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There’s an old-fashioned aesthetic in “News of the World” that might make it easy to dismiss as a “dad movie," something that plays on TNT in regular rotation for the next decade (which it almost certainly will), but this kind of finely-calibrated genre film is harder to pull off than it looks. There’s an attention to detail in every corner of this movie, including not just the period recreation but everything from James Newton Howard ’s lovely score to Tom Hanks ’ subtle performance. There’s something comforting about giving yourself over to an undeniably talented group of artists for two hours and just letting them tell you a story. That’s what this will be for many this holiday season. Yes, it’s relatively predictable and arguably a little thin in terms of ambition, but it’s also refined and nuanced in ways that these films often aren’t. Everyone here is at the top of their craft from the character actors who populate the ensemble to the two leads at its center to everyone behind the camera, and you can feel that from first frame to last.

Hanks reunites with his “ Captain Phillips ” director Paul Greengrass to play a very different kind of Captain in Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a traveler in Texas in 1870, not long after the end of the Civil War. Kidd is a newsreader, someone who travels from town to town and literally gets paid to read the news to the locals. Home delivery wasn’t a thing 150 years ago and many people in these small towns couldn’t even read, so they relied on people like Kidd to tell them what’s going on in the world. The chosen profession has made him something of an isolated wanderer, but it's also imbued a deep humanity in Kidd that has given him the air of an old-fashioned storyteller. He’s an entertainer as much as an informer, choosing what to read and how to present it. His travels and encounters also mean he can read people better than most, which will be essential for the next chapter of his life.

That starts when he comes across the scene of a murder. A Black driver has been hanged from a tree and a blonde girl looks at Kidd from the woods nearby. Kidd decides to take the girl he names Johanna (the excellent Helena Zengel ) to safety, even though she speaks no English and appears to have spent much of her young life in the captivity of Native Americans. She comes from German lineage but speaks Kiowa, and she was being taken to the authorities after the tribe who raised her was killed. Kidd realizes he will have to find this orphan a home.

These early scenes may be simple in narrative structure but Greengrass, Hanks, and the team behind the film add so much grace and nuance to them. Hanks has become such a subtle actor over the years, finding the little beats to define Kidd at every turn but never feeling showy. He’s so completely in the moment in this film, responding to each situation believably instead of sinking into the bland protagonist that could have hampered this film. It’s yet another recent turn of his that feels like it won’t get enough attention because he makes it look so easy (see also “Captain Phillips,” “ Bridge of Spies ” and “ Sully ,” among others).

“News of the World” becomes a road movie of sorts for Kidd and Johanna, with new encounters across the unstable landscape. (After the end of the Civil War, Texas was not exactly the safest place in the country.) Greengrass structures it in an episodic way that kind of detracts from the midsection, where the film sags a bit as it jumps from encounter to encounter. The set-up is so well done that watching the movie settle into a road trip may be a bit disappointing, although Greengrass brings out some of his action movie direction skills when they’re needed, such as in a tense shoot-out with some scumbags who try to buy Johanna. However, there’s a better version of “News of the World” that has slightly higher stakes. As difficult as the journey is, neither Kidd nor Johanna have a bruise or scar to show, even after jumping from a runaway horse and cart.

Greengrass is also smart enough to imbue his 1870 Western with some 2020 ideas. Kidd finds his way to Erath County, where the atmosphere is one of isolation and, sorry, fake news. The most prominent figure in the area, Mr. Farley ( Thomas Francis Murphy ) insists that Kidd read his propaganda newspaper about pushing out everyone from the area but the white people, and connections to disinformation in the modern age are not hard to make. And the idea of a man trying to bring a fractured nation back together through knowledge and decency has some relevance in 2020 too.

Not all of these themes are fully fleshed out, but “News of the World” stays together and stays entertaining because of its top-notch craft. It may feel like Greengrass’ most traditional film but there’s an energy to the direction here that’s not always apparent in a Western. It helps that it’s arguably the director’s most aesthetically striking film, with gorgeous vistas captured by Darius Wolski and one of the best scores of the year from James Newton Howard. And it’s so great to see so many wonderful faces filling out the cast like Ray McKinnon , Elizabeth Marvel , and Bill Camp . On paper, this simple tale well-told may not seem like it amounts to much, but, at the end of a year in which comfort was hard to find, this movie sometimes feels like a gift.

In theaters on Christmas Day .

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film credits.

News of the World (2020)

Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, thematic material and some language.

118 minutes

Tom Hanks as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd

Helena Zengel as Johanna Leonberger

Fred Hechinger

Michael Angelo Covino

Thomas Francis Murphy as Merritt Farley

Elizabeth Marvel as Gannett

Mare Winningham as Jane

Neil Sandilands as Wilhelm Leonberger

Chukwudi Iwuji as Charles Edgefield

• Paul Greengrass

Writer (based on the novel by)

• Paulette Jiles
• Luke Davies

Cinematographer

• Dariusz Wolski
• William Goldenberg
• James Newton Howard

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News of the world, common sense media reviewers.

Stirring, lyrical Western has peril, some harsh violence.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Kindness wins here, with main character taking on

Captain Kidd is among Hanks' kindest characters. H

Frequent peril, including a child in serious dange

Kidd and Gannett exchange meaningful glances, and

One muttered "f--k," plus a quick "s--t" and uses

Background drinking.

Parents need to know that News of the World is a striking Western set in 1870 about a man named Captain Kidd (Tom Hanks), who travels the United States reading the news. He's tasked with transporting a young White girl, Johanna (Helena Zengel), who was taken by the Kiowa people some years before, back to her…

Positive Messages

Kindness wins here, with main character taking on a responsibility he's not quite prepared for, simply because no one else can do it. Kindness, patience, knowledge also win small battles throughout, although violence sometimes must be used. Promotes teamwork, perseverance, the power of communication to bridge distances and bring people together. In a potent sequence, an authoritarian character tries to push "fake news" stories on his people, getting them to believe falsehoods that will keep him in power; it's an alarming parallel to modern times and will be interesting to discuss. Racism is judged negatively.

Positive Role Models

Captain Kidd is among Hanks' kindest characters. He's doing a service, helping others by reading the news, he doesn't shy away from duty that's going to be difficult. He shows bravery as well as patience, perseverance. He'd rather use his brain than his fists or guns, although this isn't always possible. He and Johanna (who is also courageous -- and clever) demonstrate teamwork; they work hard to learn to communicate with each other.

Violence & Scariness

Frequent peril, including a child in serious danger. Hanged man. Guns and shooting. Minor characters are shot and killed. Field full of dead buffalo. Punching. Villains (who seem to have a salacious interest in a young girl) chase heroes. Young girl tied to post as disciplinary tactic. Minor bloody wounds. Dried blood spatters. Horse-drawn coach accident: It tumbles down a hill, and an injured horse must be shot. Headlines about death are read aloud ("meningitis claimed 97 souls," etc.). Mention of character dying of cholera. Dialogue about selling a young girl into prostitution. Rage and anger expressed. Girl is sad to be separated from her community/family.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kidd and Gannett exchange meaningful glances, and the camera then cuts to a scene in which she's in bed, covered by a sheet -- it's implied that they had sex.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

One muttered "f--k," plus a quick "s--t" and uses of "goddamn," "damn," "hell," "piss," and "scum," plus "thank God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that News of the World is a striking Western set in 1870 about a man named Captain Kidd ( Tom Hanks ), who travels the United States reading the news. He's tasked with transporting a young White girl, Johanna (Helena Zengel), who was taken by the Kiowa people some years before, back to her biological family members -- even though she doesn't want to go. Expect frequent peril and some scenes of upsetting violence, including guns and shooting, deaths, someone being hanged, a field full of dead buffalo, punching, minor bloody wounds, an injured horse being put down, a scary wagon crash, and more. Some of the headlines/news that Kidd reads are potentially upsetting, someone makes a racist comment (it's portrayed as negative), and it's implied that some unsavory men want to buy Johanna. A non-graphic scene suggests that two characters had sex. Sporadic language includes a muttered "f--k," one "s--t," "goddamn," "damn," "hell," etc., plus "thank God," and there's background drinking. Directed by Paul Greengrass , the movie is stirring and lyrical, and, despite some grim sequences, quite enjoyable. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (9)
• Kids say (9)

Based on 9 parent reviews

A crowd pleasing film. Great to watch with your family.

