Brian Lowry

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Variety
For 153 reviews, this critic has graded:
  • 46% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 49% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 13 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)

Brian Lowry's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average review score: 53
Highest review score: 100 The Pelican Brief
Lowest review score: 10 Cool World
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 153
  2. Mixed: 104 out of 153
  3. Negative: 17 out of 153
153 movie reviews
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    • 71 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings conjures a slick addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one that owes less to the comics than most of its predecessors. The movie not only strikes a welcome blow for inclusion with its predominantly Asian cast, but deftly juggles epic world building with lighter comedy in a way that should appeal to audiences, depending on how many can be lured back to theaters at this moment.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    The Protégé
    In theory, it's all pretty familiar stuff, but veteran action director Martin Campbell ("Casino Royale") and writer Richard Wenk ("The Equalizer" movies) have sought to spice things up where they can.
    • 46 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Reminiscence
    Too many of the points the story earns for ambition get deducted for execution in this jumble of ideas.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    CODA
    What could feel cliched at various turns deftly avoids that, capturing Ruby’s plight in a way that recalls any number of coming-of-age stories while still feeling unexpectedly fresh and distinctive. There have been a number of first-rate movies about teenage girls in the last few years, but few that were better.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    Respect
    Earnest to a fault, Respect spells out a handsome tribute to Aretha Franklin, with Jennifer Hudson and her peerless singing pipes as its formidable anchor. Yet this biography never fully sparks to life, as the Queen of Soul fights in episodic fashion to establish and later protect her musical legacy from the domineering men in her life.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 30 Brian Lowry
    Annette
    The resulting movie, however, hits the wrong notes, repeating mundane lyrics without uttering the words that keep coming to mind, which are "precious" and "pretentious."
    • 62 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Free Guy
    Free Guy is a cleverly programmed wedding of star (Ryan Reynolds) and subject matter, in a movie that's silly, handsome-looking and a great deal of fun, in roughly inverse proportion to how much one sweats the details. Traveling inside videogames doesn't always end well cinematically, but this "Guy" braves that familiar scenario and comes out ahead.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Vivo
    A sweet if slight love story.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 65 Brian Lowry
    The Suicide Squad
    On the plus side, writer-director James Gunn's movie is superior to its predecessor on most every level. Balancing that, the R-rated mayhem becomes a trifle numbing, blunting the overall effect.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 20 Brian Lowry
    The Last Mercenary
    After about 15 minutes of The Last Mercenary, though, even if you can't do splits like Van Damme the temptation is to split -- and to paraphrase "Scarface," say goodbye to him and his little friends.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Stillwater
    Anchored by an impressive performance from Matt Damon, Stillwater confounds expectations in mostly frustrating ways.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    The Green Knight
    The Green Knight's sheer originality makes the film worth considering for anyone with a taste for such material.
    • 50 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Jungle Cruise
    Jungle Cruise delivers about as ably as it possibly could, creating a light-hearted adventure that owes as much to “The Mummy” as anything in Disney’s fleet.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 85 Brian Lowry
    Val
    Val Kilmer joins the ranks of celebrities that fastidiously documented their lives via video, then shared that in documentary form. But Val feels more deeply personal and fascinating than most, catching its star in the wake of a terrible illness and exploring the "difficult" label he bore as an actor, one whose career choices didn't always serve him well.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Woodstock 99: Peace Love and Rage
    Woodstock 99 makes a compelling case that the sewage from that weekend didn't stop flowing when the music stopped, metaphorically if not literally.
    • 43 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins
    As much as the movie appears to yearn to jump-start the franchise, it seems to have forgotten to bother with a coherent script, leaving one to wonder how a film with this much action somehow manages to be so boring.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Old
    M. Night Shyamalan is up to his old tricks in "Old," but after his heralded breakthrough with "Split," he's back on a downward trajectory. While the premise again has an eerie "Twilight Zone"-type quality, the long journey to a payoff -- littered with pretty awful dialogue -- might be picturesque, but it's no walk on the beach.
    • 36 Metascore
    • 35 Brian Lowry
    Space Jam: A New Legacy
    Debates over LeBron James' greatness compared to Michael Jordan on a basketball court will continue in perpetuity, but "Space Jam: A New Legacy" won't fuel much chatter about who's the better actor. Putting James in Jordan's shoes, as it were, isn't a bad idea in theory, but despite the odd moment of inspired Looney Tune-acy, this reboot shoots a very loud and thudding airball.
