Critic’s Pick
Hard questions for Cillian Murphy.
‘Small Things Like These’
After witnessing a young woman mistreated at a local convent turned Magdalene Laundry, Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy) reflects on his past and struggles to take action in this Irish drama directed by Tim Mielants.
From our review:
The tack that “Small Things Like These” takes is less about the scale of the tragedy and more about a question that always arises when we consider this kind of cruelty. How could it happen? And why did it continue for so long? … The message is clear: Abuse and violations of others’ rights only happen because the abusers make it extraordinarily difficult, and socially ill-advised, to expose their wrongdoing.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Hugh Grant has some devilish fun.
‘Heretic’
Two Mormon missionaries knock on the door of a wily, grinning killer, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), in this horror thriller written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
From our review:
At first, the three characters largely engage in some lightly amusing if torturous theological wrangling, a focus that nicely builds suspense as Mr. Reed becomes progressively more insistent, pushy and exceedingly nasty. Grant is clearly having a lot of fun in “Heretic,” and it’s enjoyable watching him go hard here with cold, predatory eyes and a smile that turns from uneasily friendly to straight-up fiendish.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Caught between chaos and quiet.
‘Bird’
Written and directed by Andrea Arnold, this coming-of-age drama follows Bailey (Nykiya Adams), who grows annoyed with her chaotic father, Bug (Barry Keoghan), and finds solace in a strange, quiet man, Bird (Franz Rogowski).
From our review:
There’s a wealth of lovely performances in “Bird,” including by Adams, who holds the film together by slowly taking on tenderness as it progresses. But the two poles of the movie are Rogowski and Keoghan, who radiate precisely opposite energies. Where Rogowski is delicate, hopping and perching like a ballet dancer, Keoghan moves like a particularly athletic bear cub, though he dances in a few scenes with both comedy and grace.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
A cozy fireplace of a movie.
‘Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point’
In a quaint Long Island home, a large family gathers for Christmas in this jam-packed ensemble comedy directed by Tyler Taormina.
From our review:
The details (a player piano, cherry affogatos for dessert) are quirky enough to feel remembered, and Paris Peterson’s production design makes the home look lived in. … “Miller’s Point” is a Christmas movie more invested in atmosphere, and the qualities of wintry light, than in holiday cheer — and that somehow makes it all the more warm.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A loud knockoff of ‘A Quiet Place.’
‘Elevation’
Threatened by monsters that conveniently won’t travel above 8,000 feet, a single father (Anthony Mackie) braves combat to get medicine for his son.
From our review:
Directed by George Nolfi (“The Adjustment Bureau”), “Elevation” is distinctive not for its innovations in form or narrative — it’s got nothing new to offer — but for the anxieties and attitudes it telegraphs. “How do we take our place back?” Katie asks one evening, uncomfortably employing supremacist language. Nina’s reply: “If you study something long enough, you can figure out how to kill it.”
In theaters. Read the full review.
This ghost story lacks spirit.
‘Pedro Páramo’
Adapted from Juan Rulfo’s novel, this somber drama directed by Rodrigo Prieto follows Juan Preciado (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) as he travels to find the title character and encounters a town full of restless ghosts.
From our review:
Where this rich, metaphysical text might have come alive in dreamlike abstraction, Prieto and his screenwriter, Mateo Gil, instead content themselves with a prestige western on terra firma — grave, good-looking and uninspiring. … A picture may be worth a thousand words, but at over two hours, this visual adaptation of Rulfo’s only novel rambles without much to say.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
A lump of coal.
‘Meet Me Next Christmas’
When Layla (Christina Milian) meets the right guy at the wrong time, the two agree to connect one year later at a Pentatonix Christmas concert. Then she starts to fall for the concierge (Devale Ellis) helping her in this perplexing rom-com directed by Rusty Cundieff.
From our review:
Their adventures play out with little charm, and the writing is often baffling, including the nonstop references to Pentatonix, who are also awkwardly featured in scenes throughout. (One can practically see their agent negotiating the contractual clauses onscreen.) In recent years Netflix has become a factory for B-rate Christmas movies, with the occasional cheap comfort to be found in its manufactured holiday romances. This bizarre concoction, not so much.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Aliens or alienation?
‘Meanwhile on Earth’
After her brother disappears during a space mission, Elsa (Megan Northam) begins hearing messages from extraterrestrials that claim they can bring him back in this sci-fi drama written and directed by Jérémy Clapin.
From our review:
Small and strange, “Meanwhile on Earth” seduces with its soft, barren beauty (the chilled cinematography is by Robrecht Heyvaert) and Dan Levy’s surreal score. Wobbling uncertainly between the inside of Elsa’s head and Earth’s outer limits, the movie demurs. Are we experiencing Elsa’s breakdown, or an alien invasion? Even the director appears unsure.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A veteran actor, a familiar plight.
‘The Last Rifleman’
Pierce Brosnan stars as a World War II veteran who sneaks out of his retirement home to attend the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
From our review:
The story is lifted from the true adventures of an octogenarian British soldier in 2014, a caper also captured in the 2023 film “The Great Escaper” starring Michael Caine. This take by the director Terry Loane and the screenwriter Kevin Fitzpatrick is equal parts tenderhearted and heavy-handed. … Corny, yes. But charming, too.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Inspirational and even a little witty.
‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’
Grace (Judy Greer) is tricked into directing the misbehaving Herdman siblings (led by Beatrice Schneider), in a local Christmas pageant in this faith-filled tale from Dallas Jenkins.
From our review:
The movie manages to provide moments of witty dialogue while moving forward with its spiritual duties. “We were paralyzed with shock,” one church parent observes of encountering the Herdmans. “But you spoke,” Grace counters. “It came in waves,” the parent replies. The acting is fine all around, with Schneider making a particularly strong — and yes, moving — showing.
In theaters. Read the full review.
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