Joshua Rothkopf

No film genre is more polarising than the musical. Even if you love both music and movies, combining the two into a storytelling device can drive certain cinephiles insane. Why would you sing dialogue rather than speak it? Why the hell are all the extras suddenly dancing? One person’s heart-swelling song-and-dance number is another’s nails on a chalkboard. But the truth is, lavish musical performances have been an integral part of movie culture ever since the first major talkie, 1927’s The Jazz Singer. So if you’re going to consider yourself a true film fan, learning to love the musical is a crucial part of your education. Here are 40 great places to start. Recommended: 🔥 The 100 best movies of all-time✍️ The 100 best animated films of all-time🎶 The 30 best film-to-musical adaptations

Movies entered the 21st century riding a high. It’s been argued – notably in Brian Raferty’s book ‘Best. Movie. Year. Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen’ – that 1999 was, well, the best year for mainstream movies ever. And by and large, the films of the new millennium have kept that same energy. Sure, the combination of internet piracy, the rise of television, the pandemic and ongoing corporate consolidation may have pushed movies out from the centre of the cultural conversation. But in terms of cinematic innovation, it’s hard to think of a more progressive two-decade span. Genres have become mixed, matched and broken down to create brand new forms of movie language, and more diverse stories are being told than ever before. Blockbusters have reached Godzilla-levels of hugeness, while small, strange indies have reached mass audiences that were once considered unattainable. If cinema in the 21st century has been defined by tumult, it’s also proven the ability of filmmakers to rise to the moment. These 100 movies represent the best of the quarter century so far.  Written by David Fear, Joshua Rothkopf, Keith Uhlich, Stephen Garrett, Andrew Grant, Aaron Hillis, Tom Huddleston, Alim Kheraj, Tomris Laffly, Kevin B. Lee, Karina Longworth, Maitland McDonagh, Troy Patterson, Nicolas Rapold, Lisa Rosman, Nick Schager, Phil de Semlyen, Matthew Singer, Anna Smith, S. James Snyder.  RECOMMENDED: 🔥 The 100 best movies of all time🌏 The 50 best foreign films of all time🤘 The 40 best cu

Um homem sábio e violento perguntou certa vez: "Gostas de filmes assustadores?". A pergunta certa, porém, é: quem não gosta de filmes assustadores? Não existe emoção mais poderosa do que o medo. E podemos experimentá-lo de forma controlada, através do entretenimento. Claro, todos temos os nossos limites: nem todos estão preparados para ver um palhaço demoníaco a serrar uma mulher ao meio (embora os lucros de bilheteira sugiram que há um número surpreendente de pessoas que está). Mas até os mais medrosos gostam de um pequeno susto de vez em quando. O género de terror está a viver um grande momento de renascimento, tanto junto dos espectadores como da crítica. Em 2024, alguns dos maiores e mais comentados filmes do ano (I Saw the TV Glow, O Coleccionador de Almas, A Substância e o sucesso de bilheteira Terrifier 3 – Aterrorizante) pertencem ao género. Mas o terror tem uma longa história, que remonta ao início do cinema. Quer ter os nervos à flor da pele? Com estes 100 clássicos, é provável que o encontrem escondido atrás do sofá quando os créditos finais estiverem a rolar. Textos de Tom Huddleston, Cath Clarke, Dave Calhoun, Nigel Floyd, Phil de Semlyen, David Ehrlich, Joshua Rothkopf, Nigel Floyd, Andy Kryza, Alim Kheraj e Matthew Singer. Recomendado: As escolhas dos peritos

Thanksgiving gets no respect. As soon as Halloween ends, the skeleton window decals go back into storage, the decorative gourds get tossed in the trash, and out come the stockings and candy canes, as Mariah Carey begins warming up her vocal chords. How rude! There’s a whole other holiday in between October 31 and December 25, one based entirely on overeating, watching football and yelling at your relatives. What could possibly be more American? And yet, we often skip right over it. So it is with the movies. Horror flicks get an entire month, while cheesy Hallmark-style Christmas movies are their own cottage industry. Meanwhile, you have to strain to think of many good films set on Thanksgiving, let alone find more than a handful that don’t regard the holiday as a painful obligation. But great Turkey Day movies do exist – even if a lot of them indeed focus on the arguing and dysfunction that goes along with gathering with extended family.  What makes a great Thanksgiving movie? As noted, Thanksgiving is predominantly a holiday about family togetherness – and the difficulties of being together as a family. Most great Thanksgiving movies reflect that dynamic, in one way or another. Tensions frequently boil over, grievances are aired, and sometimes, a turkey goes flying out a window. But it’s also important not to wallow in anxiety, no matter how relatable it might be. In fact, many of the best Thanksgiving movies qualify as dark comedies rather than painful trauma-dumps. Also, d

Could you use a laugh? Geez, couldn’t we all right now? If you’re in a need of a break from [gestures broadly], nothing provides a better temporary escape than a good comedy movie. Netflix is loaded with them – or, at least, movies that qualify as ‘comedies’. But meeting the basic criteria of the genre doesn’t guarantee the movie is actually funny, of course, and the platform is full of supposed laughers that might just put you in a worse mood. Let us help. We’ve sorted through Netflix’s comedy offerings and come up with the 14 best films certain to get you giggling, chuckling, maybe even guffawing – or just grinning knowingly. In any case, they’re likely to get your mind off everything else happening these days, for however long they last.   Recommended: 🎥 The 35 best movies on Netflix right now🤗 The best feelgood movies on Netflix👽 The best sci-fi shows streaming on Netflix💻 The best Netflix original series of all time

