This year for Black History Month, Rotten Tomatoes is celebrating “Black Joy” in cinema.
Though there are thousands of exceptional films from Black filmmakers and storytellers, those on the receiving end of critical and awards attention are frequently rooted in pain, violence, or oppression. (It is not a coincidence that the vast majority of Black actresses who have been nominated for an Oscar were lauded for performances where they played a slave, maid, or a woman in abject poverty.) In an effort to turn the page and highlight cinema that focuses on the celebration of the Black experience, Rotten Tomatoes’ editor Jacqueline Coley has curated a varied list of films that explore the vast diaspora of Black culture – and will make you feel good.
As our list plainly illustrates, those who have borne the yoke of oppression are often the same people who can smile, laugh, and celebrate most wholly, and the films that live in the intersection of that phenomenon are oftentimes the best of what Black Cinema has to offer. These are the movies that celebrate and chronicle that giddy and infectious emotion: Black Joy.
Titles like Ryan Coogler’s Oscar-winning, billion-dollar blockbuster Black Panther and Gina Prince-Bythewood’s seminal star-making romance, Love and Basketball, made our list – as you would expect. But we have also included lesser-known titles like Rick Famuyiwa’s Dope, the moving family drama, Queen of Katwe, and the hip-hop cult-classic Krush Groove. Recent films like Malcolm D. Lee’s Girls Trip, which made a star out of comedian Tiffany Haddish – and introduced the world to “grapefruiting” – are also on our list. As are seminal classics we revisited, like Richard Pryor’s beloved stand-up comedy feature Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip and Sidney Poitier’s Lilies of the Field.
In curating this list, we included films that may touch on sensitive or serious topics, as is the case for dramas like Soul Food and Crooklyn, but as those films primarily focus on the joyful side of life, love, and family, we have included them here. Our list also has a few choices from off the beaten path, too – entries like Beyonce’s history-making live concert feature Homecoming and her visual album for Disney+, Black Is King. – Jacqueline Coley
Critics Consensus: Dishing out enough laughter and chemistry to spare through Keke Palmer and SZA, One of Them Days makes the buddy-comedy genre feel like magic once again.
Synopsis: Best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) are about to have One of Them Days. When they [More]
Critics Consensus:The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat delivers undeniable cast chemistry that creates moments of genuine charm and poignancy, but it's often undercut by clichéd storytelling and an overreliance on nostalgia over genuine depth.
Synopsis: THE SUPREMES AT EARL'S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT follows a trio of best friends (Uzo Aduba, Aunjanue Ellis, Sanaa Lathan) known as "The [More]
Critics Consensus: Equal measures inspiring, and enraging, this typical sports drama knows how to take a hit and dole them out with enough emotion and vigor to stoke The Fire Inside.
Synopsis: THE FIRE INSIDE is the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, [More]
Critics Consensus: Kingsley Ben-Adir does an admirable job in the central role, but Bob Marley: One Love is ultimately a standard biopic that doesn't do justice to its brilliant subject.
Synopsis: BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love [More]
Critics Consensus: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence remain good company even when Bad Boys strains to up the ante, proving there's still life left in this high-octane franchise.
Synopsis: This Summer, the world's favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy [More]
Critics Consensus: With Halle Bailey making a major splash in the title role, Disney's live-action Little Mermaid ranks among the studio's most enjoyable reimaginings.
Synopsis: The youngest of King Triton's daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond [More]
Critics Consensus: Good news, rom-com fans: Anyone looking for a smart, funny, and heartwarming new addition to the canon can find it waiting on Rye Lane.
Synopsis: Yas (Vivian Oparah) and Dom (David Jonsson), two twenty-somethings both reeling from bad break-ups, connect over the course of an [More]
Critics Consensus: Just as visually dazzling and action-packed as its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse thrills from start to cliffhanger conclusion.
Synopsis: Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn's full-time, [More]
Critics Consensus: Jeffrey Wright and American Fiction will forever be inextricable thanks to the actor's committed approach to the pointedly humorous and insightful material.
Synopsis: AMERICAN FICTION is Cord Jefferson's hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture's obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey [More]
Critics Consensus: Admirable for its originality and ambition even when its reach exceeds its grasp, Nope adds Spielbergian spectacle to Jordan Peele's growing arsenal.