    • 47 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Gunpowder Milkshake
    Offering a weird mix of over-the-top violence and dark humor, Gunpowder Milkshake weds the spaghetti western with the colorful visuals of anime, enhancing that with an inordinately good cast for such a silly movie. The net result provides considerable fun.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Black Widow
    What really defines the film is meeting the title character's other "family," whose members are equal parts colorfully eccentric and lethal.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    The One and Only Dick Gregory
    The One and Only Dick Gregory highlights Gregory's particular knack for getting people to laugh with him, and more significantly, the sacrifices he made in pursuit of greater objectives than the roar of a crowd and that nightly paycheck.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
    Thompson really lets the music play in order to appreciate the artists, augmenting that by interviewing people who attended the festival, reacquainting them with a time of cultural awakening during their youth.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    No Sudden Move
    No Sudden Move fares better with the quirky, unpredictable nature of the characters, the impeccable period touches -- from the overall look to the music -- and disarmingly witty bits of dialogue.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    The Tomorrow War
    Watching Chris Pratt fight to save the future has a certain appeal, but in the here and now, he can't even save the movie.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 30 Brian Lowry
    The Forever Purge
    The Forever Purge's once-over-lightly politics don't merit much of a fuss, playing like a cynical exploitation of real-world issues.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    America: The Motion Picture
    For the most part, America: The Motion Picture seems too pleased with itself, an indulgence in silliness that feels woefully stretched at close to 100 minutes.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Wolfgang
    Wolfgang nicely demonstrates how its namesake fundamentally impacted the world of cooking – and especially how high-end food is perceived – while carving out a pretty sweet life for himself in the process. For that alone it’s worth watching, even if, as documentaries go, it’s less a main course than an appetizer.
    • 42 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    The Ice Road
    Simply put, Neeson has been in a bit of a rut, one that Ice Road exemplifies almost literally, since at several points in the movie the challenge involves extricating big trucks from slushy situations.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    F9: The Fast Saga
    After a year where people could pause and rewind to catch missed dialogue, this is one of those movies where missed lines don’t matter, and the only direction this vehicle goes is forward, even when it’s just spinning its wheels.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    Fatherhood
    The appeal of Fatherhood really boils down to its title, the resilience of the human spirit, and Hart being bold enough -- like his alter ego -- to think that he can do this. And like Matt, by the time it's over, he's demonstrated that he pretty well can.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It
    Like everything else she's done, Rita Moreno is an exceptional storyteller, turning Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It -- an "American Masters" documentary hitting theaters first -- into a dazzling look at the much-adorned star's career, and the doors left shut, despite her success, by being a Latina in Hollywood during the days of the studio system.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    Luca
    Pixar movies have a habit for finding simple truths and tugging at the heartstrings, and Luca accomplishes some of that deftly enough before it's over.
    • 32 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
    An expanded role for Salma Hayek is the newish wrinkle here, although that's hardly cause for an encore, or even an extra apostrophe.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    In the Heights
    Big and vibrant, In the Heights provides summer movie-going with a joyous jolt of adrenalin, wedding the sensibilities of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical with "Crazy Rich Asians" director Jon M. Chu's mouth-watering imagery.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Plan B
    Every year seems to bring some new teen comedy that breaks through the clutter, showcasing new talent, and in this case, speaking to the times in a very specific way. 2021 is still young, but unless or until something better comes along, "Plan B" lays a pretty strong claim to that mantle.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Oslo
    Directed by Bartlett Sher and adapted by the play's author J.T. Rogers, "Oslo" serves as a haunting portrayal of what was, and a sobering reflection on conditions as they currently exist.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    A Quiet Place Part II
    A Quiet Place Part II manages to be perfectly fine, and unsurprisingly, a more generic affair -- one that offers less for audiences to cheer, quietly or otherwise, beyond the renewed sensation of being frightened in the dark.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Cruella
    "Cruella" confounds expectations in mostly delightful ways, particularly for what amounts to a supervillain origin-story prequel inspired by a 60-year-old animated movie. Credit much of that to a twin dose of Emma power -- as in Stone and Thompson -- in a movie that might owe its life to "101 Dalmatians," but which centers around a tasty cat fight.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Final Account
    The "important" label can weigh heavily on a documentary, but the description applies to "Final Account," director Luke Holland's decade-long odyssey to capture and preserve the memories of Germans who lived through the Holocaust, acknowledging their complicity to varying degrees. While much has been done to chronicle survivors' stories, this sobering companion belongs on the shelf alongside them.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 30 Brian Lowry
    The Woman in the Window
    Although streaming provides a logical venue for this small-scale film, it's hard to think of a time or platform where this adaptation from British director Joe Wright ("Darkest Hour," "Atonement") would have felt satisfying, with an ill-considered, twisty finish that's a sizable letdown from the already so-so material preceding it.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 30 Brian Lowry
    Spiral: From the Book of Saw
    Spiral, however, doesn't chart its own course as much as simply try to have it both ways. And if the title implies a certain motion, the main direction the movie heads is essentially down the drain.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 45 Brian Lowry
    Army of the Dead
    While this might represent a diverting lark in its dizzying combination of movie conventions, this is another one of those instances where what happens in Vegas probably should stay there.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Oxygen
    Oxygen won't quite leave you breathless, but it should leave you thinking -- and surprised. For this sort of movie, that's perhaps the most precious fuel of all.