Not every horror movie is meant to be watched at Halloween. That might seem counterintuitive, but let us explain. Yes, the holiday is all about confronting whatever fears haunt us in order to be a little less afraid of them. But there’s a sizable difference between ‘fun scary’ and ‘disturbing scary’. A movie like, say, Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now? An excellent film, but not exactly fun. But Creepshow? The Omen? Get Out? All scary, but all fun, too. So let’s celebrate the subset of the horror genre that is most appropriate for this season of spookiness. Here are the best Halloween movies to watch this year, from cult classics to video nasties to modern masterpieces of the macabre. Recommended: 😱 The 100 best horror movies of all-time🩸 The 15 scariest horror movies based on true stories🔪 The 31 best serial killer movies👹 The 50 best monster movies ever made🧟 The best zombie movies of all-time

Even for someone who’s been mainlining movies since they were in diapers – and one of those film geeks who wants to know what the thousandth and second film they need to watch before they die is – I’m constantly awed by the cinematic canon. From the early silents of Keaton, Chaplin, Wiene and Eisenstein, which established the building blocks for the horror, comedy and action movies we still flock to see today, not to mention their editing and storytelling techniques, to the epic visions of contemporary auteurs like Christopher Nolan, film is an artform that continues to evolve and astonish. The medium has survived the advent of telly, the arrival of streaming and the filmography of Pauly Shore, and I’m optimistic it will continue to blow us away for decades to come. So what are those definitive masterpieces that continue to dazzle and delight many years after they first came out? Our team of experienced film writers debated, squabbled like kids and finally parsed down thousands of choices into a list of a mere hundred. It’s totally subjective, of course, but we believe this century of classics belongs in the pantheon. And even if you disagree with the picks, my hope is that every one of them will spark joy – whether for new viewers or anyone looking to revisit them. Possibly for the umpteenth time in the case of The Godfather, Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark and a few others. Have a browse and share your thoughts with us on social media.  🔥 The best films of 2024 (so f

A wise, violent man once asked: ‘Do you like scary movies?’ The better question, though, is who doesn’t like scary movies? Is there any feeling more exhilarating than a jolt of fright, especially if it’s in the form of entertainment? Sure, we all have our limits: not everyone is up for watching a demonic clown saw a woman in half. (Although the box office returns suggest a surprising number of people are.) But even the most squeamish scaredy cats enjoy a light bump in the night every now and then, especially when October rolls around. Horror is the midst of a major renaissance moment, commercially and critically. In 2024, some of the biggest, buzziest movies of the year – I Saw the TV Glow, Longlegs, The Substance and the aforementioned box-office shocker Terrifier 3 – belong to the genre. But horror has a long history, dating back to the earliest days of cinema. Looking to have your nerves rattled? These 100 classics are guaranteed to have you hiding behind your couch by the time the credits roll. Written by Tom Huddleston, Cath Clarke, Dave Calhoun, Nigel Floyd, Phil de Semlyen, David Ehrlich, Joshua Rothkopf, Nigel Floyd, Andy Kryza, Alim Kheraj and Matthew Singer Recommended: 🔪 The best new horror movies of 2024 (so far)🔥 The 100 best movies of all time👹 Cinema’s creepiest anthology horror movies🩸 The 15 scariest horror movies based on true stories

Damn it feels good to be a gangster. Or at least, that’s what the movies tell us. In reality, it seems like a bum gig. Always looking over your shoulder, unsure of who you can trust. Do you even have time to enjoy all that ill-gotten money you’re making? On screen, though, the gangster life has a certain glamour, even if it depicts many of those same drawbacks. Living outside the law? Having money, power, respect? Sounds pretty fun, at least to experience vicariously for two hours at a time. And so, here is our tribute to cinema’s gangsters, in all their many forms, from hard-boiled mobsters to yakuza enforcers to street-level bosses ruling over city blocks. Gangster movies are themselves diverse: some are loud and violent, others smooth and calm. Some are horrific, others romantic or funny or just plain weird. So let’s crack open the bank vault and look around – because in these films, crime does pay. Recommended: 😬 The 100 best thriller movies of all-time💣 The 101 best action movies ever made🔪 The 31 best serial killer movies🕵️ 40 murder mysteries to test your sleuthing skills to the max

Everything got bigger in the 1980s, from the hair to the music, and certainly the movies. It’s looked at as an era of unbridled excess, and while that’s definitely true, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, particularly when considering the cinema of the time. Budgets ballooned, and even the most mainstream blockbusters felt louder, raunchier and more violent. But it’s also the decade when films assumed a more central role in popular culture than ever before. And while the conventional wisdom assumes that the culture of the ‘80s was plastic, artificial and overblown, it was a truly incredible time to be a film fan. It’s when directors like Martin Scorsese and David Lynch came into their own, and when visionaries like James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow and Spike Lee truly arrived. The indie revolution that would explode in the ’90s began in earnest, while foreign cinema found its way to a broader global audience. If you weren’t around to experience it in real time, at least you can peruse our list of the greatest movies of the 1980s, and imagine what it must’ve been like. And then maybe one day you’ll find a tricked-out DeLorean and get it to see it for yourself. Written by Joshua Rothkopf, Tom Huddleston, Dave Calhoun, Andy Kryza, Cath Clarke, Matthew Singer & Phil de Semlyen Recommended: 🔥 The 100 best movies of all-time🎘  The 50 best songs from ‘80s movies💣 The 101 best action movies of all-time💀 The 100 best horror movies of all-time