Synopsis: A man and his sister discover something sinister in the skies above their California horse ranch, while the owner of [More]
Critics Consensus:Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. has some broad targets but refuses to take cheap shots at them, instead offering a pointed, well-acted satire of organized religion.
Synopsis: Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is a satirical comedy starring Regina Hall as Trinitie Childs -- the proud first [More]
Critics Consensus: Taking the form of a classic college comedy while adding some socially relevant function, Emergency is as smart and disturbing as it is hilarious.
Synopsis: Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and his best friend, Sean (RJ Cyler), are both seniors in college about to embark on [More]
Critics Consensus: Deftly interweaving incredible live footage with a series of revealing interviews, Summer of Soul captures the spirit and context of a watershed moment while tying it firmly to the present.
Synopsis: In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary-part music film, part historical [More]
Critics Consensus: It isn't as bold and fearless as its characters, but The Harder They Fall fills its well-worn template with style, energy, and a fantastic cast.
Synopsis: When outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) is being released from prison he [More]
Critics Consensus:The Forty-Year-Old Version opens a compelling window into the ebbs and flows of the artist's life -- and announces writer-director-star Radha Blank as a major filmmaking talent with her feature debut.
Synopsis: Radha, a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. But when she foils what seems like her [More]
Critics Consensus: A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed.
Synopsis: Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz [More]
Critics Consensus:The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind earns its predictably uplifting arc through strong performances and impressive work from debuting director Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Synopsis: A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. [More]
Synopsis: This intimate, in-depth look at Beyoncé's celebrated 2018 Coachella performance reveals the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement. [More]
Critics Consensus:See You Yesterday marries a novel sci-fi premise with urgent social relevance and forges something excitedly new from the union -- providing an impressive showcase for star Eden Duncan-Smith and debut writer-director Stefon Bristol.
Synopsis: Two teenage science prodigies spend every spare minute working on their latest homemade invention: backpacks that enable time travel. When [More]
Critics Consensus:Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.
Synopsis: Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into [More]
Critics Consensus:Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories -- and introducing some of its most fully realized characters.
Synopsis: After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place [More]
Critics Consensus:Girls Trip is the rare R-rated comedy that pushes boundaries to truly comedic effect -- and anchors its laughs in compelling characters brought to life by a brilliantly assembled cast.
Synopsis: Best friends Ryan, Sasha, Lisa and Dina are in for the adventure of a lifetime when they travel to New [More]
Critics Consensus:The Incredible Jessica James makes its standard storyline feel new, almost purely on the strength of a captivating, potentially star-making performance from Jessica Williams.
Synopsis: Jessica, an aspiring playwright in New York City, is trying to get over a recent break-up when she meets Boone, [More]
Critics Consensus:Keanu's absurd premise and compulsively watchable starring duo add up to an agreeably fast-paced comedy that hits more than enough targets to make up for the misses.
Synopsis: Recently dumped by his girlfriend, slacker Rell (Jordan Peele) finds some happiness when a cute kitten winds up on his [More]
Critics Consensus: Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson make for well-matched comic foils, helping Central Intelligence overcome a script that coasts on their considerable chemistry.
Synopsis: Bullied as a teen for being overweight, Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson) shows up to his high school reunion looking fit [More]
Critics Consensus:Queen of Katwe is a feel-good movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and outstanding performances by Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo help to elevate the film past its cliches.
Synopsis: Living in the slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) and her [More]
Critics Consensus: In heartwarming, crowd-pleasing fashion, Hidden Figures celebrates overlooked -- and crucial -- contributions from a pivotal moment in American history.
Synopsis: Three brilliant African American women at NASA, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, serve as the brains behind one [More]
Critics Consensus:Southside With You looks back on a fateful real-life date with strong performances and engaging dialogue, adding up to a romance that makes for a pretty good date movie in its own right.
Synopsis: Future U.S. President Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) and lawyer Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) go on a fateful first date in [More]
Critics Consensus: Featuring a starmaking performance from Shameik Moore and a refreshingly original point of view from writer-director Rick Famuyiwa, Dope is smart, insightful entertainment.
Synopsis: High-school senior Malcolm (Shameik Moore) and his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) bond over '90s hip-hop culture, [More]
Critics Consensus: As smart, funny, and trenchant as writer-director-star Chris Rock's best standup work, Top Five is a career highlight for its creator -- and one of the comedy standouts of 2014.
