top movie review

Advertisement

Supported by

Movie Reviews

Our film critics on blockbusters, independents and everything in between., latest articles, results sorted by select sort order newest oldest, challengers.

• NYT Critic’s Pick
• Drama, Romance, Sport
• Directed by Luca Guadagnino

Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist play friends, lovers and foes on and off the tennis court in Luca Guadagnino’s latest.

By Manohla Dargis

Nowhere Special

• Directed by Uberto Pasolini

This understated tear-jerker sees a dying single father making future family plans for his toddler son.

By Glenn Kenny

• Directed by Sébastien Vanicek

An apartment building in Paris is overrun by murderous arachnids and unsubtle allegory in this fleet and efficient debut feature.

By Jeannette Catsoulis

Unsung Hero

• Drama, Family
• Directed by Richard L. Ramsey, Joel Smallbone

In fact, there’s a lot of singing in the clan whose members inspired this movie and who have racked up five Grammy Awards for their Christian recordings.

By Nicolas Rapold

Terrestrial Verses

• Directed by Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami

Ordinary Iranians face a maze of byzantine rules and small indignities in this series of gripping vignettes.

By Alissa Wilkinson

• Horror, Thriller
• Directed by Caitlin Cronenberg

Caitlin Cronenberg’s debut feature is set in a dystopian world that’s alarmingly believable.

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

• Directed by Joanna Arnow

In the sex comedy “The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed,” Joanna Arnow keeps her scenes short and her expressions flat.

By Amy Nicholson

Boy Kills World

• Action, Crime, Thriller
• Directed by Moritz Mohr

Beefed up and bloodied, Bill Skarsgard goes mano a mano against disposable hordes in this dystopian action flick.

Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver

• Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
• Directed by Zack Snyder

A delirious, pulpy mishmash of knockoffs, Zack Snyder’s film isn’t good, but it sure is something.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

• Action, Drama, War
• Directed by Guy Ritchie

Guy Ritchie’s latest is the platonic ideal of an airplane movie, which is not exactly a good thing.

Stress Positions

• Directed by Theda Hammel

The writer-director Theda Hammel’s biting, delirious quarantine comedy skewers white gay men in a world where fact, fiction and authentic experiences collide.

By Lisa Kennedy

Blood for Dust

• Directed by Rod Blackhurst

This drug-run thriller, starring Scoot McNairy, traffics in grim ponderousness.

By Ben Kenigsberg

We Grown Now

• Directed by Minhal Baig

Minhal Baig’s third feature follows two boys living in a public housing complex in Chicago as they cope by building their own dream worlds.

• Drama, Romance
• Directed by Daishi Matsunaga

In this ultimately sentimental drama, a lonely fashion magazine editor in Tokyo meets a personal trainer with a secret.

By Devika Girish

• Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

In this cheerfully unambitious vampire movie, a bloodsucker is shut up in an old mansion with some nitwit criminals. Will there be gore? You bet.

The Stranger

In this tense thriller on Hulu, Maika Monroe plays Clare, a Kansas transplant in Los Angeles who parallels Dorothy in Oz.

By Natalia Winkelman

Food, Inc. 2

• Documentary, News
• Directed by Robert Kenner, Melissa Robledo

Directed by Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo, the sequel about food production in the U.S. is, in some ways, a more hopeful film.

• Directed by Baloji

This trippy ensemble drama set in Kinshasa explores Congolese society through magical realism.

By Beatrice Loayza

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

• Directed by Wade Allain-Marcus

Wade Allain-Marcus has directed a rollicking update of the 1991 cult favorite.

• Action, Horror, Thriller
• Directed by Benjamin Brewer

Nicolas Cage defends his family against a paranormal siege in this derivative, low-budget creature feature.

By Calum Marsh

Sasquatch Sunset

• Action, Adventure, Comedy
• Directed by David Zellner, Nathan Zellner

Four unrecognizably hairy actors, including Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough, play mythical creatures in this endearingly bonkers movie.

The Greatest Hits

• Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Musical, Romance
• Directed by Ned Benson

A high-concept movie about music and grief lacks follow through.

• Drama, Horror
• Directed by Zarrar Kahn

Set in Pakistan, the story of a young woman and her family, hemmed in by men, shifts from realism to genre, with heart-pumping consequences.

• Action, Thriller
• Directed by Alex Garland

In Alex Garland’s tough new movie, a group of journalists led by Kirsten Dunst, as a photographer, travels a United States at war with itself.

It’s Only Life After All

• Documentary, Music
• Directed by Alexandria Bombach

The director Alexandria Bombach benefited from the musician Amy Ray’s archivist instincts in this warm, compelling new documentary.

By Elisabeth Vincentelli

Coup de Chance

• Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
• Directed by Woody Allen

Despite its Parisian setting, the setup is familiar from any of Allen’s New York movies: An act of infidelity presents a dilemma. Some of the jokes are funny.

• Directed by Dev Patel

Dev Patel stars as Kid, a human punching bag who comes up with a plan to avenge a past wrong. The hits keep coming and the hero keeps taking them in this rapid-fire film.

• Comedy, Drama
• Directed by Quentin Dupieux

Audience members revolting against bad art isn’t a new thing, but Quentin Dupieux puts a fresh twist on that theme in his surreal new comedy.

• Biography, Drama
• Directed by Philip Martin

In 2019, the prince went on air to respond to accusations involving Jeffery Epstein. The drama here is in how the BBC convinced him to do it.

The People's Joker

• Directed by Vera Drew

Pure chaos is at play in a scrappy and unauthorized new parody about a character who looks a lot like the Joker. It’s a daring slice of queer cinema.

By Erik Piepenburg

New and Notable

Challengers

Stellar Blade

Boy Kills World

Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story

Dead Boy Detectives

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

TopSpin 2K25

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver

Editorial Spotlight

May 2024 TV Preview: Dark Matter, Hacks, and More Shows to Watch

Jason dietz.

The month ahead will bring Apple's latest sci-fi series, the return of Hacks, a new Doctor Who, and more.

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

With the arrival of Zack Snyder's latest Rebel Moon chapter on Netflix, we rank every one of the director's films—from bad to, well, less bad—by Metascore.

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked Worst to Best

We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Stoner Movies, Ranked by Metascore

(Updated April 2024) In honor of no particular occasion, we rank over 60 of the best known entries in stoner cinema history from worst to best.

2024 Game Publisher Rankings

We reveal the past year's best and worst video game publishers (based on their 2023 releases) in the 14th edition of our annual Game Publisher Rankings.

2024 Movie Release Calendar

Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly.

Latest Videos

• New Releases
• Top Critics' Picks
• Most Popular

The Gold Standard in Critical Analysis

The metascore breakdown.

• We collect reviews from the world's top critics.
• Each review is scored based on its overall quality.
• The summarized weighted average captures the essence of critical opinion.

Latest News

What to watch on peacock right now.