Cada uno tiene sus preferencias, así que cualquier debate sobre cuáles son los mejores largometrajes de todos los tiempos se puede alargar horas y horas. ¿Puede haber algún listado que los agrupe todos? Es difícil, pero hemos intentado incorporar desde las revoluciones cinematográficas más clásicas hasta las más modernas, grandes estrenos, todos los géneros, países, épocas... cine para todos los gustos, haciendo equilibrios entre la racionalidad y el sentimentalismo. El reto ha sido enormemente complicado, pero no nos hemos podido resistir a elaborar una buena lista, nuestra lista, de las películas que hay que ver, al menos, una vez en la vida. Decidnos hasta qué punto nos hemos equivocado. ¡Y, ah, prohibido repetir directores! RECOMENDADO: Las 50 mejores películas para ver en familia. 

Everyone is a documentarian these days, in the sense that we all have cameras in our pockets and the means to easily disseminate footage to the public. And it’s also true that, with the demand for streaming content, documentary filmmaking has never been bigger or more in-demand. But the best documentaries don’t just show you real life – they explain it. They put reality into context, and sometimes even reshape it. They teach us about the world we live in and the people that surround us. At their very best, they make us rethink our ideas of ourselves.  Yes, there are a lot of documentaries out there these days. But making a truly great documentary film requires much more skill and thought than simply stringing together a bunch of talking heads and archival clips. These 66 docs represent the pinnacle of the form, and they range from fly-on-the-wall depictions of the celebrity machine at work to accounts of history’s gravest tragedies to David Byrne dancing in an oversized suit.  Written by Joshua Rothkopf, Cath Clarke, Tom Huddleston, David Fear, Dave Calhoun, Phil de Semlyen, Andy Kryza, David Ehrlich and Matthew Singer Recommended: ✅ The 20 best movies based on true stories🎸 The 19 best musical documentaries to rock out to🤘 10 unforgettable concert films to watch from home🔥 The 100 best movies of all-time

En una muntanya, un esquadró paramilitar d’adolescents s’entrena per a una guerra sense nom. Juguen a futbol amb els ulls tapats i manipulen fusells carregats. Enfangats, prometen fidelitat a una organització abstracta i obeeixen les seves ordres a través d’un líder canviant. Monos t’atrapa tot i tenir una trama inexistent. Entre la música atmosfèrica de Mica Levi, alguna cosa pren sentit, un pensament, un malson. És aquest el nostre futur? Ja hem vist soldats infantils abans a la gran pantalla, però 'Monos' no moralitza. Alguns dels personatges intenten escapar-se, però 'Monos' no va d’això. S’infiltra dins teu per crear una ansietat profunda que serà difícil de treure’s del damunt. Ha arribat l’hora d’allistar-se.

Después de ver el thriller legal 'Aguas oscuras' te costará recordarla. Querrás coger a alguna 'killer line' de este film donde Mark Ruffalo interpreta al abogado Rob Bilott, que se enfrentó al gigante químico contaminador DuPont. No llegará, pero te dará que pensar: ¿quién ha dirigido 'Aguas oscuras', conduciendo el guion hacia gastadas discusiones de oficina y disputas matrimoniales de cliché? ¿Ha sido Todd Haynes, el indie radical tras Velvet Goldmine, 'Lejos del cielo' y 'Carol'? La última revelación hace más daño, porque 'Aguas oscuras' parece una versión más estúpida y literal de un concepto que Haynes ya exploró de forma brillante en 1995 en 'Safe'. Ruffalo, buscando un matiz de consternación gruesa que acabará agravando, aprende sobre vacas con tumores. Su esposa, Sarah (Anne Hathaway, desaprovechada), fue abogada: ¿explotará como una especie de fusión del cine de Douglas Sirk? No. Todos odiamos la destrucción ambiental; es valioso tener películas al respecto y esta funciona bastante bien, pero dejamos que las hagan cineastas con menos talento.

Després de veure el thriller legal 'Aguas oscuras' et costarà recordar-la. Voldràs agafar-te a alguna 'killer line' d’aquest film on Mark Ruffalo interpreta l’advocat Rob Bilott, que es va enfrontar al gegant químic contaminador DuPont. No arribarà, però barrinaràs: qui ha dirigit Aguas oscuras, conduint el guió cap a gastades discussions d’oficina i disputes matrimonials de clixé? Ha estat Todd Haynes, l’indie radical rere Velvet Goldmine, Lluny del cel i Carol? L’última revelació fa més mal, perquè Aguas oscuras sembla una versió més estúpida i literal d’un concepte que Haynes ja va explorar de forma brillant el 1995 a Safe. Ruffalo, buscant un matís de consternació gruixuda que s’acabarà agreujant (on és el tipus de Spotlight?), aprèn sobre vaques amb tumors. La seva esposa, Sarah (Anne Hathaway, desaprofitada), va ser advocada: explotarà com una mena de fusió Douglas Sirkiana? No. Tots odiem la destrucció ambiental; és valuós tenir pel·lícules al respecte i aquesta funciona prou bé, però deixem que les facin cineastes amb menys talent.