Synopsis: Though he began in stand-up comedy, Andre Allen (Chris Rock) hit the big-time as the star of a trilogy of [More]
Critics Consensus: Thanks to smart direction and a powerhouse performance from Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Beyond the Lights transcends its formulaic storyline to deliver thoroughly entertaining drama.
Synopsis: Though she's been groomed for stardom all her life by an overbearing mother (Minnie Driver), singer Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is [More]
Critics Consensus:About Last Night wanders even further from the David Mamet play that inspired the original, but it benefits from an engaging cast and a screenplay that smartly balances romance and comedy.
Synopsis: While out with loudmouthed pal Bernie (Kevin Hart), Danny (Michael Ealy) meets successful businesswoman Debbie (Joy Bryant), who's as leery [More]
Critics Consensus: Its heart is in the right place -- and so is its appealing cast -- but Jumping the Broom is ultimately too cliched and thinly written to recommend.
Synopsis: Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton) is a successful corporate lawyer who comes from an old-money family. When she meets Jason Taylor [More]
Critics Consensus: Well-intentioned but formulaic, Just Wright has winning leads but can't overcome its preponderance of cliches.
Synopsis: Physical therapist Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) lands the dream job of working with basketball superstar Scott McKnight (Common). All goes [More]
Critics Consensus: Blessed with clever dialogue and poignant observations of class and race, Medicine For Melancholy is a promising debut for director Barry Jenkins.
Synopsis: Micah (Wyatt Cenac), a passionate social activist, meets affluent professional Joanne (Tracey Heggins) at a party. After getting drunk together, [More]
Critics Consensus:Dreamgirls' simple characters and plot hardly detract from the movie's real feats: the electrifying performances and the dazzling musical numbers.
Synopsis: Deena (Beyoncé Knowles),Effie (Jennifer Hudson) and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose) form a music trio called the Dreamettes. When ambitious manager [More]
Critics Consensus: Although Queen Latifah's bountiful life-affirming spirit permeates the film, director Wayne Wang is unable to revive this remake with any real flair.
Synopsis: The discovery that she has a terminal illness prompts introverted saleswoman Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) to reflect on what she [More]
Critics Consensus: Roll Bounce dazzles us with a classic late 1970's feel, but this coming of age film could have been more than just a spin around the roller rink.
Synopsis: Xavier (Bow Wow), a teenage boy in Chicago, struggles with the loss of his mother and turns to roller skating [More]
Critics Consensus: Essentially a sports movie with drums, the energetic Drumline somehow manages to make the familiar seem fresh.
Synopsis: Set against the high-energy, high-stakes world of show-style marching bands, "Drumline" is a fish-out-of-water comedy about a talented street drummer [More]
Critics Consensus: Entertaining if not over-the-top humor from a solid comic duo provides plenty of laughs.
Synopsis: During Prohibition, loudmouth Harlem grifter Ray (Eddie Murphy) and the no-nonsense Claude (Martin Lawrence) team up on a bootlegging mission [More]
Critics Consensus: Angela Bassett gracefully breezes through a hot summer fling without much conflict or ado, leaving us wondering when -- or if -- she's ever getting that groove back.
Synopsis: Unlucky-in-love stockbroker Stella (Angela Bassett) jets to Jamaica with her gal pal Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg) for some fun in the [More]
Critics Consensus: Much like the titular cuisine, Soul Food blends a series of savory ingredients to offer warm, generous helpings of nourishment and comfort.
Synopsis: When Ahmad Simmons' (Brandon Hammond) diabetic grandmother, Josephine Big Mama Joseph (Irma P. Hall), falls into a coma during an [More]
Critics Consensus: An endearing romance that puts a fairly fresh perspective on familiar framework, Love Jones is worth falling for.
Synopsis: Two urban African-Americans, Darius (Larenz Tate), an aspiring writer, and Nina (Nia Long), an aspiring photographer, share an instant connection [More]
Critics Consensus: Solid performances and a steady directorial hand help The Preacher's Wife offer some reliably heartwarming - albeit fairly predictable - holiday cheer.
