John Powers

John Powers reviewed the new season of "The White Lotus," which begins Sunday on HBO.

In the new film "I'm Still Here," the Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles tells the true story of a Rio de Janeiro mother who reinvents herself when Brazil's military dictatorship goes after her husband. The movie has been Oscar-nominated for both Best Picture and Best International Feature Film. Our critic-at-large, John Powers, says that "I'm Still Here" is a moving, inspiring, beautifully made story about learning to confront tyranny.

The new movie "Babygirl" by Halina Reijn is a drama about a successful, married businesswoman who begins an affair with an intern half her age. Currently in theaters, it stars Nicole Kidman in a turn that has made her one of this year's awards front-runners. Our critic-at-large John Powers says that this erotic drama pulls you right in but isn't quite as daring as its lead performance.

John Powers celebrates the books, shows and performances that stayed with him, including Miranda July's novel All Fours, Interior Chinatown on Netflix and an iconic Olympic moment with Simone Biles.

In the Netflix series Black Doves, the wife of Britain's defense minister is secretly working for a private spy firm. Paramount+'s The Agency is a reworking of the acclaimed French series The Bureau.

This Paramount+ series, featuring Billy Bob Thornton as a savvy veteran of the oil business, is an old-fashioned soap opera and a breezy portrait of one of the world's most influential industries.

This Spanish-language musical about a cartel boss who undergoes gender-affirming surgery won two big prizes at Cannes, including a shared best actress award for its four women leads.

"A Real Pain" is a new comic drama written and directed by actor Jesse Eisenberg. It's the story of two cousins played by Eisenberg and "Succession's" Kieran Culkin, who take a tour of Poland to honor the memory of their Holocaust survivor grandmother. Our critic-at-large, John Powers, says the movie, which opens this week, isn't just incredibly entertaining; it's one of the best movies he's seen about coming to terms with the past.

John Powers reviews Michel Houellebecq's novel Submission, which he says will be his last.

John Powers the AppleTV+ series Wolfs featuring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.