From ‘True Romance’ to ‘Badlands’, criminal lovers on the run have found safe haven on movie screens. Now Melina Matsoukas – a visually gifted filmmaker best known for Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ video – adds to the canon with this atmospheric, impressively serious debut drama. Playing characters that are unnamed throughout the movie, Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya find themselves pulled over, post-first date, by a virulently racist cop. One struggle over a gun later and they’re on the lam, uncertain of what to do. Investing their roles with thoughtfulness, both leads do fine work, even when the situation pushes them toward bad decisions or stereotypes (in one inspired costume choice, the outlaws don trashy clothes provided by a relative – a track suit and a miniskirt). A socially angry film, ‘Queen & Slim’ strikes intentional resonances with the 2014 racial unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere, making no apology for its antiheroes’ behaviour. It’s an invigorating stance. But for every ‘Thelma & Louise’-like magic-hour drive into the sunset (and there are several too many), you wish the movie also had the sophistication to nick from that classic script’s complex sense of injustice – one that had room for a subplot involving a sympathetic lawman. Believe in Matsoukas, though: she’s the real deal.

Fred Rogers captivated generations of America’s kids with his TV show ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’. He didn’t sugar-coat things, coaxing his young viewers through even the tough stuff like Vietnam and civil rights. Imagine Andi Peters presenting ‘Newsnight’ using animal puppets as props, and you’ll get the idea. Unfortunately, ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ can’t quite match up the easy charms of the cheap-and-cheerful TV programme itself. There’s no impulse to explore the complexity of this strangest of celebrities – a gifted listener and child whisperer who calmed adults just as effectively. Tom Hanks, in his twinkly-eyed wheelhouse as Rogers, is a winning presence in a supporting role, while Esquire writer Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) becomes the movie’s surrogate kid. He’s swamped by a toxic relationship with his estranged dad that’s distracting him from his big interview with Rogers. You can easily predict what follows. It may be that successful real-life journo Tom Junod, on whom the Lloyd character is based, lacks real drama. And a bolder movie would have included Rogers’s late-career triumph, when he turned post-9/11 anxieties into a teachable moment. ‘Anything mentionable is manageable,’ Hanks offers in the film’s wisest words. It’s good advice, though the emotions here could have done with being a bit wilder. 

Los amantes criminales a la fuga siempre han encontrado refugio en las pantallas de cine estadounidenses, un subgénero donde directores tan diversos como Arthur Penn, Steven Spielberg y Terrence Malick se han hecho camino. Ahora, Melina Matsoukas, conocida por el videoclip 'Formation' de Beyoncé, pasa a formar parte del grupo con este impresionante debut, que solo falla por algunas pequeñas elecciones de trama un poco ridículas. Jodie Turner-Smith y Daniel Kaluuya –de 'Déjame salir'– interpretan a dos personajes sin nombre que son detenidos por un policía racista en su primera cita. Tras un tiroteo se encuentran huyendo de la ciudad sin saber qué hacer. Los protagonistas hacen un trabajo exquisito, incluso cuando las circunstancias les hacen tomar decisiones erróneas o caer en estereotipos. Con un gran componente de denuncia social, 'Queen & Slim' tiene resonancias de los disturbios raciales que hubo en 2014 en Ferguson, Missouri, y en otros lugares, y no pide perdón por el comportamiento de sus antihéroes, una postura muy estimulante. Pero, en los momentos de estilo 'Thelma y Louise' conduciendo hacia la puesta de sol (hay demasiados), desearías que la película hubiera tenido la sofisticación necesaria para abordar la compleja injusticia que retrata este guion clásico, lo que pudo dar lugar a una trama secundaria donde se involucrara un abogado. Sin embargo, creo en Matsoukas: ella es la que vale aquí y sabrá cómo traernos mejores cosas.

Els amants criminals a la fuga sempre han trobat refugi a les pantalles de cinema nord-americanes, un subgènere on directors tan diversos com Arthur Penn, Steven Spielberg i Terrence Malick s’han fet camí. Ara, Melina Matsoukas, coneguda pel videoclip 'Formation' de Beyoncé, passa a formar part del grup amb aquest impressionant debut, que només falla per algunes petites eleccions de trama una mica ridícules. Jodie Turner-Smith i Daniel Kaluuya –de 'Déjame salir'– interpreten dos personatges sense nom que són detinguts per un policia racista en la seva primera cita. Després d’un tiroteig es troben fugint de la ciutat sense saber què fer. Els protagonistes fan un treball exquisit, inclús quan les circumstàncies els fan prendre decisions errònies o caure en estereotips. Amb un gran component de denúncia social, 'Queen & Slim' té ressonàncies dels disturbis racials que hi va haver el 2014 a Ferguson, Missouri, i a altres llocs, i no demana perdó pel comportament dels seus antiherois, una postura molt estimulant. Però en els moments d’estil 'Thelma i Louise' conduint cap a la posta de sol (n’hi ha massa), desitges que la pel·lícula hagués tingut la sofisticació necessària per abordar la complexa injustícia que retrata aquest guió clàssic, cosa que hauria pogut donar lloc a una trama secundària on s’involucrés un advocat. No obstant això, crec en Matsoukas: ella és la que val aquí i sabrà com portar-nos millors coses.