A new different look at the old west., what's the story.

In NEWS OF THE WORLD, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd ( Tom Hanks ) -- a Civil War veteran -- travels the U.S. countryside in 1870, reading the latest newspapers to customers who can afford to pay him a dime apiece. On the road, Kidd finds a hanged body and a wrecked wagon, and then spots a young girl hiding in the bushes. He finds her paperwork and discovers that she had been taken years earlier by the Kiowa people, who then raised her as one of their own (and whom she regards as her family). Kidd tries to arrange to have soldiers take her to her biological aunt and uncle, but the job winds up falling to him. With the girl, Johanna (Helena Zengel), speaking no English and Kidd unsure of how to take care of a child, their adventures begin. They face everything from a murderous band of unsavory men to a sandstorm and a dangerous authoritarian who pushes "fake news."

Is It Any Good?

Director Paul Greengrass slows down his usual frenetic handheld camerawork for this stirring, lyrical Western, which captures a deeply divided nation, as well as the humanity that keeps it going. At its essence, News of the World is an old-fashioned Western drama, including a deeply humanistic performance by one of our great current movie stars. Hanks' work here stems from pain as well as kindness. And Zengel is amazing as Johanna, wild and cunning; she suggests both Mattie Ross from True Grit and Grogu from The Mandalorian . These two characters are the movie's center, and, as they travel along the road, others move in and out of the periphery.

The most striking and terrifying person they encounter is Farley (Thomas Francis Murphy), a would-be authoritarian leader who offers grim parallels to modern times. He asks Kidd to read from his self-published newspaper, which has stories about made-up versions of his exploits. (Kidd reads the real news instead and gets into trouble for it.) Greengrass, who also directed Hanks in the powerful Captain Phillips , lets the story of News of the World unfold as it should, with Kidd and Johanna forming a bond, but expertly views it through a grittier lens. This old West isn't romanticized. The landscape is sometimes harsh and sometimes helpful, but it always feels honest.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about News of the World 's violence . How did it make you feel? How does the movie suggest menace without showing tons of fighting or blood? What's more upsetting to you: peril abd danger, or bloodshed?

Why is it important for people to know the (real) news? What's dangerous about "fake news" being spread?

Do you consider Kidd a role model ? How does he demonstrate courage , perseverance , and teamwork ?

Johanna considers the Kiowa people her family. Do you think it was right for her to be forced to leave them? What does "family" mean to you?

Why do you think people like Westerns? What can we learn from them?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 25, 2020
• On DVD or streaming : March 23, 2021
• Cast : Tom Hanks , Elizabeth Marvel , Mare Winningham
• Director : Paul Greengrass
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Book Characters , History
• Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 118 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violence, disturbing images, thematic material and some language
• Last updated : April 18, 2024

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Tom Hanks rides to the rescue in unhurried Western News of the World : Review

Nearly everything about News of the World follows the contours of a classic true-grit Western — hardscrabble characters, pioneer vistas, taciturn script. But Paul Greengrass ’s sparse, raw-boned drama (in theaters Dec. 25) also feels like something else beneath the pearl-handled pistols and prairie dust: not so much a war movie as a post-war one, its whole psychology colored by the collective trauma of a young country still torn and battle-sore.

To carry those multitudes, the film has the steady, mournful squint of Tom Hanks as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, now several years without his troops and traversing Texas as a news reader — a sort of one-man analog CNN, bringing the headlines of the day to any small town or settlement with enough residents to drop a few coins in his collection bowl.

It’s on one of those rounds in 1870 just outside Wichita Falls that he comes across a terrified girl (Helena Zengel) alone in an overturned wagon, her Black chaperone hung by unknown marauders. She only speaks Kiowa and a few snatches of her birth parents’ native German, but the official letter she carries lets Kidd fill in the blanks: Separated from her family in a raid and raised by her Native American captors, then reclaimed again by the government, she’s now effectively twice orphaned and due to be sent to living relatives further down South.

Kidd is not a man looking for a small companion, though the brusque indifference of the local bureaucracy doesn’t leave him much choice. Rather than abandon her to her fate at a way station clearly not designed for unaccompanied minors, he decides to deliver the girl himself. Those good intentions launch the pair on their quixotic journey — possibly a fool’s errand, part endurance test and part obstacle course — across the treacherous plains of 19 th -century Texas.

Greengrass, the British filmmaker who seems to toggle steadily between the broody international action of multiple Bourne movies and starker verité experiments like United 93 and 22 July , has worked with Hanks once before, on 2013’s Captain Phillips . And he frames his star in scene after scene of austere beauty, though his bare screenplay, co-penned with Luke Davies ( Lion ) from the 2016 novel of the same name by Paulette Giles, often isn’t much more than stations of the cross for its two main characters; a series of hurdles and hardships to overcome.

That’s where the requisite Hanks-ian gifts come in, the soul and heft of the 64-year-old actor’s presence imbuing every line and all the long silences in between. Berlin native Zengel, too, is remarkable, her fierce, lucid performance almost entirely contained in non-verbal cues and gestures. As two people stripped of home and human comforts and in some sense of hope, it’s inevitable that the storyline will cement their bond. In that, the movie offers few surprises and even less alacrity; and yet there's a cumulative weight to World that feels, if hardly new, still worth sitting through. Grade: B+

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‘news of the world’: film review.

Tom Hanks and German discovery Helena Zengel star in 'News of the World,' a Western odyssey from Paul Greengrass about two broken people finding unity, set in Texas soon after the Civil War.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

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The balm of the storyteller is central to the work of Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an ex-infantryman who travels from town to town in Texas five years after the Civil War, for a modest fee reading lively accounts of events from both nearby and far afield to people in need of healing. That same spirit informs Paul Greengrass ‘  News of the World , an epic Western with an intimate gaze that recalls The Searchers and True Grit , providing Tom Hanks with one of his best roles since the same director’s Captain Phillips .

In many ways the Universal release is a venture into more conventionally handsome, stately, even old-fashioned prestige-picture territory for a director better known for his propulsive, viscerally charged action. But that doesn’t make the textured canvas of evocative Americana any less affecting. Essentially a two-hander though enlivened by incisive secondary character turns along the way, it’s a drama made with tremendous feeling, an unhurried, contemplative tale peppered with nail-biting set-pieces. Despite its setting 150 years ago, it carries soothing resonance at a time of bitter national divisions, when cultural otherness has been demonized and the value of news reporting under attack.

Release date: Dec 25, 2020

Adapted by Greengrass and Luke Davies ( Lion ) from the 2016 novel by Paulette Jiles, the story is one of strangers finding communion and mutual comfort, two people whose families have been torn apart by conflict, bound together by circumstance and then by a growing trust as their shared sense of loss becomes apparent. It benefits immeasurably from the constantly shifting dynamic between Hanks’ Captain Kidd and Helena Zengel, the young discovery from last year’s System Crasher , as 10-year-old Johanna, a German immigrant raised by the Kiowa people since her parents were killed six years earlier.

One of the news stories read by the captain from his traveling case full of papers concerns the Pacific Railroad’s decision to open a new line from the Kansas border all the way to Galveston, marking the first train to pass through what were then called Indian reservations. The rugged landscape of dusty plains and hill country was shot in New Mexico by Dariusz Wolski in spare, striking widescreen compositions with a painterly eye, in contrast to the gritty hand-held agility of the town scenes. The expansive vistas are a mostly empty space, serene at times, at others exposed to dangers both human and elemental. Those threats are magnified for Captain Kidd when he finds himself in the unaccustomed position of caring for a child.

A somber man in his 60s, the captain is fastidious about his appearance for his live readings, taking his role seriously as a service-provider to hard-working people still struggling to grasp the losses of the war, figure out where they stand in the new America and accept the federal mandate that they do their part in the recovery effort. Kidd is an empathetic voice who tries to soothe their rancor. “We’re all hurting,” he tells the crowd.

Hanks has built a career out of playing thoroughly decent men, so his casting here is entirely to type. But the soulfulness and sorrow, the innate compassion that ripple through his characterization make this an enormously pleasurable performance to watch, with new depths of both kindness and regret that keep revealing themselves.

