We're in the homestretch of MSPIFF, which ends on Sunday. I haven't made as many screenings as usual, due to scheduling conflicts and a wearying depletion of serotonin. Maybe I'll rally this weekend.
Here are the films I have seen, ranked according to preference. Only Grand Tour will be screening again, but four films I recommended in my festival preview (Misericordia, Queendom, Checkpoint Zoo, and Manas) are showing over the next four days.
Middletown—Great doc about '90s high school journalists sticking it to condescending local pols.
Grand Tour—Typically oblique Miguel Gomes study of southeast Asian culture as seen through the eyes of an early 20th century functionary and the fiancee he's fleeing.
Viet and Nam—Dreamy, gorgeous story of two Vietnamese coal miners in love, and what happens when one decides to leave the country.
2000 Kilometers to Andriivka—Mstyslav Chernov (20 Days in Mariupol) embeds himself with Ukrainian fighters struggling to recapture a village that's already been reduced to rubble.
Meeting With Pol Pot—Three foreign journalists tour Cambodia in a film that simmers attractively but explodes predictably.
Free Leonard Peltier—Solid doc that gets the job done.
Kill the Jockey—Plenty of arresting images (particularly the dance sequences) that don't click into a meaningful whole.
The Wedding Banquet—Cute at best.
Special Screenings
Thursday, April 10
The People’s Way (2024)
Capri Theater
How George Floyd’s murder affected three Minneapolis activists. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7 p.m. More info here.
Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat (2025)
East Side Freedom Library
A brilliantly edited film essay on the CIA’s use of jazz and the agency’s involvement in the murder of Patrice Lumumba. Free. 7 p.m. More info here.
Beloved Tropic (2024)
Edina Theatre
A pregnant Colombian immigrant and a wealthy woman with dementia strike up the kind of friendship that only occurs in film festival movies. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 2 p.m. More info here.
Julie Keeps Quiet (2024)
Edina Theatre
A teen tennis prodigy struggles as her coach is under investigation. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
Sima’s Song (2024)
Edina Theatre
The Afghan civil war tests the friendship of two women. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7 p.m. Main: Friday 6:50. Saturday 11 a.m. More info here.
Unforgiven (1992)
Emagine Willow Creek
Possibly the last Clint Eastwood movie I enjoyed. $11.60. 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Dune (1984)
Grandview 1&2
They shoulda given Alicia Witt an Oscar, I tell ya. Also Sunday. $14.15. 9:15 p.m. More info here.
Under Capricorn (1949)
Heights Theater
Is this commercial failure actually an underseen Hitchcock gem? I don’t know! I haven’t seen it! $13. 7:30 p.m. More info here.
The Dance Is Not Over (2025)
The Main
A documentary about Patrick Scully, the dancer/choreographer who founded Patrick’s Cabaret. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:15 p.m. More info here.
The Swedish Torpedo (2024)
The Main
A Swedish woman in 1939 is determined to swim the English Channel. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:20 p.m. Saturday 11:10 a.m. More info here.
Grand Tour (2024)
The Main
In the latest from Portuguese director Miguel Gomes, a British man flees his fiance, travelling throughout southeast Asia and learning about colonialism in the process. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:30 p.m. More info here.
Pink Lady (2025)
The Main
An Orthodox woman in Jerusalem discovers that her husband is gay. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:40 p.m. More info here.
Mistura (2024)
The Main
After a privileged Peruvian’s husband leaves her, she starts a restaurant. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:45 p.m. More info here.
Life After (2025)
The Main
A critical look at the “right to die” movement. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4 p.m. More info here.
Odd Fish (2024)
The Main
Two friends run a seafood restaurant. One comes out as trans. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:10 p.m. Saturday 5 p.m. More info here.
Village Rockstars 2 (2024)
The Main
A sequel to the popular 2017 movie about an Indian girl who dreams of stardom. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:20 p.m. More info here.