It’s taken him three films, but over the course of those indies, writer-director Trey Edward Shults has ruined Thanksgiving (2015’s excruciating domestic psychodrama ‘Krisha’) and spoiled the world with plague (the majestically paranoid ‘It Comes at Night’). Now, with ‘Waves’, he obliterates a hardworking Florida family before delivering some nearly cosmic forgiveness in the movie’s second half. All of his films feel like personal exorcisms – Shults may best be described as a non-supernatural-horror director – but this one is a true breakthrough. Shults has a signature shot in which his camera rotates like the searching eye of a lighthouse, and ‘Waves’ exploits it beautifully. It’s how we meet the black high school wrestler Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr, impressively precise on his character’s steep decline), cruising in the car with his girlfriend. Shults takes in the happy moment with his swirling camera: Tyler swaddled in his middle-class comforts, with their attendant crush of expectations. Over the coming weeks, several bad things will happen to Tyler, a few of which are made infinitely worse by his own impulsive actions and confusion. ‘Waves’ turns this descent into an extended run of Job-worthy misfortune. ‘We are not afforded the luxury of being average,’ says Tyler’s father (Sterling K Brown, taut with concern), but apart from that line, ‘Waves’ doesn’t play like a statement on race so much as an indictment of the Kanye-scored, dumped-via-text pressure cooker that is bei

Lleva tres películas y en el transcurso de estas cintas indies, el guionista y director Trey Edward Shults ya ha arruinado el Día de Acción de Gracias en el insoportable psicodrama Krisha (2015) y ha echado a perder al mundo con una plaga en la majestuosa Viene de noche (2017). Ahora, con Las olas destruye a una familia trabajadora de Florida antes de una absolución casi cósmica. Todos sus filmes se sienten como exorcismos personales (Shults puede describirse como un director de terror no sobrenatural), pero su nueva película es un verdadero avance. Nunca se relaja después de su angustiosa primera hora; cuanto más transcurre, más humana se siente. Aquí conocemos a Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr., impresionantemente preciso con el fuerte declive de su personaje), inmerso en las comodidades de clase media, pero en las próximas semanas, varias cosas malas le sucederán, algunas de las cuales empeorarán infi nitamente por sus propias acciones y confusión. Esta cinta convierte este descenso en una larga racha de desgracias. Las olas, como todas sus películas, trata sobre la familia, pero esta vez no es un retrato de asfixia. La evolución artística que experimenta Shults lo hace tan emocionante como cualquier otro director que trabaje actualmente, es tan agudo como un joven Darren Aronofsky y su corazón solo está creciendo más. 

En resumen: el tipo que dirigió 'Thor: Ragnarok', el neozelandés Taika Waititi, ha hecho una película sobre un adorable joven hitleriano que tiene como amigo imaginario a Adolf Hitler (Waititi). Es una buena noticia: ya ha llegado el momento de repensar este cineasta de arriba a abajo. 'Jojo Rabbit' tiene la perspectiva de un niño ingenuo y solitario de 10 años, Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), el "mejor y más leal pequeño nazi que he visto nunca", como dice el Hitler de Waititi con voz de dibujos animados. Para reír con la película, tendréis que abrazar este montaje intencionalmente inmaduro, que nos muestra un Jojo frenético que corre por la calle a ritmo de la versión alemana de 'I want to hold your hand' de los Beatles. En caso contrario, los anacronismos serán duros de tragar. ¿Deberíamos reír de todo esto? Muy raramente 'Jojo Rabbit' nos dice que no (a diferencia, por ejemplo, de la hipócrita 'La vida es bella'). En una secuencia como de casa encantada, Jojo descubre una adolescente judía, Elsa (la extraordinaria Thomasa McKenzie), que vive en el interior de las paredes de su casa, una niña abandonada secretamente protegida por su alegre madre soltera (Scarlett Johansson). Todo lo que Jojo tiene en mente sobre los judíos son ideas ridículas y Elsa solo le anima: "Es evidente que somos demonios que amamos el dinero", confirma. No es necesario saber que Waititi es medio judío, su confianza eleva la película por encima del antisemitismo. De alguna manera, imperceptiblemente, co

‘Never underestimate a droid,’ we hear several times in the new ‘Star Wars’ – and why would you? For the most part, droids are hard-headed, sturdy companions, opening doors at the last minute with a minimum of beepy fuss. Director JJ Abrams is like a droid. He revived this brand from his childhood memories, unarchiving it from his data banks and dutifully projecting it, just like Artoo does with Leia’s hologram in the 1977 original. Abrams’s ‘The Force Awakens’ (2015) was a pitch-perfect summoning of old magic: thrilling and nostalgic, even if the trick remained stubbornly unimaginative. But Rian Johnson’s follow-up, ‘The Last Jedi’ (2017), executive-produced by Abrams, was something else entirely, subversive and churning with dark emotions. The franchise didn’t deserve it. Now Abrams the droid is back, scurrying around to clean up those untidy messes that made things interesting for a parsec. ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ marks the return of a plodding dullness, the kind that George Lucas peddled with his second trilogy, laden with pointless plot curlicues, witless imperial intrigue and boring heroism. It feels like a massive retrenchment – privately, a rebellion seems to have been fought and lost – and only the most loyal fans will be happy about it. Right from the start, you feel the soft reboot: ghostly zombie destroyers rise up out of a planet’s dirt, not quite vanquished. Will this new First Order prevail? Scarfaced Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) tear-asses around in his TIE fighter,

