A beautiful tapestry of romance and relationships.
‘Love’
Set in Oslo, Dag Johan Haugerud’s gentle drama follows several characters with vastly different ideas about relationships.
From our review:
In some ways “Love” feels highly theoretical, each character demonstrating a different approach to finding sexual connection and romantic fulfillment. … Haugerud’s script is more or less free of judgment. If it veers a bit academic at times (how convenient that every character has a different perspective to share), it’s so beautiful that you want to just keep dwelling in its world.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Not-so-grim reaper.
‘Final Destinations: Bloodlines’
Directed by Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky, the latest entry in this horror franchise follows a family marked for death after the matriarch escapes a harrowing disaster thanks to a premonition.
From our review:
“Bloodlines” might be the most self-consciously silly installment in the series, poking fun at its own improbable scenarios with meta-humor and Looney Toons-style gags (the boatloads of mushy, digitally-rendered blood add to this caricature effect). … most important, the deaths are weird and surprising; and their lead-ups are expertly paced. There’s not much more a “Final Destination” fan could ask for.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
A shimmering portrait of simmering anger.
‘Desert of Namibia’
This drama directed by Yoko Yamanaka centers on Kana (Yuumi Kawai), a young woman frustrated with her relationship and with her place in the world.
From our review:
What clinches the portrait is the sure-handed direction and Kana’s organic performance of a daunting character. Dramatically, Yamanaka finds unpredictable ways into and out of scenes, and she has an eye for the poignant details amid the angst, like neatly packed baggies of food in a refrigerator, and for underplaying other moments, like the breeziness of a doctor who diagnoses Kana over a video call.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Uncharted territory, masterfully navigated.
‘The Damned’
Union Army soldiers bond, battle and brave the elements in uncharted Montana territory.
From our review:
In keeping with the socially conscious sensibilities of its director, the Italian-born Roberto Minervini (whose previous work has sometimes probed the forgotten souls of rural Texas and urban Louisiana), “The Damned” is shaped as a wistful and laconic study of the minutiae of survival. Though billed as his first fiction film, it wobbles tantalizingly on a permeable line between narrative and documentary.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A romance that’s a bit too smooth.
‘The Kiss’
Adapted from a novel by Stefan Zweig, this period drama directed by Bille August follows a young man as he tries to woo a daughter of nobility who is partially paralyzed.
From our review:
The picture moves at a stately pace that one supposes was considered period-appropriate but feels merely logy at times. August and his co-screenwriter, Greg Latter, juggle Zweig’s chronology a bit and try to compound his ironies. Then they take a whack at ameliorating those ironies in the movie’s coda, as if they themselves are taking pity on the viewer. As executed, it feels like waffling.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A monster of a metaphor.
‘Sister Midnight’
As she tries to settle into married life, Uma (Radhika Apte) develops a dissatisfaction that turns supernatural in this black comedy directed by Karan Kandhari.
From our review:
In his first feature, Kandhari makes use of morbid humor and expressive imagery, including stop-motion effects. He rarely relies on dialogue and favors a fuzzier plot, which leaves the story with a shapeless and sometimes confusing midsection. Eventually, a repetitive pattern sets in that can feel stifling. But if it’s troubling to us, just imagine how Uma feels.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Compiled by Kellina Moore.
The post 6 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week appeared first on New York Times.
