Movie Reviews

National

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse' exceeds sequel expectations

4:38pm June 02, 2023

by Bob Mondello

The first film in an animated "Spider-Verse" trilogy won an Oscar in 2018. The latest installment, Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse, will be a strong contender to repeat that accomplishment.

Rock 'n' roll legend Little Richard is the subject of a new PBS American Masters documentary. He's shown above rehearsing at London's Wembley Stadium in 1972.

Little Richard Documentary celebrates the talent — and mystery — of a legend

5:00am June 02, 2023

by David Bianculli

A new PBS American Masters documentary showcases the influence of Little Richard, a dynamo performer who never let himself be defined for long by any one musical category or sexual identity.

Clockwise from top left: Elemental, Flamin' Hot, Barbie, Shortcomings, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Secret Invasion.

Arts

These are the new movies and TV shows we can't wait to watch this summer

5:00am May 30, 2023

Studios raced to finish summer attractions ahead of the writers strike. So we're back with a great big, filterable guide of what to watch — and where to find it — as the days get hotter and longer.

Arts

'The Little Mermaid' reimagines cartoon Ariel and pals as part of your (real) world

2:24pm May 26, 2023

by Bob Mondello

Ariel and her pals have been given a live-action makeover in The Little Mermaid.

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Halle Bailey plays Ariel, a mermaid who wishes she could be part of the human world, in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.

Arts

Is it see-worthy? The new 'Little Mermaid' is not that bad ... but also not that good

1:55pm May 26, 2023

by Justin Chang

The live-action reboot has its charming moments, but like a lot of Disney remakes, this Little Mermaid feels like a dutiful cover rather than an inspired reimagining.

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Halle Bailey stars as Ariel in Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid — the studio's latest blatant cash-grab.

Arts

'The Little Mermaid' is the latest of Disney's poor unfortunate remakes

11:59am May 22, 2023

by Aisha Harris

Disney has a formula: Take a beloved animated property, update its sensibilities for modern audiences, recast it with a bunch of familiar faces and voices, and rehash it all in "live-action"/CGI form.

Arts

'Stay Awake' explores the fallout for brothers after their mom overdoses

6:31pm May 19, 2023

by Bob Mondello

The coming-of-age drama Stay Awake takes its title from the efforts of two teens to get their mother safely to the hospital after an accidental overdose of prescription pills.

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After her friend Clara is killed walking home, Nanie (Pauline Serieys) is questioned by a police officer (Bastien Bouillon), who has taken over the local homicide squad.

Arts

What happened 'The Night of the 12th'? A murder remains a mystery in this French film

1:32pm May 17, 2023

by John Powers

A vibrant student named Clara is walking home one night when a faceless man steps out of the darkness and sets her on fire. The award-winning film is a study in misogyny — not a simple whodunnit.

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Jay Baruchel plays Research In Motion co-CEO Mike Lazaridis in the film BlackBerry.

Arts

A new film explains how the smartphone market slipped through BlackBerry's hands

1:31pm May 12, 2023

by Justin Chang

This smartly entertaining new movie tells the story of how the BlackBerry became the hottest personal handheld device on the market — only to get crushed by the iPhone.

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World News

In 'L'Immensita,' a vibrant Penelope Cruz plays the mom of a trans boy in 1970s Italy

4:29pm May 11, 2023

by Bob Mondello

Penelope Cruz is a vibrant, if troubled, mom in L'Immensita, Emanuele Crialese's largely autobiographical portrait of an Italian family in the 1970s.