Get a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added (and coming soon) to the Peacock streaming service, updated frequently.

May 2024 TV Preview

What to watch on paramount+ right now.

Find a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added to Paramount+ and Paramount+ With Showtime, plus a list of titles coming soon to the streaming services.

What to Watch on Max Right Now

Get a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added (and coming soon) to Max--plus all of the titles leaving the streaming service this month--updated frequently.

What to Watch on Prime Video Right Now

Get a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added (and coming soon) to Amazon's Prime Video, updated frequently.

What to Watch on Netflix Right Now

Get a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added (and coming soon) to Netflix, updated frequently. You can also find a list of titles leaving Netflix this month.

Notable Video Game Releases: New and Upcoming

Find release dates and scores for every major upcoming and recent video game release for all platforms, updated weekly.

What to Watch on Hulu Right Now

Get a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added (and coming soon) to Hulu, updated frequently.

What to Watch on Disney+ Right Now

Get a list of the best movies and TV shows recently added (and coming soon) to Disney's streaming service, updated frequently.

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The Best Movie Reviews We’ve Ever Written — IndieWire Critics Survey

David ehrlich.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)

While this survey typically asks smart critics to direct readers toward good movies, we hope that the reverse is also true, and that these posts help movies (good or bad) direct readers towards smart critics. 

In that spirit, we asked our panel of critics to reflect on their favorite piece of film criticism that they’ve ever written (and we encouraged them to put aside any sort of modesty when doing so).

Their responses provide rich and far-reaching insight into contemporary film criticism, and what those who practice it are hoping to achieve with their work.

Siddhant Adlakha (@SidizenKane), Freelance for The Village Voice and /Film

Let’s cut right to the chase. Christopher Nolan is probably my favourite working director, and going five thousand words deep on his career after “Dunkirk” was an itch I’d been waiting to scratch for nearly a decade. “The Dark Knight” was my dorm-room poster movie — I’m part of the generation that explored films through the IMDb Top 250 growing up — though as my cinematic horizons expanded and my understanding of storytelling grew, I didn’t leave Nolan’s work behind as I did the likes of “Scarface” and “The Boondock Saints.” What’s more, each new film by Nolan hits me like a tonne of bricks. I’m waiting, almost eagerly, for him to disappoint me. It hasn’t happened yet, and I needed to finally sit down and figure out why.

In “Convergence At ‘Dunkirk,’” by far the longest piece I’ve ever written, I’d like to think I unpacked a decade worth of my awe and admiration, for a filmmaker who uses the studio canvas to explore human beings through our relationship to time. Tarkovsky referred to cinema as “sculpting in time.” Time disorients. Time connects us. Time travels, at different speeds, depending on one’s relationship to it, whether in dreams or in war or in outer space, and time can be captured, explored and dissected on screen.

What’s more, Nolan’s films manipulate truth as much as time, as another force relative to human perception, determining our trajectories and interpersonal dynamics in fundamental ways. All this is something I think I knew, instinctively, as a teenage viewer, but putting words to these explorations, each from a different time yet connected intrinsically, is the written criticism that I most stand by. It felt like something that I was meant to write, as I interrogated my own evolving emotional responses to art as time went on.

Carlos Aguilar (@Carlos_Film), Freelance for Remezcla

At the 2017 Sundance premiere of Miguel Arteta’s “Beatriz at Dinner,” starring Salma Hayek, I found myself in shock at the reactions I heard from the mostly-white audience at the Eccles Theatre. I was watching a different movie, one that spoke to me as an immigrant, a Latino, and someone who’s felt out of place in spaces dominated by people who’ve never been asked, “Where are you really from?” That night I went back to the condo and wrote a mountain of thoughts and personal anecdotes that mirrored what I saw on screen.

This was a much different piece from what I had usually written up to that point: coverage on the Best Foreign Language Oscar race, pieces on animation, interviews with internationally acclaimed directors, and reviews out of festivals. Those are my intellectual passions, this; however, was an examination on the identity that I had to built as an outsider to navigate a society were people like me rarely get the jobs I want.

My editor at Remezcla, Vanessa Erazo, was aware of the piece from the onset and was immediately supportive, but it would take months for me to mull it over and rework it through multiple drafts until it was ready for publication in time for the film’s theatrical release. In the text, I compared my own encounters with casual racism and ignorance with those Hayek’s character faces throughout the fateful gathering at the center of the film. The reception surpassed all my expectations. The article was shared thousands of times, it was praised, it was criticized, and it truly confronted me with the power that my writing could have.

A few months later in September, when Trump rescinded DACA, I wrote a social media post on my experience as an undocumented person working in the film industry, and how difficult it is to share that struggle in a world were most people don’t understand what it means to live a life in the shadows. The post was picked up by The Wrap and republished in the form of an op-ed, which I hope put a new face on the issue for those who didn’t directly knew anyone affected by it before. Once again that piece on “Beatriz at Dinner” regained meaning as I found myself filled with uncertainty.

Ken Bakely (@kbake_99), Freelance for Film Pulse

Like many writers, I tend to subconsciously disown anything I’ve written more than a few months ago, so I read this question, in practice, as what’s my favorite thing I’ve written recently. On that front, I’d say that the review of “Phantom Thread” that I wrote over at my blog comes the closest to what I most desire to do as a critic. I try to think about a movie from every front: how the experience is the result of each aspect, in unique quantities and qualities, working together. It’s not just that the acting is compelling or the score is enveloping, it’s that each aspect is so tightly wound that it’s almost indistinguishable from within itself. A movie is not an algebra problem. You can’t just plug in a single value and have everything fall into place.

“Phantom Thread” is Paul Thomas Anderson’s dreamy cinematography. It is Jonny Greenwood’s impeccably seductive, baroque music. It is Vicky Krieps’s ability to perfectly shatter our preconceptions at every single turn as we realize that Alma is the movie’s actual main character. We often talk about how good films would be worse-off if some part of it were in any way different. In the case of “Phantom Thread,” you flat-out can’t imagine how it would even exist if these things were changed. When so many hot take thinkpieces try to explain away every ending or take a hammer to delicate illusions, it was a pleasure to try and understand how a movie like this one operates on all fronts to maintain an ongoing sense of mystique.

Christian Blauvelt (@Ctblauvelt), BBC Culture

I don’t know if it’s my best work, but a landmark in my life as a critic was surely a review of Chaplin’s “The Circus,” in time for the release of its restoration in 2010. I cherish this piece , written for Slant Magazine, for a number of reasons. For one, I felt deeply honored to shed more light on probably the least known and least respected of Chaplin’s major features, because it’s a film that demonstrates such technical virtuosity it dispels once and for all any notion that his work is uncinematic. (Yes, but what about the rest of his filmography you ask? My response is that any quibbles about the immobility of Chaplin’s camera suggest an ardent belief that the best directing equals the most directing.) For another, I was happy this review appeared in Slant Magazine, a publication that helped me cut my critical teeth and has done the same for a number of other critics who’ve gone on to write or edit elsewhere. That Slant is now struggling to endure in this financially ferocious landscape for criticism is a shame – the reviews I wrote for them around 2009-10 helped me refine my voice even that much more than my concurrent experience at Entertainment Weekly, where I had my day job. And finally, this particular review will always mean a lot to me because it’s the first one I wrote that I saw posted in its entirety on the bulletin board at Film Forum. For me, there was no surer sign that “I’d made it”.

