Film

"Flow" is an animated movie from Latvia that follows an unlikely collection of animals brought together by a massive flood that overwhelms the countryside. The film, which is now streaming on Max, already won animation prizes from, among others, the Golden Globes, the New York Film Critics and the Los Angeles Film Critics. And it's received Oscar nominations for both best animated feature and best international film.

This week sees the belated release of "The Annihilation Of Fish," which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 1999 but is only now opening in theaters for the first time. It's a romantic comedy, starring the late trio of James Earl Jones, Lynn Redgrave and Margot Kidder, and was directed by Charles Burnett, best known for his 1978 classic "Killer Of Sheep." Our film critic, Justin Chang, has this review of "The Annihilation Of Fish."

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.

Justin Chang is a film critic for the New Yorker. He reviewed Mike Leigh's new film, "Hard Truths."

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.

Our film critic, Justin Chang, spent a lot of 2024 in movie theaters, at film festivals and in front of his TV. He says that it was, all and all, a stronger year for movies from around the world than it was for Hollywood. Here's his list of the best movies of 2024.

Justin Chang, recommends two new movies that have been hailed by critics groups as among the years' best. In "The Brutalist," Adrien Brody stars as a Hungarian Jewish architect who ends up in Pennsylvania after World War II. "Nickel Boys" is an adaptation of Colson Whitehead's novel set in a juvenile detention facility in the Jim Crow South. Both films are now in theaters.

Justin Chang is a film critic for The New Yorker. He reviewed "The Seed Of The Sacred Fig" which was filmed secretly in Iran.

Justin Chang reviews the film 'Queer' starring Daniel Craig.

This pre-Thanksgiving week sees the release of two much-anticipated studio movies. Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington star in "Gladiator II," the sequel to the Oscar-winning Roman epic "Gladiator," while Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in "Wicked," an adaptation of the Broadway musical fantasy featuring characters from "The Wizard Of Oz." Our film critic Justin Chang has seen both "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" and has this review.