Refinery29

Tomatometer-approved publication
Rating
Title/Year
Author
1
Aquaman (2018)

Anne Cohen

It's certainly fun to watch, and I spent most of it giggling with glee and/or dismay at how crazy it all was. But it also feels like wasted potential.
Posted Dec 11, 2018
2
Vox Lux (2018)

Anne Cohen

Brady Corbet's film promises great things, and there are kernels of ambitious, fascinating ideas throughout, but they don't pay off.
Posted Dec 5, 2018
3
Roma (2018)

Anne Cohen

Roma doesn't seek to present a rosy solution, nor does it pass judgement. It's concerned with the details, the small things that make up a life and make it meaningful. Everyone matters in Roma - but especially those who so often get overlooked.
Posted Nov 28, 2018
4
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Refinery29 Editors

What's more fun than stop-motion animated holiday movies? Absolutely nothing... It also features a badass Mrs. Claus basically trying to save Christmas.
Posted Nov 27, 2018
5
The Favourite (2018)

Anne Cohen

It's a sensorial delight, a delicious morsel of court decadence, rivalry, and intrigue, with enough wit and rage to pierce your gut and leave you writhing.
Posted Nov 21, 2018
6
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Elena Nicolaou

It would be worth taking an hour and having a cookie with Sad Santa, just so he could tell us how to restore our own faith in humanity after this not-so-merry year.
Posted Nov 19, 2018
7
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

Anne Cohen

The historical accuracy of the action feels less important than the overall statement the film makes on women and power: Much has changed in the last 431 years, but not nearly enough.
Posted Nov 16, 2018
8
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

Anne Cohen

That unwillingness to engage with the potential richness of its universe is what makes the sequel Fantastic Beasts directed by Harry Potter alum David Yates, such a slog.
Posted Nov 16, 2018
9
Widows (2018)

Anne Cohen

These women aren't pining for the men they lost so much as they are just trying to get by, and in that vacuum, a powerful collaboration is born.
Posted Nov 14, 2018
10
Twilight (2008)

Anne Cohen

Ten years after its release, Twilight stands as a powerful, darkly stylish depiction of teen female desire.
Posted Nov 14, 2018
11
Overlord (2018)

Sesali Bowen

Even though Overlord's action isn't super scary, it takes the viewer on one hell of a ride. If it was a video game, I'd give it a try. Overlord is not this year's Get Out, but it'll do.
Posted Nov 14, 2018
12
The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

Anne Cohen

The studio system's hamfisted answer to the #MeToo movement turns Lisbeth Salander into a generic action hero with an unnecessarily convoluted and nonsensical backstory, smoothing the edges of everything that made her compelling in the first place.
Posted Nov 8, 2018
13
Outlaw King (2018)

Anne Cohen

Outlaw King is the kind of movie that, were it not a Netflix release, I would wholeheartedly rewatch every single time it was on TV. It's not Braveheart. But it's also not not Braveheart.
Posted Nov 6, 2018
14
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)

Anne Cohen

Ultimately, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms seems destined to be one of those movies you chance upon Christmas day,... It's not terrible -- but it could have been so much more.
Posted Nov 2, 2018
15
Boy Erased (2018)

Anne Cohen

Boy Erased deftly manages to unambiguously indict gay conversion programs, while lending a human face to those who turn to them in crisis.
Posted Nov 2, 2018
16
The Craft (1996)

Anne Cohen

The great strength of The Craft is that it doesn't pass judgment on why the girls are doing what they do... The film's message of female empowerment felt cathartic, but so did its rage.
Posted Oct 25, 2018
17
Suspiria (2018)

Anne Cohen

Things fall apart towards the end... Still, it's an astonishing creative effort, imbued with awe for the infinite possibilities of the feminine.
Posted Oct 24, 2018
18
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

Anne Cohen

The songs are where the movie really gets its emotional core, and that alone is perhaps worth the ticket of admission.
Posted Oct 23, 2018
19
Mid90s (2018)

Morgan Baila

The heartfelt charm of the movie lies in the impressive performances, not just from the two biggest names... but from the skaters cast to play a role they know like the back of their hand.
Posted Oct 18, 2018
20
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

Anne Cohen

The fact that the film is all the more compelling for its lack of traditional action is down to Heller's skilfull directing, and the script, which crackles with Lee and Jack's combined wit.
Posted Oct 18, 2018
21
Wildlife (2018)

Anne Cohen

Actor Paul Dano's directorial debut... is a complex, deep dive into the psyche of a broken family in an era where the veneer of happiness is prized above all.
Posted Oct 17, 2018
22
The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)

Anne Cohen

Sarah Colangelo directs this American adaptation of Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid's 2014 drama by the same name, and she masterfully creates an atmosphere of discomfort, if not outright horror. The buildup is slow and steady.
Posted Oct 12, 2018
23
Beautiful Boy (2018)

Anne Cohen

Beautiful Boy crescendos when Nic and David interact. It's a story about addiction, yes, but also about learning to let go of your children, for better or for worse. It's not exactly an enjoyable film to watch, but perhaps it shouldn't be.
Posted Oct 12, 2018
24
First Man (2018)

Anne Cohen

[It] is a love letter to the scope of human ambition, but is also conscious of its limits. Josh Singer's script doesn't gloss over the more controversial aspects of the space program, nor its detractors, whose concerns -- are given fair consideration.
Posted Oct 10, 2018
25
Venom (2018)