Riding out from Wichita Falls in 1870, he follows a trail of blood to a tree where a Black man has been lynched, a handbill tacked to the dead man’s shirt reading, “Texas Says No! This is White Man’s Country.” He chases down the terrified Johanna not far from the scene. Retrieving government paperwork from the wrecked wagon on which she was traveling, Kidd learns she is being taken, against her will, to live with her biological aunt and uncle on their farm near San Antonio. Passing lawmen shrug off responsibility for the girl, instructing the captain to take her to the Indian Agency representative at Red River.

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Universal unwraps trailer for tom hanks-starring 'news of the world'.

That task begins a lyrical odyssey over hundreds of miles, in which the reluctant newsman and the unpredictable wild child bounce from place to place as one temporary solution after another fails to work out.

Johanna proves too uncontrollable for a shopkeeper couple (Ray McKinnon, Mare Winningham ) who agree to look after her. But Dallas innkeeper Mrs. Gannett ( Elizabeth Marvel , wonderful as always) speaks some Kiowa; she extracts the basics of the girl’s story from her, learning that her Native American family were killed by soldiers. She’s “an orphan twice over” who no longer has a home to go to. The violence embedded in the soil of a country where “settlers are killing Indians for their land and Indians are killing settlers for taking it” gives the movie a brooding undertow.

Greengrass and editor William Goldenberg establish an undulating rhythm that pulls you in, enhanced by James Newton Howard’s boldly flavorful symphonic score, with its rootsy acoustic string elements. The action ambles along in leisurely character observation as the captain and Johanna overcome their mutual incomprehension and wariness in conversations with no common language. Her attachment to the Kiowa culture of her upbringing, elements of which are revealed casually at first and then voluntarily shared with the captain as a gift, provides several poignant interludes as he responds with fascination to her connectedness with the natural world.

The tranquility is intermittently broken by alarming reminders of human depravity. The first of two chilling encounters is with predatory former Confederate soldier Almay (Michael Angelo Covino, making his compulsive jerk in The Climb seem like an angel) and his “associates” (Clay James, Cash Lilley), who offer to buy the blond-haired, blue-eyed girl for their own nefarious purposes. When the captain refuses, a pulse-pounding chase ensues that climaxes in a shootout in the rocky hills, where Kidd’s cool-headed logic and Johanna’s quick-thinking toughness go up against the traffickers’ impulsive cockiness. The expertly choreographed sequence has physical echoes of a face-off in another memorable recent Western, Hell or High Water .

A second menace arises when they travel through a lawless settlement of renegades lorded over by the sinister Farley (Thomas Francis Murphy), who crows that his men have run off Indians, Mexicans and Blacks to take the area. The spiritual dimension of Johanna’s formation is evident as she quietly surveys the slaughtered buffalo lining the camp, singing to herself in hushed, mournful tones. In an amusing parallel to our own era of propagandistic news media, Farley insists that the captain entertain his men with a reading, then gets enraged by Kidd’s refusal to share the skewed accounts of his exploits from his self-published newsletter.

Among the characters whose lives are touched by the captain and Johanna along their journey, Fred Hechinger makes a tender impression as John Calley, a slow-witted but sweet-natured lad whose eyes are opened to Farley’s cruelty. Bill Camp also makes a welcome late appearance as a trusted old attorney friend of the captain’s back in San Antonio, where he goes to “make things right” with his wife, at Mrs. Gannett’s urging.

Matching Hanks beat for beat in a performance at times preternaturally poised, elsewhere feral and volatile, Zengel is riveting — raw and vulnerable but with surprising strength as she revisits the trauma of her past. Kidd’s mission to bring life from the outside world to isolated, suffering people is in part a role of atonement, of judgement “for all I had seen and all I had done” as a veteran of three wars. While he believes in the imperative to keep moving forward, Johanna teaches him that it’s important first to remember.

The touching story of these two refugees of a divided country is entirely different in mood and tempo from anything Greengrass has done up to now. With its painstakingly detailed production and costume design and stirring sense of time and place, this is a lovingly crafted drama that conveys a gentle message about examining the pain of our past to find a place of peace, belonging and even joy in our future.

Production companies: Playtone, Pretty Pictures Distributor: Universal Cast: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Michael Angelo Covino, Ray McKinnon, Mare Winningham, Elizabeth Marvel, Fred Hechinger, Bill Camp, Thomas Francis Murphy, Gabriel Ebert, Benjamin Farley, Winsome Brown, Neil Sandilands, Clay James, Cash Lilley Director: Paul Greengrass Screenwriters: Paul Greengrass, Luke Davies, based on the novel by Paulette Jiles Producers: Gary Goetzman , Gail Mutrux, Gregory Goodman Executive producers: Steven Shareshian, Tore Schmidt Director of photography: Dariusz Wolski Production designer: David Crank Costume designer: Mark Bridges Music: James Newton Howard Editor: Willian Goldenberg Casting: Francine Maisler Rated PG-13, 118 minutes

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• Universal Pictures

Summary Five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks), a veteran of three wars, now moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes, and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe. In the plains of Texas, he ... Read More

Directed By : Paul Greengrass

Written By : Luke Davies, Paulette Jiles, Paul Greengrass

News of the World

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Doris boudlin, jeffrey ware, red river heckler, chris bylsma, justin tade, darrin giossi, federal soldier, brenden wedner, young progressive speaker.

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Mrs. gannett, michael angelo covino, almay's man, cash lilley, stafford douglas, dallas federal officer, jared berry, dallas federal soldier.

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News Of The World Review

01 Jan 2021

News Of The World

A word cloud describing filmmaker Paul Greengrass , director of the best Bourne flicks, United 93 and Captain Phillips , would surely include “intense”, “political”, “shakycam” and “immediate”. What you wouldn’t expect to find is “stately”. But for News Of The World , based on the novel by Paulette Giles, Greengrass has made his most stylistically conventional, aesthetically beautiful flick to date, a Western that pitches the director’s Captain Phillips compadre Tom Hanks , America’s dad, as a surrogate parent shepherding a nearly mute pre-teen across rugged, perilous terrain. Swapping handheld edginess for gorgeous sweeping drone shots and James Newton Howard’s colourful score, it’s less immersive and gripping than his best work but it’s more expansive, perfectly played, and packs a helluva punch when it finally (and quietly) drops its emotional motherlode.

The latest entry in Hanks’ platoon of Captains is Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an ex-infantryman who moves from town to town in Texas in 1870 (five years after the Civil War), reading the news to enrapt audiences. A kind of Huw Edwards on horseback, Kidd delivers stories ranging from a meningitis outbreak to the Pacific Railroad building new train tracks through “Indian reservations” to tall tales about men who come back from the dead. Playing a man obsessed with stories so he doesn’t have to deal with his own, Hanks relishes spinning current affairs, to the extent you wish Kidd would host Newsnight . En route between towns, Kidd comes across a lynched Black man hanging from a tree that leads him to an abandoned pre-teen girl, Johanna (Helena Zengel), of German origin but raised by the Kiowa tribe, being taken to her biological aunt and uncle on their farm in San Antonio. When Kidd is unable to offload the child, he makes the decision to take the child himself. “A little girl is lost. She needs to go home,” might be the most Tom Hanks-y dialogue ever.

As much as _News Of The World_ is about America in the 1870s, it also dovetails seamlessly into the 21st century.

So begins an odd-couple odyssey, with Kidd trying to bond with Johanna over the thousand-mile journey. Greengrass and co-writer Luke Davies ( Lion ) don’t make life easy for Kidd or themselves by making the language barrier insurmountable. An innkeeper ( Elizabeth Marvel ) speaks Kiowa and ekes out a little of Johanna’s backstory; with her German immigrant parents killed by the Kiowa people, then her new Native American family killed by soldiers, she is “an orphan twice over”. What follows are charming, if familiar, scenes as Kidd tries to ‘civilise’ Johanna (wearing a dress, eating with cutlery, teaching her English) while Johanna teaches him songs, slowly opening him up.