A little history, kittens: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s megamusical was always vaguely creepy, even to the eyes of fans (including this boy in 1982). It was either sublime or ridiculous or sublimely ridiculous. ‘Cats’, the movie, meanwhile, was long thought an impossible thing and – whaddaya know? – here it is, very much an impossible thing. Tom Hooper’s big-screen version embraces the weirdness. It cherishes the kink with every erect tail twitch and slinky rub-up. The film is too literal for its own good, yet it’s nowhere near the uncanny disaster of the recent hyperrealistic remake of ‘The Lion King’, a nature documentary that burst into song. If you’re able to roll with Robert De Niro’s computerised facelift in ‘The Irishman’, a bewhiskered Judi Dench isn’t going to throw you. Still, did those ‘Cats’ trailers make you bristle? Maybe you’re a dog person. Or not a theatre person. Despite being the target audience, the latter group will have serious problems with this adaptation, which murders some of the songs (‘Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer’ is criminally reduced to a monotone) and comes close to snapping the already slender throughline, which rests on the naiveté of Victoria (graceful English ballerina Francesca Hayward). She’s a babe in the woods who only wants to learn the intricacies of the Jellicle Ball, a metaphysical contest that will not be explained here. Plot isn’t going to help you. These cats sing and dance – that’s all you need to know. Sometimes the shtick of a perfor

This morning in Los Angeles, nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced. Some history was made: Scarlett Johansson received not one but two acting nominations—her first two ever—in separate categories (the last time that happened was in 2007 with Cate Blanchett). Also receiving two nominations was Cynthia Erivo for her galvanizing performance in Harriet, as well as for that film's original song. It's a good thing Erivo was a part of this morning's conversation, because apart from her, there wasn't a lot of diversity on display. Both Hustlers' Jennifer Lopez and The Farewell's Awkwafina failed to make the cut, despite huge support. Snubs are always in the eye of the beholder; I'd say omitting Apollo 11 for Best Documentary Feature feels like a mistake, and it's a crime not to have included Greta Gerwig for Best Director (Little Women did well elsewhere, including acting nominations for Florence Pugh and Saoirse Ronan—receiving her fourth nom at age 25). Regardless, it's thrilling to see Bong Joon-ho's Parasite earn several major nods, including Best Picture and Best Director. Elsewhere, Robert Eggers's black-and-white fantasia The Lighthouse was nominated for Best Cinematography, a happy surprise. We'll be watching for any Baumbach–Gerwig tensions. The Oscars air Sunday February 9 on ABC. Here's a complete list of this morning's nominees: Best PictureFord v FerrariThe IrishmanJojo RabbitJokerLittle WomenMarriage Story1917Once Upon a Time…in HollywoodParasite Best Dire

In an Oscar season crowded with contenders, Netflix has done a killer job of showing off its shiniest objects. Even as its post-awards plans for the Paris Theatre—recently saved from closure—remain uncertain, the streaming service is staking real-world territory elsewhere, as last seen with Netflix's Little Italy takeover for The Irishman. Now, beginning today, the public can view "The Netflix Film Experiences in Dolby," a free two-floor exhibit of costumes, script pages and video clips assembled over several rooms at Dolby SoHo (477 Broadway). The show is open to the public from 1–8pm Wednesdays through Sundays until January 26. What awaits film fans? Four movies are showcased and, to be honest, some rooms are more fun than others. Was Al Pacino's performance as hot-blooded Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman not quite big enough for you? Attendees can immerse themselves in an installation where he's yelling at you from multiple screens. Ever wanted to get up close and personal with some papal outfits? Costumes from The Two Popes are on display. More excitingly to these eyes: There's a lower level fully pimped out with '70s-era finery from Dolemite Is My Name. You can't actually see the Eddie Murphy comedy in a single New York City cinema at the moment (apart from your own Netflix account) but paradoxically, this exhibit has created a temporary public space for the movie's supercharged energy. Finally, find the quiet nook where a loveseat will let you and your significant other watc

Movies like Sam Mendes's immersive WWI drama 1917 and performances like The Farewell's Awkwafina made surprise showings at tonight's Golden Globes—in some cases crucially, with Oscars balloting happening much earlier this year than usual. (Voting on nominations ends this Tuesday.) Some winners were widely predicted: The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, traditionally champions of bigness, honored Joaquin Phoenix in Joker and Renée Zellweger in Judy, two front-runners who totally transformed themselves. Meanwhile, it looks like Brad Pitt may go all the way for Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino's Manson-era L.A. fantasia shaped up as potentially more of a force than The Irishman, which got completely shut out. (On the TV front, we have no problem seeing Phoebe Waller-Bridge add to her shelf of awards for Fleabag.) Here's a complete list of winners: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionChristopher Abbott, Catch-22Sacha Baron Cohen, The SpyWINNER: Russell Crowe, The Loudest VoiceJared Harris, ChernobylSam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionKaitlyn Dever, UnbelievableJoey King, The ActHelen Mirren, Catherine the GreatMerritt Wever, UnbelievableWINNER: Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionCatch-22WINNER: ChernobylFosse/VerdonThe Loudest VoiceUnbelievable Best Performance by an Ac

Only moments ago, nominees for the 77th Golden Globes Awards were announced. Awards prognosticators got a few surprises: Cate Blanchett scored a nod for the little-seen Where’d You Go, Bernadette; Joker's Todd Phillips beat out Marriage Story's Noah Baumbach for a directing nomination; and Cats scored for its original song (which we hated). But the Oscar picture is beginning to take shape. Awkwafina is looking like a lock for The Farewell, which thrills us, as is Antonio Banderas for Pain and Glory (a winner with the New York and Los Angeles critics groups). Meanwhile, the television nominations were appropriately Fleabag-heavy, which is all we care about. The Globes will be broadcast January 5, 2020 on NBC beginning at 6pm ET. Here's the complete list: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionChristopher Abbott, Catch-22Sacha Baron Cohen, The SpyRussell Crowe, The Loudest VoiceJared Harris, ChernobylSam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionKaitlyn Dever, UnbelievableJoey King, The ActHelen Mirren, Catherine the GreatMerritt Wever, UnbelievableMichelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionCatch-22ChernobylFosse/VerdonThe Loudest VoiceUnbelievable Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionPatricia Arquette, The ActHelena Bonham Carte

