Filters:

Leaves no spy cliché unturned while offering little that’s interesting or compelling.

The problem with "The King’s Man" isn’t that it’s a bad film (it isn’t) but an unnecessary one.

Run Time: 1:52
U.S. Release Date: 2021-12-22
MPAA Rating: "PG"
Genre: Animated/Musical
Director: Garth Jennings
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Scarlett Johansson, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Bono

The triumphant ending almost makes up for an otherwise uninvolving and derivative story.

Effective as an ode to cynical realism but it’s uneven at best as a slice of drama.

Run Time: 2:37
U.S. Release Date: 2021-11-24
MPAA Rating: "R" (Sexual Content, Profanity, Violence)
Genre: Drama
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast:

Despite excellent performances and isolated moments of limited brilliance, the movie is undone by its low-energy approach and lack of zest.

The underlying idea is intriguing and observing the main character's behavior has the same appeal as watching a train wreck, but the conclusion is unsatisfying.

Because "Last Night in Soho" starts out so strongly, it makes the lackluster final act all the more discouraging.

Run Time: 1:51
U.S. Release Date: 2021-10-22
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity, Mental Illness)
Genre: Drama
Director: Will Sharpe
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones

There’s nothing here to elevate "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" out of the “generic bio-pic” basket.

Run Time: 1:52
U.S. Release Date: 2021-09-17
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Violence)
Genre: Drama
Director: Justin Chon
Cast: Justin Chon, Alicia Vikander, Mark O’Brien, Linh Dan Pham, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Sydney Kowalske

"Blue Bayou" channels plenty of anger and passion and the narrative lynchpin is compelling but Chon’s capabilities as a writer don’t match those as a director and an actor.

Run Time: 1:49
U.S. Release Date: 2021-09-10
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Nudity, Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Paul Schrader
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Willem Dafoe, Tye Sheridan, Tiffany Haddish

As a mood piece, the film works well, but as a character study, it’s flawed and as a narrative, it’s erratic.