Drama

Jul 12
3 min

Zola ★★★

It's too early to anoint director (and co-writer) Janicza Bravo as the next Tarantino, but most of that director’s ingredients are here.

2filmcritics

Jun 26
4 min

In the Heights ★★★

Plain stories and two-dimensional characters are common to musicals; one expects the uncommon, creative mind behind “Hamilton” to go farther

2filmcritics

Jun 17
3 min

Riders of Justice ★★★1/2

"Riders” is a riff on causation, using our deep belief in the revenge trope and causation to lure us in. But comedy prevails.

2filmcritics

Jun 9
4 min

A Quiet Place Part II ★★★

With its notable withholding of blood and gore, “A Quiet Place Part II” is family fare—one might say “horror-lite.”

2filmcritics

May 27
4 min

There Is No Evil ★★★1/2

Filmed in secret and smuggled out of Iran, "There Is No Evil" is a stunning achievement, capturing an ethical conundrum and a nation's agony

2filmcritics

May 8
3 min

The Forty-Year-Old Version ★★★1/2

Most 2020 best films were downers; this is an upper. Radha is not quite Lin-Manuel Miranda and this is not “Hamilton," but close enough.

2filmcritics

Apr 21
4 min

Judas and the Black Messiah ★★★

The film resonates loudly with what is happening now at the hands of the police to black and brown men - and some poor white people.

2filmcritics

Apr 1
4 min

The Father ★★★★

As Anthony, the 84-year-old protagonist, Anthony Hopkins is at his King Lear best, and as his daughter Anne, Olivia Colman is just as good.

2filmcritics

Mar 25
4 min

Promising Young Woman ★★★1/2

Cassie (short for Cassandra) is a magnificent machine of vengeance, played to steely perfection by award-winning actress Carey Mulligan.

2filmcritics

Mar 19
3 min

News of the World ★★1/2

News of the World” has all the trappings of the on-the-road adventure genre, with hints of the Western and the buddy film.

2filmcritics

Mar 7
3 min

Nomadland ★★★

This is by any standard a peculiar film, combining as it does the fictional with the real, and featuring a self-contained protagonist.

2filmcritics

Feb 28
4 min

Minari ★★★1/2

“Minari” also interrogates the idea of faith: his faith in himself and science, her faith in Christianity (even in exorcism).

2filmcritics

Feb 22
3 min

Another Round (“Druk”) ★★★1/2

The complexity of “Another Round” and its rejection of the preachy demonization of excessive drinking make it interesting and entertaining.

2filmcritics

Feb 3
5 min

The White Tiger ★★★1/2

The story of Balram and his “masters” is complex, fascinating, and chilling, a populist tale of caste and class, resonating systemic racism.

2filmcritics

Jan 26
4 min

2 Film Critics: Top 10 Films for 2020

In spite of being deprived of theaters, it was a good year for film.

2filmcritics

Jan 22
4 min

One Night in Miami ★★1/2

...woefully little celebration takes place, an unlikely scenario given the Champ’s need for applause and the monumentality of his win.

2filmcritics

Jan 6
3 min

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ★★★

White racism is the backdrop against which all actions—including some not predictable—occur. That’s the tragedy.

2filmcritics

Dec 22, 2020
4 min

Mangrove ★★★1/2

The Mangrove 9, including reluctant Frank, go on trial at the venerable and Dickensian Old Bailey—lots of white wigs and disgraceful conduct

2filmcritics

Dec 10, 2020
4 min

Mank ★★★1/2

It's the story of one man’s struggle to preserve his identity—as a person and as a writer—in a world committed to stripping him of it.

2filmcritics

Nov 22, 2020
3 min

The True Adventures of Wolfboy ★★★

Paul, about to celebrate his 13th birthday, questions his self-worth; only his reason is unusual - he's covered with hair, like a dog.

