Anastasiais an outlier in the world of fairytale films. For starters, there’s the fact that it’s based on actual history rather than any fairytale. Second, despite sharing some similarities with the then-current house style of Disney’s animated films, animatorDon Bluthhad left the House of Mouse to pursue his own animated projects, includingThe Secret of NIMHandAll Dogs Go To Heaven. But what really makes the film stand out is the love story between the titular princess Anastasia (Meg Ryan) and con artist Dimitri (John Cusack)....

A recurring game in fandom is to match beloved filmmakers to blockbuster projects. You take an acclaimed director who made an indie you liked or who hasn’t helmed a franchise movie yet, and you plug them into a franchise you want to see them direct. I understand the appeal of this. If you told me tomorrow thatGuillermo Del Torowas directing the nextFantastic Beastsmovie, it would slightly restore my faith in that series....

From the very opening ofWomen Talking, the first film fromSarah Polleysince 2012’sStories We Tell, it’s clear the world of this movie isn’t right. The colors are muted, almost faded, like a memory half-remembered. During a screening of the film at TIFF, Polley stated that the powerful cinematography fromLuc Montpellierrepresented a time long past, almost like the movie we’re about to see is already a memory. But as we watch this story of women trying to decide how to handle their futures, their faith, and their freedoms going forward, this palette almost reminds us that these women won’t see the true beauty of the world until they are equal and free from the world that has held them down for so long....

It’s no secret thatBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceelicited a strong response from both fans and critics. While the film certainly has its fans, some took serious issue with directorZack Snyder’s incredibly gritty take on the film’s titular heroes, and in particular his decision to turnBen Affleck’s Batman into a murderous vigilante—especially in the wake of the whole “Superman snaps Zod’s neck” debacle inMan of Steel. Traditionally, Batman isn’t really a killer in the comics....

Based on the bestseller of the same name byLiane Moriarity, written for television and created byDavid E. Kelley, and with the season directed byJean-Marc Vallée, the HBO seven-episode seriesBig Little Liesis as highly addicting and entertaining, as it is well done and expertly acted. Set in the tranquil seaside town of Monterey, California, where nothing is quite as it seems, the story follows Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman) and Jane (Shailene Woodley), and their lives and friendships, as rumors, conflicts, secrets and betrayals threaten to compromise everything between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors....

Lilo & Stitchbegins its third weekend in theaters today, and the film has overtaken yet another classic from one of the most iconic directors of all time. At the time of writing,Lilo & Stitchhas grossed $298 million at the domestic box office and $334 million internationally for aglobal total of $632 million. This $298 million at the domestic box office is enough to pushLilo & StitchpastInception, the 2010 masterpiece fromChristopher Nolan....

Who doesn’t loveThe Dirty Dozen? The original 1967 classic has lived on for decades now as one of the most badass WWII movies ever made. Itsinfluence was immediate, seen in movies like 1978’sThe Inglorious Bastards, and still seen in big-budget movies likeSuicide Squad. But what if you don’t want a movie that’s inspired byRobert Aldrich’soriginal, and you’d rather have another true blueDirty Dozenmovie? I know that I’m not alone in thinking it’s a shame that we never got a big-budget sequel, following Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) as he ropes together another band of criminals to fight filthy Nazi scum....

ThroughoutOne Tree Hill’snine-season run, there was no shortage ofcolorful characterswalking the streets of this drama-filled North Carolina town. As we bore witness to years of generational daddy issues, multiple murder plots, and about a bazillionhigh school basketball games, we can see how one person was consistently at the center of it all. He served as mayor of Tree Hill, had his own talk show, and was briefly a burger cook at a diner in which we never saw a single patron....

Another Oscar contender is preparing to head home via streaming, though it sadly won’t make it in time for the ceremony on March 10.Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winnerAnatomy of a Fallis set to release on Hulu on March 22,joining its fellow competitorPoor Thingson the Disney-owned streaming service. The film is up for five Academy Awards this year, including Best Picture, Best Director for Triet, and Best Actress forSandra Hüllerin a career year when she also starred in another acclaimed feature,The Zone of Interest....

Conclave’s rise through the Box Office rankscontinues to impress, withEdward Berger’s follow-up to his awards darlingAll Quiet on the Western Frontproving almost as popular. After more financial success, including amost recent weekend in which the film earned over $4 million domesticallyand came sixth in the overall rankings,Conclaveis now a member of an elite club. Namely,Conclavehas officially entered thetop 50 Movies at the 2024 domestic Box Office, with acurrent total of $21....

Shrinkinghas no hesitation in showing each character’s messiness, but in Season 2, one group member has gone through an especially rough time and deserves a break. The series makes no secret about Liz’s (Christa Miller) role. She is the over-involved, controlling neighbor, and everyone around her has been giving her flack for it. Whether it isSean’s (Luke Tennie)description of her Blind Side-ing him or Jimmy’s (Jason Segel) disparaging comments about her role in Alice’s (Lukita Maxwell) life, Liz is often made the butt of the joke....

This review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist. The Dragon Princehas returned to Netflix with the next chapter in its “Mystery of Aaravos” arc, bringing with it an introduction to the Ocean Arcanum and a whole host of new obstacles our heroes have to conquer before the titular Startouch elf unleashes havoc upon the world....

It’s been nearly half a year since Peacock released its latest historical drama series,The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and now the production is climbing the charts over at Max. Countries like Argentina, Belize, Mexico, Peru, and more have been binging theHarvey Keitel-led drama, putting it on the platform’s Top 5 around the world. With an impressive 76% fresh rating onRotten Tomatoes, thehard-hitting, emotional seriesis the perfect watch for history buffs. Based on the novel of the same name byHeather Morris, which is itself based on a true story,The Tattooist of Auschwitzuncovers one of the darkest points in humanity’s history....