Richard Brody (@tnyfrontrow), The New Yorker

No way would I dare to recommend any pieces of my own, but I don’t mind mentioning a part of my work that I do with special enthusiasm. Criticism, I think, is more than the three A’s (advocacy, analysis, assessment); it’s prophetic, seeing the future of the art from the movies that are on hand. Yet many of the most forward-looking, possibility-expanding new films are in danger of passing unnoticed (or even being largely dismissed) due to their departure from familiar modes or norms, and it’s one of my gravest (though also most joyful) responsibilities to pay attention to movies that may be generally overlooked despite (or because of) their exceptional qualities. (For that matter, I live in fear of missing a movie that needs such attention.)

But another aspect of that same enthusiasm is the discovery of the unrealized future of the past—of great movies made and seen (or hardly seen) in recent decades that weren’t properly discussed and justly acclaimed in their time.”. Since one of the critical weapons used against the best of the new is an ossified and nostalgic classicism, the reëvaluation of what’s canonical, the acknowledgment of unheralded masterworks—and of filmmakers whose careers have been cavalierly truncated by industry indifference—is indispensable to and inseparable from the thrilling recognition of the authentically new.

Deany Hendrick Cheng (@DeandrickLamar), Freelance for Barber’s Chair Digital

It’s a piece on two of my favorite films of 2017, “Lady Bird” and “Call Me By Your Name”, and about how their very different modes of storytelling speak to the different sorts of stories we tell ourselves. Objectively, I don’t know if this is my best work in terms of pure style and craft, but I do think it’s the most emblematic in terms of what I value in cinema. I think every film is, in some way, a treatise on how certain memories are remembered, and I think cinema matters partly because the best examples of it are prisms through which the human experience is refracted.

Above everything else, every movie has to begin with a good story, and the greatest stories are the ones that mirror not just life, but the ways in which life is distorted and restructured through the process of remembering. Every aspect of a film, from its screenplay on down, must add something to the film’s portrayal of remembering, and “Lady Bird” and “Call Me By Your Name” accomplish this organic unity of theme with such charm yet in such distinct ways, that they were the perfect counterpoints to each other, as well as the perfect stand-ins for cinema as a whole, for me.

Liam Conlon (@Flowtaro), Ms En Scene

My favorite piece of my own work is definitely  “The Shape of Water’s” Strickland as the “Ur-American.”  I’m proud of it because it required me to really take stock of all the things that Americans are taught from birth to take as given. That meant looking at our history of colonialism, imperialism, racism, anticommunism and really diving into how all Americans, whether they’re liberal or conservative, can internalize these things unless they take the time to self-examine. Just as “Pan’s Labyrinth’s” despotic Captain Vidal was a masterful representation of Francisco Franco’s fascism, Richard Strickland represents a distinctly American kind of fascism. Writers Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor took great care in Strickland’s creation, and my piece was my own way of self-examining to make sure I never become or abide by a person like Strickland ever again.

Robert Daniels (@812filmreviews), Freelance

This is tricky, but “Annihilation” is definitely my favorite piece of film criticism that I’ve written. My writing style is a combination of criticism and gifs, and sometimes the words are better than the gifs, and the gifs are better than the words. With “Annihilation,” I thought the balance was perfect . My favorite portion: “Lena is just an idea, part of an equation that’s been erased from a chalkboard and rewritten with a different solution. The shimmer is part of her, even down to the DNA” is up there as one of my best. It was also a struggle to write because that film had more wild theories than the Aliens in Roswell. Also, the amount of research I had to do, combining Plato’s Ideal Forms, Darwin, the Bible, and Nietzsche, was absurd. However, it did make it easier to find matching gifs. The result made for my most studious, yet lighthearted read.

Alonso Duralde (@ADuralde), The Wrap

I’m the worst judge of my own material; there’s almost nothing I’ve ever written that I don’t want to pick at and re-edit, no matter how much time has passed. But since, for me, the hardest part of film criticism is adequately praising a movie you truly love, then by default my best review would probably be of one of my favorite films of all time, Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York.”

David Ehrlich (@davidehrlich), IndieWire

I can’t summon the strength to re-read it, but I remember thinking that my piece on grief and “Personal Shopper” was emblematic of how I hope to thread individual perspective into arts criticism.

Shelley Farmer (@ShelleyBFarmer), Freelance for RogerEbert.com and Publicist at Film Forum

My favorite piece is a very recent one: For this year’s Women Writers Week on Roger Ebert, I wrote about “Phantom Thread”, “Jane Eyre,” and twisted power dynamics in hetero romance . I loved that it allowed me to dig deep into my personal fixations (19th century literature, gender, romance as power struggle), but – more importantly – it was exciting to be part of a series that highlighted the breadth of criticism by women writers.

Chris Feil (@chrisvfeil), Freelance for The Film Experience, This Had Oscar Buzz Podcast

My answer to this would be kind of a cheat, as my favorite work that I do is my weekly column about movie music called Soundtracking that I write over at The Film Experience. Soundtracks and needle drops have been a personal fascination, so the opportunity to explore the deeper meaning and context of a film’s song choices have been a real labor of love. Because of the demands and time constraints of what we do, it can be easy to spend our all of our energy on assignments and chasing freelance opportunities rather than devoting time to a pet project – but I’ve found indulging my own uncommon fascination to be invaluable in developing my point of view. And serve as a constant check-in with my passion. Pushed for a single entry that I would choose as the best, I would choose the piece I wrote on “Young Adult”‘s use of “The Concept” by Teenage Fanclub for how it posits a single song as the key to unlocking both character and narrative.

Candice Frederick (@ReelTalker), Freelance for Shondaland, Harper’s Bazaar

“ Mother ” written for Vice. It’s one of my favorites because it conveys how visceral my experience was watching the movie. It’s truly stifling, uncomfortable, and frantic–and that’s what my review explains in detail. I wanted to have a conversation with the reader about specific aspects of the film that support the thesis, so I did.

Luiz Gustavo (@luizgvt), Cronico de Cinema

Well, I recently wrote a piece for Gazeta do Povo, a major outlet at Paraná state in Brazil, about Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” (it is not on their site, but they were kind enough to let me replicate on my own website ). I don’t know the extent of the powers of Google Translator from Portugese to english, so you have to rely on my own account: is a text in which I was able to articulate de cinematographic references in the work of Mr. Del Toro, as well his thematic obsessions, the genre bending and social critique. All of this topics were analyzed in a fluid prose. On top of that, it was really fun to write!