Synopsis: A cleric begins to doubt himself and is visited by an angel. The heavenly emissary is supposed to help the [More]
Critics Consensus: What Friday might lack in taut construction or directorial flair, it more than makes up with its vibrant (albeit consistently crass) humor and the charming, energetic performances of its leads.
Synopsis: It's Friday and Craig Jones (Ice Cube) has just gotten fired for stealing cardboard boxes. To make matters worse, rent [More]
Critics Consensus:Waiting to Exhale looks at life's ups and downs from an underseen perspective -- albeit one that's poorly served by uneven acting and a sporadically interesting story.
Synopsis: Navigating through careers, family and romance, four friends bond over the shortcomings in their love lives -- namely, the scarcity [More]
Critics Consensus: A personal project that warmly reflects on director Spike Lee's childhood, Crooklyn is an episodic celebration of family and the indelible facets of one's hometown.
Synopsis: As her teacher mother, Carolyn (Alfre Woodard), and her jazz musician father, Woody (Delroy Lindo), worry over monthly bills, grade-schooler [More]
Critics Consensus:Sister Act is off-key in this reprise, fatally shifting the spotlight from Whoopi Goldberg to a less compelling ensemble of pupils and trading its predecessor's sharp comedy for unconvincing sentiment.
Synopsis: In this sequel, Las Vegas performer Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) is surprised by a visit from her nun friends, [More]
Critics Consensus:The Last Dragon is a flamboyant genre mashup brimming with style, romance, and an infectious fondness for kung fu, but audiences may find the tonal whiplash more goofy than endearing.
Synopsis: Leroy Green (Taimak), a young martial artist living in New York City, trains tirelessly to attain the same level of [More]
Critics Consensus:The Wiz is a workmanlike movie musical that lacks the electricity of the stage version and its cinematic inspiration, despite some committed performances from its all-star cast.
Synopsis: When Harlem schoolteacher Dorothy (Diana Ross) tries to save her dog from a storm, she's miraculously whisked away to an [More]
Critics Consensus:Cooley High crackles with vibrant energy and authenticity, elevated by an impressively natural cast and Michael Schultz's effortless direction.
Synopsis: Richard "Cochise" Morris (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs), a local basketball hero, and Leroy "Preach" Jackson (Glynn Turman), who dreams of a career [More]
Critics Consensus:Stormy Weather's depiction of the Black community is disappointingly facile, but its delightful musical numbers drown out any missed narrative notes.
Synopsis: Bill Williamson (Bill Robinson), a struggling performer, meets a beautiful vocalist named Selina Rogers (Lena Horne). Bill promises her that [More]
A remake scoring better than its original counterpart? Rare, but it’s been done before as seen in this week’s gallery of every movie remake that got a higher Tomatometer than the first try!
Coming off a summer that had The Dark Tower, audiences and Stephen King fans had their skepticism assauged with this scary and adventurous adaptation.
True Grit (1969, 90%) True Grit (2010, 96%)
“We’re more faithful to the book” is an oft-trotted excuse for wholly unecessary remakes (especially when the
original is a beloved John Wayne vehicle) but, dagnabbit, the Coen brothers not only managed to better the 1969
version, they proved Westerns could make more than 12 cents at the box office this century.
Ocean’s Eleven (1960, 48%) Ocean’s Eleven (2001, 82%)
The first Ocean’s is derided by critics for lazily running off the machismo fumes that come from having the
Rat Pack on set at the same time. The remake may have likewise corralled the mega-stars of its day, but director
Steven Soderbergh’s addictive visual panache seals this deal.
The Incredible Journey (1963, 88%) Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993, 89%)
The original Incredible Journey is a perfectly quaint live-action Disney joint from the ’60s, but Homeward
Bound‘s addition of celebrity voices and giving more backstory to the humans rather than the
animals surprisingly increases the family drama, rather than cheapens it.
Yojimbo (1961, 97%) A Fistful of Dollars (1964, 98%)
Yojimbo is considered one of Akira Kurosawa’s best, in a filmography studded with stone-cold masterpieces. The
Clint Eastwood version, the first in Sergio Leone’s legendary Man With No Name trilogy, kept that flame alive in
translating the story for Western audiences.
The Maltese Falcon (1931, 67%) The Maltese Falcon (1941, 100%)
It only took Hollywood two years to make a movie out of Dashiell Hammett’s 1929 novel The Maltese
Falcon, but another 10 before turning it into an enduring masterpiece with Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor.
