It’s incredible to think that “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was broadcast to family television sets for three decades. Multiple generations of children were charmed by Fred Rogers’ leisurely musical demeanor, abounding love and positivity and belief in the power of make-believe. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” celebrates Rogers’ life, career and moral framework in an extremely […]

Hilarious movies don’t often lead to hilarious sequels, but the R-rated, tongue-in-cheek fourth-wall-breaking approach “Deadpool” brought to the superhero genre in 2016 seemed like the kind that could have legs – and indeed it does. (That will be funny once you’ve seen “Deadpool 2.”)

Just how far is the “galaxy far, far away” expanding? “Solo,” the second “A Star Wars Story” after 2016’s “Rogue One” gives us more of a hint as to how Lucasfilm and Disney view this beloved franchise beyond its main stories, and so far, their intent appears to be to keep things on course, or […]

In “You Were Never Really Here,” writer and director Lynn Ramsay takes what might have been a more conventional revenge thriller or lone wolf battling his inner demons story and gives it a more harrowing, artistic edge. Think “Taken” but for the serious arthouse crowd.

It’s all been leading to this, right? Since Thanos’ purply mug first smirked at the camera during the end credits of 2012’s “The Avengers,” fans of Marvel Studios’ unprecedented 10-year, 20-plus film run on the box office have been waiting for the ultimate battle between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the infamous Mad Titan, who in […]

A winning concept can completely carry a genre film, and “A Quiet Place” has exactly that. Bryan Woods and Scott Beck’s idea of a family that must live in total silence in order to survive a monster/alien threat is the rare seed for a story that can blossom into an enthralling moviegoing experience. John Krasinski, […]

The union of Wes Anderson and stop-motion animation continues to be an ideal match. In 2009’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Anderson showed what he could create using a medium that gives its author total control over every detail and every tiny movement; it amplified his comedy and creativity. This proves true once more in “Isle of […]

Among other things, Steven Spielberg is known for transporting audiences into brave new worlds, and in “Ready Player One,” based on the novel by Ernest Cline, that world is the massive virtual simulation of the OASIS, where humans in a broken world plug in and become anything they want to be. A master at stoking […]

Since it was announced, “Black Panther” has held the promise of something different from Marvel Studios. It’s been 10 years since the Marvel journey began with “Iron Man” and the narratives, spectacles and formula are in perpetual danger of wearing thin. Co-written and directed by Ryan Coogler (“Creed,” “Fruitvale Station”), “Black Panther” writes its own […]

Netflix’s huge swoop up and surprise Super Bowl release of the newest film in the “Cloverfield” film universe should prove to be a daring stroke of movie-distributing genius – if for no other reason than it should help generate big ratings for a film that would’ve otherwise been killed by bad word of mouth.

Guillermo del Toro already showed he could make a film like “The Shape of Water” before. His gift for turning historical fiction into fairy tales was abundantly clear in the stunning 2006 film “Pan’s Labyrinth” – it’s just a shame we had to wait so long for him to enchant us again.

A racially tense southern-set period drama, “Mudbound” has a familiar tone and perspective, a vibe reminiscent of a more traditional era of cinematic storytelling. Yet that’s not to diminish the work of Dee Rees, whose feature follow-up to 2011’s “Pariah” is beautifully shot and firmly grounded in honest reality and modest hope.

After winning over theatre audiences in the ‘90s and early 2000s, Martin McDonagh moved into the filmmaking sphere and started racking up even more fans with “In Bruges” and the criminally underrated “Seven Psychopaths,” two sickly dark comedies lined start to finish with a brilliant albeit twisted humor and sharp dialogue. In “Three Billboards outside […]

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” reacclimatized fans to a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away by paying homage to decades of tradition, reuniting us with old friends and building a foundation for “the next generation.” This blueprint presented Lucasfilm and “Episode VIII” filmmaker Rian Johnson (“Brick,” “Looper”) with an opportunity in “Star […]

Coming-of-age films from green, independent filmmakers have a tendency to hit their mark at a surprisingly higher rather than other stories, but something about Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” feels more like a bull’s-eye. Her semi-autobiographical snapshot of a high school senior exploring her identity has an assured wit and a firm grasp on the emotional […]