This article continues on the next page.

Continue Reading: The Best Movie Reviews We’ve Ever Written — IndieWire Critics Survey Next »

Most Popular

You may also like.

IMDb Charts

Imdb top 250 movies.

1. The Shawshank Redemption

2. The Godfather

3. The Dark Knight

4. The Godfather Part II

5. 12 Angry Men

6. Schindler's List

7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

8. Pulp Fiction

9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

11. Forrest Gump

12. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

13. Fight Club

14. Inception

15. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

16. The Matrix

17. Goodfellas

18. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

19. Dune: Part Two

21. Interstellar

22. It's a Wonderful Life

23. Seven Samurai

24. The Silence of the Lambs

25. Saving Private Ryan

26. City of God

27. Life Is Beautiful

28. The Green Mile

29. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

30. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

31. Back to the Future

32. Spirited Away

33. The Pianist

34. Parasite

36. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

37. Gladiator

38. The Lion King

39. Léon: The Professional

40. The Departed

41. American History X

42. Whiplash

43. The Prestige

44. Grave of the Fireflies

45. Harakiri

46. The Usual Suspects

47. Casablanca

48. The Intouchables

49. Cinema Paradiso

50. Modern Times

51. Rear Window

52. Once Upon a Time in the West

54. City Lights

55. Django Unchained

56. Apocalypse Now

57. Memento

58. 12th Fail

60. Raiders of the Lost Ark

61. The Lives of Others

62. Sunset Blvd.

63. Paths of Glory

64. Avengers: Infinity War

65. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

66. Witness for the Prosecution

67. The Shining

68. The Great Dictator

70. Inglourious Basterds

71. The Dark Knight Rises

72. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

73. American Beauty

76. Amadeus

77. Toy Story

78. Das Boot

79. Avengers: Endgame

80. Braveheart

82. Princess Mononoke

83. Good Will Hunting

84. Your Name.

85. Once Upon a Time in America

86. High and Low

87. 3 Idiots

88. Singin' in the Rain

89. Capernaum

90. Requiem for a Dream

91. Come and See

92. Toy Story 3

93. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

94. Oppenheimer

95. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

96. The Hunt

97. 2001: A Space Odyssey

98. Reservoir Dogs

100. Lawrence of Arabia

101. The Apartment

102. North by Northwest

103. Citizen Kane

104. Incendies

105. Vertigo

107. Double Indemnity

108. Scarface

109. Amélie

110. Full Metal Jacket

112. A Clockwork Orange

114. To Kill a Mockingbird

115. The Sting

116. A Separation

117. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

118. Die Hard

119. Metropolis

120. Like Stars on Earth

121. Snatch

122. Hamilton

123. L.A. Confidential

125. Bicycle Thieves

126. Taxi Driver

127. Downfall

128. Dangal

129. For a Few Dollars More

130. Batman Begins

131. The Wolf of Wall Street

132. Some Like It Hot

133. Green Book

134. The Kid

135. The Father

136. Judgment at Nuremberg

137. All About Eve

138. The Truman Show

139. Top Gun: Maverick

140. Shutter Island

141. There Will Be Blood

142. Casino

143. Jurassic Park

145. The Sixth Sense

146. Pan's Labyrinth

147. Unforgiven

148. No Country for Old Men

149. A Beautiful Mind

150. The Thing

151. Kill Bill: Vol. 1

152. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

153. Yojimbo

154. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

155. The Great Escape

156. Finding Nemo

157. Rashomon

158. Prisoners

159. Howl's Moving Castle

160. The Elephant Man

161. Chinatown

162. Dial M for Murder

163. Gone with the Wind

164. V for Vendetta

165. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

166. The Secret in Their Eyes

167. Inside Out

168. Raging Bull

169. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

170. Trainspotting

171. The Bridge on the River Kwai

172. Spider-Man: No Way Home

175. Catch Me If You Can

176. Warrior

177. Godzilla Minus One

178. Gran Torino

179. My Neighbor Totoro

180. Million Dollar Baby

181. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

182. Children of Heaven

183. 12 Years a Slave

184. Blade Runner

185. Before Sunrise

186. Ben-Hur

187. Barry Lyndon

188. The Grand Budapest Hotel

189. Gone Girl

190. Hacksaw Ridge

191. The Gold Rush

192. Memories of Murder

193. In the Name of the Father

194. Dead Poets Society

195. Wild Tales

196. Mad Max: Fury Road

197. The General

198. The Deer Hunter

199. On the Waterfront

200. Monsters, Inc.

201. Sherlock Jr.

202. The Third Man

203. The Wages of Fear

204. Wild Strawberries

205. How to Train Your Dragon

207. Mary and Max

208. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

209. Ratatouille

210. Ford v Ferrari

211. Tokyo Story

212. The Big Lebowski

214. The Seventh Seal

217. Spotlight

218. Hotel Rwanda

219. The Terminator

220. Platoon

221. The Passion of Joan of Arc

222. Before Sunset

223. La haine

224. The Best Years of Our Lives

225. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

226. The Exorcist

228. Jai Bhim

229. Network

230. Stand by Me

231. The Wizard of Oz

232. The Incredibles

233. Hachi: A Dog's Tale

234. The Handmaiden

235. Into the Wild

236. My Father and My Son

237. The Sound of Music

238. The Grapes of Wrath

239. To Be or Not to Be

240. The Battle of Algiers

241. Groundhog Day

242. Amores Perros

243. Rebecca

244. The Iron Giant

245. Cool Hand Luke

246. The Help

247. It Happened One Night

248. Aladdin

249. Drishyam

250. Dances with Wolves

The Top Rated Movie list only includes feature films.

• Shorts, TV movies, and documentaries are not included
• The list is ranked by a formula which includes the number of ratings each movie received from users, and value of ratings received from regular users
• To be included on the list, a movie must receive ratings from at least 25000 users

More to explore

Top box office (us), most popular movies, top rated english movies, most popular tv shows, top 250 tv shows, lowest rated movies, most popular celebs, top rated movies by genre, recently viewed.

Movie Reviews

A complete list of movie reviews and ratings from the Screen Rant film critics and industry experts - helping movie lovers decide which films to watch for over 15 years.

Boy Kills World Review: Old-School Revenge Thriller Shows Just How Tough Bill Skarsgard Is

Skarsgård and Benjamin make for an odd pair that work well together. Mohr's vision is clear and realized, and the resulting work of art is exciting.

Cash Out Review: John Travolta Negotiates With His Ex-Lover In Funny Action Heist Caper Gone Wrong

The feeling that the time for doing something has passed review: loneliness is hilarious in poignant comedy, infested review: a horror movie about spiders made me feel like it was 2020 again, justice league: crisis on infinite earths - part two review - disappointing superhero film lacks urgency.

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part Two is missing what the first film had in spades - heart, great action, and a sense of urgency.

