Christopher Orr
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Lucy Nicholson / Reuters Yet Another Reason the New ‘Popular Film’ Oscar Is a Terrible Idea
So far, people have been focusing on the perverse incentives the award creates for Academy voters. But even more pernicious could be the incentives it creates for filmmakers and studios.
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Warner Bros. The Modestly Diverting Gender Swap of Ocean’s 8
The director Gary Ross’s all-female twist on the heist franchise coasts on the star power of its cast, led by Sandra Bullock.
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A24 The Tame Punk of How to Talk to Girls at Parties
John Cameron Mitchell’s ode to 1970s punk rock and alien romance is too nice for its own good.
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Lucasfilm Solo: Finally a Star Wars Movie That's Not a Rehash of Star Wars
The Han Solo prequel isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s different and very well cast—and that’s enough.
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20th Century Fox Deadpool 2 Is Even Better Than the Original
The sequel is at least as hilarious, and features a better plot, better villains—including a standout performance by Josh Brolin—and a few unexpected swerves.
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HBO No, That Episode of Westworld Was Not an Homage to Lost
It turns out that the parallels between “The Riddle of the Sphinx” and the ABC drama’s Season 2 premiere were mostly coincidental.
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Warner Bros. A Lifeless Life of the Party
Co-written by star Melissa McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone (who also directed), this Back to School knockoff is a dull and ramshackle mess.
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Marvel Studios Avengers: Infinity War Is an Extraordinary Juggling Act
Marvel’s latest—and largest—production is far from perfect, but it melds its many, many elements into an impressive mix of humor and sorrow.
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STXfilms I Feel Pretty Is a Message Movie That Can't Stay on Message
The new Amy Schumer vehicle tries to be a feminist fable—and fails badly.
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Amazon Studios You Were Never Really Here Is Never Really Here
The director Lynne Ramsay’s latest film, starring Joaquin Phoenix, is high on style and talent, but low on plot, narrative, or emotional connection.
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Fox Searchlight Pictures The Beauty and Sadness of Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson’s second foray into stop-motion animation is a fable at once light and dark.
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IFC Films The Death of Stalin Is a Wicked Farce
The new film from Veep creator Armando Iannucci turns one of the darkest moments of the 20th century into timely black comedy.
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Disney A Wrinkle in Time: See It With a Kid, or as a Kid
The director Ava DuVernay’s live-action adaptation captures the childlike wonder of Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved novel.
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Embassy Pictures The Graduate 50 Years After Its Oscar Win
Revisiting a film embraced by the 1968 generation
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Neon/ A24/ Netflix / Disney / Focus Features ... What Will Win at the Oscars?
Our critic explains his picks.
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Paramount Pictures Annihilation: A Beautiful Heap of Nonsense
The director Alex Garland’s followup to his debut feature Ex Machina is frequently a pleasure to look at, but lacks structure and coherence.
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Marvel Black Panther Is More Than a Superhero Movie
The director Ryan Coogler's addition to the Marvel pantheon is a superb genre film—and quite a bit more.
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Universal Pictures Fifty Shades Freed: A Spoilereview
Another sequel so awful that it needs to be described in detail to be believed
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Jamie Coe How Superhero Movies Became Escapist Fun Again
The self-seriousness of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy and its imitators has finally given way to films that embrace the genre’s comic potential.
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Focus Features The Understated Elegance of Phantom Thread
The perfectionist actor Daniel Day-Lewis stars as a perfectionist dressmaker in Paul Thomas Anderson’s thoughtful, intriguing film.
