‘Emancipation’ Review: Will Smith Slavery Saga Challenges Audiences With Grueling Cruelty

The script focuses on the physical and spiritual brutality endured by Smith’s real-life character without addressing the man’s actual humanity If there’s anything unexpected about the depiction of slavery in director Antoine Fuqua’s “Emancipation,” it’s the unflinchingly grim imagery that populates its frames. The intent seems to derive from the photographs of the real-life subject… Read More ‘Emancipation’ Review: Will Smith Slavery Saga Challenges Audiences With Grueling Cruelty

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review: A sumptuous elegy for a king

Where can a superhero story that has lost its superhero go? Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (in theaters Friday) ultimately finds a new path forward, though director Ryan Coogler‘s grand, somber requiem makes it clear in nearly every scene that the late Chadwick Boseman is irreplaceable, both on and off screen.  This is a movie very much in mourning… Read More Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review: A sumptuous elegy for a king

‘Nope’ Proves Keke Palmer Deserves Every Lead Role Hollywood Has to Offer—and an Oscar

Jordan Peele’s Nope is everything movie fans have come to expect from him.  The director’s third feature film is over the top, odd in the best ways, terrifying, smart, original, and captivating, as well as perfectly cast. The film also follows the trend of Peele’s mysterious films continuously summoning audiences to theaters in an era… Read More ‘Nope’ Proves Keke Palmer Deserves Every Lead Role Hollywood Has to Offer—and an Oscar

Magary: Daniel Kaluuya proves he’s the world’s best actor in HBO’s ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’

“Judas and the Black Messiah” opened on HBO Max last weekend and I’m not gonna bother with a formal review of the film because you can find those anywhere, and because “Judas” is already on its way to amassing a stockpile of award show trophies that a dragon could comfortably rest upon. Most of those… Read More Magary: Daniel Kaluuya proves he’s the world’s best actor in HBO’s ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’

How Hustlers Danced Away With America’s Heart—And Box Office

Perhaps the greatest thing about Hustlers is the number of ways it finds to surprise. Yes, Lorene Scafaria’s movie about a pack of scamming strippers led by Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu hits all the expected beats: a pole dance from J. Lo here, a sensuous shower of dollar bills there. But its greatest delights… Read More How Hustlers Danced Away With America’s Heart—And Box Office

Hustlers’ Trailer: Cardi B Helps J. Lo and Constance Wu Get Revenge

“These Wall Street guys, you see what they did to this country? They stole from everybody. Hard-working people lost everything.” And that’s not all. “The game is rigged, and it does not reward people who play by the rules.” No, that’s not an excerpt from Bernie Sanders’s latest stump speech. Rather, it’s spoken by Jennifer… Read More Hustlers’ Trailer: Cardi B Helps J. Lo and Constance Wu Get Revenge

25th Annual SAG Award Nominees

MOTION PICTURE Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture “A Star Is Born” “Black Panther” “BlacKkKlansman” “Bohemian Rhapsody” “Crazy Rich Asians” Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Emily Blunt, “Mary Poppins Returns” Glenn Close, “The Wife” Olivia Colman, “The Favourite” Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born” Melissa McCarthy, “Can… Read More 25th Annual SAG Award Nominees