The Philippou brothers’ debut feature is a smartly-written haunt that improves upon our favorite horror tropes. — The horror genre is in an exciting space right now. On one hand, it’s largely burned clean through the themes and cliches that have been so entertaining and beloved for the past four decades — and it’s obviously sliding onto new terrain. Couple that transition with our current batch of…

Christopher Nolan approaches a crucial moment in world history with fresh eyes and a thirst for understanding. — It was odd, going into this film. …

Greta Gerwig delivers a colorful meta-tale that captures the most meaningful & ridiculous parts of Barbie’s existence. — I had many things on my 2023 Bingo Card, but Barbie Movie as Delightfully Existential Tale of Identity was definitely not on it. It’s a lot to ask of any filmmaker to take a globally-loved childhood icon, merge its essence as a toy with every paradigm society has projected onto…

Or why the combo of these two films makes a perfect shot and chaser for our current cultural mood. — For months, I’ve been steadily squinting as these movies have loomed larger on the horizon. Squinting at Greta Gerwig’s Barbie with slight wariness — because that’s my childhood, thank you very much, and there are a dozen ways to ruin it in live-action mode. …

Jesse Armstrong’s prestige drama was so driven by winning that it could only ever be about loss. — NOTE: This post contains spoilers for the entirety of Succession, streaming on Max. Good stories are designed with a simple purpose: to take readers from Point A to Point B. …

Director Ben Affleck offers an airtight underdog story with heartening performances. — At some point in my ‘20s, I realized that the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was an eloquent complaint about tone-deaf advertising. When I’m driving in my car / And the man comes on the radio He’s telling me more and more / About some useless information Supposed to fire…

The franchise’s latest dodges pitfalls and stays fresh by leaning into character, creativity, and good ol’ fashioned entertainment. — Last year, when I reviewed Scream (Scream 5, that is), I mentioned what’s probably my favorite thing about this franchise: it’s an ongoing conversation with its fans about horror films, pop cultural relevance, and the highs and lows of fandom. It’s part of what makes the viewing experience rewarding for…

Kyle Edward Ball’s feature film debut is a long-winded, palpable slice of analog terror. — I’ve seen plenty of movie-goers leave a theater feeling perplexed in my time, but I’ve never witnessed so many people enter a showing looking confused until I saw Skinamarink. In addition to its large main screen, the Plaza Theatre Atlanta has two upstairs screening rooms that seat 50 people each…

Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation maps out a surreal, menacing love story that’s difficult to look away from. — Sometimes, I’ll come out of a horror movie and tell my friends, “Fair warning, this one’s not for the faint of heart.” …