Film Reviews

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Celeste O'Connor, Kumail Nanjiani, Finn Wolfhard and James Acaster in a scene from "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ clears a low bar

Forty years after “Ghostbusters” and following a string of sequels that never measured up to the original it’s fair to wonder, well, who else ought we to call?

This image released by Neon shows Sydney Sweeney in a scene from the film "Immaculate." (Neon via AP)

Movie Review: Things get scary for Sydney Sweeney in a creepy Italian convent in ‘Immaculate’

Sydney Sweeney plays a nun abroad in the new horror movie “Immaculate.” Her character is recruited to join an Italian convent that also provides a home for dying nuns, but the picturesque setting soon curdles into nightmare territory in this film written by Andrew Lobel and directed by Michael Mohan

This image released by Prime Video shows Conor McGregor, left, and Jake Gyllenhaal in a scene from "Road House." (Laura Radford/Prime Video via AP)

Movie Review: A remake of ‘Road House’ with Jake Gyllenhaal turns into a muscular, Florida romp

Jake Gyllenhaal steps into a role previously made famous by Patrick Swayze when he becomes a bouncer in the new remake of “Road House.”

This image released by Lionsgate shows a scene from "Arthur The King." (Carlos Rodriguez/Lionsgate via AP)

Movie Review: Man and dog and adventure racing in ‘Arthur the King’

Mark Wahlberg plays an adventure racer who befriends a dog on a 435 mile trek through the jungle in “Arthur the King.”

This image released by Bleecker Street shows Anthony Hopkins in a scene from "One Life." (Bleecker Street via AP)

Movie Review: Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn find poignant synergy in real-life war tale ‘One Life’

It’s a perfect role for Anthony Hopkins: a modest, elderly man who disdains fuss, keeping his secrets to himself.

This image released by Amazon Prime shows John Cena, right, in a scene from "Ricky Stanicky." (Ben King/Amazon via AP)

Movie Review: John Cena gets the laughs in middling comedy ‘Ricky Stanicky’

Peter Farrelly returns to his broad comedy roots with “Ricky Stanicky,” about three childhood friends and their imaginary fall guy.

This image released by A24 shows Katy O’Brian, left, and Kristen Stewart in a scene from "Love Lies Bleeding." (Anna Kooris/A24 via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is peak Kristen Stewart

Muscles ripple, veins pop and electronic music throbs in “Love Lies Bleeding,” a heaving, hyper-sexy neo-noir drenched in sweat, blood and bug guts, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows characters Po, voiced by Jack Black, left, and Zhen, voiced by Awkwafina, in a scene from DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda 4." (DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Kung Fu Panda 4' is a sweet, fun and well executed passing of the torch

“Kung Fu Panda 4” finds our trusty, rotund hero Po at a career crossroads and he’s nervous. “Kung Fu Panda 4” also finds the franchise at an inflection point, but there’s no reason to be nervous, Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy says: DreamWorks knows what it’s doing.

This image released by Janus and Sideshow Films shows a scene from "About Dry Grasses." (Sideshow and Janus Films via AP)

Movie Review: The colossal melancholy of Ceylan’s ‘About Dry Grasses’

Nuri Bilge Ceylan makes long films, by movie standards, but short ones by Russian literature standards.

This image released by Netflix shows Adam Sandler in a scene from "Spaceman." (Netflix via AP)

Movie Review: It’s lonely out in space for Adam Sandler in pensive sci-fi psychodrama ‘Spaceman’

Adam Sandler in a spacesuit as an anxious astronaut headed toward Jupiter? At one point in his career that could only have been a comedy.

This image released by Sony Pictures Classics shows Zar Amir Ebrahimi in a scene from "Shayda." (Jane Zhang/Sony Pictures Classics via AP)

Movie Review: An Iranian woman and her daughter flee abuse in moving indie ‘Shayda’

Noora Niasari’s delicately moving “Shayda” puts the viewer in the shoes of an Iranian woman in Australia living in a women’s shelter with her 6-year-old daughter.

This image released by A24 Films shows Julio Torres, left, and Tilda Swinton in a scene from "Problemista." (A24 via AP)

Movie Review: Writer-director Julio Torres proves a storyteller to cheer with awesome ‘Problemista’

“Problemista” is clearly Julio Torres’ labor of love. He stars, directs and has written a movie that reflects his singular, idiosyncratic mind, says Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy.

This image released by Lionsgate shows Hilary Swank in a scene from "Ordinary Angels." (Allen Fraser/Lionsgate via AP)

Movie Review: Hillary Swank gives inspirational ‘Ordinary Angels’ both the heart and heft it needs

“Ordinary Angels” is based on a real story, and it’s a good thing we know that — otherwise, we’d be tempted to think the filmmakers had dreamed up a story too sappy and inspirational to be true.

This image released by Focus Features shows Geraldine Viswanathan, right, and Margaret Qualley in a scene from "Drive-Away Girls." (Focus Features via AP)

Movie Review: Buckle up for a queer road trip caper in Ethan Coen’s spry ‘Drive-Away Dolls’

Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan star as Jamie and Marian, best friends and total opposites who are looking to escape their surroundings for a bit in this queer road trip caper directed and co-written by Ethan Coen.

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Timothee Chalamet in a scene from "Dune: Part Two." (Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Dune: Part Two’ sustains the dystopian dream of ‘Part One’

Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part II” is almost as intoxicating as “Part One.” Like its predecessor, “Part Two” thrums with an intoxicating big-screen expressionism of monoliths and mosquitos, fevered visions and messianic fervor.

