7 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week
‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’
The charmingly disheveled heroine Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is back in this sequel directed by Michael Morris, and this time she’s tackling life as a single mother after her husband dies.
From our review:
Even though Bridget Jones fans are used to zany plot developments, few could have anticipated the twist in the new installment of her film series: Miraculously, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” reconnects with the deft balance of bubbliness, high jinks and emotion that was the hallmark of the movie that started it all in 2001, “Bridget Jones’s Diary.”
Watch on Peacock. Read the full review.
Just padding along.
‘Paddington in Peru’
Directed by Dougal Wilson, this sequel sees the gentlemanly bear Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) on a trip to Peru to find his Aunt. Along the way, he meets a Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) and Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), a local river guide.
From our review:
Watching Hunter’s schemes unfold, viewers can appreciate the central challenge facing “Paddington in Peru.” How do you measure up to “Paddington 2” when much of its magic came from Hugh Grant, who’s nowhere to be found? Instead, the filmmakers call on Colman and Banderas to fill the void, and although the actors commit with manic enthusiasm, their goofing can’t conjure what came before.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Cap your expectations.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’
Anthony Mackie stars as Captain America in this sequel about a dangerous substance and an attempted assassination of the President (Harrison Ford).
From our review:
The film, directed by Julius Onah, has the frayed tailoring of a movie marked by reshoots and changes: The writing is stiff and the ensemble is mostly charmless, while the visuals are slapdash. As the new Captain America, Mackie was perhaps doomed from the start. And yet, he lacks the megawatt magnetism to elevate, or even just obscure, the poor construction of a tentpole franchise on his own.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
A lost gem, unearthed, that shines brilliantly.
‘The Annihilation of Fish’
This romance directed by Charles Burnett, which is getting its first theatrical release 26 years after its festival debut, follows Fish (James Earl Jones), a man who believes he’s possessed by a demon, as he falls in love with Poinsettia (Lynn Redgrave), who imagines a dead composer is her lover.
From our review:
A modest movie modestly told, “The Annihilation of Fish” sneaks up on you; it’s as stealthy as Fish’s demon and can pack just as powerful a wallop. It’s a story about two people who find each other, and while love stories are often irresistible, what distinguishes this one is the tenderness of Burnett’s touch and the generosity of his worldview.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Lighter than angel hair pasta.
‘La Dolce Villa’
When his daughter wants to buys a fixer-upper Italian villa for one euro, Eric (Scott Foley) travels to the small village to try to stop her. Instead, he’s charmed by the place and the people in this airy rom-com directed by Mark Waters.
From our review:
The appeal of this kind of film is obvious: It is utterly predictable, lighter than air, sweeter than stracciatella gelato and, if you’re in the right mood, a prompter of serene good will. It’s not a comedy in the sense of having jokes, but a comedy in the sense of not being any other kind of thing. And they all lived happily ever after.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Niche humor, universal appeal.
‘Universal Language’
This surrealist comedy directed by Matthew Rankin applies the hallmarks of Iranian New Wave cinema to the setting of Winnipeg, Canada.
From our review:
“Universal Language,” directed by Matthew Rankin, is a gently funny, gently moving, slightly surrealist little comedy that’s aimed at two groups of people: Canadians, specifically but not exclusively those who know Winnipeg, and aficionados of Iranian cinema. Surely there’s overlap between the two circles in that Venn diagram, but I can’t imagine it’s all that substantial. Combining the two cultural specificities, though, makes for something fresh and weird and delightful to watch — even if, like me, you’re not an expert on either one.
In theaters. Read the full review.
The leads go the distance (across a ravine).
‘The Gorge’
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy star as two special agents stationed on either side of a dangerous gorge who start to bridge the gap in this action-romance directed by Scott Derrickson.
From our review:
For all the elaborate weaponry, production design and (eventually) frantic action offered here, this movie crackles most as a lively pas de deux between Taylor-Joy and Teller, who commendably take their material seriously no matter how seriously ridiculous it gets.
Watch on AppleTV+. Read the full review.
Compiled by Kellina Moore.
