Reviews
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‘Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man’ Film Review: Documentary Reveals How Bathroom Humor Can Change the World
Jack Sim might shock people, but he’s raising awareness about sanitation issues on a global scale
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‘Playing With Fire’ Film Review: John Cena Family Firefighter Comedy Fizzles Out
Even kids won’t be amused by this tiresome tale, one where even the poop jokes won’t earn an easy laugh
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‘Doctor Sleep’ Film Review: King-Crowned Horror Sequel Suffers When It’s a Kubrick Homage
Not overlooking Kubrick is well-intentioned, but the film undercuts its own compelling new story
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‘Midway’ Film Review: Impressive Visuals Go to War With Spotty Writing
Roland Emmerich is exactly the right filmmaker and the wrong one to tackle this tale of a pivotal WWII skirmish
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‘The Apollo’ Film Review: Documentary Plumbs Legendary Harlem Theater’s Rich History
Roger Ross Williams skillfully weaves together cultural and political, past and present, in this valentine to a landmark
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‘Burning Cane’ Film Review: Promising But Flawed First Film Examines the Black Church in the South
Writer-director-cinematographer Phillip Youmans bites off far more than he can chew, but he tackles tough issues
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‘Arctic Dogs’ Film Review: Unremarkable Kids’ Cartoon Offers Self-Esteem and Environmental Messaging
Young audiences will get OK animation and straightforward moralizing, while their parents enjoy a brief nap
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‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ Film Review: Linda Hamilton Is Back, and So Is the Franchise’s Mojo
After a slew of disappointing sequels (and a TV series), the killer-robot saga once again feels sharp and relevant
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‘Harriet’ Film Review: Kasi Lemmons’ Standard-Issue Harriet Tubman Biopic Wastes Big-Screen Opportunity
We’ve waited too long for a Tubman movie (and for Lemmons to return to the director’s chair) but this one disappoints
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‘The Kingmaker’ Film Review: Lauren Greenfield’s Deftly-Drawn Portrait of Imelda Marcos Is Fascinating and Terrifying
A shrewd inquisitor and a crafty interviewee face off in a fascinating look at image-management and power
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‘Queen of Hearts’ Film Review: Denmark’s Oscar Entry Explores Incest in Shallow Way
Topics of abuse and consent are also skirted over, albeit with slick cinematography, undermining the compelling lead performance
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‘Gay Chorus Deep South’ Film Review: Traveling Choirs Shake Up Southern Gentility With Direct Confrontation
Performers from San Francisco and Oakland invade the Bible Belt with the hope of changing hearts and minds with song
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‘Motherless Brooklyn’ Film Review: Edward Norton’s Gorgeous Noir Exceeds His Grasp
Exquisite ’50s period detail and relevant Big Apple politics aside, this saga sprawls beyond what the actor-writer-director can handle
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‘Jesus Is King’ Film Review: Kanye West Documentary-Promo Is Both Too Short and Too Long
It’s too brief a sample of West’s process, and it will probably only confirm what you already think of him, good or bad
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‘Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound’ Film Review: Documentary Tunes Into What You Hear at the Movies
Educational and inspirational, Midge Costin’s film traces the cinema’s rich audio history