I Waited 25 Years For LEGO To Release A Disney Set Like Snow White's & The Seven Dwarfs' Cottage

LEGO's 2024 Snow White set hits a Disney Collectors milestone with considerable flair. Here's everything to know about it.

Review: Spy x Family CODE: White Offers a Fun Adventure Even New Fans Can Enjoy

With a fun script and an adventure made for the big screen, Spy x Family CODE: White is a film that will delight fans and newcomers alike.

Sasquatch Sunset Review: A Surreal Dialogue-Free Bigfoot Comedy That Must Be Seen To Be Believed

Silly, surreal, and sometimes insightful, Sasquatch Sunset has a lot to say about life, nature, and what it means to simply exist.

Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver Review - Zack Snyder Goes Big On Story That Rings Hollow

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver delivers on the action Zack Snyder promised at the end of the first movie, yet the same prior issues persist.

Blood For Dust Review: Kit Harington's Standout Performance Is Overshadowed By A Forgettable Plot

Rod Blackhurst's action thriller, Blood for Dust, certainly brings the thrills, but they are minimal, drawn out, and (for the most part) predictable.

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review: Exhilarating Action Comedy Needed More Henry Cavill

Though not Guy Ritchie's best film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has enough slick style and exhilarating action to be a helluva fun ride.

Challengers Review: Zendaya's Sexy Tennis Drama Is As Thrilling As Any Action Blockbuster

Challengers is visceral, exhilarating, & sexy: power dynamics shift with the force of tectonic plates & tennis matches are staged like action scenes.

Blackout Review: Tedious, Muddled Werewolf Drama Is Wildly Messy

Blackout's noble message, interesting material, and ambition are masked by a muddled story that fails to engage the viewer.

The Long Game Review: A High-Energy Sports Movie That Is A Tribute To Texas, Golf, & Friendship

Following the true story of a Mexican-American Texas golf team in the 1950s, The Long Game uplifts the audience but doesn't shy away from reality.

Sting Review: Spiders Are Horrifying Again In Energetic, Old-Fashioned Creature Feature

Kiah Roache-Turner's Sting is an energetic, modern update on the classic creature feature genre that mostly overcomes some of its familiarity.

The Absence Of Eden Review: Immigration Thriller Starring Zoe Saldaña Feels Like a First Draft

The emotional potential gets lost through poor storytelling. Ultimately, The Absence of Eden feels like a first draft.

LaRoy, Texas Review: A Violent Comedy Of Errors Whose Cast Absolves The Convoluted Plot

LaRoy, Texas benefits from a standout cast and an intriguing enough storyline that is too complex by half but not enough to distract from the fun.

Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead Review: This Decent, Fun Remake Can’t Beat The Original's Charm

The lighthearted revamp of Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead doesn’t quite match the charm or appeal of the original cult classic.

In Flames Review: Genre-Blending Psychological Thriller Connects Death, Trauma & The Patriarchy

A roaring achievement for the first-time feature director Zarrar Khan, In Flames is an intensely vivid tale of survival.

Abigail Review: Scream 6 Directors Reinvent Vampire Movies In Highly Entertaining, Gory Horror

In what may become one of the greatest vampire movies of all time, Abigail provides an extremely bloody, fun, humorous & fresh take on the subgenre.

Strictly Confidential Review: Woefully Uninspired Erotic Thriller Is Neither Sexy Nor Thrilling

First-time director Damian Hurley delivers a disappointing erotic thriller full of predictable twists, an illogical plot, and stilted scenes.

The People's Joker Review: Dark Comedy Superhero Masterpiece Is The Batman Parody The World Needs

Vera Drew's parody superhero film The People's Joker is unlike anything in the exasperated genre and is a unique take on the classic DC story.

The Beast Review: The World Is Always Ending In This Sweeping Sci-Fi Romance

A centuries-spanning romantic odyssey that is equal parts strange sci-fi and melodrama, Bertrand Bonello's The Beast is unclassifiable and refreshing.

Musica Review: An Interesting Subject Matter Leads Prime Video's Vibrant, Refreshing Musical Rom-Com

From its compelling topic choice, star-making lead role, stellar ensemble cast, and crafty execution, Música is a must-see on Prime Video. 

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Challengers Link to Challengers
• I Saw the TV Glow Link to I Saw the TV Glow
• Música Link to Música

New TV Tonight

• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• The Jinx: Season 2
• The Big Door Prize: Season 2
• Them: Season 2
• Knuckles: Season 1
• Velma: Season 2
• Secrets of the Octopus: Season 1
• Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story: Season 1
• We're Here: Season 4

Most Popular TV on RT

• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• Under the Bridge: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1 Link to Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

All Zendaya Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

Poll: Most Anticipated Movies of May 2024

• Trending on RT
• Challengers
• Boy Kills World
• Marvel Movies In Order
• Play Movie Trivia

Browse Reviews

The incoherent drama Browse tries to look like a suspenseful horror movie, but there's nothing scary or thrilling about this rambling dud of a film.

Full Review | Jul 30, 2020

A great deal of the movie consists of unfinished ideas, plot points, story threads, and character arcs.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jul 22, 2020

It's a thoughtful, curious piece of work which may not quite be successful in finding its destination but which manages to intrigue along the way.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 21, 2020

Skip the film if you need an ending that answers the questions raised throughout. But check it out if you enjoy seeing a psychological thriller that makes you come to your own conclusions.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Jul 20, 2020

With such a tangled mess of a film it is hard to put your finger on what went wrong in the bringing it to the screen.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 13, 2020

In a perfect world, this thriller, with its onslaught of stomach-churning "oh no!" moments, would've had a point, something that connected it all together (or at least a conclusion), but it doesn't.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 12, 2020

An identity theft "nightmare" that fails every attempted thrill and chill. Quite possibly one of the most unimaginative and unmemorable films I've ever seen.

Full Review | Original Score: .5/5 | Jul 10, 2020

An everyman's identify theft -- or is he just a deluded creeper? -- is fitfully explored in this underwhelming psychological thriller.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 7, 2020

Browse feels like glimpsing through a problematic story with little context as to why you should care let alone watch it.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/10 | Jul 7, 2020

This thriller doesn't thrill. It occasionally amuses, and it rarely makes any real sense.

Full Review | Original Score: 4 | Jul 6, 2020

The 7 best things to stream this weekend, from a new Netflix show about teen ghosts to a Bon Jovi docuseries

• Check out new shows like "Dead Boy Detectives" this weekend.
• The finale of FX's "Shōgun" and a Bon Jovi docuseries are streaming now too.
• There's also a new season of "MILF Manor" for reality fans.

Remember that controversial reality show last year where eight older women were looking for love among a pool of eight much younger men who just so happened to be the sons of those women? Well, it's back for a second season and somehow even messier than before.

On the opposite end of the reality spectrum is "We're Here," a heartwarming HBO reality show about the transformative power of drag.