As much as News Of The World is about America in the 1870s, it also dovetails seamlessly into the 21st century. This is very much a disunited States of America, the post-Civil War Reconstruction era serving up a landscape of racism run amok, where difference has been demonised and the notion of news has been devalued. This idea emerges as Kidd and Johanna run into Farley (Thomas Francis Murphy), the governor of a lawless camp of renegades. With obvious Trumpian parallels, Farley insists that Kidd read out a doctored, self-aggrandising version of his story, which the newsman distorts in an upbeat way but with dangerous results. Made extra eerie by the skinned buffalos lying around the settlement, it’s a portrayal of proud boys who have driven away Native Americans, Mexicans and Black people that feels horrifyingly relevant.

Between the modern-day parallels Greengrass doesn’t skimp on classic Wild West spectacle. The best set-piece is a sustained sequence of cat and mouse as Kidd and Johanna are chased by a trio looking to buy Johanna for nefarious purposes that ends up in a shootout in a rocky hillside. This isn’t movie-movie gun-play. Instead, it’s about how difficult it is to actually shoot someone, with Johanna’s street smarts bolstering Kidd’s cool logic. Other action licks include a runaway cart and that most modern of natural disasters: the badly CG’d dust cloud (to be fair to Greengrass, he renders Kidd caught in the melee almost as abstract animation). A breakout star from excellent German drama System Crasher , Zengel doesn’t overplay the feral kid routine, instead, almost entirely through facial expressions, imbuing Johanna with toughness mixed with an earned vulnerability. Without a shred of sentimentality, Hanks invests Kidd, a man away from his wife for five years due to the war, trying to process the horrors he has seen, with dignity and compassion but perhaps in a more sombre, tortured register than we are used to — a coda provides huge emotional wallop wrapped in a velvet glove.

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‘News of the World’ Review: Tom Hanks Does the Strong, Silent Type

The star can’t help but bring decency to Paul Greengrass’s lean, efficient western set in 1870s Texas.

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By A.O. Scott

Nowadays, if you want a selection of news stories culled from various publications, you can use a cellphone app. But if you lived in Texas in 1870, you could pay a dime to watch Tom Hanks shuffle through a stack of newspapers and read selected articles aloud. It seems like a much better deal.

In “News of the World,” a modest, solid western directed by Paul Greengrass and based on the novel by Paulette Jiles , Hanks plays Captain Jefferson Kidd, a Civil War veteran eking out a post-bellum living as an analog news aggregator. Kidd, who fought on the Confederate side, travels from place to place, peddling a mix of diversion and information. He promises yarns that will distract his audiences from their own troubles, though his choices include reports on a meningitis outbreak, a coal mine fire and a ferry accident.

That all may count as entertainment given the grimness of the local situation. Five years after the end of the war, a state of simmering hostility persists across much of Texas. Union soldiers patrol the towns and roads, incurring resentment from a white population reluctant to rejoin the United States. Kidd stumbles on the aftermath of a lynching and hears frequent reports of violence against Indians and Mexicans. As is customary in westerns, this bloodshed is part of the film’s background rather than its overt subject. The title is a bit deceptive; the story is intimate and specific, and careful to tamp down any political implications that might make viewers uncomfortable.

Kidd is a variation on a familiar western archetype — a wandering soul who has seen and done terrible things and whose wariness around other people can’t disguise his fundamental decency. The first thing we see of the man are the battle scars on his torso, and before we’ve heard much about him we intuit that he has inflicted suffering as well as endured it. We know he’s a good guy, even if we don’t hear much about the Lost Cause he fought for — not an unusual choice in a western, but one which may have outlived its adequacy. Since this is Tom Hanks we’re talking about , kindness is the dominant note, and the drama arises less from the character’s internal ethical struggle than from the external challenges he faces in his quest to do the right thing.

Those challenges include various bad guys, wagon trouble, rough terrain and inclement weather. All that and more assails Kidd on his journey in the company of a young girl named Johanna (Helena Zengel). The child of German farmers, Johanna was kidnapped and raised by the Kiowa tribe, and has now been orphaned twice over. After a flurry of further misfortunes, Kidd takes it upon himself to deliver the girl, who speaks no English, to an aunt and uncle in Castroville, far away in the Hill Country.

In its bones, “News of the World” is a B western, lean and linear, its spare plot ornamented with efficient set pieces. Greengrass, one of the most inventive and rigorous action directors currently working — his chapters in the Jason Bourne franchise remain unsurpassed for velocity and spatial coherence — honors the genre tradition rather than trying to reinvent it. When Kidd and Johanna are chased down by some nasty outlaws along a treacherous ridgeline, the ensuing shootout is a throwback and a master class, as tight and mean and suspenseful as something in an old Budd Boetticher movie.

Other pleasures include a fine supporting cast (Elizabeth Marvel, Ray McKinnon and Bill Camp, among others) and the rapport between Hanks and Zengel, an impressively controlled young actor who refuses every temptation of cuteness. Neither performer overdoes the sympathy that develops between Kidd and Johanna, and the film is tender without descending too far into sentimentality.

But it can also feel a bit soft and puffed up. Too much true grit has been sanded off, too many hard truths of history nodded at and turned away from. The musical score, by James Newton Howard, is obtrusively important, and contributes to a sense that the scale isn’t quite right. This isn’t a bad movie. The problem is that it’s too nice a movie, too careful and compromised, as if its makers didn’t trust the audience to handle the real news of the world.

News of the World Rated PG-13. Discreetly handled violence. Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes. In theaters. Please consult the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before watching movies inside theaters.

A.O. Scott is a critic at large and the co-chief film critic. He joined The Times in 2000 and has written for the Book Review and The New York Times Magazine. He is also the author of “Better Living Through Criticism.” More about A.O. Scott

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Tom Hanks stars in the broad-minded, bighearted western ‘News of the World’

The backdrop against which the action of “News of the World” unfolds is a Texas in transition. Set during Reconstruction, and starring Tom Hanks as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd — an itinerant Confederate veteran who makes his meager living reading a curated selection of newspaper articles aloud to audiences for a dime a head — this broad-minded, bighearted western tale takes place in a frontier (emblematic of a whole country, really) that is undergoing awkward and sometimes violent growing pains.

Don’t-tread-on-me Texans, Native Americans, new European immigrants, Mexicans, Blacks freed from slavery — but still subject to lynching, as the film’s opening makes clear — mix uncomfortably with Northern Blues, the Union soldiers struggling to maintain an uneasy peace.

It’s a wild, wild West, but not precisely the kind you may be used to from a diet of cinematic Cowboys-and-Indians.

That’s the stage on which a decidedly smaller, but ultimately extraordinarily moving drama unfolds: Kidd, in his wanderings to bring stories that expand the narrow horizons of his listeners, comes across a child (Helena Zengel) whose parents, German settlers, had been killed years ago by Kiowa raiders, who have raised her. En route to relatives after being freed, the almost feral orphan once again finds herself alone after her military escort is killed. When no one else is available to take her to an aunt and uncle all the way on the other side of the state — through Kiowa country and a small town run by a tinpot potentate — Kidd reluctantly agrees to do so.

Based on Paulette Jiles’s 2016 novel, “News” is, in its broadest contours, a story akin to “True Grit,” although the girl, named Johanna, doesn’t really want to accompany her older protector at all. Despite hair so blond it’s almost white, she’s Kiowa, as far as Johanna can remember, and orphaned twice over. (She tells Kidd her name is “Cicada,” in a rudimentary communication, which involves pantomime, Kiowa and primitive English. The relationship is just as prickly and stumbling, on both sides. )

‘News of the World’ book review: Can a 10-year-old girl ever recover from years in captivity?

That changes when Kidd and Johanna have a run-in with a disreputable sort (Michael Angelo Covino) who means to “buy” Johanna, presumably for child prostitution. She’s smart enough to know a bad guy when she sees one, and to come to accept Kidd, who will have none of it, as the hero he is. In that sense, “News” is like almost every other western. Still, it works.

As an increasingly tender bond develops between Kidd and Johanna, it becomes clear that each of them is as broken as the other. Kidd’s painful backstory of loss and healing, which only comes out over time, is, like Johanna’s, a metaphor for a nation in need of mending.

One of the most rewarding subtexts of the film is the theme of journalism — as a balm to dress the wounded provincialism of post-Civil War America. Kidd doesn’t report — or even write — the news, but he recognizes that, in telling stories, there are truths that can restore our humanity.

That’s the beating heart of Jiles’s story. It’s one that director Paul Greengrass, assisted by his leading man from “Captain Phillips” and his co-writer Luke Davies, have deftly transplanted to the screen, no matter how large or small the one you end up watching on may be.

