Old toys, old tricks.
‘Toy Story 5’
The gang of living toys (voiced by Tim Allen, Tom Hanks and Joan Cusack, among others) faces off against an evil tablet in the this sequel directed by Andrew Stanton.
From our review:
There is only so far that the filmmakers — who work, after all, at a famously technologically innovative studio — can push this story. And so, predictably, they simply stop pushing and instead wiggle around the thornier issues while spending too much time on another dreary Pixar romance. … It’s fine, pretty and amusing, but if no one’s heart seems in it, perhaps it’s time to make way for other toys.
In theaters. Read the full review.
More thief than hero.
‘The Death of Robin Hood’
In this action-drama directed by Michael Sarnoski, Hugh Jackman plays a darker, more violent version of the title character.
From our review:
“The Death of Robin Hood” is a movie I liked thinking about more than I enjoyed watching, which is not precisely a slight against either it or its cast, who are especially good.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Making a meal of melodrama.
‘Maddie’s Secret’
John Early wrote, directed and stars in this pastiche of melodrama centered on a food influencer struggling with an eating disorder.
From our review:
Brimming with style and spirit up to the final scene, “Maddie’s Secret” is among the most daring movies I’ve seen this year. That it simultaneously guarantees a giddy good time is a minor miracle.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Queer horror plays it straight.
‘Leviticus’
At a conversion therapy ritual, two teen boys are saddled with a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most: each other.
From our review:
“Leviticus” is the first feature by the writer-director Adrian Chiarella, and you can kind of tell by its formulaic horror beats and the repetitive nature of its scares.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A pop star turned director plays the hits.
‘Girls Like Girls’
Directed by Hayley Kiyoko and based on her song and Y.A. novel of the same name, this coming-of-age drama follows two teen girls falling in love.
From our review:
There will be secrets kept and betrayed, and the pangs of misunderstandings and newfound pleasures that make the genre achy and appealing. There might even be a happy ending. Kiyoko didn’t come by her fan-given nickname, Lesbian Jesus, for nothing.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
A colorful drama in black and white.
‘Color Book’
In this uplifting drama directed by David Fortune, a recently widowed father (William Catlett) and his son with Down syndrome (Jeremiah Alexander Daniels) adjust to life after loss.
From our review:
Daniels, an actor skilled at delivering hushed poignancy, shares a sincere rapport with Catlett, who furthers the film’s organic tenor with weary eyes that plead for one’s time and grace. His and Daniels’s steady work makes “Color Book” deserving of both.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
A seaworthy mystery.
‘Rose of Nevada’
Two men (George MacKay and Callum Turner) agree to crew a boat that ends up sailing back in time in this moody mystery written and directed by Mark Jenkin.
From our review:
It’s best not to rely on resolution or logic, but instead to surrender to texture. From a perspective of pure atmosphere, this is arguably the most mesmerizing film of the year thus far.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A poignant message (after the beep).
‘Voicemails for Isabelle’
After her sister dies, Jill (Zoey Deutch) leaves voice mail messages at her old number, not realizing the new owner of that number (Nick Robinson) is listening.
From our review:
The appealing Zoey Deutch is the best reason to watch “Voicemails for Isabelle.” Written and directed by Leah McKendrick (who also plays a small, amusing role), the movie begins as a tear-jerker and morphs into a rom-com with poignant notes.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Cringey in countless ways.
‘Never Change!’
A bunch of 30-somethings must return to high school in this comedy written by and starring John Reynolds and directed by Marty Schousboe.
From our review:
It’s not just that the jokes fail. It’s that Reynolds’s hollow script doesn’t seem to know what it wants to say with them. … “Never Change!” aims to evoke a high-school fever dream, the wince-inducing kind. Instead, it becomes one.
Watch on Hulu. Read the full review.
Queer history restored.
‘The Devil Queen’
This newly restored 1974 thriller directed by Antonio Carlos da Fontoura centers on a gay gangster (Milton Gonçalves) with drag queen minions.
From our review:
Gonçalves — a rageful, heartbreaking gangster — and the film he dominates are must-sees for fans of under-the-radar queer movie history.
In theaters. Read the full review.
An unidentified body, a generic film.
‘Unidentified’
Set in Saudi Arabia, this whodunit caps off a trilogy of films directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour.
From our review:
While decently absorbing, “Unidentified” eventually goes way more Hollywood than [the previous] films, with a plot that defies logic (raising issues of both structure and perspective) and undermines the movie’s message.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Compiled by Kellina Moore.
The post 11 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week appeared first on New York Times.