The Fun-Raiser (2025)
The Main
Everything goes wrong at a fundraiser for a performing arts high school. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
Suburban Fury (2024)
The Main
The story of would-be presidential assassin Sara Jane Moore. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 6:50 p.m. Friday 1:30 p.m. More info here.
The Wolves Always Come Out at Night (2024)
The Main
A sandstorm forces rural Mongolians to live in the city. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:10 p.m. More info here.
Sicilian Letters (2024)
The Main
A freed hood helps the Italian government track down a mob boss. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 6:50 p.m. Saturday 9:50 p.m. More info here.
Meet the Barbarians (2024)
The Main
A wealthy French village is expecting to receive Ukrainian refugees, but the new arrivals turn out to be from Syria. Womp womp. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7 p.m. More info here.
Caught by the Tides (2024)
The Main
Jia Zhangke arranges 20 years of footage of the actress Zhao Tao to document a woman’s journey across China. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:05 p.m. Sunday 1:40 p.m. More info here.
Somalia in the Picture (2025)
The Main
A history of the Mogadishu film industry. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:10 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. More info here.
The Flamingo (2024)
The Main
A divorced woman in her 60s decides to explore her sexual life. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:30 p.m. Friday 4:45 p.m. More info here.
Crocodile Tears (2024)
The Main
A “slow-cooked, hard-boiled neo-noir” set on an Indonesian crocodile farm. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:40 p.m. More info here.
Sister Midnight (2024)
The Main
A woman trapped in an arranged marriage goes feral. So… Mumbai Nightbitch? Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:45 p.m. More info here.
Happyend (2024)
The Main
In a future dystopian Tokyo, two teens rebel. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:50 p.m. More info here.
The Surfer (2024)
The Main
Nicolas Cage just wants to surf with his son. But the local bullies won’t let him. Bad idea, local bullies! Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 10 p.m. More info here.
The Encampments (2025)
Riverview Theater
A look at the Columbia encampments set up in solidarity with Gaza. $7. 5:15 & 7 p.m. More info here.
Beyond Closure (2024)
Trylon
A documentary about what happened after Chicago closed 50 schools in 2013. $8. 7 p.m. More info here.
Repo Man (1984)
Parkway Theater
This soundtrack changed my life in high school. $9/$12. Trivia at 7:30 p.m. ovie at 8 p.m. More info here.
Friday, April 11
Ricky (2025)
Capri Theater
A 30 year old who has been incarcerated since he was a teen tries to start a new life. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7 p.m. Saturday 6:30 p.m. More info here.
Deal at the Border (2024)
The Main
A drug dealer at the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border helps a woman in trouble. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:10 p.m. More info here.
Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story (2024)
The Main
A documentary about the Irish novelist. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:15 a.m. Sunday 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Yen and Ai-Lee (2024)
The Main
An abused woman and her mother take care of a young boy. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:30 a.m. Saturday 9:30 p.m. More info here.
Regretfully at Dawn (2024)
The Main
A villager is protective of his granddaughter. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:40 p.m. More info here.
Sons (2024)
The Main
A prison guard encounters a man from her past. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:45 a.m. Saturday 9:40 p.m. More info here.
Norah (2024)
The Main
An art teacher and his student fall in love in ’90s Saudi Arabia. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:40 p.m. More info here.
From Hilde, With Love (2024)
The Main
A glimpse inside the imagined private lives of young Nazi resisters. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 2 p.m. More info here.
Assembly (2025)
The Main
An artist transforms an armory into a performance space. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 2:20 p.m. Sunday 7:25 p.m. More info here.
The Last Journey (2024)
The Main
A filmmaker takes a trip with his aging father to his childhood vacation spot. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. 2:30 p.m. More info here.
Waves (2024)
The Main
A radio journalist in the ’60s runs afoul of the Czech secret police. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4 p.m. More info here.
Shorts 8: We Can Be Heroes
The Main
Six short films. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos (2024)
The Main
Great title! Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:35 p.m. More info here.
Cactus Pears (2025)
The Main
A man reconnects with an old friend when he returns to his rural village. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:40 p.m. More info here.
