Justin Chang
Stories
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Arts & Life
See 'The Substance' and 'A Different Man' together for a major makeover meditation
Two new films seem to be in dialogue: In The Substance, Demi Moore is a Hollywood star chasing eternal youth. The dark comedy A Different Man centers on a New Yorker with a rare genetic condition.
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Arts & Life
A dying father brings 'His Three Daughters' together, in a sharply written film
Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon play estranged sisters saying farewell to their terminally ill dad. It's a familiar plot, but writer-director Azazel Jacobs manages to sidesteps cliché.
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Arts & Life
Beetlejuice is back, in a supernatural screwball sequel
Director Tim Burton seems more interested in updating than duplicating his 1988 hit. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice demonstrates affection for the characters and genuine curiosity in how they’re doing now.
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Arts & Life
Quietly transcendent 'Close Your Eyes' may be among the best films you see all year
Over the past 50 years or so, Spanish filmmaker Víctor Erice has directed just four features. His latest, about a filmmaker who revisits a past project, has the pull of a well-crafted detective story.
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Arts & Life
'Alien: Romulus' is another franchise movie that brings more nostalgia than novelty
The latest installment of the "Alien" series is an efficient and reasonably entertaining thriller. But dwelling too obsessively on the past won't guarantee a franchise's future.
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Arts & Life
In ‘Good One,’ a family camping trip is full of emotional switchbacks
On its surface, Good One is about a teen on a backpacking trip with her dad and his friend. But the film is so sharp and engrossing you might not notice the deeper story taking shape underneath.
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Arts & Life
'Deadpool & Wolverine' is a self-cannibalizing slog
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have good, thorny chemistry in this odd-couple action hero flick. But brand extension disguised as a satire of brand extension is still just ... brand extension.
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Arts & Life
'Longlegs' is a terrifying serial killer — who never touches his victims
Nicolas Cage plays a satanic murderer, and Maika Monroe is the clairvoyant FBI agent on his trail, in this tense and frightening horror movie.
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Arts & Life
This 'Quiet Place' prequel is a little too mum on backstory
In the Quiet Place films, blind aliens attack, hunting anyone who makes a sound. But the details of the premise are fuzzy, and this prequel neglects to give a clearer picture of the global invasion.
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Arts & Life
Sharply funny 'Janet Planet' perfectly captures the feel of a long, hot summer
Writing and directing her first film, playwright Annie Baker exhibits uncanny powers of observation. Not much happens in this mother-daughter movie, but something momentous seems to have taken place.