There are also several new documentaries out this weekend, including one about Bon Jovi and another about a Chilean doomsday cult.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

FX's epic historical drama 'Shōgun' aired its finale this week

FX hasn't addressed whether "Shōgun" will get a second season , though it's unlikely given that the source material — James Clavell's 1975 novel of the same name — was used in its entirety for the first season.

But whether it continues or not, the series, set in Edo-era Japan, is an absolute triumph and well worth a watch. With 99% on Rotten Tomatoes , it's shaping up to be one of the best-reviewed new shows of 2024 .

Streaming on: Hulu

The new season of 'MILF Manor' is a must for fans of ultra-messy reality TV

Like I said above, it's moms dating sons (no, not their own sons).

TLC also teased an added twist in the new season that promises to make this outing even more deranged than the last.

Streaming on: Hulu Live TV

Or, for a more wholesome and heartwarming reality TV watch, check out 'We're Here'

In "We're Here," an uplifting, "Queer Eye"-type of reality show, famous drag queens travel to small-town America where they adopt a "drag daughter" for a makeover.

But it's not just about glam hair, makeup, and outfits — the queens are helping their daughters to be their most authentic selves, confronting bigotry, and helping foster connection in historically closed-minded communities.

Streaming on: Max

True crime fans should tune into 'The Doomsday Cult of Antares de la Luz'

In this new Netflix documentary, former members of a Chilean cult speak out about their experiences — which apparently included human sacrifice.

Streaming on: Netflix

Or for a fictionalized take on a real murder case, try 'The Asunta Case'

"The Asunta Case" is a drama based on a shocking, real-life murder case in Spain.

In 2013, Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra reported their adopted daughter, Asunta, missing. Her body was found by the side of the road hours later, and authorities eventually zeroed in on the parents as the perpetrators of the crime.

If you want a new supernatural YA show to binge, check out 'Dead Boy Detectives'

Neil Gaiman might not care that much about creating a larger "Sandman" universe at Netflix, but we sure do. The latest series based on one of Gaiman's comics, "Dead Boy Detectives," follows two ghosts named Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland, who opt to stay on Earth to investigate crimes with a supernatural bent.

Music fans should check out 'Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story'

The four-part docuseries is a definitive telling of Bon Jovi's 40-year journey . It features intimate access to the band members, decades of personal videos, and never-before-seen photos. The doc kicks off in February 2022, following lead singer Jon Bon Jovi's vocal injury that derailed the band's future.

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

• Main content

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, view from the top.

Now streaming on:

"View from the Top" stars Gwyneth Paltrow in a sweet and sort of innocent story about a small-town girl who knows life holds more for her, and how a job as a flight attendant becomes her escape route. Along the way she meets friends who help her and friends who double-cross her, a guy who dumps her, and a guy she dumps. And she finds love. What more do you want from a movie? I confess I expected something else. Flight attendants have been asking me for weeks about this movie, which they are in a lather to see. It may be closer to their real lives than they expect. I anticipated an updated version of Coffee, Tea or Me? but what I got instead was Donna the Flight Attendant . The movie reminded me of career books I read in the seventh grade with titles like Bob Durham, Boy Radio Announcer . It's a little more sophisticated, of course, but it has the same good heart, and a teenager thinking of a career in the air might really enjoy it.

So did I, in an uncomplicated way. Paltrow is lovable in the right roles, and here she's joined by two others who are sunny on the screen: Candice Bergen , as the best-selling flight attendant who becomes her mentor, and Mark Ruffalo (from " You Can Count on Me ") as the law student who wants to marry her. The movie knows a secret; most careers do not involve clawing your way to the top, but depend on the kindness of the strangers you meet along the way, who help you just because they feel like it.

We meet Donna (Paltrow) as the daughter of a much-married former exotic dancer from Silver Springs, Nev. She seems doomed to life working at the mall until she sees a TV interview with the best-selling Bergen, whose book inspires Donna to train as a flight attendant. Her first stop is a puddle-jumper named Sierra Airlines, which flies mostly to and from Fresno, but then she enrolls in training at Royalty Airlines, where the instructor ( Mike Myers ) is bitter because his crossed eye kept him from flying. Myers finds a delicate balance between lampoon and poignancy--and that's some balance.

Ruffalo plays the sometime law student who comes into her life in Nevada and then again in Cleveland, where she's assigned not to Royalty's transatlantic routes but to the discount Royalty Express. Her first flight is comic (she runs down the aisle screaming "We're gonna crash!") and then we follow her through intrigues and romantic episodes that lead to a lonely Christmas in Paris when she decides life still has to offer more than this.

The movie, directed by Bruno Barreto and written by Eric Wald , is surprising for what it doesn't contain: No scenes involving mile-high clubs, lecherous businessmen or randy pilots, but the sincere story of a woman who finds her career is almost but not quite enough. Adult audiences may be underwhelmed. Not younger teenage girls, who will be completely fascinated.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

The American Society of Magical Negroes

Robert daniels.

The Animal Kingdom

Monica castillo.

Nowhere Special

The Truth vs. Alex Jones

Brian tallerico.

Dad & Step-Dad

Carlos aguilar, film credits.

View from the Top (2003)

Rated PG-13 For Language/Sexual References

Gwyneth Paltrow as Donna

Mark Ruffalo as Ted

Christina Applegate as Christine

Mike Myers as John Whitney

Candice Bergen as Sally

Kelly Preston as Sherry

Rob Lowe as Co-Pilot Steve

Directed by

• Bruno Barreto

Latest blog posts

Speed Kills: On the 25th Anniversary of Go

Joanna Arnow Made Her BDSM Comedy for You

The Movies That Underwent Major Changes After Their Festival Premiere

Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives Is A Spinoff Stuck In Limbo

'Infested' Review: This Is Why Pet Spiders Are a Bad Idea

And as I stare, I counted the webs, from all the spiders, catching things and eating their insides.

The Big Picture

• Infested delivers maximum terror when using real spiders, creating moments of pure horror.
• The film expertly builds tension in simple scenes, proving director Sébastien Vaniček is an exciting new voice.
• Despite losing its bite just a bit as the spiders get bigger, Infested keeps you on edge with chilling sound design and a claustrophobic atmosphere.

There is nothing quite like a good creature feature that capitalizes on the fear of knowing something is lurking in the dark. Sure, there are great works of cinema about the human condition and what it means to be alive. However, there is also something that will always be delightful in getting dropped into a film to observe characters being tormented by something just out of sight where they initially can’t fully comprehend the danger that is coming. When you then see it, you’ll go back to wishing you didn’t. Knowing that some force of nature is coming for you is what movies are also all about. In the Shudder horror Infested , director Sébastien Vaniček takes us into a terrifying apartment complex where the creatures are a swarm of spiders about to be unleashed .

Infested (2024)

In a chilling exploration of survival and fear, a group of friends finds themselves trapped in an isolated cabin, where they must face a mysterious and lethal parasite that threatens their very existence. As the infection spreads, alliances are tested and secrets are revealed, turning their sanctuary into a battleground for survival.