    • 40 Metascore
    • 45 Brian Lowry
    Here Today
    As thin star showcases go, it's an occasionally effective bit of comfort food, arriving as theaters reopen and served with a generous side of schmaltz.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 55 Brian Lowry
    Monster
    Ultimately, though, the movie feels most notable for the cast assembled, from Harrison -- who subsequently starred in "Waves" and "Luce," and is again very good here -- to smallish roles for Jerome (an Emmy winner for "When They See Us") as a witness and Washington ("Tenet" and "BlacKkKlansman") as James' partner in crime.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Wrath of Man
    Taken on its terms, the movie isn't terrible strictly as mindless escapism. But beyond the most basic, visceral thrills, Wrath of Man's bitter fruit yields a slim harvest.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    The Water Man
    Oyelowo's film delivers its simple message to appreciate the people you love ably enough, without leaving the intended ripples in its wake.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Four Good Days
    Unfortunately, Four Good Days doesn't really give anyone beyond its central duo anything much to do, and even they're largely saddled with trying to class up the equivalent of a Lifetime movie.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse
    Whatever the intricacies in Clancy's book, they're largely abandoned in a violent revenge tale that a few decades ago might have starred someone like Steven Seagal.
    • 44 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Mortal Kombat
    Mortal Kombat is within its rights taking the material semi-seriously, but does so by taking itself a little too seriously, given the rote nature of translating the game -- whatever its ongoing popularity in that form -- to the screen.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Stowaway
    More an examination of human nature than a thriller, the space-faring movie deals with weighty issues but doesn't possess much pizzazz or gravity, making Netflix the logical home for its launch.
    • 34 Metascore
    • 20 Brian Lowry
    Thunder Force
    A comedic dud that's aptly titled, since it makes loud noises without really needing to be seen. The one thing unlikely to be heard during this Netflix superhero spoof is a whole lot of laughter.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 45 Brian Lowry
    Godzilla vs. Kong
    After a lengthy buildup, this "thrilla" in the "MonsterVerse" -- for anyone with even modest expectations -- qualifies as a pretty sizable letdown.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Tina
    "Tina" is that rare documentary that leaves you craving an encore, as if two hours weren't quite enough to do Tina Turner's life and career justice. Weaving in a new interview with the 81-year-old icon, the footage then and now underlines the impression of Turner as a force of nature, rocking and rolling with and without Ike.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    The Courier
    Anyone with a taste for Cold War dramas will find an intriguing addition to their cinematic library with The Courier, a fact-based story featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as a Hitchcockian everyman who becomes the unlikely conduit to a Soviet leaker of secrets in 1960. It's the kind of historical tale that, after the closing crawl, will likely send more than a few viewers running to Google to read more.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal
    Despite the can't-miss subject matter, Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal makes a near-fatal misstep, heavily using dramatic recreations in a way that leaves this Netflix production somewhere between Lifetime movie and documentary. The salacious aspects of the scandal still earn a passing grade, but due to the unwieldy hybrid format, just barely.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Zack Snyder's Justice League
    It's a fascinating exercise and superior to its predecessor, but clocking in at four hours, the operatic highs are somewhat offset by the lack of any pressure to say "cut."
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Long Live Rock: Celebrate the Chaos
    Long Live Rock finally feels like an ode to this tribal art form that doesn't possess much appeal, despite its intentions, to those outside the tribe.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Kid 90
    The destination, frankly, is probably less compelling than the journey. But Frye's wide web of contacts offers a compelling window into not only her past, but the very specific cultural moment when it all unfolded.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Raya and the Last Dragon
    There's some gorgeous imagery along the way, and a strong payoff after what amounts to the episodic nature of Raya's journey. But the film feels too conspicuously like a work by committee than one of inspiration (the film credits four directors or co-directors, and 10 names as having contributed to the story), missing the spark that has characterized the studio's best animated fare, including Pixar's recent "Soul."