PG-13. At area theaters on Dec. 25. Contains violence, disturbing images, mature thematic material and some strong language. 118 minutes.

• by Paul Sheehan

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Deleted Scenes

Featurettes, partners: tom hanks & helena zenge, western action, paul greengrass makes news of the world, theatrical trailer, rotten tomatoes® score.

News Of The World doesn't do anything radically different than what we might come to expect from the Western but it is a well-directed, gorgeously shot film that gets the best out of its two stars at polar opposite stages in their careers.

Shows the ingredients of a country at birth, against the backdrop of a newspaper mural that reports sins that are still happening in the second decade of the twentieth century, and this gives the film a spectacular pertinency. [Full review in Spanish]

News of the World, while mildly entertaining, needed a bit more grit and less preaching.

News of the World is a leisurely lark that showcases sturdy studio filmmaking, with a pair of powerful performances from Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel.

“News of the World” simmers with current day relevancy, but it very much looks and feels like a classic Hollywood Western...

For the 1870s setting, the film is thoroughly modern.

News Of The World is a quietly intriguing film, told at a gentle pace.

News of the World is so straightforward that it could have been made by anyone, which is to say the craft is mostly invisible.

Helena Zengel is an actress with a great future. [Full review in Spanish]

A frontier picaresque with gorgeous photography, two excellent lead performances, and a not-so-subtle jab at modern media manipulation.

Additional Info

• Genre : Drama
• Release Date : December 25, 2020
• Languages : English, Spanish
• Captions : English, Spanish
• Audio Format : 5.1

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Henry cavill's new spy movie breaks major rotten tomatoes record once held by dceu movie.

Henry Cavill's newest spy movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, breaks a major Rotten Tomatoes record once held by the actor's DCEU movie.

• The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has broken a major Rotten Tomatoes record for leading actor Henry Cavill.
• With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%, audiences reportedly love the action thriller.
• The movie has become Cavill's highest-rated among audiences, defeating Zack Snyder's Justice League for the privilege.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare just broke a major Rotten Tomatoes record for Henry Cavill. Cavill, who previously played Superman in the DC Extended Universe, starred in the spy action movie as Gus March-Phillipps, the founder of Britain's Small Scale Raiding Force. The latest feature is based on Damien Lewis' Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII and a real-world mission, Operation Postmaster.

Although Cavill's recent movie, Argylle , proved to be a critical disappointment, Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 's reviews have been exceptional. The movie has already become Cavill's highest-rated film among audiences on Rotten Tomatoes . With a score of 94% at the time of writing, it has already defeated the DCEU movie Zack Snyder's Justice League , which has an audience score of 93%. Although the audience score could fluctuate, it is based on more than 250 verified ratings.

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Could Become A Success

Its unique release strategy has disguised the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare's success.

Regardless, the audience's adoration for The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an excellent sign of the movie's box office, as word-of-mouth should be positive and encouraging.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has experienced a positive outlook. Its audience score is exceptional, and critics have been favorable enough to tabulate a 73% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes . Both scores have defeated Zack Snyder's Justice League 's Rotten Tomatoes results, but other Cavill-starring movies have been more critically successful. Regardless, the audience's adoration for The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an excellent sign of the movie's box office, as word-of-mouth should be positive and encouraging .

The movie seemingly needs its audience's support, as it sits at approximately $9 million at its opening weekend box office. That could appear as a sign of a struggling film, but the reality is much more favorable for Cavill's latest outing. Given its small-scale release and unique distribution strategy, watching Ungentlemanly Warfare worldwide is difficult for many potential viewers. The movie has only been released for domestic audiences and will be available only through streaming outside the United States. Many of Guy Ritchie's movies have had similar treatment.

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Ending Explained

The box office is not the ideal way to define success for a movie built for the streaming landscape. Streaming can be difficult to define as success or failure, given the general lack of viewership transparency from many streaming platforms. Regardless, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare will benefit as audience fervor can generate a need to see the movie. When it is released to international audiences, the positive reviews will likely cause skyrocketing viewership for the $60 million project. Streaming is redefining box office numbers, and the high audience score for Cavill's latest thriller is further proof.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a World War II film following a top-secret combat unit who were formed by Winston Churchill to hunt down Nazis. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops by Damien Lewis.

Only One Disney Animated Movie Has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Pinocchio is the only Disney animated flick to earn that top score on Rotten Tomatoes. What's the secret to its legacy?

In its storied 100-year history, the House of Mouse has given us some of entertainment's most iconic and timeless animated features. The late 1930s and early 1940s were arguably the company's first Golden Era, as that period also represented the birth of animation as a new feature film medium. While it can be difficult to name one movie from those early years as the best, Rotten Tomatoes has done just that.

Per the review aggregator, 100% of critics named the original 1940 Pinocchio "certified fresh." It is the only Disney animated movie to earn the top score. The audience rating stands at a similarly strong 73%. That's not bad, considering Pinocchio was only Disney's second-ever animated film. So why the perfect 100? Is the love driven by nostalgia? Or does the movie still hold up today, more than eight decades after its release? Disney wasn't afraid to go dark either in those early days, with Pinocchio a particularly dark standout. Let's look at all the reasons why this classic earned that perfect 100% rating .

Why Disney's Pinocchio Has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Everyone knows the story of Pinocchio . But in case you don't, here's a spoiler warning for the 84-year-old flick. Based on a novel written in 1880s Italy, the movie tells the tale of the titular puppet Pinocchio crafted by the woodcarver Geppetto. When Geppetto wishes for his creation to come to life, the Blue Fairy obliges and makes Pinocchio a real boy. Along the way, Pinocchio must prove he deserves to be real by learning the difference between right and wrong. To help him on that journey is Jiminy Cricket, acting as the puppet boy's conscience.

Pinocchio 's legacy has stood for decades and influenced hundreds of projects, both Disney and otherwise . The "real boy" element is one of the best-known tropes in animation and has been referenced countless times in other media. Jiminy Cricket's song " When You Wish Upon a Star " even became Disney's official theme music, playing over the famous castle shot that opens every movie.

Beyond that, Pinocchio is a great, wholesome film about a kid learning to do good in the world. Maybe that legacy meant it shouldn't fall victim to the Disney live-action reboot curse. But it did in 2022, and that Tom Hanks version sits at a brutal 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. To rub salt in the wound, Guillermo del Toro released his adaptation two months after that reboot, and his version almost matches the original at 96%. The character from the original book (not Disney's version) has also appeared in at least 20 other movies with varying degrees of quality. But none compare to the animated original.

Pinocchio is not without its share of dark themes . The concept of a puppet coming to life lends itself well to horror, which is likely why Pinocchio will be a part of the new Poohniverse . The movie also touches on kidnapping when Honest John tricks the puppet boy into ditching school and sells him to be enslaved by the puppet master, Stromboli.

Why exactly does this newly-animate creature immediately need education anyway? He also winds up (pun intended) on the innuendo-laden Pleasure Island to participate in drinking, smoking, and fighting with other delinquent kids. The island apparently curses the kids, too, and turns them all into donkeys before they're sold into servitude again. Pinocchio manages to escape the donkey transformation, just to learn Geppetto went to Pleasure Island and was swallowed by a whale. Pinocchio frees Geppetto, though he dies in the process. However, the Blue Fairy rewards Pinocchio's sacrifice by making him a permanent human boy. Family friendly kids movie, right?

Pinocchio vs. the Golden Age Disney Films

It's clear that Disney was still trying to figure out how to make children's animation in the 1940s . They've since dialed back the death, human trafficking, narcotics, and mutant transformations just a bit. Pinocchio wasn't exactly an outlier in its dark themes. Dumbo's mother was locked up, and the baby elephant dealt with that pain by getting drunk and hallucinating. Bambi's mother died, too, as did Snow White's parents in Disney's very first movie . The "dead parents" trope remains perhaps Disney's greatest hallmark.

30 Best Animated Disney Characters of All Time, Ranked

Fantasia was among the first to combine live-action and animation through an anthology format. The final vignette, Night on Bald Mountain , introduced us to the demon Chernabog and his evil spirits in arguably the single darkest Disney animation ever produced. Morbid as it was, that animation from 1940 is more detailed and fluid than some of what we have today. Disney went dark all around in those early days to great success. No project from that Golden Era earned less than a 90% critical consensus. Pinocchio tops them all because humanity is at its core and centers on the basic tenet of good vs. evil.