This image released by Prime shows Jennifer Lopez in a scene from "This Is Me...Now: A Love Story." (Prime via AP)

Movie Review: J.Lo’s very wacky, very wild, very J.Lo journey to love in ‘This Is Me … Now’

OK, so maybe we’re not tracking her jet travel online like amateur spies. But let’s not forget that another force of nature, J.Lo, has been the ultimate celebrity for decades.

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Dakota Johnson, left, in a scene from "Madame Web." (Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

Movie Review: Dakota Johnson is fun enough, but ‘Madame Web’ is repetitive and messy

“Madame Web” is striving to be a classic superhero setup movie, about how the future Madame Web comes to terms with her newfound power that allows her to see the future.

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Kingsley Ben-Adir in "Bob Marley: One Love." (Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures via AP)

Review: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ doesn’t stir

“Bob Marley: One Love” is a noble but uninspired attempt to capture some of the essence of a monumental musical force.

This image released by IFC Films shows Juliette Binoche in a scene from "The Taste of Things." (Carole Bethuel/IFC Films via AP)

Movie Review: Food, glorious food (and other pleasures) in ‘The Taste of Things’

Director and screenwriter Trần Anh Hùng’s “The Taste of Things” is, first and foremost, about food. The side dish is the relationship between a 19th century chef, Dodin-Bouffant (Benoît Magimel) and his cook Eugénie (Juliette Binoche).

This image released by Focus Features shows Kathryn Newton, right, and Cole Sprouse in a scene from "Lisa Frankenstein." (Michele K. Short/Focus Features via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ lurches from idiocy to whimsy and ends up unwatchable

It may come as no surprise that the new movie “Lisa Frankenstein” is a real monster. Associated Press critic Mar Kennedy says it is stitched together from previous movies, painfully incoherent and deeply, deeply dumb.

This image released by Roadside Attractions shows Harry Einhorn, from left, Tandin Sonam and Tandin Wangchuk in a scene from "The Monk and the Gun." (Roadside Attractions via AP)

Movie Review: A village in Bhutan learns about democracy and teaches us, too, in ‘Monk and the Gun’

His first film, “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom,” garnered an Oscar nod. Now writer-director Pawo Choyning Dorji is back with a tale about democracy and its perils.

This image released by Neon shows Kôji Yakusho, left, and Arisa Nakano in a scene from "Perfect Days." (Neon via AP)

Movie Review: Wim Wenders’ ‘Perfect Days’ is sublime

Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” is set among the crowded skyscrapers of Tokyo and the quiet urban parks that Hirayama (Kôji Yakusho) traverses daily in his job cleaning public toilets.

This image released by Apple shows Bryce Dallas Howard, left, and Sam Rockwell in a scene from "Argylle." (Peter Mountain/Apple-Universal Pictures via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Argylle’ won’t blow your socks off

Criss-crossing patterns of ridiculousness and self-satisfaction run through “Argylle,” a tiresome meta movie that puts an awful lot of zest into an awfully empty high-concept story, writes AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review.

This image released by Netflix shows a scene from "Orion and the Dark." (DreamWorks Animation/Netflix via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Orion and the Dark’ loses itself in the leap from children’s book to animated film

To say the hero of Netflix’s new animated movie “Orion and the Dark” is fearful is an understatement.

This image released by Mubi shows Enva Lewis, left, and Mia McKenna-Bruce in a scene from "How To Have Sex." (Mubi via AP)

Movie Review: In ‘How to Have Sex,’ the party suddenly stops being fun

Molly Manning Walker makes her directorial debut with “How to Have Sex,” a cheekily titled film about three British teens on a booze-fueled holiday trip in Greece.

This image released by Sideshow and Janus Films shows Naíma Sentíes in a scene from "Totem." (Sideshow and Janus Films via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Tótem’ is a masterful child’s-eye view of family and death

The year is young but you’re unlikely to see a film as richly textured as Avilés’ masterful child’s-eye view of death and family.

This image released by Lionsgate shows Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega in "Miller's Girl." (Zac Popik/Lionsgate via AP)

Movie Review: ‘Miller’s Girl’ with Jenna Ortega is an airless, cold affair that fails to spark

Jenna Ortega’s stark rise as Gen Z’s goth-glam princess takes a pointless, ugly turn in “Miller’s Girl,” a new romantic horror movie about cerebral people that’s simply tiresome, says AP critic Mark Kennedy.

The image released by Bleecker Street shows Ariana DeBose in a scene from "I.S.S." (Bleecker Street via AP)

Movie Review: In ‘I.S.S.,’ war on Earth disrupts life aboard the International Space Station

After decades when fears of mutual destruction and nuclear fallout filtered into movies from “Fail Safe” to “WarGames,” anxiety over current Russian-American geopolitics plays a provocative role in the new space thriller “I.S.S.” writes AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review.

This image released by Neon shows Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in a scene from "Origin." (Atsushi Nishijima/Neon via AP)

Movie Review: Ava DuVernay’s ‘Origin’ is a powerful, artful, interpretation of ‘Caste’

Ava DuVernay adapts Isabel Wilkerson’s 2020 book “Caste” into a narrative, investigative drama in the new film “Origin.”

This image released by Amazon MGM Studios shows Jason Statham in a scene from "The Beekeeper." (Amazon MGM Studios via AP)

Review: In the bonkers ‘The Beekeeper,’ Jason Statham has more than a bee in his bonnet

If you’ve been searching for a movie where Jason Statham gravely vows to “protect the hive” an implausible number of times, you have found it.

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