    • 56 Metascore
    • 65 Brian Lowry
    Boss Level
    For those craving an action distraction, it's a reasonably entertaining way to kill time.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 65 Brian Lowry
    Coming 2 America
    This very nostalgic, mildly entertaining movie possesses a rather timely undercurrent, even if its delivery via Amazon -- like most issues facing Zamunda's royal family -- amounts to a high-class problem.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Moxie
    Late twists ratchet up the drama, but also make the movie feel as it has rushed toward a resolution.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Boogie
    A warmed-over collection of cinematic cliches that misses its shot what could have been a fertile premise, in don't-quit-your-day-job fashion.
    • 41 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Crisis
    The tragedy associated with such stories could provide fertile territory, theoretically, for a good drama about what went wrong and who's ultimately responsible. That movie might get made someday, but Crisis isn't it.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    The United States vs. Billie Holiday
    Thanks to the power of the subject matter and Day's knockout performance, The United States vs. Billie Holiday is worth seeing. But the film is generally at its best when watching, and listening to, the lady sing.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    The Father
    The Father isn't a picnic to watch, but it is -- somewhat ironically, given Anthony's condition -- a movie, and performance, that's hard to forget.
    • 44 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Cherry
    Tom Holland's kinetic performance is impressive, but it's in the service of an uneven film that too self-consciously works at mirroring the form of a novel.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Nomadland
    Nomadland is a meticulously crafted little movie, anchored by a star at the top of her game. Yet it's possible to enjoy the film on that level and still come away feeling if the film makes much noise in the awards hunt, it's a sign that this was a relatively weak year.
    • 7 Metascore
    • 20 Brian Lowry
    Me You Madness
    Me You Madness serves as a reminder that you can clearly try to be funny, and still produce something that turns out to be kind of a joke.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Ruth: Justice Ginsburg in Her Own Words
    "Ruth" admirably contextualizes Ginsburg's lingering legal influence, and how her writing in dissent during her 27 years as a justice often influenced subsequent opinions from lower courts.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 65 Brian Lowry
    The Mauritanian
    The Mauritanian is a bit of a throwback -- a solid, old-fashioned piece of entertainment, but not a great movie. But in its objective to present what being wrong meant for our view of "American justice" and democracy, that's one thing that the film gets very right.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Judas and the Black Messiah
    What's lacking, mostly, is a tighter focus on what is, admittedly, a complicated story to do justice. The issues the film depicts nevertheless resonate on multiple levels, from the current state of race relations to the way the government dealt with this perceived domestic threat, without packing quite the wallop that the material suggests.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Minari
    Minari is a deeply personal film, and quality that's evident in writer-director Lee Isaac Chung's reminiscence about his childhood. Focusing on a Korean immigrant family, the universal themes come through loud, clear and ultimately with considerable power, even if the movie's languid pace works against it.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 40 Brian Lowry
    Malcolm & Marie
    Writer-director Sam Levinson spends a good deal of time in Malcolm & Marie complaining about critics, which feels like a boxer leading with his chin. Pairing Zendaya and John David Washington, the movie -- quickly and stealthily shot during the pandemic -- wins points for ingenuity, then loses them with its shrill tone and the uneven hairpin turns of its writing.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    Palmer
    Directed by actor and documentarian Fisher Stevens, "Palmer" certainly doesn't break any ground, but its simple story is sensitively told.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Supernova
    Supernova is by any measure a modest production, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do: Creating a touching, low-key showcase for its stars, one that allows them to cast a bright light.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 55 Brian Lowry
    The Little Things
    Ultimately, The Little Things meanders a bit too much with stakeouts and the drudgery of police work before getting to the meat of its psychological core, which offers a provocative payoff, if not perhaps one good enough to fully justify the journey.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Penguin Bloom
    Penguin Bloom is harmless enough as family fare goes, which counts for something, with an inspirational message for these trying times. The real drawback lies in how the story flits around in the telling and seems unable to choose a lane, leaving a movie that feels as if it's neither fish nor fowl.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    The White Tiger
    The final act isn't quite equal to the build-up, but by then, The White Tiger has already pretty well sunk its teeth into you, making the investment in understanding Balram's fate feel like two hours well spent.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself
    In bringing In & Of Itself to the screen, director Frank Oz (yes, the former Muppet master and filmmaker, who directed the theatrical version as well) has heightened the impact of DelGaudio's material by rapidly inter-cutting exchanges with audience members across a number of shows.
