https://www.cbr.com CBR movie reviews offer well-informed, in-depth analysis on superhero smash hits and hidden film house gems. CBR is your inside track to the silver screen. Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:20:13 GMT en-US hourly 60 The Iron Claw, written and directed by Sean Durkin, is about, among other things, the perseverance of brotherhood, despite or in spite of a father's smothering grasp. With sparkling, dust-mote-friendly cinematography by Mátyás Erdély, Durkin composes a film that's as intimately observed as a shaggy character study from the 70s, and as sharp as a tungsten nanoneedle.

]]> Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:20:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/iron-claw-review/ Although its simple, direct title implies a more expansive take on the man who founded one of the world's most famous and successful car companies, Michael Mann's Ferrari covers only a short time in the life of Italian automotive mogul Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver). Rather than attempt to take on Enzo's entire life, Mann and screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin cover only a short period in 1957 when Enzo was dealing with especially difficult personal and professional circumstances. That's a smart move since it gives Ferrari a sharper focus, with one central climactic event and a handful of important character relationships. The narrative still feels a bit shapeless at times, but Mann delivers a mostly engaging meditation on masculine power and insecurity.

]]> Thu, 28 Dec 2023 17:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/ferrari-review/ Initially premiering on Cartoon Network in the late 2010s, Craig of the Creek is a fan-favorite animated series that has now spawned its own prequel film, Craig Before the Creek. Craig of the Creek thrives as a short-form series with 11-minute-long segments, but as a feature film, the cute characters and calming animation style are not enough to warrant the 90-minute runtime. The plot strives to be grand, initially drawing viewers in but eventually reveals that it doesn't have much to say. For young fans of the series, this film may be a fun explanation of how Craig found the kid utopia by the creek, but for older audiences, Craig Before the Creek may prove to be a bit of a bore.

]]> Wed, 27 Dec 2023 14:00:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/craig-before-the-creek-review/ When lonely screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott), protagonist of writer-director Andrew Haigh's All of Us Strangers, tells his neighbor and new lover Harry (Paul Mescal) about the death of his parents when Adam was 11 years old, Harry offers his condolences. "It was a long time ago," Adam says, somewhat dismissively. "I don't think that matters," Harry responds. The lasting effects of grief, as expressed in that simple, lovely exchange, are the central theme of All of Us Strangers, a quiet, affecting movie about one man reaching out for human connection.

]]> Sat, 23 Dec 2023 15:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/all-of-us-strangers-review/ It's not easy being king, and it looks like Aquaman is learning this the hard way. Although being a new parent is no walk in the park, it's much better than dealing with the roadblocks and obstructive politics of the Atlantis council and grappling with the rapidly growing threat of climate change. Atlantis is at a crossroads. They must choose whether they wish to stay hidden or reveal themselves to an equally volatile surface world, and Arthur, a product of both worlds, is stuck in the middle.

]]> Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:29:06 GMT https://www.cbr.com/aquaman-the-lost-kingdom-review/ Liberty is a dark animal rights film written and directed by Belgian filmmaker Phil De Witte. The film depicts a young Animal Park guide named Matt (Nicholas Michael McGovern) kidnapping a group of people to show them what it feels like to be an animal in captivity. This film makes its point clearly in the first 10 minutes but decides it must hammer it home, making things feel overly preachy. There is also no topic of discussion here, just one perspective. Many people would agree that animals do not deserve to be in captivity, but this film seems to argue that human nature is blatantly evil. Animals' lives are basically above those of humans. There are glimpses of intrigue throughout, like when the imprisoned characters begin to let their animal instincts run rampant or when we briefly look into Matt's family life. However, it seems as though the sole objective of Liberty is to convince the audience of something rather than to present a captivating story.

]]> Sat, 16 Dec 2023 16:45:20 GMT https://www.cbr.com/liberty-review/ Decades in the making, Zack Snyder's long-awaited space opera Rebel Moon has finally been released. What originated as a darker pitch to bring new life to the Star Wars franchise and brought to life during the golden age of dystopian sci-fi dramas, the Netflix production Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire brings to life a world and story that at first feels quite familiar but soon proves far deeper and grander than its own format allows for.

]]> Fri, 15 Dec 2023 21:18:54 GMT https://www.cbr.com/rebel-moon-review/ Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, Netflix's Leave the World Behind is the perfect apocalyptic movie for 2023. Writer and director Sam Esmail, who was behind the hit show Mr. Robot, crafts an intricately realistic tale of survival, showcasing how the constant division in America will make it easy for us to crumble when an ultimate threat rears its head. Equipped with a star-studded cast, Leave the World Behind is a wildly good time while still feeling important and timely. The film is also flooded with tension-filled scenes of chaos that won't be forgotten anytime soon. Esmail toys with the audience, and some viewers won't enjoy the strange choices this film makes, but for audience members willing to lose themselves within a cynically unsafe movie, Leave the World Behind will prove to be a provocative commentary on the current state of our world.

]]> Fri, 15 Dec 2023 20:35:18 GMT https://www.cbr.com/leave-the-world-behind-review/ The Archies, directed by Zoya Akhtar and released by streaming service Netflix, re-imagines Riverdale as an Anglo-Indian community in 1960s India, where bobby socks and sweater sets reign supreme. Idealistic, ambitious yet perpetually girl-crazy Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda) is the frontman of his band, alongside his friends–the innocent girl-next-door Betty and the deadpan and food-driven Jughead.

]]> Thu, 14 Dec 2023 22:44:56 GMT https://www.cbr.com/archies-musical-review/ The story of the bizarre Star Wars Holiday Special remains more riveting than the actual product. Now, the documentary A Disturbance in the Force explores one of the most controversial and peculiar moments in fandom, and what led to this variety special being made in the first place. Directors Steve Kozak and Jeremy Coon leave no stone unturned, as they provide an informative and entertaining platform to hear the thoughts of fans, public figures, and the actual people who worked on this oddball project.

]]> Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:00:18 GMT https://www.cbr.com/a-disturbance-in-the-force-review/