Unveiling a new song, a new album and some of the old woozy indiscipline that hamstrung their ascent nearly 20 years ago, the Strokes extended the most leisurely paced comeback in rock, delighting their hometown fans at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center last night. The chiming, seesawing, faintly sad “Ode to the Mets” arrived after a lengthy band conference, several of which plagued the show (ever hear of a set list, guys?). The new song didn’t sound like a galvanizing rebound so much as a grandly emotional closer: a future final-dance prom request. Maybe it will be placed near the end of the forthcoming 2020 release that frontman-songwriter Julian Casablancas teased as “coming out soon.” He offered no further details, adding, “The 2010s, whatever the fuck they’re called, we took them off, but now we’ve been unfrozen and we’re back.” The band still sounds like a paradox: coiled guitar riffs and spring-loaded bass lines under a tinny, debauched drunk dial. When the band used its New Year’s Eve gig (a makeup show after June’s rained-out Governors Ball) as a delivery device for multiple tracks off 2001’s classic Is This It, the crowd exploded. There’s simply no improving on songs like “The Modern Age,” “Hard to Explain,” “Last Nite,” “Barely Legal” and the post-9/11 controversial “New York City Cops,” the latter receiving its own red-and-blue police light show during the choruses. Things came to a halt during the ball drop, the broadcast piped through on the monitors like a glitzy tran

As the decade comes to a close, we’re in a reflective mood (remember Avatar?—yeah, us neither). The result is a list: the 50 best movies of the 2010s, which will no doubt come in handy next time you’re browsing your streaming service of choice. Returning to these films was enormously fun. Ranking them? Not so much. But we did it. Along the way, we asked some of our favorite directors and actors for their picks from the 2010s. Here’s what they told us: Cold War, as picked by Benedict Cumberbatch:“It was such a sad and achingly honest story of love and how destructive and tragic it can be. It was beautifully shot and used all the power of cinema in its framing and acting without words—and when the words came, they were arresting and surprising and dangerous and unexpected. It's painfully romantic, as well as being painful. It's really truly great cinematic storytelling. I was completely immersed in that world and that relationship. Pawel Pawlikowski is an incredible filmmaker.” The Death of Stalin and Get Out, as picked by Taika Waititi, director of Jojo Rabbit:“I really loved The Death of Stalin because it was smart. Also, I loved the decision to let the actors use their normal accents, because it didn’t make any difference to me. I was still shocked and I still found it fascinating and enthralling. The other film I really loved was Get Out, which was the only film in my entire life that I’ve actually yelled the title of the film at the film: ‘Get out!’ ” The Tree of Life, as

We won't lie: Generally, we like to watch holiday movies at home, preferably armed with egg nogs, hot toddies, cocoa, blankets or any convenient warm body (pets will do). But sometimes, other people are just what the doctor ordered when you're getting pounded by relentless Christmas cheer. Here's a list of the very best holiday screenings on offer in NYC theaters over the next several weeks. Note: We said "very best," which makes our list both naughty and nice. These shows should sell out fast, so buy your tickets now. Black ChristmasJoin the horror cognoscenti and bow to Bob Clark’s atmospheric sorority-house stalker—a huge influence on John Carpenter’s Halloween and other “the call is coming from inside the house” thrillers, but nowhere near as well known. It’s getting a new remake (the second one in 13 years), but begin here.Alamo Drafthouse, Downtown Brooklyn (drafthouse.com). Tue 17 at 9:30pm; $12. CarolOur favorite new Christmas classic returns to the Metrograph in 35mm. Working for the first time with material developed by another screenwriter, director Todd Haynes transforms an underappreciated 1952 Patricia Highsmith novel about secret lesbian love into a universal romance. Once you’ve seen Rooney Mara in a Santa hat, there’s no turning back.Metrograph, Lower East Side (metrograph.com). Fri 20 at 5:45pm, Sat 21 at 1:45pm; $15. Christmas with Louis ArmstrongSure to be magical, this bespoke 90-minute compilation—made exclusively for Film Forum—gathers Satchmo’s many mo

Only moments ago, nominees for the 77th Golden Globes Awards were announced. Awards prognosticators got a few surprises: Cate Blanchett scored a nod for the little-seen ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’; ‘Joker’ director Todd Phillips beat out ‘Marriage Story’ helmer Noah Baumbach for a directing nomination; and ‘Cats’ scored for its original song by Taylor Swift (which we hated). There are also no less than 27 Brits up for awards, including Daniel Craig, Taron Egerton and the aforementioned Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman. And the Oscar picture is beginning to take shape, too. Awkwafina is looking like a lock for ‘The Farewell’, which thrills us, as is Antonio Banderas for ‘Pain and Glory’ (a winner with the New York and Los Angeles critics’ groups). Meanwhile, the television nominations were appropriately ‘Fleabag’-heavy, which is all we care about.Surprisingly, no female directors have been nominated despite a year that saw Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’, Céline Sciamma’s ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’, Lulu Wang’s ‘The Farewell’ and Lorene Scafaria’s ‘Hustlers’. The Golden Globes take place on January 5, 2020. And Ricky Gervais is back on hosting duties after a four-year cooling off period since the last time he did it. This could be fun. Here’s the complete list of nominees: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionChristopher Abbott, Catch-22Sacha Baron Cohen, The SpyRussell Crowe, The Loudest VoiceJared Harris, ChernobylSam Rockwell,