    • 24 Metascore
    • 55 Brian Lowry
    American Skin
    American Skin is worth seeing, for the issues Parker seeks to address, even if it only partially works in leaving a mark.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    MLK/FBI
    MLK/FBI not only offers a compelling portrait of what was, but beyond just looking back, sets up a debate about what will be. In the process, the documentary sheds light on a dark part of US history while leaving viewers to contemplate just how dark its more sordid corners should remain.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 45 Brian Lowry
    Outside the Wire
    Outside the Wire can charitably be compared to the kind of "B" movies that studios used to churn out, and is best consumed by tempering expectations accordingly. Because unlike its futuristic hero, there's nothing special about it.
    • 42 Metascore
    • 55 Brian Lowry
    Locked Down
    Thanks to Chiwetel Ejiofor and Anne Hathaway it's mildly watchable, but mostly an artifact that might look better after a few years in the Covid time capsule.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 85 Brian Lowry
    One Night in Miami
    One Night in Miami delivers a concentrated taste of that, but like its newly crowned champ, somehow manages to gracefully float through its history, while still packing a potent dramatic punch.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    News of the World
    Overall, News of the World is a solid if unspectacular film, presenting a familiar story against an interesting historical backdrop. It just doesn't deliver quite the much-needed escape from their troubles to a contemporary audience that Kidd promises his crowds.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    Soul
    Credit Pixar veteran Pete Docter ("Up" and "Inside Out") and co-director Kemp Powers (the writer of the play and upcoming movie "One Night in Miami") with an addition to Pixar's library worthy of its classics.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 65 Brian Lowry
    Promising Young Woman
    Promising Young Woman combines a promising star and timely premise into a provocative but less-than-satisfying thriller.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Wonder Woman 1984
    While there are some visually striking action sequences as Diana and her new super-powered foe square off -- and Gadot remains extremely appealing in humanizing the character -- the last act devolves into a bit of a mess.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    The Midnight Sky
    George Clooney takes his biggest directorial swing yet with "The Midnight Sky," and comes away with a decidedly mixed result. A beyond-bleak post-apocalyptic thriller, the sci-fi film reaches a reasonably satisfying finish, but follows an uneven orbit in getting there.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Brian Lowry
    The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone
    Without breaking the two down shot for shot, Coppola's editing feels as if it accentuates ties to the earlier films. Yet there's only so much that can be done by rearranging pieces, and it's not the sort of significant makeover associated with celebrated "director's cuts," a la "Blade Runner" or "Brazil."
    • 38 Metascore
    • 60 Brian Lowry
    The Stand In
    As movies go, The Stand In certainly isn't a headliner. Yet like its title character, the movie and its star get about as much mileage as they can out of this opportunity.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 65 Brian Lowry
    Safety
    Safety feels like it aims a bit higher than some of the service's fare, and it's good-hearted and uplifting. If you're only going to score a couple of points, right now, that's not a bad place to start.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Brian Lowry
    The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
    The Bee Gees were adored, hated and as seen through Marshall's lens, somewhat forgotten. Yet after watching this documentary, even if you didn't have an especially deep love for the band in their heyday, you might find yourself humming those tunes all over again.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    The Prom
    The Prom is indeed a demonstration of star power at work, but it's mostly a valentine to theater -- at a time when theaters are closed -- coupled with an overt message about LGBTQ acceptance and inclusion. All of that comes wrapped in a big neon bow, a joyous holiday gift for fans of musical theater, made by people who love the medium every bit as much as they do.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 75 Brian Lowry
    Let Them All Talk
    Let Them All Talk is as breezy as an ocean cruise (pre-Covid), and mostly a welcome excuse to enjoy its three septuagenarian leads -- Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest -- as they banter their way across the Atlantic. Yet director Steven Soderbergh also offers some surprises, steering this polished little film in unexpected directions.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 50 Brian Lowry
    Black Beauty
    Black Beauty gives the original Victorian novel a significant makeover, a contemporary remake that relocates the story to the American West. The movie delivers a more pointed animal-rights message, but while its equine star fares well enough, the two-footed characters never really get out of the starting gate.
    • 38 Metascore
    • 45 Brian Lowry
    Hillbilly Elegy
    The movie, however, turns out to be the opposite of its central character -- namely, an underachiever, despite those advantages.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Brian Lowry
    Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
    Chadwick Boseman's tragic death will draw understandable attention to Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which represents his final role. Yet that focus shouldn't overshadow the riveting performances that elevate this small-scale Netflix movie, adapted from the August Wilson play with its somewhat claustrophobic stage origins very much intact.
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