In her debut as a writer-director, Rebecca Hall chose to adapt Nella Larsen’s celebrated 1929 novel. Passing draws from Larsen’s personal experiences as a biracial woman and Hall (who is also biracial) presents a drama fraught with explorations of identity…
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ review: A messy follow-up that fails to live up to the character it’s trying to celebrate
Wonder Woman 1984, the follow-up to Wonder Woman (2017) that was everything its sequel is not, is a befuddling and oftentimes infuriating film to watch for all of its hollow, performative gestures of feminism. It’s somber where it should have…
Movie review: ‘Promising Young Woman’ turns into the genre it’s trying to critique
Content warning: This article mentions rape and discusses disturbing subject matter. One of the most tired narratives in cinema is the rape-revenge story. Films like I Spit on Your Grave and The Last House on the Left are infamous for their brutal rape scenes…
‘Soul’ review: Pixar’s latest mind-bending adventure is a symphony for the senses
Most people believe they were “born” to do something. And the latest Pixar movie directed by Pete Docter, who has repeatedly brought lively, imaginative worlds to the screen with the emotionally-fantastical Inside Out and the generational adventure Up, sets out…
‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ review: August Wilson’s play comes to life in vivid detail
Adapting a play into a movie isn’t always easy, but you wouldn’t know that from watching director George C. Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Based on August Wilson’s 1984 play (with a screenplay by Ruben Santiago-Hudson), the film is poignant,…
‘Minari’ review: Steven Yeun balances family and the American Dream in A24’s latest, warmest drama
In the 1980s, my father put all his hopes and dreams into the American Dream. He convinced my mother and two older siblings (I wasn’t born yet) to come with him to Massachusetts, despite not knowing more than a few…
‘Lovers Rock’ review: This immersive, slice of 80s nightlife is a truly great hang
Sometimes the most beautiful films can spring from even the simplest ideas. In Lovers Rock, a new film in the “Small Axe” miniseries collection directed and co-written by Steve McQueen, we’re taken on an extended, cinematic ride through a single…