The Jungle Book (1967, 86%) The Jungle Book (2016, 95%)
What could be more money, literal money, than Jon Favreau behind the camera? He kickstarted the once-in-a-
generation Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2008’s Iron Man and pulled off an even more impossible feat
than getting jocks to embrace their inner nerd: creating a live-action Disney remake that scored higher than the
beloved original.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976, 50%) The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014, 70%)
The original purports to be a true-crime peek inside a sleepy Texas town, with the remake taking a meta
approach: Everything was real — the murders, the movie, all of it — and the townspeople are once more powerless in stopping the kills from happening again.
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1935, 86%) The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956, 91%)
Alfred Hitchcock looked at his early British movie and said, “Hmmm, I could do better.” Who are we to argue with
the master?
The Ten Commandments (1923, 83%) The Ten Commandments (1956, 94%)
Likewise, Cecil B. DeMille transformed his already-expensive silent Biblical epic into an even more
expensive talkie (in VistaVision!) with Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, to be broadcast well into the post-
apocalypse annually on ABC.
My Bloody Valentine (1981, 50%) My Bloody Valentine (2009, 57%)
The Bloody original stood out during the early-’80s rash of slashers with a baddie in distinctive coal miner
garb and heavilly censored kills. To compete, the remake added 3D…and boobs. Who says critics aren’t in touch
with their baser instincts?
Piranha (1978, 72%) Piranha 3-D (2010, 74%)
Basic instinct, exhibit B: The sight of a severed penis floating serenely in the water had critics rolling in the
aisles. Sorry, James Cameron, all your ingenuity on Piranha II: The Spawning couldn’t top that.
Footloose (1984, 53%) Footloose (2011, 69%)
Footloose has been parodied so many times, we figured it was done out of love or at least a form of non-
derision. Not so, according to critics and the Tomatometer they gave the original. The remake, directed by
Hustle & Flow‘s Craig Brewer, made it off on better footing with them.
The Mechanic (1972, 40%) The Mechanic (2011, 52%)
The Mechanic may not have done much for Charles Bronson’s career, but Jason Statham’s remake did enough business to get a belated sequel.
Freaky Friday (1976, 71%) Freaky Friday (2003, 88%)
Between this and The Parent Trap, remaking old Disney movies was a good gig for lil’ Lindsay Lohan.
Could a new Song of the South be in her comeback cards?
The Crazies (1973, 56%) The Crazies (2010, 71%)
Regardless of their quality, George A. Romero movies always had a hard time gaining cultural traction if they
didn’t have Dead in their titles. The remake, which treated its subject and source movie seriously, had
the extra effect of sending horror fans to seek out the Romero original.
About Last Night (1986, 61%) About Last Night (2014, 69%)
While nobody would mistake either About Last Night as comedy masterpieces with their mild 60% range
Tomatometers, they both capture their moments of modern romance 30 years apart.
Willard (1971, 63%) Willard (2003, 64%)
Only a single point seperates the original rat-fancy movie with its 21st century remake. Conclusion: Crispin
Glover IS the 1%.
Lots of good choices on streaming video this week for action fans, including a remake of a beloved 1980s classic, a based-on-true-events story starring Mark Wahlberg, and the latest thriller featuring Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Then, we’ve also got the biggest animated movie of the year so far, another ’80s remake (this time a romantic comedy), a thriller with a creative premise, and an animated feature starring the Justice League. To cap things off, we’ve got a few new noteworthy films on Netflix, and Amazon Prime begins offering some of HBO’s most popular and acclaimed television series. Read on for details:
Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, and an impressive supporting cast lend their voices to this charming, surprisingly thoughtful animated film based on the popular building blocks.
Mark Wahlberg stars in the story of an ill-fated mission by a group of Navy SEALs to track down a high-value Taliban target through a mountainous region in Afghanistan — a mission that turns deadly after the soldiers decide against firing on a group of civilians.
When Detroit detective Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is badly injured on the job, a military contractor fits him with a robot exoskeleton in an attempt to create the ultimate crime fighter.
Inspired to serve his country after 9/11, Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) joins the Marines. After being injured in Afghanistan, Ryan is recruited in the CIA, and soon he’s on the trail of a Russian terrorist plot.
