Justin Chang
Crooked Capitalism Runs Amok In The Wildly Entertaining 'Uncut Gems'
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.
Killer Thriller 'Knives Out' Is Surprisingly Subversive — And Comfortingly Familiar
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.
'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood' Showcases The Profound Effect Of Mister Rogers
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.
A Florida Family Saga, Told In 'Waves' Of Healing And Heartache
The emotionally turbulent drama Waves revolves around an African American family living in South Florida, and I mean "revolves" quite literally. In an early scene, the camera swivels a full 360 degrees around the inside of a car, as a teenager named Tyler Williams and his girlfriend, Alexis, drive along the oceanfront.
'Marriage Story' Reveals The Messy, Heartbreaking Toll Of Divorce
No one outside a marriage can know the truth of it, but actors Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson bring the audience awfully close in Noah Baumbach's devastating drama about splitting up.
De Niro, Pesci And Pacino Are At The Top Of Their Game In 'The Irishman'
Justin Chang reviews Martin Scorsese's long awaited new film 'The Irishman.'
'The Lighthouse': A Brashly Funny Thriller, Soaked In Rain, Rum And Testosterone
Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson play 19th-century seamen stationed at a remote lighthouse in Maine. Shot in black and white, it's an exquisitely old-fashioned study of souls in isolation.
Satirical Nazi Film 'Jojo Rabbit' Treats The Viewer Like A Child
For all its good intentions, Jojo Rabbit comes across painfully one-note as comedy, bogus and manipulative as drama and with an archly whimsical visual style that feels like imitation Wes Anderson.
'Parasite' Hooks You With Its Emotional Power And Extraordinary Cunning
Bong Joon-ho's brilliant new movie packs the kinds of stunning, multi-layered surprises that deserve to be experienced as fresh as possible. I'll tread as cautiously as I can, but suffice to say that Parasite is a darkly comic thriller about two families: the Parks, who are very rich, and the Kims, who are very poor.
'Joker': A Piercing Psychological Portrait Of Batman's Notorious Nemesis
Joaquin Phoenix renders the iconic villain on an intimate, human scale in Joker, a disturbing film about one man's psychological destruction and a city's descent into criminal anarchy.