Calvin Wilson

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St. Louis Post-Dispatch
For 439 reviews, this critic has graded:
  • 79% higher than the average critic
  • 0% same as the average critic
  • 21% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 11.9 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)

Calvin Wilson's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average review score: 78
Highest review score: 100 A Prophet
Lowest review score: 25 A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 377 out of 439
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 439
  3. Negative: 13 out of 439
439 movie reviews
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    • 99 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Moonlight
    The performances are spot-on. Ali brings depths of feeling to Juan, giving us a drug dealer we haven’t seen before. Harris (Miss Moneypenny in the recent Bond films) is uncomfortably authentic as an ultimately repentant junkie.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    12 Years a Slave
    Ultimately hopeful, but uncompromising in its commitment to exposing a tragic chapter in history.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Manchester by the Sea
    With Manchester by the Sea writer-director Kenneth Lonergan (“You Can Count on Me”) confirms his status as a major American filmmaker.
    • 95 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Social Network
    A film that's at once timely and timeless.
    • 95 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    I Am Not Your Negro
    Brilliantly blending archival material, including clips of Baldwin on television and in public appearances, with narration by Samuel L. Jackson, Peck makes intriguing connections between the 20th century civil rights movement and the contemporary activism of Black Lives Matter.
    • 95 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Amour
    The story is so masterfully told that one can't help but be enthralled.
    • 95 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Hurt Locker
    At once an unforgettable war film and a brilliant character study.
    • 95 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Zero Dark Thirty
    Unlike too many films these days, Zero Dark Thirty dares to embrace complexity. And that makes it not just state-of-the-art entertainment, but a great film.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Carol
    At its heart, Carol deals with the rules that society imposes on individuals, and the courage necessary to throw those rules out the window.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Dunkirk
    Seldom has a film so eloquently captured the craziness, brutality and arbitrariness of war. Dunkirk just might be Nolan’s masterpiece.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    45 Years
    Daringly unsentimental, 45 Years makes a persuasive case that marriage demands not only patience, but guts.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Call Me by Your Name
    Perhaps best remembered as a showcase for Stuhlbarg, who delivers a poignantly beautiful monologue that eclipses everything else in the film.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    La La Land
    Gosling is terrific as the coolly introspective yet disarmingly charming Sebastian. And Stone is deservedly generating Oscar buzz for her portrayal of an artist who can’t quite believe she’ll ever be anything other than a barista.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Lady Bird
    Lady Bird might finally be the role that earns Ronan (“Brooklyn”) an Oscar. As a young woman at odds with the world, and herself, she illuminates the film. Also worthy of Academy attention is Metcalf, who is sheer perfection as the quintessential stressed-out mom.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Toni Erdmann
    The film is perhaps best appreciated as a showcase for the gifted Simonischek, whose portrayal of Winfried/Toni is one for the ages.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Inside Llewyn Davis
    What Inside Llewyn Davis is all about: the passion, and the pain, of being an artist.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Spotlight
    Keaton, who deserved an Oscar for his performance in “Birdman,” brings to Robinson a bracing blend of humor and authority. Ruffalo is the essence of the newsman who just won’t quit, and McAdams is just as effective as his more low-key colleague.
    • 92 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    35 Shots of Rum
    Involves the gradual revelation of the hopes, fears and insecurities of well-observed characters.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
    Star Wars: The Last Jedi has more than enough action, humor and stuff blowing up to thoroughly satisfy fans of the long-running franchise.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Stories We Tell
    This is the kind of film that benefits from being experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible. As one watches it, certain questions may arise. But don’t worry — the answers are fascinating.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Gatekeepers
    Although The Gatekeepers lacks the stylistic inventiveness of “Fog,” it is nonetheless a compelling account of what can go wrong when power is unrestrained.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Phantom Thread
    Acting opposite Day-Lewis must give even the most confident actor pause, but Krieps proves to be up to the challenge. And Manville, perhaps best known for her work with director Mike Leigh, is spellbinding. This film will haunt you.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    A Prophet
    Essential viewing for art-film buffs and crime-flick fans, but also for anyone who's looking for a great story, terrific acting and masterful filmmaking.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Paterson
    It’s a perfect vehicle for Driver, who endearingly captures the hangdog humility of his character. It’s a portrayal that might encourage more people to write poetry. And as the quirky but cheerful Laura, Farahani is just right.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Whiplash
    In a stunning performance, Teller resists the impulse to sugarcoat Andrew’s egocentricity. Simmons is equally impressive, lending Fletcher just enough humanity to render his monstrousness all the more shocking.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Two Days, One Night
    Cotillard gets so persuasively inside Sandra’s skin that it’s not at all surprising that this performance has earned her another Oscar nomination. And she does so without resorting to shameless, award-baiting grandstanding.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Elle
    One of the best films of the year.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The End of the Tour
    An offbeat and fascinating film.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    The Tree
    The Tree might have suffered from too much symbolism if not for writer-director Julie Bertuccelli's deft touch and Gainsbourg's appealing performance.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Anomalisa
    With spot-on vocal performances from Thewlis, Leigh and Tom Noonan, the film is nothing less than mesmerizing — and must viewing for serious cinephiles.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    A Serious Man
    A comedy of discomfort -- and one of their (Coen brothers) best, most insightful and most provocative films.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    The Death of Stalin
    Although the film is frequently brilliant, it’s not quite as clever as it thinks it is. The cast, however, is terrific. Particularly good is Buscemi, who’s engagingly cranky as Khrushchev.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
    Entertaining in a way that’s practically unheard of these days. It’s about the sheer exhilaration of expressing yourself, no matter what anybody thinks.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Foxtrot
    Particularly impressive is Ashkenazi (“7 Days in Entebbe”), who brings to Michael a soulful but volatile insecurity. It’s a hauntingly realized performance. This is a different kind of war film — and a brilliant one.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Leave No Trace
    Foster (“Hell or High Water”), who is best known for portraying unhinged and dangerous characters, is intriguingly enigmatic as Will. And Harcourt McKenzie turns in a hauntingly memorable performance.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Hell or High Water
    The year’s most exhilarating film.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Black Panther
    Believe the hype: Black Panther transcends its comic-book origins, achieving a mythic grandeur that’s nothing short of exhilarating.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Brooklyn
    If you think they don’t make movies like they used to, Brooklyn is glorious proof to the contrary.