Disney's Other Near-Perfect Movies

While Pinocchio is believed to be Disney's only animated perfect Rotten Tomatoes-rated feature , several others have almost hit the mark. The rest of those first Golden Era films range between 95% and 97%. Bambi is the lone outlier with a still impressive 91%. In the decades that followed, Cinderella, 101 Dalmatians, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Zootopia, Aladdin, and Moana all scored 95% and above.

Many more, including Frozen, Big Hero 6, The Little Mermaid, Encanto, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast, achieved at least 90%. Disney has enjoyed highly positive critical reception for most of its history, with only 15 movies in total scoring below 70%. The record at the other end of the scale is held by 2005's Chicken Little —Disney's first fully CGI animated project—at a dim 36%.

The 10 Best Friendships in Disney Animated Movies

Disney is perhaps the greatest animation studio there is, and Pinocchio is one of the films that best exemplifies this. It came at the dawn of animated movies, so there were still a lot of kinks to work out. But its basic story of a child trying to do what is right resonated with audiences at the time and laid the groundwork for every similar tale. Pinocchio is Disney at its best, and it's earned that perfect 100%. The original Pinocchio is streaming now on Disney+ .

Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed for Henry Cavill & Alan Ritchson's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

• Good reviews are boosting The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ahead of its box office debut, promising a strong opening weekend.
• The film's positive reception on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 78% fresh rating, highlights its engaging cast and action sequences.
• Despite facing competition from other new releases like Civil War and Abigail , the movie is expected to hold its own at the box office.

The latest film starring Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson, among others, has received some good news heading into its opening weekend. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , directed by Guy Ritchie, has debuted with an impressive score on Rotten Tomatoes that could go a long way in enticing moviegoers to give this one a shot at the box office.

Per Rotten Tomatoes, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare currently holds a 78% fresh rating with 27 reviews counted so far. The film debuted with an impressive 81% on the site, so it has only dipped slightly since the review embargo was lifted, which bodes well as more reviews are expected to come in. Most of the reviews lean on the positive side and even though they acknowledge that it does have its share of flaws ( MovieWeb's review found it just below average ), the film's cast and action set pieces have been cited as highlights that make the movie an entertaining experience. Check out our interview with Cavill and the cast below:

Good Reviews Will Help The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare at the Box Office

The ministry of ungentlemanly warfare.

Release Date April 19, 2024

Director Guy Ritchie

Cast Alan Ritchson, Eiza Gonzalez, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Henry Cavill, Cary Elwes

Genres Drama, War

Good reviews will go a long way to helping The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare fare well at the box office. The film has to compete with last weekend's Civil War , which debuted to an impressive $25.7 million, marking A24's biggest opening to date . Should the film slide 50% in weekend two, some industry experts still think it has a shot to maintain the top spot, even with Warfare and other new releases on deck.

The True Story Behind The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Explained

The Radio Silence-directed vampire horror effort Abigail also opens this weekend and could offer its own brand of competition. Horror is a particularly easy sell as fans have been known to show up for genre titles even if reviews are subpar. In the case of Abigail , reviews are strong so far, with a 79% fresh rating and 19 reviews counted as of this writing. The film is currently tracking for a $12 million opening, which would put it in a dead heat with Civil War for first place if the movie doesn't lose more than half of last weekend's audience.

So where does that leave The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ? Tracking currently has the movie opening between $6-8 million, which is pretty much on par with Ritchie's last film The Covenant , which opened to $6.3 million. The Covenant had solid reviews as well, boasting an 83% fresh rating, but it didn't break out with casual moviegoers, despite the presence of Jake Gyllenhaal and an impressive 98% audience score. Warfare does have an "A-" CinemaScore working in its favor from sneak previews held last week, so there's still a chance that positive word of mouth and good critical reviews will allow the movie to exceed its tracking.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a spy action comedy that is based on the 2014 book Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII by Damien Lewis. The film is a fictionalized version of Operation Postmaster, which used unconventional tactics and contributed significantly to the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. In addition to Cavill and Ritchson, the film also stars Eiza Gonzalez, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Cary Elwes, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare opens in theaters on April 19, 2024.

30 Highest Rated Movies of all Time: Movies With 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

For 23 years, Rotten Tomatoes has been the go-to for those looking to get the scoop on what is new in movies. Aggregating opinions from fans and critics across the country, Rotten Tomatoes uses its “Tomatometer” system to calculate critical reception for any given film. If 60% of reviews are positive, the movie is given a “Fresh” status, but if positive reviews fall below that benchmark, it is deemed “Rotten.” A popular piece of media will typically fall between the 70-90% range, but rarely, a project will receive a 100% score. This means every last review from critics was positive.

Close to 480 films with at least 20 reviews have achieved a 100% score, with many coming very close. Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” had a 100% rating with 196 positive reviews before a critic submitted a negative one, knocking it down to 99%. The immortal classic “Citizen Kane” had a 100% rating until a negative review from a 1941 issue of the Chicago Tribune was rediscovered, revoking its 100% status.

Here are Rotten Tomatoes’ highest-rated movies that have managed to maintain a 100% score and have the highest number of reviews.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

“The Philadelphia Story” is based on the 1939 Broadway play and follows a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the arrival of her ex-husband and a tabloid magazine journalist. Directed by George Cukor, he film stars Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey.

“It’s definitely not a celluloid adventure for wee lads and lassies and no doubt some of the faithful watchers-out for other people’s souls are going to have a word about that,” Variety ‘s review said. “…All of which, in addition to a generous taste of socialite quaffing to excess and talk of virtue, easy and uneasy, makes “The Philadelphia Story” a picture every suburban mamma and poppa must see – after Junior and little Elsie Dinsmore are tucked away.”

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Christmas musical film “Meet Me in St. Louis” follows a year of the Smith family’s life in St. Louis leading up to the opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, in the spring of 1904. The film stars Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart and Joan Carroll and directed by Vincente Minnelli, who Garland later married.

“‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ is wholesome in story [from the book by Sally Benson], colorful both in background and its literal Technicolor, and as American as the World’s Series,” Variety ‘s review said. “Garland achieves true stature with her deeply understanding performance, while her sisterly running-mate, Lucille Bremer, likewise makes excellent impact with a well-balanced performance.”

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

The musical romantic comedy “Singin’ In the Rain” follows three Hollywood stars in the late 1920s dealing with the transition from silent films to talkies. Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor, the movie was one of the first 25 films selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

“‘Singin’ In the Rain’ is a fancy package of musical entertainment with wide appeal and bright grossing prospects,” Variety ‘s review said. “Concocted by Arthur Freed with showmanship know-how, it glitters with color, talent and tunes, and an infectious air that will click with ticket buyers in all types of situations.”

Seven Samurai (1954)

Epic samurai action film “Seven Samurai” follows the story of a village of farmers in 1586 who seek to hire samurai to protect their crops from thieves. The film was the most expensive movie made in Japan at the time.

“Director Akira Kurosawa has given this a virile mounting,” Variety ‘s review said. “It is primarily a man’s film, with the brief romantic interludes also done with taste. Each character is firmly molded. Toshiro Mifune as the bold, hairbrained but courageous warrior weaves a colossal portrait. He dominates the picture although he has an extremely strong supporting cast.”

The Terminator (1984)

Sci-fi action film “The Terminator” follows a cyborg assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose son will one day save mankind from extinction from artificial intelligence, Skynet. Co-written and directed by James Cameron and co-written and produced by Gale Anne Hurd, the film topped the U.S. box office for two weeks and grossed $78.3 million.

“‘The Terminator,’ which opens today at Loews State and other theaters, is a B-movie with flair. Much of it, as directed by James Cameron (‘Piranha II’), has suspense and personality, and only the obligatory mayhem becomes dull,” wrote Janet Maslin in a New York Times review. “There is far too much of the latter, in the form of car chases, messy shootouts and Mr. Schwarzenegger’s slamming brutally into anything that gets in his way. Far better are the scenes that follow Sarah (Linda Hamilton) from cheerful obliviousness to the grim knowledge that someone horrible is on her trail.”

