Ann Hornaday

Stormtroopers from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

Enough of this supposed battle between “popular movies and “Oscar” movies

February 1, 2017 at 5:19 p.m.

When the nominations for this year's Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday, some observers could be heard decrying yet another crop of films that "no one" has seen, noting the...

Annette Bening and Lucas Jade Zumann in "20th Century Women."

In “20th Century Women,” a young man comes of age, with female help

January 18, 2017 at 12:46 p.m.

Fans of Mike Mills' work will instantly recognize "20th Century Women" as a bookend for his wonderful 2011 film "Beginners," which paid homage to his late father, Paul. Here, he...

This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Ben Affleck, left, and Remo Girone in a scene from "Live By Night."

With “Live by Night,” Ben Affleck makes an un-thrilling period crime thriller

January 13, 2017 at 1:00 a.m.

There's so much going for "Live by Night" that it's difficult to tease out what, exactly, is wrong with it.

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford speak.

The humanity and humor of Carrie Fisher

December 28, 2016 at 9:22 p.m.

Happily enough, Carrie Fisher turned out to be, not an Important Figure or Towering Intellect but, of all things, a person -- whose mix of forthrightness and humor were on...

“Elle” movie review: Nasty yet elegant French thriller features Isabelle Huppert at her best

December 27, 2016 at 3:44 p.m.

"Elle" is an elegant, nasty piece of work, the kind of twisty, handsomely produced, nominally erotic thriller that plays almost as a parody of French films that mistake pathological disengagement...

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in "La La Land."

In “La La Land,” Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling pay homage to the musical

December 16, 2016 at 1:00 a.m.

Bright, primary-hued and boldly staged as if to occur in one unbroken shot, the "La La Land" prologue sets the stage for what's to come: a nostalgic boy-meets-girl romance shot...

Natalie Portman says the key to her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy in the film "Jackie" was that unforgettable voice.

In “Jackie,” Natalie Portman plays an iconic first lady as masterful myth-maker

December 14, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.

From the dissonant minor chords of its opening music, "Jackie" puts the audience on notice that this isn't going to be a comfort-blanket biopic.

Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck in "Manchester by the Sea."

Kenneth Lonergan makes a triumphant return with “Manchester By the Sea”

November 30, 2016 at 4:19 p.m.

There's an early scene in Kenneth Lonergan's "Manchester By the Sea," a grief-drenched drama starring Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, that effectively announces to viewers that the ensuing movie won't...

Billy Bob Thornton and Christina Hendricks in "Bad Santa 2."

At the dawn of the Trump era, cynicism in film has become instantly obsolete

November 30, 2016 at 1:11 p.m.

Nasty, leering, brimming with resentment and greed, "Bad Santa 2" revels in the same antisocial vulgarity that made the original such a hit in 2003. But it remains to be...

Hailee Steinfeld and Haley Lu Richardson in "The Edge of Seventeen."

“The Edge of Seventeen”: coming-of-age angst, served with snark and sensitivity

November 18, 2016 at 12:46 a.m.

Since delivering her solemnly impressive feature debut in 2010's "True Grit," young actress Hailee Steinfeld has struggled to find a role commensurate with her solid, self-assured gifts. Until now, at...

抖阴ap