The Village Next to Paradise (2024)
The Main
The first Somali film to be an official selection at Cannes. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 6:45 p.m. Sunday 4 p.m. Capri: Saturday 5 p.m. More info here.
Folktales (2025)
The Main
Teens learn how to survive at a Norwegian Folk School in the Arctic Circle. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7 p.m. Saturday 1:45 p.m. More info here.
The Trouble With Jessica (2023)
The Main
…is that she never formats em-dashes correctly. (A little Racket inside joke there.) Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Mr. K (2024)
The Main
Crispin Glover is back! Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:20 p.m. More info here.
Misericordia (2024)
The Main
Alain Guiraudie’s sexed up new thriller is the can’t-miss of this year’s MSPIFF. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:30 p.m. More info here.
Predators (2025)
The Main
An investigation of the show To Catch a Predator. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:35 p.m. Sunday 3 p.m. More info here.
Ghost Trail (2024)
The Main
A thriller about Syrian refugees in France. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:40 p.m. Sunday 4:40 p.m. More info here.
Went up the Hill (2024)
The Main
A woman haunts her widow and her son. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:50 p.m. Sunday 1:45 p.m. More info here.
The Wailing (2024)
The Main
A girl is haunted by, yes, a wailing. Which, as Tom Petty told us, is the hardest part. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 10 p.m. More info here.
Secrets of the Whales (2021)
Minnesota Orchestra
Dark, dark secrets that we must never speak of. Also Saturday. $53-$119. 7 p.m. More info here.
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)
Trylon
Wesley Snipes in drag. $8. Friday-Saturday 7 & 9:15 p.m. Sunday 3 & 5:15 p.m. More info here.
Saturday, April 12
Dazed and Confused (1994)
Alamo Drafthouse
Set in 1976. Which means the equivalent film today would be set in 2007. $11.91. 12:25 p.m. Sunday. 3:30 p.m. More info here.
Seeds (2025)
Capri Theater
A look at the lives of Black farmers in the U.S. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 2 p.m. More info here.
The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
Caydence Records and Coffee
A documentary about the great outside artist. $6. 7 p.m. More info here.
The Goonies (1985)
Emagine Willow Creek
Your childhood was a lie. Also Wednesday. $10.60. 3:50 & 6:45 p.m. Sunday 12 & 5:30 p.m. More info here.
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes
Emagine Willow Creek
Fightin’ at the movies! $26.60. 9 p.m. More info here.
Al Weiwei’s Turandot (2023)
Landmark Center
The dissident Chinese artist stages an opera in Rome. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. 5:15 p.m. Edina: Wednesday 2:30 p.m. More info here.
The New Year That Never Came (2024)
Landmark Center
Six interlocking stories about the days before the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 2 p.m. More info here.
Greetings From Mars (2024)
The Main
A 10 year old is convinced that a stay at his grandparents’ is training for a mission to Mars. (It’s not.) Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:05 a.m. Sunday 1 p.m. More info here.
Third Act (2025)
The Main
A documentary about “the Godfather of Asian-American media,” Robert A. Nakamura. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:15 a.m. More info here.
The Pinchers’ High Voltage Heist (2023)
The Main
The son of thieves tries to get his family to go straight. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:10 p.m More info here.
When Fall Is Coming (2024)
The Main
The latest from François Ozon concerns the disputes between parents and their adult children. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:30 p.m. More info here.
Samia (2024)
The Main
A Somali teen is determined to become an Olympic sprinter. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:45 p.m. More info here.
Shorts 9: Who We’ve Become
The Main
Seven short films about personal transformation. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:50 p.m. More info here.
Tiny Lights (2024)
The Main
A six-year-old girl processes the turmoil in her family life. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 3:10 p.m. More info here.
Never Alone (2025)
The Main
The true story of the work of a Helsinki Jew to prevent the deportation of Jewish refugees from Finland during WWII. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:10 p.m. More info here.
Souleymane’s Story (2024)
The Main
A Guinean immigrant in Paris struggles to gain asylum. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:15 p.m. More info here.