The Truffle Hunters

Zola

In the Heights

Riders of Justice

A Quiet Place Part II

There Is No Evil

Syndrome K

The Forty-Year-Old Version

Judas and the Black Messiah

Crip Camp

The Father

Promising Young Woman

News of the World

Nomadland

Minari

Another Round ("Druk")

Some Kind of Heaven

The White Tiger

One Night in Miami

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Mangrove

Mank

You Never Had It: An Evening with Bukowski

The True Adventures of Wolfboy

The Vast of Night

Martin Eden

Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful

The Wild Goose Lake

Cuties ("Mignonnes")

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

The Assistant

Palm Springs

Sorry We Missed You

The Painted Bird

The Truth

Bacurau

Da 5 Bloods

Beanpole

Tommaso

L'Innocente ("The Innocent")

The Painter and the Thief

Bad Education

Until the Birds Return

The Two Popes

The Lighthouse

Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Midsommar

Ford v Ferrari

American Factory

First Cow

Seberg

Ordinary Love

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

The Traitor/Il Traditore

Uncut Gems

Les Misérables

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

Bombshell

1917

Knives Out

Little Women

Marriage Story

Queen & Slim

The Irishman

Cold Brook

Jojo Rabbit

Parasite

Joker

Ad Astra

Pain and Glory

First Love

Downton Abbey

Monos

The Goldfinch

Late Night

Good Boys

The Farewell

Yesterday

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

They Shall Not Grow Old

Toy Story 4

Bad Times at the El Royale

Bob Wilson's Life and
Death of Marina
Abramovic

The Sisters Brothers

Gloria Bell

Us

Won't You Be My
Neighbor

Never Look Away

Capernaum

Everybody Knows

Shoplifters

Three Identical Strangers

Minding the Gap

Cold War

The Favourite

Creed II

If Beale Street Could Talk

Roma

Can You Ever Forgive Me

Green Book

The House with a Clock in its Walls

Wildlife

The Kindergarten Teacher

Free Solo

A Star is Born

Museo

Eighth Grade

BlacKkKlansman

Sorry to Bother You

A Ciambra

The First Purge

Piazza Vittorio

Loro 1

My Cousin Rachel

Black Panther

Marshall

Call Me By Your Name

I, Tonya

Mudbound

The Darkest Hour

The Post

The Shape of Water

Indiscretion of an American Wife (Stazione Termini)

Downsizing

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

INTERVIEW with "Blade Runner" Screenwriter Hampton Fancher

Lady Bird

Rome Adventure

Last Flag Flying

Mother!

Blade Runner 2049

Logan Lucky

Wonder Woman

Dunkirk

The Beguiled

Berlin Syndrome

Facing Windows

Baby Driver

Personal Shopper

INTERVIEW with "John Wick" Screenwriter Derek Kolstad

I Am Not Your Negro

Sing

Get Out

The Salesman

Toni Erdmann

Hacksaw Ridge

Hidden Figures

Fences

Arrival

Elle

Lion

La La Land

Hell or High Water

Manchester by the Sea

Moonlight

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Doctor Strange

Florence Foster Jenkins

Demon

Mia Madre

Indignation

Captain Fantastic

Weiner

2 FILM CRITICS

Bill and Dianne's Excellent Adventure

Reviewing Films, Together

Zola ★★★

In the Heights ★★★

Riders of Justice ★★★1/2

A Quiet Place Part II ★★★

There Is No Evil ★★★1/2

The Forty-Year-Old Version ★★★1/2

Judas and the Black Messiah ★★★

The Father ★★★★

Promising Young Woman ★★★1/2

News of the World ★★1/2

Nomadland ★★★

Minari ★★★1/2

Another Round (“Druk”) ★★★1/2

The White Tiger ★★★1/2

2 Film Critics: Top 10 Films for 2020

One Night in Miami ★★1/2

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ★★★

Mangrove ★★★1/2

Mank ★★★1/2

The True Adventures of Wolfboy ★★★

4 STARS

Zola ★★★

In the Heights ★★★

Riders of Justice ★★★1/2

A Quiet Place Part II ★★★

There Is No Evil ★★★1/2

The Forty-Year-Old Version ★★★1/2

Judas and the Black Messiah ★★★

The Father ★★★★

Promising Young Woman ★★★1/2

News of the World ★★1/2

Nomadland ★★★

Minari ★★★1/2

Another Round (“Druk”) ★★★1/2

The White Tiger ★★★1/2

2 Film Critics: Top 10 Films for 2020

One Night in Miami ★★1/2

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ★★★

Mangrove ★★★1/2

Mank ★★★1/2

The True Adventures of Wolfboy ★★★

4 STARS

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