This romantic comedy follows Danny (Michael Ealy) and Debbie (Joy Bryant) from their first meeting to an eventual break up; meanwhile, their friends Bernie (Kevin Hart) and Joan (Regina Hall) share a combustible bond of their own.
Joss Whedon’s micro-budgeted modern-day reworking of Shakespeare’s comedy features a plethora of Whedon regulars, including Amy Acker, Clark Gregg, and Nathan Fillion.
Based on a bizarre true story, Pain & Gain stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the tale of three bodybuilders who concoct a scheme to kidnap a wealthy businessman and wrest control of his riches. However, the plan quickly goes awry, with violent repercussions.
In this animated action comedy about time-traveling turkeys, pampered Reggie (voiced by Owen Wilson) and activist Jake (Woody Harrelson) team up to travel back to the first Thanksgiving in order to kill the annual tradition of eating turkeys before it starts.
Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Michael Ealy, and Joy Bryant star in Valentine’s Day sauciest remake About Last Night Grae Drake goes for broke and gets the stars to dish on being walked in on during private moments, whether they would hook up in real life, and finally…what real life figure they would name their naughty bits after.
A wicked satire disguised as a sci-fi action flick, Paul Verhoeven‘s RoboCop was one of the most brutal and subversive mainstream films of the late 1980s. The best critics can say for the new RoboCop is that it’s well-acted and reasonably exciting, but it lacks the visceral grit that made the original so compelling. When Detroit detective Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is badly injured on the job, a military contractor fits him with a robot exoskeleton in an attempt to create the ultimate crime fighter. The pundits say RoboCop is sleek and competent, but it’s short on the risk-taking verve of its predecessor. (Check out this week’s 24 Frames for a gallery of movie cyborgs.)
The original Endless Love was no great shakes, but it at least earned points for audacity. Critics say the biggest problem with this remake is that it’s pretty bland, lacking the passion and energy to make this anything other than a middling melodrama. Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde stars as teenagers from different sides of the tracks who fall in love, but complications ensue when her dad demands she break up with him. The pundits say Endless Love boasts some solid supporting performances, but it’s hobbled by a predictable plot and a shortage of fireworks.
Winter’s Tale has it all: time travel, magic realism, deathless passion, and even Satan himself. What it lacks, critics say, is logic, coherence, and restraint, and the result is an unintentionally funny schmaltz-fest that’s more likely to inspire befuddlement than swooning. It’s 1915, and Peter (Colin Farrell) has fallen in love with Beverly (Jessica Brown Findlay) while robbing her family’s mansion. When she dies of consumption, he finds himself in the present-day, where he bonds with Virginia (Jennifer Connelly) and tries to escape a demon (Russell Crowe). The pundits say Winter’s Tale looks pretty, but it’s so over-earnest and inexplicable that it ultimately falls far short of its ambitious aims. (Check out our video interview with the cast of Winter’s Tale, as well as this week’s Total Recall, in which we count down Connelly’s best-reviewed movies.)
Plenty of movies capture the buzz of infatuation at the beginning of a love affair. What makes About Last Night special, critics say, is that it’s also wise about the ups and downs that follow — and it’s often hilarious to boot. The movie follows Danny (Michael Ealy) and Debbie (Joy Bryant) from their first meeting to an eventual break up; meanwhile, their friends Bernie (Kevin Hart) and Joan (Regina Hall) share a combustible bond of their own. The pundits say About Last Night doesn’t reinvent the romantic comedy wheel, but it’s refreshingly honest and insightful, and it provides a fine showcase for Hart’s onscreen talents.
Also opening this week in limited release:
The New Black, a documentary about the campaign to drum up African American support for same-sex marriage in Maryland, is at 78 percent.
The Returned, a sci-fi thriller in which a medicine used to contain a zombie outbreak is running low, is at 60 percent.
Lucky Bastard, a found-footage thriller about a porn website that recruits a contest winner for a voyeuristic and humiliating film, is at 58 percent.
Jimmy P., starring Benicio Del Toro and Mathieu Amalric in a drama about an anthropologist who treats a World War II vet who suffered a debilitating head injury, is at 50 percent.
Adult World, starring Emma Roberts and John Cusack in a comedy about a recent college grad and aspiring poet who reluctantly takes a job at an adult bookstore, is at 44 percent.
94%
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