The Librarians (2025)
The Main
A documentary about the fight against book banning. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:30 p.m. Sunday 11:15 a.m. More info here.
One to One: John & Yoko (2025)
The Main
A look at the couple’s time living in Greenwich Village in the early ’70s. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:40 p.m. More info here.
All That’s Left of You (2025)
The Main
A family history leading up to a Palestinian teen’s arrest at a protest. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 6:15. Sunday 7:05 p.m. More info here.
Kill the Jockey (2024)
The Main
A gangster is on the trail of an injured jockey. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7 p.m. More info here.
Checkpoint Zoo (2024)
The Main
Volunteers work to evacuate a Kharkiv zoo behind the front lines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:15 p.m Sunday 2 p.m. More info here.
Everybody Loves Touda (2024)
The Main
A small-town singer in Morocco heads for Casablanca to follow her dreams. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:20 p.m. More info here.
Undercover (2024)
The Main
A Spanish cop infiltrates a terrorist org. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 9:45 p.m. More info here.
Carnival Is Over (2024)
The Main
A couple tries to escape the mafia family they were born into. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 10 p.m. More info here.
Pather Panchali (1955)
Mia
Satyajit Ray’s classic debut. Free. 2 p.m. More info here.
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Parkway Theater
Generic Miyazaki beats most animators at their peak. $5-$10. 1 p.m. More info here.
Sunday, April 13
Creed (2015)
Alamo Drafthouse
A very Philadelphia movie. $11.91. 12 p.m. More info here.
Savages (2024)
The Main
Two children and their orangutan battle deforestation in Borneo in this animated feature. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11 a.m. More info here.
John Cranko (2024)
The Main
A biopic about the London-based choreographer of the 1950s. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:05 a.m. More info here.
Shorts 10: A Move Away From Home
The Main
A selection of six short films. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:10 a.m. More info here.
Manas (2024)
The Main
A teen growing up in the Amazon tries to escape an abusive family. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 11:20 a.m. More info here.
Singing Back the Buffalo (2024)
The Main
A documentary about the past and the future of the buffalo. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 1:50 p.m. More info here.
You Are Not Alone (2024)
The Main
Punch Drunk Love meets Under the Skin? That’s what the program description suggests. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:30 p.m. More info here.
Queendom (2024)
The Main
The story of performance artist and anti-Putin protester Jenna Marvin. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 4:50 p.m. More info here.
The Hidden Sound of Tango (2023)
The Main
A man restores a storied guitar and organizes a performance of tango greats. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 5:10 p.m. More info here.
Who By Fire (2024)
The Main
An aspiring filmmaker spends a tense weekend at a friend’s cabin. Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. $17. 7:10 p.m. More info here.
No Fear No Die (1990)
Trylon
An early Claire Denis film about immigrant life. $8. 7:30 p.m. Monday-Tuesday 7 & 9 p.m. More info here.
Monday, April 14
The Ugly Stepsister (2025)
Alamo Drafthouse
A gritty Norwegian Cinderella reboot. $15.18. 7:35 p.m. More info here.
A Blade in the Dark (1983)
Emagine Willow Creek
A made-for-TV giallo? (Yes, it was too gory to air.) $7.60. 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Brooklyn, Minnesota (2024)
The Main
A father and daughter with a strained relationship travel from Brooklyn to, yes, Minnesota for his father’s funeral—and you just know they’re gonna learn a little about each other on that trip. $17. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Tuesday, April 15
The Accountant 2 (2025)
Alamo Drafthouse
An early screening, for Tax Day. $18.99. 7 p.m. More info here.
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
Alamo Drafthouse
A slasher flick that doubles as a feminist commentary on slasher flicks. $11.91. 8 p.m. More info here.
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025)
The Main
A documentary about Colorado poet Andrea Gibson, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. $17. 7:15 p.m. More info here.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Parkway Theater
This soundtrack did not change my life, but damn if you didn’t hear it everywhere back then. $9/$12. Trivia at 7:30 p.m. Movie at 8 p.m. More info here.
