Reviews
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‘Fantastic Beasts’ Review: JK Rowling Reveals She’s a Creature of Habit
Despite immaculate design and splashes of wonder, a touch of magic is missing in this “Harry Potter” prequel
By
Jason Solomons -
‘Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812’ Broadway Review: Josh Groban Makes Epic Debut
Director Rachel Chavkin works irreverent Bob Fosse-like magic in musical version of “War and Peace”
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‘The Death of the Last Black Man’ Theater Review: Suzan-Lori Parks’ Brilliant New Riff on Race
The playwright makes the sounds of her words as important as the meaning, giving the play the trance-like quality of a Philip Glass opera
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‘Shut In’ Review: Naomi Watts Literally Skypes It In for This Dull Thriller
This tale of a child psychologist torn between her comatose son and her troubled patient generates zero shocks
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Sam Fragoso -
‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’ Review: Ang Lee Stumbles at 50-Yard Line
Bad writing is further undone by 120 frames-per-second cinematography that turns everything into glossy magazine photos
By
Dan Callahan -
‘Arrival’ Review: Amy Adams Talks to Aliens in Cerebral Sci-Fi Story
Denis Villeneuve’s tale of humanity’s first contact with ETs wants to appeal to both the heart and the head, but it succeeds mostly above the shoulders
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‘Elle’ Review: Isabelle Huppert Is No One’s Victim in Paul Verhoeven Rape Drama
As the survivor of a sexual assault who makes unpredictable choices, Huppert plays this provocative and potentially troubling role to the hilt
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Sam Fragoso -
‘No Pay, Nudity’ Review: Gabriel Byrne Shines as a Struggling Actor
A strong ensemble (including Nathan Lane and Frances Conroy) and a loving attitude toward Broadway’s also-rans fuels this slight but sweet comedy
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James Greenberg -
‘The Love Witch’ Review: Sumptuous Horror Indie Is a Retro Blast
A sexy sorceress lures men into lethal love traps in multi-talented Anna Biller’s feminist-tinged, exquisitely designed homage to Technicolor melodrama
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Robert Abele -
‘Almost Christmas’ Review: Danny Glover and Mo’nique Serve Up Holiday Satisfaction
If you come to Christmas movies for laughs, poignancy and familial reconciliation, this all-star cast provides it in abundance
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‘Loving’ Review: Civil Rights Tale Captures Soft-Spoken Southern Humanity
Writer-director Jeff Nichols takes a low-key approach to the interracial couple whose marriage battle went to the Supreme Court
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‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Review: Mel Gibson Says War Is Hell — Except When It’s Awesome
The “Passion of the Christ” director extols pacifism with one hand while making war brutally exciting with the other
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‘Trolls’ Review: Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick Are Floppin’ to the Oldies
Shrill Kidz Bop-ish covers and an eye-assaulting color scheme make for one awful animated adventure
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‘Doctor Strange’ Review: Benedict Cumberbatch Brings a Little Magic to the Marvel Universe
Just when you’d given up on superheroes and CGI, along comes a funny, exciting, trippy movie with an interesting take on both
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‘Dog Eat Dog’ Review: Nicolas Cage, Paul Schrader Reteam for Empty Crime Drama
Cage leads a trio of baddies, including Willem Dafoe, in this coldly stylish, ineffectual pulp ride
By
Robert Abele