Justin Chang
Stories
-
A filmmaker tries to make sense of her past in the achingly sad 'Blue Heron'
Sophy Romvari's semi-autobiographical drama touches on her childhood in British Columbia and her family's experience of tragedy. Blue Heron has won numerous prizes at international film festivals.
-
You can't fake this: 'The Christophers' is a witty film about forgery and friendship
In Steven Soderbergh's new dark comedy, Ian McKellen plays a famous painter, and Michaela Coel is an art restorer hired to infiltrate his home by his greedy grown-up children.
-
'The Drama' is a half-baked comedy about wedding stress and cancel culture
Robert Pattinson and Zendaya play an engaged couple whose happiness is derailed when a boozy game of "What's the Worst Thing You've Ever Done?" uncovers a dark secret from the past.
-
Strangers forge a powerful bond after a car crash in 'Miroirs No. 3'
After the sudden death of her boyfriend, a young Berlin woman is taken in by a family she meets in the countryside. In showing the ache of love and loss, Miroirs No. 3 holds up a mirror to us all.
-
'Project Hail Mary' is a space comedy that comes off as glib and earthbound
Ryan Gosling plays an astronaut in this derivative, carefully manufactured crowd-pleaser; Project Hail Mary doesn't feel like storytelling so much as mechanical engineering.
-
'Hoppers' is delightfully unhinged and a dam good time
A young environmental activist transforms herself into a beaver in this off-the-wall eco-themed comedy. It's the liveliest film to emerge from Pixar in years.
-
An aspiring dancer. A wealthy benefactor. And 'Dreams' turned to nightmare
A new psychological drama from Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco centers on the torrid affair between a wealthy San Francisco philanthropist and an undocumented immigrant who aspires to be a dancer.
-
'Wuthering Heights' celebrates mad, passionate excess — but lacks real feeling
Emerald Fennell's extravagant adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic cares little for subtlety. Ultimately, this love affair is more photogenic than it is deeply moving.
-
'Pillion' is a wildly entertaining dark comedy about sex and power
A mild-mannered young man enters into a dominant-submissive relationship with the leader of a gay biker gang. Pillion approaches the subject without judgment and with a great deal of sly humor.
-
'Sound of Falling' is a labyrinthine tale that's well worth exploring
Sound of Falling weaves together the experiences of four generations of women living in the same rural stretch of northern Germany, and the secrets that have accumulated over that time.