Toy Story (1995)

Animated comedy film “Toy Story” follows the first adventures of cowboy doll Woody and space cadet action figure Buzz Lightyear. Owned by a boy named Andy, Woody and Buzz are a part of a group of toys that spring to life when humans aren’t around. Birthed after the success of Pixar’s short film “Tin Toy,” “Toy Story” was the first feature film from Pixar and the first entirely computer-animated feature film.

“To swipe Buzz’s motto –“To infinity and beyond”–“Toy Story” aims high to go where no animator has gone before,” wrote Leonard Klady in a 1995 Variety film review . “Fears at mission control of the whole effort crashing to Earth proved unwarranted; this is one entertainment that soars to new heights.”

Toy Story 2 (1999)

“Toy Story 2” continues Woody and Buzz Lightyear’s journey as the co-leaders of the toy group. When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and the other toys must find set out to find him. During his time with the collector, Woody meets Jessie and Stinky Pete, other toys also based on characters from the TV show “Woody’s Roundup.” The animated film was originally supposed to be a direct-to-video sequel, but was upgraded to a theatrical release by Disney.

“In the realm of sequels, “Toy Story 2″ is to “Toy Story” what “The Empire Strikes Back” was to its predecessor, a richer, more satisfying film in every respect,” wrote former chief film critic Todd McCarthy in a 1999 Variety film review . “The comparison between these two franchises will be pursued no further, given their utter dissimilarity. But John Lasseter and his team, their confidence clearly bolstered by the massive success of their 1995 blockbuster, have conspired to vigorously push the new entry further with fresh characters, broadened scope, boisterous humor and, most of all, a gratifying emotional and thematic depth.”

Deliver Us From Evil (2006)

“Deliver Us From Evil” is a documentary that follows the case of convicted pedophile Oliver O’Grady, who molested approximately 25 children as a priest in northern California between the late 1970s through early 1990s. Filmmaker Amy Berg tracks O’Grady down to Ireland, where he was deported after being convicted of child molestation in 1993 and serving seven years in prison.

“Given how strong this kind of testimony is, “Deliver Us From Evil’s” decision to hype it more than it needs to be is unfortunate,” L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan said about the film in a 2006 review. “The film has a weakness for over-dramatization, for unsettling music and portentous close-ups of O’Grady’s hands and lips that are distracting and unnecessary.”

“There is nothing over-dramatic, however, about the deeply painful testimony of the adults who were victimized as children and their still traumatized parents,” he continued. “’He was the closest thing to God that we knew,’ one mother says. ‘I let the wolf in through the gate.'”

Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)

“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a documentary film directed by Alex Gibney about the 2002 killing of an Afghan taxi drive named Dilawar, who was beaten to death by American soldiers while being detained without a trial and interrogated at a black site, a detention center operated by a state where prisoners are incarcerated without due process or court order.

The film was a part of the “Why Democracy?” series, produced by The Why Foundation, which consisted of 10 documentary films examining democracy.

“Gibney (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”) has crafted more than just an important document of systemic abuse — he’s stripped the rhetoric from official doublespeak to expose a callous disregard for not only the Geneva Conventions but the vision of the Founding Fathers,” writes Jay Weissberg in a Variety film review . “All enemies in wartime are perceived as animals, but Gibney uncovers the ways the White House and Pentagon have encouraged torture while distancing themselves from responsibility.”

Man on Wire (2008)

James Marsh’s “Man on Wire” documents the death-defining hire-wire stunts of Philippe Petit, who in 1974, performed a tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. “For contemporary audiences, Petit’s moment of mastery is inevitably shot through with a sense of loss; the following scenes, which reveal the band’s subsequent dissolution, reaffirm the bittersweet truth that triumph is but fleeting,” wrote Catherine Wheatley, who reviewed the film for Sight and Sound in 2010. “The film’s vision, though, is ultimately uplifting: relationships, like buildings, can collapse into rubble, but as [Annie Allix] tenderly puts it, sometimes ‘It is beautiful that way’.”

Poetry (2010)

Lee Chang-dong’s “Poetry” chronicles the life of Mija, a Korean grandmother who is simultaneously dealing with an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the violent crime committed by her teenage grandson. “Now is the time to bestow on yourself the gift of one of the most, well, poetic films of 2010,” Lisa Kennedy wrote for the Denver Post in 2011. “And by ‘poetic,’ we mean rich with soulful pauses that are at once visual and aural and deeply observant of the dance of routine and quiet surprise.”

Waste Land (2010)

Lucy Walker’s “Waste Land” follows modern artist Vik Muniz to Jardim Gramacho, Brazil, the world’s largest landfill. There, he photographs the work of “catadores,” men and women who collect the refuse to recreate classical art. Legendary film critic Roger Ebert wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times in 2011, “I do not mean to make their lives seem easy or pleasant. It is miserable work, even after they grow accustomed to the smell. But it is useful work, and I have been thinking much about the happiness to be found by work that is honest and valuable.”

The Square (2013)

“The Square” is a documentary film by Jehane Noujaim, which follows Egyptian revolutionaries during the Egyptian Crisis, a period that started with the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 at Tahrir Square and lasted for three years. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won three Emmys.

“Continuing to follow a group of activists as they rally against the undue powers of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Army, ‘The Square’ understands that the Revolution itself is a work in progress, and while its immediacy means it, too, will soon be superseded, it stands as a vigorous, useful account,” writes Jay Weissberg in a 2013 Variety film review .

Gloria (2013)

Sebastián Lelio’s “Gloria” follows the relationship between an aging divorce and an amusement park operator after their chance encounter at a singles disco. “With someone else in the central role, ‘Gloria’ might have been cloyingly sentimental or downright maudlin,” wrote Joe Morgenstern in his 2014 Wall St. Journal review. “With [Paulina García] on hand, it’s a mostly convincing celebration of unquenchable energy.”

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2014)

Isao Takahata’s “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” tells the fable of a beautiful young woman who sends her suitors away on impossible tasks in hopes of avoiding a loveless marriage. In a 2015 review for Sight and Sound, Andrew Osmond wrote, “While the characters feel very simplified at times, there are scenes that put great weight on performance and subtle expressions, in a way that’s nearer to the classical Disney tradition than most Japanese animation.”

Seymour: An Introduction (2014)

Ethan Hawke’s documentary “Seymour: An Introduction” chronicles the life of Seymour Bernstein, a concert pianist who, at age 50, gave up performing to become an educator and composer. “Coming off of his superb one-two performances for Richard Linklater in ‘Before Midnight’ and ‘Boyhood,’ Hawke continues to work at a creative high level,” wrote Bruce Ingram in his 2015 review for the Chicago Sun-Times. “He demonstrates a rapport and openness with his subject that proves exceptionally affecting.”

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2014)

From directors Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz, “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” follows an Israeli woman’s three-year battle to separate from her husband who refuses to dissolve their marriage. “Ultimately the movie is wearying, but then it’s likely supposed to be,” Tom Long wrote for Detroit News in 2015. “If Viviane’s going through the wringer, you’re going through the wringer too.”

One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Shin’ichirô Ueda’s “One Cut of the Dead” follows Director Higurashi and his crew who attempt to shoot a zombie movie at an abandoned WWII Japanese facility. Things go wrong when they realize they are being attacked by real zombies. In his 2019 Los Angeles Times review, Carlos Aguilar called the film, “A master class in endless narrative inventiveness and an ode to the resourceful and collaborative spirit of hands-on filmmaking, ‘One Cut of the Dead’ amounts to an explosively hilarious rarity.”

Leave No Trace (2018)

Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace” follows a father and daughter hiding in the forests of Portland, Ore. When a misstep tips off their location to local authorities, they must escape and find a new place to call home. Peter Travers wrote in his 2018 Rolling Stone review, “Debra Granik’s drama about a damaged war vet (Ben Foster) living off the grid with his teen daughter, brilliantly played by breakout star Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, is hypnotic, haunting and one of the year’s best.”

Summer 1993 (2018)

Carla Simón’s “Summer 1993” is told through the eyes of six-year-old Frida, who watches in silence as her recently deceased mother’s last possessions are packed into boxes. “Some creatures are able to grow new limbs,” wrote Joe Morgenstern in his 2018 Wall Street Journal review. “Frida, given more than half a chance after demanding it, achieves something no less remarkable. She grows new joy and hope.”

