In many ways, “The Killer” is exactly what you’d expect from a David Fincher movie centered on a hired assassin: a detail-rich procedural about what a hitman is forced to do as his calculated world implodes. And by telling this story of a deadly perfectionist who repeats phrases like “Forbid Empathy” to keep himself centered,…

Just as we did with Christopher Nolan this summer, we thought we’d use the release of a new film by Martin Scorsese (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) to look back on the many times that Roger Ebert wrote about the work of this undeniable master filmmaker. Of course, Roger and Martin’s relationship is well-documented, and…

Award-winning multi-hyphenate filmmaker Justin Simien is known for his innovative storytelling and unique cinematic style. He has been a champion for change in Hollywood in front of and behind the camera since his 2014 directorial debut, “Dear White People.” Following the success of that film, the Texas native went on to write, direct, and produce the…

On hearing the shocking news on October 14 that Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui and his wife had been stabbed to death in their home outside Tehran, my mind reeled back to a succession of memories of the master and his work. Among the many things I’ve written about him, I recalled a piece that previewed…

John Allen Chau, the protagonist of “The Mission,” grew up with a different set of pop culture fixations than most young men of his era. Where most American boys born in the 1990s were into video games, anime, and superhero movies, Chau was obsessed with 19th and early 20th-century tales of exploration and wilderness suspense: The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe,…

“What do you want?!” Slated has revealed an official trailer for an indie horror film called Ghosts of the Void, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Jason Miller. After playing at fests this year, it is set to debut in November on VOD and in limited theaters in October. Spending the night in her…

This week, the Museum of Modern Art in New York will unveil “Iranian Cinema Before the Revolution 1925-1979,” an extraordinarily ambitious, long-in-the-works event that will include close to 70 features and shorts, many never seen before in New York and most presented in new restorations. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonFor New…

The Lincoln Presidential Foundation’s first-ever multimedia project, the documentary film series, “Warning Signs: Lincoln’s Response to Rising Tensions in the 1850’s,” has won a prestigious Regional Emmy in the Informational Content category from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Mid-America chapter. The “Warning Signs” film series, which is free to view online, comprises four seven-minute films featuring a diverse group…

“I know my sister’s somewhere in the world… Someday, we’re gonna meet again.” WB has unveiled the fabulous second official trailer for The Color Purple, a new adaptation of the beloved, triumphant musical of the same name. Back in 1985, Steven Spielberg directed a non-musical version of this story (also called The Color Purple) which…

Brie Larson is supremely likable, a trait that has served her well in varied productions from “Captain Marvel” to “Room” and now Apple TV+’s new series “Lessons in Chemistry,” which is based on the popular Bonnie Garmus novel of the same name.  Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonLarson plays Elizabeth Zott, a sometimes…

The first thing you’ll notice about Paramount+’s reboot of “Frasier”—it’s more of a revival, really—is the sight of iconic ‘90s sitcom character Frasier Crane puttering around in a blazer, jeans, and sneakers. It’s a jarring sight, especially for those of us who grew up watching the snooty Seattleite’s penchant for well-tailored suits and baroque aesthetic…

“This could be our chance at a better life…” Well Go USA has revealed an official trailer for an indie thriller titled Your Lucky Day, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Dan Brown (not the author). This just premiered at Fantastic Fest a few weeks ago, and it’s opening in November. After a dispute…

“Cat Person” shows the dangers of getting involved with a man whose idea of romance is Han Solo kissing Princess Leia in the asteroid belt. But how are you supposed to recognize such a teeny-tiny red flag? Margot (Emilia Jones) is a 20-year-old college student with a part-time job working the concession stand at a…

The great William Friedkin’s final credit will be on this weekend’s excellent adaptation of “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” a Showtime/Paramount+ film that might at first seem slight for the man who gave the world “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection,” but this is a deceptively brilliant piece of work, a reminder of the refined, undeniable…

In her debut narrative film, the workplace horror “The Assistant,” writer/director Kitty Green took the most ordinary setting and made it a tense, nauseating psychological thriller. Pairing again with Julia Garner, her follow-up “The Royal Hotel,” co-written with Oscar Redding, plays like a Gen Z twist on the Australian classic “Wake in Fright.” Read moreA Guide…

Readers of this site may be more familiar with the Michael Fassbender film version of “Assassin’s Creed”—one of the worst video game adaptations of all time—than the franchise it so pitifully adapted. It’s arguably the least representative film adaptation of the franchise’s potential on which it’s based in that “AC” is a series of limitless…

“Okay, it’s showtime!” Netflix has dropped the full trailer for the French heist comedy called Wingwomen, the latest feature film directed by actress Mélanie Laurent (following up her films The Mad Women’s Ball and Galveston previously). The film’s original French title is just Voleuses, which translates to Thieves, but apparently this doesn’t work as well…

Following a debut season that eventually found a loyal following of young, queer fans, Max’s sleeper dramedy “Our Flag Means Death” returns this week for more star-crossed pirate romance and distinctly Kiwi humor. Irreverent and charming, the second season of “Our Flag Means Death” delivers another dose of the offbeat humor that made the first…

“The truth is much scarier.” “What is the truth…?” Netflix has revealed a first look teaser trailer for a film called Leave the World Behind, another mysterious thriller about our apocalyptic future. This sounds and looks a lot like the M. Night Shyamalan film Knock at the Cabin from earlier this year, with a few…

Though global climate change has sucked some of the fun out of autumn by messing with its timeline, I’m still getting ready to ring in the spookiest season with this new fall cult classic, a great and underappreciated zombie comedy from the great Jim Jarmusch.  Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonAs is thematically appropriate,…

“Nowhere,” the latest international Netflix thriller, takes a bit too long to find itself, and struggles with tone, but a committed performance by Anna Castillo keeps it from drifting off to the horizon. After a clunky prologue that chooses to place this refugee crisis in a dystopian future where women and children are being caged…