Even as it isn’t always quite as successful when it gestures towards having something more to say, this is a film that successfully sends a chill up the spine when it counts . From the moment we first see the crawly eight-legged creatures fatally kill someone after being smoked out of their home, we know that they and Vaniček mean business. While not the most mean-spirited horror movie you’ll see this year , it makes sense that the director has been tapped to helm a spin-off of Evil Dead as he has the same scrappy sensibility as someone like Sam Raimi himself while still bringing his own distinct vision. As a feature debut, Infested is a solid introduction to a new voice in horror who is figuring out what he wants to say and getting our skin crawling all at once. Even when his ideas don't resonate as clearly as the screaming, it still has plenty of bite. When it comes to horror movies about spiders to come out this year, best skip the more disappointing recent Sting and see this instead.

What Is 'Infested' About?

The problems begin in classic, almost cheesy horror fashion with a bunch of men in a nondescript desert digging for something they really shouldn’t be . What starts as one spider bursting free and attacking one of them, who writhes in immense pain before he is put out of his misery by the descending blow of a machete, is actually many more. We then trace the journey one of them takes into France where it ends up in the hands of Kaleb ( Théo Christine ) who buys it to add to his collection of creatures he has in his room. Wouldn’t you know it, the spider soon gets out and begins reproducing with alarming speed. While Kaleb is plenty aware that it has gone missing, nobody else is until it is too late.

Instead, we get to know the broad strokes of the character relationships which also proves to be where the film is a little more shaky. Kaleb has a strained relationship with his sister Manon ( Lisa Nyarko ) as she is working to fix up the apartment following a loss they’re both still reeling from. Soon entering into the picture is her friend Lila ( Sofia Lesaffre ) who brings along her boyfriend Jordy ( Finnegan Oldfield ) with whom Kaleb has a complicated history with. We don’t fully appreciate this until much too late, with a lot of information getting dumped in all at once, but that’s all okay as the most important thing is the Attack the Block -esque battle the group must undertake against the spiders.

These sequences are something to behold and a demonstration of just how great an eye Vaniček has to bring about maximum terror from even the most simple of scenes . Whether it is when someone is putting on a new pair of shoes, unaware of what could be lurking inside, or a scene in a bathroom where we catch sight of spiders in the mirror sneaking up on an unwitting character, it’s all perfectly sinister. There is nothing too flashy about it, at least initially, and this is where it thrives. The fact that real spiders are used for much of this only makes it that much more chilling as you can practically feel their legs crawling over you as you watch. Sometimes, it’s just a moment where a character looks around where you don’t see them that carries the most weight. There is a real sense of patience to these moments and Vaniček, rightly, doesn’t immediately launch into leaning on CGI spectacle where there are plenty of more grounded moments of fear to mine first. If you consider yourself an arachnophobe, this is probably about as close to a nightmare as you could get.

As the Spiders Get Bigger, 'Infested' Loses Some of Its Bite

When everything escalates, with the group being effectively quarantined in the apartment complex by the police who won’t let them out, it still never loses sight of the importance of diving headfirst in the small yet no less scary moments. Even when there is someone you think might have a chance against the spiders and is playing it smart by attempting to flush them out of the ceiling, the way we see one lurking in the back before coming into strike is a thing of macabre beauty. However, the more we get past the hour mark, the more the film starts to get bigger in terms of the spiders . Sometimes, this is done quite well and with the same ability to put us on edge. Just the moment where spiders come scurrying out of a character laying on a couch cuts to the bone even as you can tell we’re starting to lose some of the effectiveness of seeing real spiders. A tasteful shot of a spider crawling out from behind a body, while likely reliant on special effects, still works because of how wonderfully framed it is.

When this builds to a tense scene where the characters must go down a hallway that is crawling with spiders, you’re willing to go with it both down and back as it’s still keeping you tied up in something more refreshingly reserved. Vaniček and the technical team consistently do a great job of drawing you into the film’s web , relying on some particularly creepy sound design when darkness sets in. As the bodies begin to pile up, the terrors increasingly come from the claustrophobia of being trapped in the building with no escape in sight. Where it comes closest to jumping the spider is the climactic parking garage scene.

This is when the film almost seems to draw a connection between the group, all living in a building that looks like an impressive work of architecture on the outside while now becoming a potential tomb on the inside, and the spiders themselves. This already fraught analogy includes a ridiculous staredown scene near the end that, to its credit, the film does then seem to poke fun at the implications of in the final shot. As such, it’s hard to count such beats against it too much when the well-crafted overall experience marks the arrival of an exciting new horror voice . Even as it comes awfully close to overstaying its welcome just a bit, much like the spiders in the home of the characters, it very quickly grows on you.

Infested is an exciting feature debut for director Sébastien Vaniček where the scary spiders overcome some more shaky storytelling.

• The film is a well-crafted work of horror that shows how the smallest of moments can be the most scary.
• From the sound design to the use of real spiders, everything is designed to cause maximum terror.
• Even when it gets bigger and more reliant on CGI, it still has a sharp eye for creating terrifying scenes amidst the spectacle.
• Some of the ideas don't resonate as clearly as the screaming and the climactic scene is far less successful than what preceded it.

Infested is now available to stream on Shudder in the U.S.

WATCH ON SHUDDER

• India Today
• Business Today
• Reader’s Digest
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Cosmopolitan
• Aaj Tak Campus
• India Today Hindi

'Rathnam' Review: Vishal and Hari's haphazard story has too many flaws

'rathnam' review: director hari's 'rathnam', starring vishal, priya bhavani shankar and murali sharma, is a formulaic entertainer. the film is outdated, says our review..

Listen to Story

Release Date: 26 Apr, 2024

Director Hari, who is known for his racy mass masala entertainers, has been trying to find his mojo in his last few films. While his form has been questionable, he promised that Vishal-starrer 'Rathnam' would be a proper commercial entertainer. Has 'Rathnam' put an end to director Hari's poor form? Let's find out!

Rathnam (Vishal) is a henchman for Vellore MLA (Samuthirakani). However, Rathnam and the MLA operate on certain morals. Their rowdyism is for the betterment of the people. The MLA proudly says that his henchmen and police officers should have an understanding so they can work for the people. One day, Rathnam meets Mallika (Priya Bhavani Shankar), who is about to take her NEET exam. He discovers that a bunch of ruffians are behind her life.

Rathnam is a man who will help any woman in danger. However, there is a reason why he is helping Mallika. She confesses that her family is facing trouble from the Rayudu brothers regarding land that belongs to them. How does Rathnam uncover the truth and help Mallika and her family? Who are these Rayudu brothers who are crossing the line?

Director Hari, in the past, has belted out many commercial entertainers that are enjoyable even today. However, 'Rathnam' is a film that takes you back two decades. The story, the setting and the so-called twists and turns are hardly convincing. The screenplay, also written by Hari, moves to and fro between the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh border. So does the story, which makes you scratch your head in disbelief.

