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Movie Review: “The Whale”

“Why are you fucking with me like this?” Sadie Sink cries out to Brendan Fraser late in “The Whale,” in an exchange that can be read as the film’s climax or its resolution, depending on your outlook. As I watched the emotionally charged, dramatically over-the-top scene unfold, I wanted to be able to pose the …

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Frances McDormand plays Fern in Chloé Zhao's "Nomadland," reviewed here by Critic Speak critic Danny Baldwin.

Review: “Nomadland”

Critics who write with their politics first have all too conveniently positioned “Nomadland,” the Oscar frontrunner of the case-sensitive Moment, as an indictment of individualism. But that’s frankly too easily; to position Frances McDormand’s Fern as a squeaky cog in the dirty machine of American capitalism is, frankly, to deny the real nuance of the …

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Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy in the 2018 film "Chappaquiddick."

Review: “Chappaquiddick”

The first time we really see Ted Kennedy in John Curran’s “Chappaquiddick” is during a party at one of his family’s Martha’s Vineyard properties. Face ruddy with Scotch, he convenes his carefully curated crowd of babes and stooges, and gives them a lecture on the importance of family. Notably absent: His actual family, including his …

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Film critic James Frazier reviews "Tag," starring Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, and Jon Hamm.

Review: “Tag”

“Tag” is a comedy with a lot on its mind. That is to say, the movie tries to cram in so many subplots and themes that it bursts at the seams, left with only affable performances and some slick direction to patch the holes. Proudly touting a plot “based on a true story,” “Tag” follows …

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Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ray Fisher in "Justice League."

Review: “Justice League”

“Justice League” is a milestone in American cinema: the flop with a $94 million opening weekend. That’s a lot of money for a flop to earn over a few days, but “Justice League” came with a high price tag ($300 million and change) and even higher expectations. It’s the DC Cinematic Universe’s answer to Disney’s …

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