All Movies
With powerful ‘Green Border,’ a filmmaker searches for humanity in immigration stories“Green Border” is one filmmaker’s response to the treatment of immigrants in Eastern Europe. It is ultimately about moral choices, says the Monitor’s critic. And the film itself is a moral act.
‘Inside Out 2’ offers all the feels – and a great time at the movies“Inside Out 2,” the first box-office smash of 2024, offers a welcome return to form for Pixar.
‘Robot Dreams’ review: This animated delight explores friendship and lossWhen an animated film is invested with the full range of feeling, the result is “Robot Dreams.” The movie is a tribute to the beauty and frailty of friendship, our critic writes.
‘We Grown Now’ review: Amid gritty Chicago reality, two friends embrace childhoodFor the Monitor’s reviewer, the young boys in “We Grown Now” exude something that is often difficult to find believable amid tough surroundings: innocence. The new film, he says, honors “just being a kid.”
‘Steve! (Martin)’ review: The wild and crazy (and private) guy shares his storySteve Martin is known for turning high-style goofiness into an art form, the Monitor’s film critic writes. A new documentary offers the notoriously private entertainer an opportunity to consider what it takes for a funnyman to find happiness.
First LookHe survived Hiroshima. What did he think of ‘Oppenheimer’?“Oppenheimer,” the film about the American scientist who invented the nuclear weapons that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 79 years ago, opened in Japanese theaters March 29, to mixed reactions and strong emotions.
First LookSeven Oscars for ‘Oppenheimer,’ a fittingly foreboding film for the timesChristopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” swept the Academy Awards show with seven wins, including the Oscar for best picture. The awards show was shadowed by the backdrop of wars in Gaza and Ukraine, with pro-Palestinian protests outside the Dolby Theatre.
‘The Lily Gladstone effect’: Will Native actors get boost at Oscars?If Lily Gladstone wins an Academy Award for her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” she would be the first Native woman to receive an Oscar. Before her, there was a century of work that tended to go unrecognized.
First LookHat trick: How Oppenheimer’s iconic topper made it to the screenTo fans of the film, nothing quite says “Oppenheimer” like the porkpie crown on Cillian Murphy’s head. That piece of Hollywood history came courtesy of the hat whisperer Mark Mejia, who has been working with costume designers for more than 30 years.
In a year of meaningful roles, who deserves an Oscar?These actors fully embodied their roles, from an Osage survivor to a grieving mother to ... Ken.
‘American Fiction,’ Black culture, and the nature of joyWhether it’s Blaxploitation, blackface, or navigating the arts space in a country and world not truly honest about their racial past, the duality of being funny and sad – think the iconic comedy and tragedy masks – means something different in the Black experience.
‘Dune: Part Two’: Sandworms, slick villains, and a would-be savior“Dune: Part Two” arrives almost 2 1/2 years after the first installment. With the possible exception of “Lawrence of Arabia,” our film critic writes, he’s never seen so much sand in one movie.
Lyrical, harrowing ‘Io Capitano’ offers epic immigration taleHow far would someone go to have a better life? Italy’s Oscar nominee offers an immigration story that features searing realism – and resilience.
Beauty and the feast: Savoring ‘The Taste of Things’What happens when you combine sumptuous food with a tender drama? French film “The Taste of Things” features one of the most romantic movie moments our critic has ever seen.
‘Perfect Days’ asks, what constitutes a happy life?What does it mean to live a life of meaning? Wim Wenders’ new film argues for the importance of moments.
Oscars go global: Most international best picture lineup in historyFor the first time, two international films have been nominated for best picture. And every nominee for best documentary feature is international, another first.
First LookFantasies and epics: Oscar nominations celebrate whimsy and scope“Oppenheimer” topped Oscar contenders with 13 nominations, followed by “Poor Things” with 11 nominations. Martin Scorsese’s dark Western, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” received 10 nominations, and Greta Gerwig’s near-musical “Barbie” received 8.
From ‘Wonka’ to war: The 10 best films of 2023Our critic’s Top 10 list for 2023 features contenders outside typical studio fare – ones that offer new perspectives on war and fabulous finds for foodies.
The Candy Man can: ‘Wonka’ is scrumpdiddlyumptiousThe cheery prequel “Wonka” imagines the origin story of Roald Dahl’s chocolatier while celebrating “the knockabout joys of unfettered high spirits,” our critic says.
‘The Zone of Interest’ asks us to consider the unthinkableWhat lessons lie in a Nazi officer’s effort to create an idyllic family life? “The Zone of Interest” juxtaposes the Arcadian and the hellish in what the Monitor’s critic says is the most powerful film he’s seen this year.
