Who can say if it’s been changed for the better?
‘Wicked: For Good’
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande return as Elphaba and Glinda in the second part of this movie musical directed by Jon M. Chu.
From our review:
Like most studio movies, “Wicked” blunts any overt political message; it’s about right and wrong more than left or right. Even so, from its director to its cast, the movie is a testament to diversity (species included) as a common good as well as to love, friendship and solidarity. It’s on the side of kindness, which is itself, well, a balm.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Joel Edgerton is the engine of this train.
‘Train Dreams’
Based on a novella by Denis Johnson, this quiet drama directed by Clint Bentley follows the life of a train laborer (Joel Edgerton) in the early 20th century.
From our review:
It’s hard to imagine anyone but Edgerton in this role. Though he’s a prolific actor, he’s still underestimated; he’s at his most superb when his manner is gentle, and he’s capable of doing so much with so little. … Here he moves from passivity to passion to grief to wonder — it’s a beautiful role for him, and he broke my heart.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Fake family, real charm.
‘Rental Family’
Brendan Fraser stars in this drama directed by Hikari as a man who works at a company that rents out actors to play roles in their clients’ personal lives.
From our review:
When you’re blessed with a face like Brendan Fraser’s, playing wide-eyed wonderment should be a breeze. And in “Rental Family,” that face — round as the moon and pale as paper — is the lodestar of a movie that’s at once disappointingly superficial and utterly charming.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A gory good time.
‘Sisu: Road to Revenge’
In this action sequel directed by Jalmari Helander, an ex-Finnish Army commando faces off against the Red Army commander who killed his family.
From our review:
In “Road to Revenge,” a kind of slapstick Rambo movie … a barrage of blood-spattered inanity eventually becomes a delirium of popcorn pleasure.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Wacky action with believable chemistry.
‘The Family Plan 2’
Mark Wahlberg returns as Dan, a former assassin on the run from his past with his wife and three kids in tow, this time across Europe, in this sequel directed by Simon Cellan Jones.
From our review:
Like the EMF pop song lyrics belted “Carpool Karaoke”-style early on, the situations this quintet, plus one game boyfriend, find themselves in are “unbelievable.” Their engaging chemistry, however, is not.
Watch on Apple TV. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
A queer romance that skips the clichés.
‘Cactus Pears’
When a closeted gay man, Anand, returns home for a funeral, he reconnects with an old friend, Balya, and romance blooms in this drama directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade.
From our review:
“Cactus Pears,” which Kanawade based on his own experiences, conveys the burdens confronting the men while circumventing clichés of the covert queer romantic drama. … While the film centers on the comfort Anand finds with Balya and vice versa, it is also an elegantly reserved study of Anand’s grief, finding a rhythm in its scenes of ritual that allows us to ache alongside.
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.