Wednesday, April 16
Across the Universe (2007)
Alamo Drafthouse
Has this become some kind of cult classic? $18.50. 7 p.m. More info here.
Vibrations (1996)
Trylon
Starring everyone’s favorite actor from Twin Peaks—the guy who played James. $5. 7 p.m. More info here.
Opening
Follow the links for showtimes.
The Amateur
Rami Malek is a CIA decoder who takes on terrorists when they kill his wife.
The Ballad of Wallis Island
A millionaire reunites two members of his favorite band on a private island.
Drop
A stranger threatens to kill a woman’s son unless she kills her date. As will happen.
Good Bad Ugly
Not a remake.
Jaat
How is there a new blockbuster Indian action movie released every week?
Jack
And sometimes two new blockbuster Indian action movies released?
The King of Kings
I dare you to find a worse new song than this. It rhymes “miracle” with “cynical,” and that’s just the first two lines.
Sacramento
Two fellas take a road trip.
Warfare
An immersive Alex Garland war film.
The Way, My Way
An Australia man walks the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
Ongoing in Local Theaters
Follow the links for showtimes.
Black Bag
I’m not saying Steven Soderbergh’s second release of 2025 offers nothing more than well-dressed attractive people in swank settings trying to outwit one another for 90 minutes—but if it did, would that be so awful? Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are married spies George and Kathryn; he’s a stone-faced expert at ferreting out lies and she’s, well, Cate Blanchett. When George is tasked with discovering who leaked a sinister program to Russian dissidents, he invites the suspects (including Kathryn) to a dinner party where the chana masala is laced with a truth drug, with hilarious (and violent) results. That scene is neatly mirrored by an “I expect you're wondering why I've gathered you all here today” finale—screenwriter David Koepp, who’s made a living off Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, and late-model Indiana Jones sequels, has clearly always wanted to wed le Carré and Agatha Christie. (There’s also just a touch of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) Soderbergh’s digital camerawork, with its occasional glares and bends and blurs, isn’t exactly made for the big screen, but it does have its nice touches, like the long introductory shot that follows Fassbender from behind into the bar where he learns of his mission, or a fishing boat shot from below the waterline. In George, the director has a character just as clinical and masterful as he himself can be, yet for all the geopolitical intrigue and lives on the line, the stakes feel comfortably low. Above all, this is a parlor game, and our only concern is whether its hot married leads will get back to having hot married sex. A-
Captain America: Brave New World
The Captain America movies are where the MCU gets “serious,” where comic book idealism clashes with the dark side of U.S. history, where unfettered heroism encounters the restraining forces of bureaucracy. With Anthony Mackie inheriting the shield, Brave New World adds race to that equation. After shouldering endless Steve Rogers comparisons, Mackie's Sam Wilson gets a little speech where he wonders if he'll ever be enough, while for contrast we have Isaiah Bradley (Carl Bradley), an older Black super soldier who’d been imprisoned by the U.S. government. Meanwhile, President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) nearly gets us into a war with Japan (couldn’t be China—Disney needs that big overseas market) over adamantium, a new substa—ah, you know, don’t worry about it. Since in the real world, an authoritarian prez is seeking to purge the military (and everywhere else) of non-whites while saber-rattling with the nation’s historic allies, theoretically the film’s themes should resonate, at least in a half-assed pop culture thinkpiece kinda way. But this slapdash entry is more concerned with callbacks to the MCU D-list like the Eternals and 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Its one big reveal (unless you’re genuinely wondering, “Will Liv Tyler appear?”) was torpedoed by the need to fill seats: This would have been 10 times more fun if we didn’t know Ford was gonna Hulk out at the end, but the theaters would have been ten times emptier if the trailers didn’t spoil that. Brave New World is about one thing only: The MCU struggling to justify its continued existence. C
Mickey 17
