Justin Chang

Sam Mendes filmed his suspenseful beat-the-clock thriller in what appears to be one continuous take. It's an impressive feat — but it makes the WWI movie feel like an overly polished one-shot wonder.

For the past few years I've gotten in the habit of not only ranking my year-end favorites, but pairing them together thematically. I saw no reason to quit the habit this year, given how many great movies I saw in 2019 and how many of them seemed to be in conversation with each other.

Over the past few weeks I've had people ask me about the new Little Women with equal parts excitement and nervousness: Was it any good? After so many earlier screen adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel — from the 1933 Katharine Hepburn film to Gillian Armstrong's 1994 version — did we really need another go-round with the March sisters?

A tense and jittery new crime thriller features Adam Sandler as a fast-talking New York City jewelry dealer who becomes embroiled in various desperate schemes to get out of debt.

Writer-director Rian Johnson's deliriously entertaining comic detective story brings together an all-star cast and an ingeniously plotted crime story whose every twist catches you by surprise.

Director Marielle Heller's new film, starring Tom Hanks, casts a spell with the lightest of touches. Drop your skepticism; this film feels like an encounter with Fred Rogers himself.