Young CriticSeptember 5
The journalism thriller is irresistibly gripping Journalistic thrillers capture the insatiable curiosity and inherent dangers of pursuing the truth. The subgenre has produced some of cinema’s greatest works, including Ac
Reviews tagged: 8/10s
Young Critic
Young CriticNosferatu
Robert Eggers' adaptation is the most faithful Dracula adaptation yet Despite Dracula being one of cinema’s most indelible figures, there has never been a truly definitive adaptation. Bela Lugosi’s iconic portrayal in
Young CriticUndercover
This Spanish thriller delivers an unforgettable lead performance The ETA terrorist group disbanded officially in 2018, albeit their violent attacks had stopped in 2010. Spain, however, had been living with this internal
Young CriticA Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg's sophmore film is an irresistible dramedy Actors can quickly become typecast into specific roles. Jesse Eisenberg, for example, has consistently played a neurotic, socially awkward intellectual since Th
Young CriticAnora
Sean Baker's Palme D'Or winner is another complex character study Sean Baker is reminiscent of the revolutionary directors of the 1970s, filmmakers who reshaped cinema by telling stories from the fringes of American life
Young CriticThe Apprentice
The Donald Trump origin story works as an effective tragedy Despite Donald Trump’s ubiquitous presence in media and culture since his first presidential run in 2016, he has rarely been depicted in dramatic film or televi
Young CriticThe Wild Robot
Chris Sanders' return to the genre brings an endearing film Despite animation being one of the most creatively fertile genres in recent decades—offering originality amid the superhero and sequel glut—it has increasingly
Young CriticMy Old Ass
Megan Park's sophmore debut is an original and endearing comedy Despite many cinephiles complaining about the lack of originality in Hollywood, creative stories are being made; one has to look beyond high budget flicks.
Young CriticHit Man
Glen Powell and Adria Arjona exude crackling chemistry in Richard Linklater's latest Glen Powell is taking Hollywood by storm. His recent foray into blockbuster territory with roles in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Anyone
Young CriticKingdom of the Planet of the Apes
The latest in this solid franchise is another worthy, transporting entry The recent Planet of the Apes films have been among the more contemplative blockbuster franchises in recent memory. What began as pure popcorn en
Young CriticChallengers
Luca Guadagnino's latest is another winning tangled romance Luca Guadagnino’s films range from the murder thriller A Bigger Splash (2015), the throwback 1970s summer fling Call Me By Your Name (2017), and the cannibal ho
Young CriticCivil War
Alex Garland's take on violent polarization is a chillingly effective watch The concept civil wars breaking out in Western democracies is becoming less a fantastical concept than a probable nightmare. Coups have already
Young CriticMusica
Internet star Rudy Mancuso's directing debut is stunningly original For those of us who grew up with the short-form video app Vine, the name of Rudy Mancuso will be familiar. Like many of the other popular creators on th
Young CriticDune: Part II
Dennis Villeneuve's retains cinematic scale and expands the thematic layering Creating a cinematic spectacle on the scale of Ben-Hur (1959) or The Lord of the Rings in today’s film landscape is becoming increasingly
Young CriticAmerican Fiction
The publishing satire is a comedic and dramatic triumph The Black experience has often been enclosed in a space of exploitation and trauma that seems to delight white audiences. Be it slave stories, crime, or other ways
Young CriticPoor Things
Emma Stone delivers a career high in Yorgos Lanthimos' latest Yorgos Lanthimos is a director that has quickly instituted a style of absurdism in his films; donning a mocking and goofy attitude in his narrative, yet havin
Young CriticMay December
Todd Haynes' latest brings a complicated exploration of guilt and exploitation Romantic age gaps have been exploited in film until very recently. Woody Allen was famous for placing himself or surrogate older characters a
Young CriticThe Holdovers
Alexander Payne's latest is a heartwarming and irresistible new holiday classic Nostalgia is easy to create in movies; you put up some musical queues and reference popular culture of the time and you instantly have viewe
Young CriticPriscilla
Sofia Coppola's latest brings a more complex take on the famous relationship Despite growing older, Sofia Coppola has retained the ability to capture the perspective of adolescent girls. From her breakout in The Virgin S
Young CriticThe Killer
David Fincher's latest revels in the procedural precision of an assassin David Fincher is one of the few storytellers who is able to make you root for unabashed villains, from Frank Underwood in House of Cards (2013-2018
Young CriticTaylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Swift's concert film delivers one of the cinematic experiences of the year Taylor Swift has become not only a cultural phenomenon, but true force of nature, taking the world by storm with her recent billion-dollar grossi
Young CriticStrange Way of Life
Almodovar's second English-language short is a bold foray into a new genre The natural path for many cinematic artists is shorts to TV to film, albeit the path has somewhat changed in the last decade to shorts to film to
Young CriticThe Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Wes Anderson's first in a series of Roald Dahl shorts is him at his best Despite a seeming set style and tone in his filmmaking, Wes Anderson has proved adept at flitting between film forms. He’s been incredibly successf
Young CriticBarbie
Greta Gerwig's feminist and magical realist take on the toy is fun and insightful Greta Gerwig is living the director’s dream of flitting from vastly different projects and preventing viewers or studios from pinning her