Minding the Gap (2018)

“Minding the Gap” follows the relationship of three boys who use skateboarding as an outlet to escape their hardships at home. “The film captures more than a decade long documentary footage showcasing their friendship. In some documentaries, the filmmakers attempt to make themselves invisible. Despite Liu’s camera-shyness, he never pretends to be anything other than a part of the story, hitting his subjects with direct, deeply personal questions,” wrote Peter Debruge, who reviewed the film for Variety in 2018.

Honeyland (2019)

“Honeyland” is a Macedonian documentary film that was directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov. The movie follows a woman and her beekeeping traditions to cultivate honey in the mountains of North Macedonia. Guy Lodge from Variety describes “Honeyland” as it begins as a “calm, captured-in-amber character study, before stumbling upon another, more conflict-driven story altogether — as younger interlopers on the land threaten not just Hatidze’s solitude but her very livelihood with their newer, less nature-conscious farming methods,” he said.

Welcome to Chechnya (2020)

“Welcome to Chechnya” released in 2020, exposes Russian leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his government as they try to detain, torture and execute LGBTQ Chechens. “A vital, pulse-quickening new documentary from journalist-turned-filmmaker David France that urgently lifts the lid on one of the most horrifying humanitarian crises of present times: the state-sanctioned purge of LGBTQ people in the eponymous southern Russian republic,” wrote Guy Lodge from Variety in 2020.

Crip Camp (2020)

“Crip Camp” is based on Camp Jened, which was a summer camp for teens with disabilities in the ’70s that inspired real-life activism. The film eliminates stereotypes and challenges the way people think about disabilities. “It may be startling for those who haven’t spent time with people with cerebral palsy or polio to see how a paraplegic gets from his wheelchair into the pool,” wrote Peter Debruge for Variety in 2020. “On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these teenagers…are having the time of their lives.”

76 Days (2020)

“76 Days” is a documentary released on Netflix in 2020 that shows the struggles of medical professionals and patients in Wuhan, China dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. “As an artifact alone, the result is remarkable, capturing all the panic and pragmatism greeting a disaster before its entire global impact had been gauged, while strategies and protocols are adjusted on the hoof,” wrote Guy Lodge for Variety in 2020. “That it’s so artfully and elegantly observed, and packs such a candid wallop of feeling, atop its frontline urgency is testament to the grace and sensitivity of its directorial team, not just their timely savvy.”

His House (2020)

“His House” is a horror movie that initially released on Netflix and terrified audiences. The plot follows a refugee couple that try to create a new life for themselves in an English town by escaping South Sudan but find their new home is haunted. Jessica Kiang reviewed the film for Variety in 2020 and wrote “‘His House’ is at its most persuasively terrifying when it gets out of the house and into the existential terror of reality. Out there are aspects of the refugee experience that contain greater horrors and mortifications than all the blackening plaster, childish ghostly humming and skittering presences in the walls could ever hope to suggest.”

Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)

“Quo Vadis, Aida?” documents the journey of Aida, a translator for the U.N. in Srebrenica interpreting the crime taking place when the Serbian army takes over the Bosnian town. “This is not historical revisionism, if anything, ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ works to un-revise history, re-centering the victims’ plight as the eye of a storm of evils — not only the massacre itself, but the broader evils of institutional failure and international indifference,” wrote Jessica Kiang, who reviewed the film in 2020 for Variety.

Hive (2021)

“Hive” tells the true story about a woman, Fahrije, who becomes an entrepreneur, after her husband goes missing during the Kosovo War. She sells her own red pepper ajvar and honey, and recruiting more women to join her. “Within the heavily patriarchal hierarchy of the country’s rural society, this places these maybe-widows in an impossible situation, especially when, like Fahrije, they have a family to care for,” writes Jessica Kiang for Variety . “They are expected to wait in continual expectation of their breadwinner-husbands’ return, subsisting on paltry welfare handouts, because to take a job or set up a business is looked on not only as a subversion of the natural order, but as a sign of disrespect to the husband and possibly loose morals.” 

Descendant (2022)

Netflix described its 2022 film, saying, “Descendants of the enslaved Africans on an illegal ship that arrived in Alabama in 1860 seek justice and healing when the craft’s remains are discovered.” “This past remains present, Brown shows, as activists explain how the land on which Africatown (formerly Magazine Point) was established once belonged to Meaher, who sold some of it to former slaves.,” wrote Peter Debruge for Variety . “Talk of racial injustice calls for nuance, and it’s impressive just how many facets of the conversation Brown is able to include in her film.”

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)

“20 Days in Mariupol” tells the story of a group of Ukrainian journalists who are trapped in Mariupol during the Russian invasion and struggle to continue documenting the war. The film is directed by Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian director and it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film in 2024. “Powerful as those glimpses were to international viewers, Chernov doesn’t spare his documentary more brutally sustained moments,” wrote Dennis Harvey for Variety . “There’s no political analysis or sermonizing here, just a punishingly up-close look at the toll of modern warfare on a population.”

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Rebel Moon: Part Two - The Scargiver Reviews

The Scargiver feels like a loosely threaded series of grand ideas and sincere emotional beats that require so much more connective tissue to thread together into an actual narrative worth investing in.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Apr 21, 2024

The bottomless generic quality of everything happening in The Scargiver is a persistent reminder that Snyder’s talents include rendering macho, epic-sized visuals, whereas pesky details such as story and dimensional characters have never been priorities.

Full Review | Original Score: 0.5/4 | Apr 21, 2024

A flawed, but highly imaginative and exciting film.

Full Review | Apr 21, 2024

While Sofia Boutella, playing outlaw warrior Kora, brings a balletic elegance to her fight sequences, ultimately this is disappointingly generic stuff.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 21, 2024

Somehow, Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver is even worse than the first one. It’s even more structurally-suspect, even more perfunctory in how it deals with its characters. It also looks considerably worse, and the first movie was no grand vision.

It has a bit more to offer than the first in terms of action and style, but the writing remains its weakness. It lacks the urgency and depth required to deliver on any sort of payoff.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Apr 20, 2024

…leave your brain function at the door, because Rebel Moon is the kind of casually watchable fare which Netflix is built on. Stuff like this doesn’t compete with, or replace cinema, but it certainly dumps all over most of what terrestrial tv has to offer.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 20, 2024

There is no joy here. Everyone we’re meant to empathize with comes with a bag of dreariness.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Apr 20, 2024

Once the pesky plot gets out of the way Snyder gets to have far more fun in the second hour with the big battle. Pressed for time? Just fast forward to the second hour. It covers all the essential parts of Scargiver.

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5/10 | Apr 20, 2024

Fans of special effects laden futuristic battle scenes may find something to enjoy here, but otherwise “Rebel Moon: Part Two” is a crashing bore.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 20, 2024

Pacing issues aside, the performances and action hold the film together well enough to create an entertaining sci-fi flick.

Snyder’s sci-fi epic stumbles towards the finish line with an underwhelming Part Two that feels more like a Part One-And-A-Half.

The first film was roundly criticized for its lack of memorable dialogue, plot elements or characters, and this one doesn’t do much to improve those aspects.

Full Review | Apr 20, 2024

There’s nothing original about Rebel Moon. But in a genre with such well established beats, that at least feels more forgivable than the fact that it also has nothing resembling a pulse.

Seems perfectly suited for this era of utterly forgettable Netflix programmers that seem engineered to be forgotten lightning-quick.

Put “Part One” and “Part Two” together, and it’s clear that Rebel Moon is a four-hour movie that could have been told in two hours. It’s not really “epic” -- it’s just stretched-out

In place of storytelling, though, it’s built on unwieldy lore dumps: we’re given hundreds of details about this galaxy far far away, but no reasons to care about any of them.

A lackluster, unsatisfying payoff to Zack Snyder's sci-fi/fantasy passion project. It's more streamlined and has more action, which is great, but the rest adds up to nothing in the end. Overall, a big swing and miss. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Apr 19, 2024

The only people receiving scars are whoever wastes four hours on these movies

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 19, 2024

Part 2 may satisfy action fans a bit more but literally every issue with the first film carries over. You'll find yourself puzzled at how this two-part story can feel so empty and underdeveloped while simultaneously being over-indulgent and gluttonous.