Young CriticSpike Lee's adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's classic is serviceable if muted Despite being one of the foremost auteurs in American cinema, Spike Lee is no stranger to remakes. He remade the Korean action classic Oldboy (20
Young CriticThe fourth and supposed final entry is a stuporous disappointment James Wan sparked a horror renaissance in the early 2010s when he delivered the one-two punch of Insidious (2010) and The Conjuring (2013). Both films spa
Young CriticThis divorce remake is sadly hampered by misplaced slapstick Films about divorces aren’t as populous as their ubiquity in modern western society would demand. There have been scant good dramas that have delved into the f
Young CriticAnother worthy and daring attempt at reviving the spoof Spoof movies and satires had an impressive run of both financial and cultural success from Airplane! (1980), to Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenste
Young CriticEva Victor’s first feature listens where others sensationalize Despite being one of the most horrific yet ancient of crimes, rape and sexual assault did not receive serious exploration or attention in Western society unt
Young CriticA Chilling Mystery and Shaky Reveal Signal a Director on the Rise Zach Cregger has burst onto the horror scene in a way that few filmmakers do – once a decade at most. He’s echoing the career impact that M. Night Shyamal
Young CriticA stylish reboot with charm, but little risk Since Disney bought Fox Studios from the Murdoch family in 2019, many film fans have eagerly awaited the company’s use of its newly acquired properties—especially in the conte
Young CriticDC’s reboot buckles under bloated world-building and thin storytelling The DC comic book adaptations have been a mixed bag at best for Warner Bros. studios. They began with a significant advantage over Marvel, kickstarti
Young CriticA formulaic but welcome return to Jurassic basics. Despite some fun sequences in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) and some nostalgic bait in Jurassic World (2015), every Jurassic sequel has been a face-palm ins
Young CriticA thoughtful sequel with heart, hindered by frantic editing Every franchise with even the faintest hint of sequel potential is being squeezed for every last cent. This has needlessly revived properties like The Blair Wi
Young CriticOliver Laxe’s trance-like odyssey blurs myth and rave The road movie—or road story—has been a device used by storytellers since the first fictional tale was inscribed onto a tablet with The Epic of Gilgamesh . There is
Young CriticApple’s F1 spectacle features real racers, but the plot is stuck in neutral Despite being one of the most popular sports in the world—and featuring many dramatic real-life stories—Formula 1 has rarely appeared in Hollywo
Young CriticA dazzling but overly faithful remake that mirrors the original more than it reimagines it Remakes present tough choices for filmmakers: do you remain faithful to the original to please fans, or dare to deviate and put y
Young CriticA sharp, stylish rom-com that dissects modern love—though its heroine falls flat It can be hard for a playwright to transition into filmmaking. Plays are famously staid, physical affairs, relying more on dialogue than vi
Young CriticA spin-off that shoots blanks on story Despite having been created as a stand-alone action B-movie, John Wick (2014) has spawned an unlikely franchise, with each sequel outperforming the last at the box office. Though
Young CriticA tender, time-twisting tribute to the beauty of an ordinary life When you think of the pairing of Stephen King and filmmaker Mike Flanagan, your immediate thought is likely horror. The American author is famous for nove
Young CriticA legacy sequel that forgets the legacy The Karate Kid (1984) was a fun ‘80s film—such a success that it understandably spawned a few diluted sequels. But few could have predicted the bloated franchise it would become.
Young CriticSibling Bonds and Lingering Spirits Anchor the Philippous’ Sophomore Horror Since the 1970s, horror has become fertile ground for some of today’s most acclaimed directors to get their start. Few may remember that the lik
Young CriticAnderson Finds His Plot Again—But Forgets the Heart Many world-renowned auteurs with distinct styles take years between projects—filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Kathryn Bigelow, or Steve McQueen. Wes Anderson is inarg
Young CriticAnother sweet if slightly diluted remake Disney’s live-action remakes of animated classics follow a clear pattern when it comes to financial success. Remakes of films from the studio’s first Golden Era in the 1930s and ’
Young CriticA Franchise Finale That Talks Too Much and Trusts Too Little When franchises now purport that they’re making the last film in a series, it’s usually just a question of whether the movie makes money or not. Despite much-t
Young CriticA Cringe Comedy That Skims the Surface of Modern Masculinity Examining male loneliness is becoming an increasingly important objective for psychologists, sociologists, and artists alike. Feelings of isolation, emasculati
Young CriticA Franchise That Once Cheated Death Finally Runs Out of Life The Final Destination films developed a rote, if effective, formula that—while stale by the fifth entry—allowed the franchise to maintain a surprisingly stro
Young CriticA grounded rebellion tale with the grit of a spy thriller It seems hard to fathom, but the best story to emerge from the Star Wars universe—arguably ever—is a prequel to a spinoff. Yet it proves that what matters most