TV+. While somewhat fictionalized, "Emancipation" tells the heart-wrenching story of Peter, a Louisiana slave who escaped his brutal masters in 1863. When photos of his whip-scarred back were published...
"She Said" is a timely journalist procedural in the fashion of "All the President's Men" and "Spotlight." It depicts the efforts of two New York Times reporters, played by Carrie Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, to expose the sexual misconduct allegations surrounding movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Their discoveries helped spark the...
Watching the pitch-black comedy of writer/director Martin McDonough can sometimes feel like an assault. His latest effort, “The Banshees of Inisherin” is no exception. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson give compelling performances as two friends living on an isolated island off the coast of Ireland. Things degenerate violently when one...
Olivia Wilde's feminist sci-fi thriller "Don't Worry Darling" has generated outsized interest due to the headlines involving the backstage turmoil during and after filming. I just wish the movie were as interesting. Florence Pugh gives an electric performance as a 50s-era housewife whose life unravels when she figures out that things...
