Netflix
MOVIE REVIEW
Frankenstein (2025)
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus,” has inspired nearly 20 films, among them a few sequels and even a parody from Mel Brooks. Interestingly, the vast majority of them are modernized reimaginings. Up to this point, the most serious attempt at a straight adaption has been Kenneth Branagh’s 1994 “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” a misguided disappointment on all accounts thanks to the director’s runaway ego.
La Biennale di Venezia
MOVIE REVIEW
No Other Choice (2025)
If the premise of Park Chan-wook’s Venice International Film Festival entry, “No Other Choice,” sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because it is based on Donald E. Westlake’s “The Ax,” which was previously adapted as “Le couperet” two decades ago by Costa-Gavras, to whom the new film is dedicated. I vaguely recall pitching Film Comment to review the Costa-Gavras iteration, but the magazine’s then-editor deemed him no longer relevant. “Le couperet,” which has yet to receive distribution of any kind in the States, is finally getting its long overdue flowers in 2025 thanks to Mr. Park.
Netflix
MOVIE REVIEW
Jay Kelly (2025)
Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” premiering at the Venice International Film Festival, must be inspired, at least in part, by Federico Fellini’s “8 1/2.” If so, it’s appropriate that it stars the Marcello Mastroianni of our time, George Clooney, in the titular role. Though the protagonist here isn’t a filmmaker but a movie star.
Focus Features
MOVIE REVIEW
Bugonia (2025)
Yorgos Lanthimos is at his most accessible when directing someone else’s script. Such is the case with his Venice International Film Festival entry, the Jang Joon-hwan-written, Will Tracy-adapted “Bugonia.” Fortunately, there is just enough peculiarity, violence and blood that it’s unmistakable as being of his oeuvre.
Andrea Pirrello
MOVIE REVIEW
La grazia (2025)
Paolo Sorrentino’s latest and this year’s Venice International Film Festival opener, “La grazia,” is the antithesis of “Il divo” and “Loro,” his previous features centering on political leaders, despite it also starring his go-to leading man, Toni Servillo, who played Giulio Andreotti and Silvio Berlusconi, respectively, in the previous films.
Continue reading “Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears a Crown” »
Apple TV+
STREAMING REVIEW | 'DISCLAIMER'
After enjoying a fruitful partnership with Netflix on 2018’s “Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón has doubled down on streaming with a whopping 7-episode miniseries, “Disclaimer,” for rival Apple TV+. It’s of the caliber we’ve come to expect from the Oscar winner’s films. He doesn’t let quality suffer because of quantity here. The series, screening at the Venice Film Festival, more than holds its own against other buzzy world premieres.
Apple TV+
MOVIE REVIEW
Wolfs (2024)
“Wolfs” is the new action-comedy starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney and directed by Jon Watts, who is responsible for the last three “Spider-Man” movies. It should get some butts in seats on these names alone; here we have two of Hollywood’s surviving movie stars who’ve earned their stripes before the industry’s almost complete pivot to IPs in an effort to draw box office. But these household names and their screen personae can be a blessing and sometimes a curse. Case in point: “Wolfs.”
La Biennale di Venezia
MOVIE REVIEW
Broken Rage (2024)
It’s always delightful when a beloved director decides to do a silly one. Based on the overexcited cheers and fervent applause at the piracy warning – not even the opening credits! – before the first press screening at the Venice Biennale, “Broken Rage” is going to be met with howls of delight wherever it goes. It’s a 62-minute-long parody of crime cinema, written, edited and directed by Takeshi Kitano, starring himself. It is also an entirely coherent cinematic experience even as it twists in upon the story it is telling; and it makes the delightful choice of getting stupider by the second. This is unlikely to be the capstone to Mr. Kitano’s career, but regardless “Broken Rage” obeys two important showbiz adages: always leave them laughing; and always leave them wanting more.