Anne Cohen

As a superhero movie, Venom,... is a dismal failure... But as a buddy comedy? Well, that's where Venom really hits its stride.
Posted Oct 4, 2018
26
Unsane (2018)

Ella Kemp

Amid the kitsch jump-scares and heightened theatrics of Sawyer's battle, Unsane might be the first film in a post-Weinstein era to actually make people listen.
Posted Oct 4, 2018
27
The Hate U Give (2018)

Anne Cohen

Stenberg gives a stunning and powerful portrayal of seething, bubbling rage at the injustice that she can endure no longer. But what keeps [it] from veering into the melodramatic... territory is that it commits to fleshing out its characters fully.
Posted Oct 1, 2018
28
A Star Is Born (2018)

Anne Cohen

A Star Is Born is a resounding success. The concert scenes are particularly impressive... It's intimate, and sweaty, and loud.
Posted Sep 28, 2018
29
Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Anne Cohen

Overall, it's a film that makes the most of its gorgeous set and talented cast to deliver a moody crime caper laced with humor and infectious enthusiasm.
Posted Sep 28, 2018
30
Colette (2018)

Anne Cohen

[It's] a thoroughly enjoyable, thought-provoking film that will have you question what you know about the past, and how it bleeds into our present -- and possibly our future.
Posted Sep 21, 2018
31
First Man (2018)

Maia Efrem

In summary, this movie is good, and its star power has Oscar potential.
Posted Sep 11, 2018
32
But I'm a Cheerleader (2000)

Anne Cohen

What makes But I'm A Cheerleader so emotionally affecting is that despite the cotton-candy exterior, the film never lets its audience forget that these are people undergoing a traumatic experience.
Posted Sep 6, 2018
33
Destination Wedding (2018)

Anne Cohen

Ryder is a gifted actress, and Reeves, who has mostly been coasting on roles where he doesn't have to say more than 15 lines at a time, manages to turn his signature woodenness into comedy. And together? It's a powerful force to contend with.
Posted Aug 30, 2018
34
Now and Then (1995)

Anne Cohen

It's a pleasure watching these four legendary women interact.Moore's quirky neuroticism and amazing all-black wardrobe are a treat to watch.
Posted Aug 27, 2018
35
Support the Girls (2018)

Anne Cohen

[It's] a thought-provoking, incisive look at sexual politics in the workplace that's as dramatic and heartfelt as it is funny.
Posted Aug 23, 2018
36
BlacKkKlansman (2018)

Anne Cohen

[It's] a film that deftly melds wit and social commentary, compounded by a horrifying end crescendo that's impossible to look away from, and stays with you long after you've left the theater.
Posted Aug 9, 2018
37
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Anne Cohen

The entire film heavily leans into its specificity with a zest that's infectious. Crazy Rich Asians is here to celebrate in a big way.
Posted Aug 8, 2018
38
Night Comes On (2018)

Anne Cohen

A moving, riveting movie that highlights the power of sisterhood, both on and off screen.
Posted Aug 7, 2018
39
B.A.P.S. (1997)

Anne Cohen

The fact that the film has had such a lasting impact,... proves that the film spoke to its audience.
Posted Jul 31, 2018
40
The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)

Anne Cohen

Why not sit back, and enjoy a summer blockbuster with jokes about vaginas that aren't geared towards men?
Posted Jul 31, 2018
41
The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)

Anne Cohen

Though, [it] packs an emotional punch that's hard to shake. Like a good '90s single, it's the kind of thing that lurks in the back of your brain, ready to resurface with new meaning when you least expect it.
Posted Jul 31, 2018
42
Hot Summer Nights (2018)

Morgan Baila

I wouldn't call it the best movie of the summer, it is in fact the most ideal.
Posted Jul 26, 2018
43
Blindspotting (2018)

Sesali Bowen

It's wildly entertaining, and in a moment where Black Lives Matter has been occasionally overcooked in pop culture, the movie still feels timely and extremely relevant.
Posted Jul 26, 2018
44
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Anne Cohen

The thing about Mamma Mia 2 is that it feels less like a movie, and more like a live musical at which you are an active participant.
Posted Jul 23, 2018
45
Pretty Woman (1990)

Anne Cohen

The soundtrack, including the Roy Orbison classic that gave the movie its name, is bopping, and the pacing is breezy. Gere is charismatic, and he and Roberts have a subtle chemistry, a complicity that you want to share.
Posted Jul 23, 2018
46
Marie Antoinette (2006)

Anne Cohen

It's a highly personal film, which takes us into the very limited universe of a very young woman forced to play a very public role, gorgeously laying forth the trappings of luxury,... until we,... realize that it's nothing more than a gilded cage.
Posted Jul 16, 2018
47
Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Anne Cohen

The best part of Sorry To Bother You is that it feels unlike anything else, an almost DIY labor of love... with a message that packs a punch. Sometimes it's messy, and it's often weird, but it's always riveting.
Posted Jul 16, 2018
48
Eighth Grade (2018)

Anne Cohen

It's special, and rare, to see such a complex yet understanding and respectful look at a young woman's life.
Posted Jul 16, 2018
49
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

Anne Cohen

Fallout is a solid summer blockbuster that delivers on thrills, smiles and exuberant facial hair. Mission accomplished.
Posted Jul 12, 2018
50
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Anne Cohen

The script is snappy, and the jokes keep coming, making Ant-Man and the Wasp a healing balm after the dark ending of May's Avengers: Infinity War.
Posted Jun 27, 2018