More like Mickey Infinity. (Because it’s too long.) I will say, I’ve never seen a better Jerry Lewis-indebted anticolonialist sci-fi tragicomedy. Then again I’ve never seen a worse one either. For whatever it’s worth, Mickey 17 is sui generis—unlike its protagonist (Robert Pattinson), an "expendable" on a longterm space mission who is resurrected via 3D printer after each harrowing death. (It’s a metaphor! For capitalism!) Robert Pattinson is entertaining as both the schlubby title character and the much cooler Mickey 18 (as both the Julius Kelp and the Buddy Love, if I may), the latter hatched prematurely when 17 is believed gobbled up by some spectacularly designed wormy creatures with whom he develops a strange rapport. Bong Joon-hoo’s cheap gags and obvious critiques hit as often as they miss, yet your enjoyment of Mickey 17 relies primarily on how long you can tolerate Mark Ruffalo’s Trump impression and Toni Collette doing her usual rubberfaced mugging. Mostly Mickey 17 leaves me to wonder why the tonal clashes feel so much klutzier in Bong’s English-language efforts than they do in his Korean films. Do they just go down easier when I have to read subtitles? Or do I just miss Song Kang-ho? B-
No Other Land—ends Thursday
Maybe the Oscars can be a force for good? Certainly a Best Documentary nomination has helped this acclaimed look at the Israeli displacement of Palestinians on the West Bank belatedly access U.S. theaters, after major distributors ignored it for more than a year. But the struggle for distribution shouldn’t overshadow the film itself, which is much more than just a competent document of brutality. No Other Land is the product of four directors (Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor), two Israeli and two Palestinian; the various sources of footage from cameras and phones are brilliantly edited, and the strained friendship between two of the filmmakers—the Palestinian Adra and the Israeli Abraham—is central to the story it tells of the limits of empathy and humanitarian universalism. There are plenty of horrors to catalogue here, and even if months of violent clips from Gaza have desensitized you, watching a settler casually gun down a displaced Palestinian will still make you gasp. Yet it's the everyday cruelty that's most unsettling, the sight of an army pouring concrete into a well and bulldozing the homes of families forced to relocate to caves. Humans really are capable of doing anything to one another, and in cold blood. A
Novocaine—ends Thursday
Paddington in Peru
The third Paddington installment has all the hallmarks of a Part Three: a new setting, a cast replacement (Emily Mortimer gamely standing in for the much-missed Sally Hawkins), developing characters whose charm has always been that they don’t change, a resolution that could end the story but, if everything works out at the box office, probably won’t. Still, it’s fun to watch Antonio Banderas ham it up as a tour boat captain who is not what he seems, haunted by gold-hungry ancestors (also Banderas). Likewise for Olivia Coleman as a grinning, singing nun who is not what she etc., running a home for retired bears. Paddington, bless him, remains exactly what he seems, causing good-natured mayhem whether he’s failing to operate a photo booth correctly, racing on llamas, or steering a ship. But this is merely cute where Paddington 2 was irresistible. B+
A Working Man
Suspecting that I underrated the silly-but-effective/effective-because-it’s-silly Jason Statham vehicle The Beekeeper last year, I went into the grim-visaged Brit’s latest vengeance romp determined not to not-get-fooled again. (It doesn’t help that they screen these things for a smattering of critics in the afternoon rather than plopping us into a rowdy crowd of comped civilians at night.) But sorry The Beekeeper fans—this is no The Beekeeper. In his new outing with director David Ayer, Statham is a black ops solider turned construction foreman whose name I’m not going to bother to look up; when the daughter of his kindly Latino bosses gets snatched, he reluctantly goes back to his old ways. As always, the baddies—tastelessly attired Russian gangsters, a bald Black meth kingpin who sits on an ornate metal throne in the back of a redneck bar—are colorfully sketched if never unforgettable. But if I can get with Statham belonging to an absurdly mysterious org (of beekeepers!) and uncovering an even wilder conspiracy, A Working Man is too grubby and self-righteous to be sheer dumb fun. Whenever someone asks him why he cares about the girl he’s rescuing, Statham mentions that he has a daughter of his own, and I couldn’t help shake that A Working Man believes that the worst thing about trafficking young women is that it upsets girl dads. C+
