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Live, from New York, it鈥檚 the 鈥楽NL鈥� origin story 鈥楽aturday Night鈥�鈥淪aturday Night Live,鈥� which is celebrating its 50th season, launched the careers of scores of comedians. A diverting new film about the show鈥檚 premiere features frenetic creativity 鈥� and its toll.
After $1 billion and 2 Oscars, 鈥楯oker鈥� is back (with songs). Our team weighs in.鈥淛oker鈥� broke box-office records in 2019 and raised questions about violence in storytelling. Five years later, with the debut of 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux,鈥� the Monitor鈥檚 film critic and chief culture writer consider, Will it succeed?
In 鈥楾he Wild Robot,鈥� a 5-star fable for our AI age鈥淭he Wild Robot鈥� is a love story about community and intimacy. It is the quintessential fable. The wilderness might be harsh, but we don鈥檛 have to be.
First LookMaggie Smith, grande dame of British actors, remembered for her wit and intellectMaggie Smith, who died on Sept. 27, was world-renowned for bringing to life characters in 鈥淒ownton Abbey鈥� and the Harry Potter films. With a shelf full of awards, she was a monolith of British acting in a generation that includes Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench.
Francis Ford Coppola spent $125 million on 鈥楳egalopolis.鈥� How is it?鈥淕odfather鈥� director Francis Ford Coppola waited 40 years to make his passion project. After seeing it, the Monitor鈥檚 film critic wonders, 鈥淲hat in tarnation has he wrought?鈥�
One week, 20 movies, and Springsteen: Our critic鈥檚 picks from TorontoAt the Toronto International Film Festival, our critic detected an overarching mood that coming together is better than breaking apart. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 right in believing that filmmakers these days are looking more to unite audiences than divide them,鈥� he writes, 鈥渨ho is a greater uniter than The Boss?鈥�
How James Earl Jones鈥� iconic voice became our voice of conscienceJames Earl Jones鈥� legacy as a voice of reason is a reminder of what we might overcome when we face our trauma and find our purpose. His voice was a well of dignity, a reservoir of resonance that echoes not only from his career, but in all of us who heard him.
Commentary鈥�1992鈥� says something important about race in America 鈥� and Tyrese GibsonThe new film 鈥�1992鈥� is a reminder of America鈥檚 cycles of racism and rebellion. Actor Tyrese Gibson stands out as a portrait of hope.
Burton and Keaton resurrect the fun in 鈥楤eetlejuice Beetlejuice鈥�Tim Burton and Michael Keaton are clearly having a good time in this sequel to the 1980s cult classic 鈥� and fans of the original will, too. Just watch out for those plot holes.
First LookNo need to stream classics. Old movies are dominating at the box office.Theaters have cracked the code on getting visitors back into their reclining seats: re-released movies. In the past two weeks, the cherished stop-motion Laika Studios film 鈥淐oraline鈥� first released in 2009 has grossed more than $25 million.聽
Indigenous children were abused in Canada. A film seeks answers.鈥淪ugarcane鈥� casts a woeful, compassionate eye on the sordid history of compulsory education of Indigenous Canadian children, the Monitor鈥檚 film critic writes.聽In this powerful documentary, the survivors of atrocities want to move beyond their rage.
鈥楽ing Sing鈥�: How one prison performance changed lives鈥淪ing Sing,鈥� which is already generating Oscar buzz, shows the power of the arts to change lives. Its director wanted to film in a way that would give formerly incarcerated men ownership of their own story.
Families in a rural Texas town adopted 77 children. This couple led the way.What compels people to help others, even in the face of challenges? A new film explores how the families in one town, led by a pair of church leaders, found a way to offer dozens of foster children homes.
How director Lagueria Davis brought out the joy and the legacy of Black BarbieWhat did the first Black Barbie mean to a generation of children? A director who says she 鈥渉ated鈥� dolls draws joy and inspiration from an icon.
CommentaryAs the Civil Rights Act turns 60, a call to recommit to what it stands forThe landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which turns 60 on Tuesday, represents a lineage of legislation that protects against discrimination. Whether that legacy endures depends on us, our columnist writes.
With powerful 鈥楪reen Border,鈥� a filmmaker searches for humanity in immigration stories鈥淕reen Border鈥� is one filmmaker鈥檚 response to the treatment of immigrants in Eastern Europe. It is ultimately about moral choices, says the Monitor鈥檚 critic. And the film itself is a moral act.聽
鈥業nside Out 2鈥� offers all the feels 鈥� and a great time at the movies鈥淚nside Out 2,鈥� the first box-office smash of 2024, offers a welcome return to form for Pixar.
鈥楻obot Dreams鈥� review: This animated delight explores friendship and lossWhen an animated film is invested with the full range of feeling, the result is 鈥淩obot Dreams.鈥� The movie is a tribute to the beauty and frailty of friendship, our critic writes.聽
鈥榃e Grown Now鈥� review: Amid gritty Chicago reality, two friends embrace childhoodFor the Monitor鈥檚 reviewer, the young boys in 鈥淲e Grown Now鈥� exude something that is often difficult to find believable amid tough surroundings: innocence.聽The new film, he says, honors 鈥渏ust being a kid.鈥�
鈥楽teve! (Martin)鈥� review: The wild and crazy (and private) guy shares his storySteve Martin is known for turning high-style goofiness into an art form, the Monitor鈥檚 film critic writes. A new documentary offers the notoriously private entertainer an opportunity to consider what it takes for a funnyman to find happiness.