All Movies
Grab your popcorn and a seat. Toronto celebrates 50 years of moviegoing.At the 50th annual Toronto International Film Festival, our critic has watched more than 20 movies. His takeaway? 鈥淢ovies 鈥� good, bad, or indifferent 鈥� can be a passport to global understanding.鈥�
In 鈥楶reparation for the Next Life,鈥� a couple searches for peace in a teeming worldThe film adaptation of the award-winning novel 鈥淧reparation for the Next Life鈥� benefits from being directed by someone who shares the qualities of the book that inspired it: verisimilitude and empathy. The result is a 4.5 star film.
In moving film 鈥楢 Little Prayer,鈥� a family tests the bonds that hold us togetherCan a family facing disarray move forward? The new movie 鈥淎 Little Prayer鈥� offers insight and humor, leading to a touching closing scene that our film critic says moved him more than anything he鈥檚 seen all year.
Armed with a top-notch cast, 鈥楾he Thursday Murder Club鈥� takes its first caseThe film version of bestseller 鈥淭he Thursday Murder Club鈥� has arrived with a stellar cast and a backdrop that plays like Hogwarts for older adults. But how does all the sleuthing and skullduggery stack up to the book?
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee unite for a fifth time. Film lovers rejoice.In their new film, 鈥淗ighest 2 Lowest,鈥� Spike Lee and Denzel Washington continue a partnership that began in the 1990s and still, more than 30 years later, represents a gold standard for Black Hollywood鈥檚 past and present.
How 鈥榙ocufiction鈥� helped Kate Beecroft capture wild horses and teens on filmDirector Kate Beecroft lived with rancher Tabatha Zimiga, her daughter, and a cadre of teen cowgirls for three years. She describes documentary fiction as 鈥渁n incredibly collaborative medium.鈥�
French film 鈥楾he Musicians鈥� and its classical quartet hit the right notesThe French comedy-drama 鈥淭he Musicians鈥� brings four classical artists on a journey that crescendos with, our reviewer says, 鈥渢he unifying joy that great music-making can inspire.鈥�
Fourth time鈥檚 the charm for 鈥楾he Fantastic Four: First Steps鈥�The new 鈥淔antastic Four鈥� blends a retro sensibility with a type of optimism that is reflective of a reboot in the comic book movie industry itself.
Plenty of movies revel in violence. 鈥楽orry, Baby鈥� revels in honesty and healing.The writer-director of 鈥淪orry, Baby鈥� focuses on the restoration 鈥� rather than the victimization 鈥� of the main character after an assault. Our critic describes the film as 鈥渁 diary of personal reclamation.鈥�
Truth, justice, and the immigrant story. 鈥楽uperman鈥� is a tale for our times.When a new 鈥淪uperman鈥� movie debuts this weekend, it will embrace America鈥檚 icons 鈥� and its cultural debates. The Man of Steel, it turns out, often offers a mirror on society in the U.S.
鈥楩1: The Movie鈥� is propulsive. Brad Pitt holds the high-tech ride together.鈥淔1鈥� is different from other racing films: Its big-screen technology changes the viewer experience. But what keeps the film grounded, our reviewer says, is having a major movie star in the driver鈥檚 seat.
Not quite a rom-com, 鈥楳aterialists鈥� is messy but enthrallingCeline Song鈥檚 follow-up to 鈥淧ast Lives鈥� is another film that focuses on the nature of love. 鈥淢aterialists,鈥� our critic observes, poses the question, What kind of life do its people deserve?
A family caught in Oct. 7 Hamas attack documents its journey in 鈥楬olding Liat鈥�鈥淗olding Liat鈥� won best documentary at the Berlin film festival. Ahead of its U.S. premiere at the Tribeca Festival this week,聽the Monitor spoke with director Brandon Kramer.
One more 鈥楳ission鈥� 鈥� should you choose to accept itIs this really the end for 鈥淢ission: Impossible鈥�? Our reviewer isn鈥檛 so sure, but he says the eighth and perhaps final installment of the franchise that began in 1996 has something indispensable going for it: the fearlessness of its Hollywood star.
From Paris to Pemberley: French 鈥楯ane Austen Wrecked My Life鈥� revels in romanceThis year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen鈥檚 birth. An engaging new French film, 鈥淛ane Austen Wrecked My Life,鈥� invokes the great writer and revels in romance and humanity.
鈥楾he Friend鈥� gives Naomi Watts a terrific co-star. Yes, he鈥檚 a Great Dane.鈥淭he Friend鈥� is about animals, and humans, and grief, and understanding. The Monitor鈥檚 critic says the film, based on an award-winning book, is 鈥渇or dog lovers, and for people who love intelligent movies about dog lovers.鈥�
Wit and wonder fuel 5-star 鈥楾he Ballad of Wallis Island鈥�The Monitor鈥檚 film critic offers his highest rating to 鈥淭he Ballad of Wallis Island,鈥� which pulses with humor as it explores the landscape of nostalgia 鈥� and love.
Rebels with a robot: 鈥楻ule Breakers鈥� celebrates Afghan girls who dared to dreamA celebration of the bravery and ingenuity of the Afghan girls robotics team contrasts with the reality of Afghanistan鈥檚 women under Taliban repression.
As the Oscars near, there鈥檚 still time to see these best performancesOur film critic loves a great performance. His top acting picks for 2024 include stars who are up for Academy Awards 鈥� and those who he argues should be.
Cover Story鈥業 didn鈥檛 know I needed it.鈥� Why neighborhoods rally to save movie houses.This Oscar season, our reporter explores the quirky ecosystem of cinephiles and their efforts to save community movie theaters. Can independent cinema survive Netflix?