Sharp laughs and sharper outfits.
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway return as Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs to face journalistic crises while looking fabulous in this sequel directed by David Frankel.
From our review:
Like the first movie, the second is a sleek diversion with brittle and sharp laughs, truckloads of couture threads and lashings of light drama. It’s strategically aspirational, presenting an ostensibly enviable world of unimaginable wealth that it critiques with a straight face before its characters slip into a car with a six-figure price tag.
In theaters. Read the full review.
A muddy adaptation.
‘Animal Farm’
Directed by Andy Serkis, this animated adaptation of George Orwell’s novel sees farm animals rebelling against totalitarianism and making fart jokes.
From our review:
There’s a reasonably OK movie somewhere inside “Animal Farm,” but it’s drowning in ideological confusion, which wouldn’t be such a big deal — one rarely asks children’s cartoons featuring talking pigs to be wellsprings of thoughtful political theorizing — except that this is “Animal Farm.” Frankly, I have no idea what this movie thinks its point is.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Adam Scott’s signature snark.
‘Hokum’
Adam Scott plays Ohm, a cranky writer staying at an isolated and nightmarish Irish hotel in this horror movie directed by Damian McCarthy.
From our review:
A shocking ending to the first act derails our expectations and opens the door for multiple interpretations of what follows: Is Ohm grappling with the supernatural, or hallucinating a way to purge his trauma and overcome his writer’s block? Or is something even more sinister going on? I’m not telling, and neither is McCarthy, whose sneaky script seems especially suited to Scott’s slightly stunned acting style and a line delivery that leans naturally toward snark.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Critic’s Pick
Tough to watch but still tender.
‘Departures’
This tragicomedy directed by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely follows Benji (Eyre-Morgan) through traumas and romantic breakups.
From our review:
The film balances a mordantly funny deconstruction of romance with the harsher realities of gay life: internalized homophobia, body dysmorphia, alcoholism, sexual abuse, parental expectations to be a “happy gay.” It’s a lot, maybe too much for some. Even the camerawork feels confrontational, with tight close-ups and high angles that subjugate Benji. “Departures” is still tender and winsome, with graphic-novel-style animation lightening the load, but is ultimately punishing in tone.
In theaters. Read the full review.
‘Freaky Friday’ in the animal kingdom.
‘Swapped’
Michael B. Jordan is the voice of Ollie, a woodland creature who swaps species with a javan, a multicolored bird who is his natural enemy.
From our review:
Directed by Nathan Greno, “Swapped” works best when it pauses the dialogue to favor visual storytelling, as when Ollie first encounters a baby javan. Pelage and plumage noticeably lack the tactile quality of a Pixar extravaganza, but the animation gets a pass for the movie’s purposes — namely, to impart a message that communities should trust each other, whether they’re covered in rotely-rendered feathers or fur.
Watch on Netflix. Read the full review.
Double the disaster.
‘Deep Water’
A plane crashes into shark-infested waters in this disaster-movie mash-up directed by Renny Harlin.
From our review:
This picture is not as ridiculous as a “Sharknado” movie — Harlin is out to make a genuine nail-biter, and he largely succeeds, maintaining interest even as the two-hour mark approaches. But it’s not enough to make you genuinely afraid to go into the ocean this summer.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Anime amusements.
‘That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie’
Based on the anime series, this film directed by Yasuhito Kikuchi follows a crew of heroes led by a slime named Rimuru on an island vacation gone awry.
From our review:
It’s honestly easier to feel more invested in these characters (or to have a reference point for the understatement of Rimuru’s role) if you’ve been hanging out with the show for one or more seasons. But it’s a diverting dip in the anime sea.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Romantic confusion.
‘Two Pianos’
After spending time abroad, a talented pianist returns home and reunites with his mentor and an old flame in this drama directed by Arnaud Desplechin.
From our review:
To the extent that “Two Pianos” coheres, it is in a way that might be described as musical. Lately Desplechin has been in a bit of a rut with critics, and this modest drama, less sprawling than much of his work, feels like an effort to reconnect with the madness of his early films. That’s a compliment.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Intense premise, weak execution.
‘One Spoon of Chocolate’
Directed by RZA, this action film follows Unique (Shameik Moore), who relocates to a town where he discovers a group of white supremacists hunting the Black residents.
From our review:
Despite the charged premise, RZA’s film spends too much time developing laborious threads … while failing to explain why Black residents aren’t rebelling against their oppressors. A monotone Moore also appears incapable of delivering the presence necessary for exploitation heroism or translating RZA’s satirical aims into cynical thrills.
In theaters. Read the full review.
Compiled by Kellina Moore.
The post 9 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week appeared first on New York Times.