'Rathnam' is melodramatic. So much so that it will remind you of the daily soap operas where the music will push you to feel the emotions. Here, Devi Sri Prasad's over-the-top score will keep ringing in your ears even after you leave the theatre.

The reason why Rathnam decides to help Mallika is connected to his troubled childhood. However, the explanation contributes to a major logical loophole, which sticks out like a sore thumb. Rathnam, Mallika and her family fight for the land and the conflict is resolved in the most bizarre manner. In 'Rathnam', police officers don't mean anything. They're just there to take orders from politicians and henchmen.

One of the major problems with 'Rathnam' is its crammed screenplay. The film deals with multiple subplots. But none of them registers in your mind. The reason is the non-linear narration, which doesn't let the viewers soak in the emotion. Before you can understand the situation, you are already watching another subplot. This is why the flashback which ties the film together never worked. It came towards the fag end, and by that time, you were already tired.

Vishal's performance is mediocre at its best. His emotional moments are weak enough that you don't grasp the seriousness. Priya Bhavani Shankar had the scope to showcase her talent and she does justice to an extent. Yogi Babu's comedy looks forced and hardly evokes laughter. Murali Sharma, Hareesh Peradi and Muthukumar did their best to bring out the villains.

'Rathnam' is a clichéd mass masala entertainer that is neither massy nor has masala. 2 out of 5 stars for 'Rathnam'. Published By: K Janani Published On: Apr 26, 2024 ALSO READ | Actor Vishal recalls having a tiff with Udhayanidhi Stalin's Red Giant Movies

"Best Show Of 2024": Shogun Series Finale Prompts Near Unanimous Praise & Awards Calls From Viewers

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Shōgun series finale!

• Shgun 's series finale received unanimous online acclaim, with viewers calling for award nominations.
• The miniseries is praised for historical accuracy, a thematically important story, dynamic characters, and its focus on Japanese culture.
• Fans applaud Shgun as one of the best miniseries ever made, deserving of multiple Emmys.

The series finale of Shōgun has prompted unanimous acclaim from viewers online, with many believing the series should be nominated for awards because of its high quality. The show takes place in 1600s Japan, focusing on a nationwide feud between Regents with a wide cast of characters. It has been praised for its historical accuracy, dark story, and dynamic characters, especially its focus on Japanese culture during the time period.

Now, viewers have taken their praise for the series online, with many calling Shōgun 's series finale a perfect ending to the show. Others are also calling for the series to be nominated for awards, believing it to be the best show to come out of 2024 so far. Check out what viewers of the series are saying below:

Zuby_Tech makes the bold assertion that the series is one of the best ever made, highlighting its 99% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes in the process.

MarchioProd offered the series a " standing ovation ," praising the acting and storytelling as the best on TV this year.

RyanTheFilmBro says Shōgun is a fantastic miniseries, highlighting the cast and crew with hope the show will be nominated for multiple Emmys.

BAMTubeBrett echoes the idea of the show being the best miniseries ever, praising it for being a unique television experience.

_ShauryaChawla singles out Hiroyuki Sanada's performance as Toranaga, explaining how impressive it was and how much it could shape his career in the future.

theronster compares the show to Chernobyl in terms of quality, saying it's going to be a major winner at the Emmys when award season comes back around.

SomP0_ gives the miniseries a perfect rating, echoing sentiments that it will become a big winner at the Emmys due to its depth and themes.

JohnRHutchinson praises the final two episodes in particular, highlighting its emotional ending as " some of the best TV " ever made.

MeganStuart3 praises everything about the show, calling it the best series of the year while hoping for everyone involved to get awards for their major efforts.

Why Shogun Is The Best New TV Show Of 2024

The praise Shōgun has received for the series finale is warranted, as the show came to an emotionally resonant conclusion. Instead of featuring a major battle between Toranaga and Ishido, the series instead revealed how the Kantō lord had made everything align to guarantee his winning the final battle - and becoming Shōgun in the process. The final episode also featured an emotional ending to John Blackthorne's journey, revealing his larger role in the show while also seeing him come to terms with his new life in Japan.

Shōgun 's unexpected final episode also aligned with the more methodical pace of the entire series. Instead of showcasing a massive battle for the sake of having a violent, blood-soaked ending, the show instead focused on its characters, delivering fitting ends to their stories. This decision allowed for the limited series to end without compromising what made it so engaging, offering a finale befitting the themes of life and death prominent throughout.

Shogun Season 2 Can't Happen, But There Are 4 Sequel TV Shows That Could

It wouldn't be surprising if Shōgun were nominated for multiple Emmys because of how engaging and meticulously-crafted it ended up being. Given how much effort went into making the series stand out, it could easily win for multiple categories, with Best Limited Series being an almost guaranteed success as of now. While there are still plenty of TV shows to come out later this year, the historical miniseries could still be the best by the end.

All episodes of Shgun are now streaming on Hulu.

Source: Various (see above)

Shogun is an FX original mini-series set in 17th Century Japan. Shogun follows John Blackthorne, who becomes a samurai warrior but is unknowingly a pawn in Yoshii Toranaga's plan to become Shogun. The series stars Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne and Hiroyuki Sanada as Yoshii Toranaga, along with Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, and Yûki Kedôin.

Cast Yki Kedin, Anna Sawai, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Cosmo Jarvis

Genres Drama, History, Adventure

Streaming Service(s) Hulu

Writers Emily Yoshida, Rachel Kondo, Maegan Houang, Justin Marks

Directors Jonathan van Tulleken, Frederick E.O. Toye

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

• TV & Streaming Shows
• Godzilla & Kong
• 100 Years, 100 Movies
• Best & Popular

Poll: Most Anticipated Movies of May 2024

Between big-budget blockbusters, festival favorites, and even a few streaming offerings, what movie are you most looking forward to this month.

TAGGED AS: movies

The summer movie season is nearly upon us, and the first month of the season brings us the expected collection of big-budget blockbusters and franchise installments, along with some festival favorites and even a couple of streaming offerings. With so many choices, we want to know what movies you’re looking forward to the most in May, so vote in our poll below and let us know in the comments if we’ve missed anything.

Thumbnail images by ©Warner Bros. Pictures, ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Eric Laciste/©Universal Pictures On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.

Related News

All Alien Movies Ranked

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

All Marvel Movies Ranked: See MCU Movies By Tomatometer

Poll: Most Anticipated TV and Streaming Shows of May 2024

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

All Zendaya Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

April 26, 2024

Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

Top Headlines

• All Zendaya Movies Ranked by Tomatometer –
• Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer –
• All Alien Movies Ranked –
• All Marvel Movies Ranked: See MCU Movies By Tomatometer –
• DC Animated Movies In Order: How to Watch 54 Original and Universe Films –
• The Best TV Seasons Certified Fresh at 100% –