You've read Martin Scorsese's take on Marvel movies. You've argued about it. You've even watched the Cats trailer (maybe a few times, in stupefied silence). But have you seen The Irishman yet? Come on, people. Not only do we recommend it, but we know that three-and-a-half hours isn't a big deal to you, say when it comes to committing to The Crown or whatever. It's Marty and you're a New Yorker. Consider it homework. Today, Netflix released a new trailer for The Irishman and it's extremely well-done, glancing on much of the complexity of the film: the violence, guilt and recrimination of mob life. Here it is: But nothing will bring you into the universe better than what Netflix has planned this weekend for Little Italy. On Friday and Saturday from 9am to 7pm, the streaming service will be taking over five blocks of the neighborhood and back-dating them to August 1, 1975, the day after Jimmy Hoffa was reported missing. Here's what Netflix has released about it: Courtesy of Netflix What does this mean for you? It means you're going to encounter surprises, old cars, newspapers, maybe even some gangster dramatics. If you "tell 'em Jimmy sent you" (that's the secret catchphrase), you'll be able to collect free food and drinks from some of the tastiest restaurants in the area, like Parm and Ferrara Bakery & Cafe. Here's a map of the participating shops: Courtesy of Netflix And Netflix will no doubt make sure that everyone leaves with a bit of swag from the movie itself, just as

Is it any surprise that director Noah Baumbach—whose new movie, Marriage Story, is a bruising tour de force and opens today—loves our favorite LES theater, the bespoke Metrograph? “Although the Metrograph is only three years old, it feels already like a New York institution,” writes the director in program notes detailing his upcoming six-week residency at the movie house beginning this Friday. During that span, all of Baumbach’s narrative features will be screened (but not his insightful 2015 documentary profile, De Palma—what gives, Metrograph? It can still be added…). Some of these presentations will either be introduced by the filmmaker or followed by Q&As, turning his residency into a de facto master class.  Intriguingly, Baumbach has also picked several “companion” films (in his words, “movies that I love, that have somehow informed my work as well as my life”) to play as double features: Éric Rohmer’s Pauline at the Beach after Margot at the Wedding; the generationally-themed Working Girl after While We’re Young; other choices that are too good to ruin. He's even found room for E.T. The takeaway is a nuanced appreciation of a particular artist’s sensibility, one steeped in encyclopedic Gen-X scholarship but with room for detours into beloved mid-budget Hollywood movies and NYC-set indies. For many who have cherished Baumbach’s work for years, the residency will feel like a coronation. And for those who have yet to experience one of his films, it’s going to be a scene—e

We haven't seen anyone camping out on the street yet for tickets, but trust: Martin Scorsese's fans are palpitating in advance of this Friday's theatrical release of The Irishman. Beginning November 1 at these participating theaters only, the three-and-a-half-hour gangster epic (which we enjoyed) will play for crowds until Netflix begins streaming it Thanksgiving weekend, at which point all bets are off. Will the movie give you that Marty feeling? Yes. Will it remind you of Goodfellas or Mean Streets? Somewhat, but not always. A decades-spanning drama, The Irishman spends a fair amount of time in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Florida. It's not as New York-centric as some of Scorsese's other films, like The King of Comedy or Taxi Driver. But one scene that is undeniably NYC is Scorsese's re-creation of the infamous 1972 mob hit on Joe Gallo at Umberto's Clam House, then located on the corner of Mulberry and Hester Streets. (After closing shop in the late '90s and reopening, Umberto's is now two blocks north.) During one night in November 2017, Scorsese aged a block on the Lower East Side, transforming it into the famous intersection. Here's a screen grab from the trailer that shows the scene in question: Elsewhere in the movie, Long Islanders will be able to catch Hildebrandt's, the beloved Williston Park ice cream shop. It figures prominently in a key scene in which the characters hear about the Kennedy assassination. Will any other Irishman locations become as famous

Looking to qualify its soon-to-be-streaming titles for Oscars, Netflix continues to successfully book alternative theatrical options: Two weeks ago came the news that Martin Scorsese's The Irishman would take residence at Broadway's Belasco Theatre. Now we're hearing that the Paris Theater—recently shuttered in August after more than seven decades (Marlene Dietrich cut the inaugural ribbon in 1948)—will reopen for a brief run of Noah Baumbach's five-star-excellent Marriage Story, beginning Wednesday, November 6. It remains unclear how long the Paris will stay open. Regardless, fans of the elegant single-screen theater—on the opposite side of 58th St. across from the Plaza Hotel—see this as a win. It may even be a better solution than the Belasco: At 581 seats, the Paris has roughly half the space, but it does have a romantic balcony and will be able to host multiple daily screenings to the Belasco's single showing. Moreover, it brings Baumbach's distinctly NYC vision to those who want to see it with a crowd. Insisting on tough terms when it comes box-office receipts, Netflix is finding it hard to strike deals with chains like AMC and Regal. But individual movie houses seem ready to engage: Here is a complete list of theaters where you can go see The Irishman. (We strongly prefer IFC Center's cushiony seats to the Belasco's butt-numbers, and the Scorsese is a full three-and-a-half hours without intermission.) Marriage Story, too, will have alternate options beyond the Paris—a