    • 36 Metascore
    • 38 Calvin Wilson
    Captive
    Oyelowo and Mara achieve terrific chemistry. Perhaps they’ll work together again — in a better film.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
    Lots of films claim to be different. Birdman is.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Films often fail to capture the turmoil of being a teenager — but not this one.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Love & Friendship
    The film’s true scene-stealer is Bennett, who brilliantly portrays Sir James as a case study in cluelessness.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Kid with a Bike
    This is a film that's not always easy to watch, but just about impossible to forget.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Shape of Water
    One of the best films of the year.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Tangerine
    Although the story of Sin-Dee and Alexandra might have benefited from a bit more structure, it’s a window into a world of which many people are unaware — but a world that has its share of dreamers.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Room
    With visual and psychological precision, Abrahamson brilliantly evokes the experience of living outside of everyday reality. And he does so without resorting to either creepiness or sentimentality.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Kids Are All Right
    The Kids Are All Right probably could have used a few more scenes to come to an even more satisfying conclusion. But it's a terrific film anyway.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Red Turtle
    Once you’re on its wavelength, the film is a mesmerizing experience.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Loveless
    These days, every other film seems to be an audition to make a Marvel movie — but not Loveless. This is cinema of the first order.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Big Sick
    The Big Sick has a lot of charm. Just don’t expect the revolution in romantic comedy that its aggressive hype would suggest.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    City of Ghosts
    Director Matthew Heineman (“Cartel Land”) sticks with the group as it moves from strategy meetings to safe houses, documenting not only its political commitment but also intimate moments of reflection.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Ponyo
    Traditional in the best sense.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    First Reformed
    In one of his best roles, Hawke is galvanizing as a man who has lost his way and is desperately searching for meaning in his life. And as Mary, Seyfried turns in a poignant and beautifully nuanced performance. Provocative and mesmerizing, First Reformed is a film that demands to be seen.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Baby Driver
    Baby Driver zooms onto the screen with an exhilarating combination of smarts and style.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Beasts of the Southern Wild
    A cinematic miracle, a film that carves out a vivid space that has nothing to do with wizards or extraterrestrials, but quite a lot to say about the fantastical creatures that roam through the humanity in us all.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Salesman
    The film offers insights into Iranian society while also subtly making a case that human foibles are universal.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Lebanon
    Although Lebanon is to be congratulated for its bold visual strategy and strong antiwar stance, the film becomes claustrophobic after a while.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Rider
    The kind of film that’s capable of eliciting wildly different reactions. Art-film aficionados would be impressed with its atmospheric storytelling and emphasis on character. Devotees of mainstream cinema would likely complain that “nothing happened.”
    • 85 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
    Yes, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is often hard to follow, perhaps overestimating the audience's ability to keep track of what's going on and why. But it's a well-crafted film that wears its old-fashionedness with pride.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Everybody Wants Some!!
    The tale of Jake and his pals is something of a time capsule — and the kind of film from which sociologists decades from now might glean extremely useful information about American culture.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Won't You Be My Neighbor?
    Rogers has been criticized by conservative pundits and parodied by comedian Eddie Murphy. But those backhanded acknowledgments only confirmed his status as a force to be reckoned with.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Fruitvale Station
    Fruitvale Station has all the impact of a thoroughly researched, well-argued documentary. But Coogler made the right choice in going with drama.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 63 Calvin Wilson
    The Hero
    Perhaps the only reason to see it is Elliott, who’s terrific as a man who’s desperate to make amends for his shortcomings. It’s one of his finest and most memorable performances. Unfortunately, the script fails to rise to the level of Elliott’s artistry.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The White Ribbon
    A stark, contemplative and hauntingly brilliant film.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    The Witch
    Unsettling yet mesmerizing, The Witch is more of an art film than a horror flick.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Graduation
    In a first-rate cast, Titieni turns in a brilliant performance as a man who sacrifices long-held values to bow to the expediency of the moment.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    A Ghost Story
    Working from his own screenplay, director David Lowery (“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”) delivers a risky, challenging film that unfolds with a spellbinding momentum. Just what it all means is left to the viewer to contemplate.
    • 46 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    How Do You Know
    A bit slow to get started, and it's nowhere near as funny as "The Hangover." But it'll make you smile.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    The Place Beyond the Pines
    The acting is first-rate. Gosling masterfully fills in Luke’s motivational blanks, and Cooper nicely handles Avery’s evolution from idealist to manipulator.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Barbershop: The Next Cut
    If Barbershop: The Next Cut ends on an improbably upbeat note, the franchise is to be commended for daringly stepping outside its comfort zone.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    20th Century Women
    20th Century Women doesn’t have much of a plot — if it has one at all. But the film beautifully evokes the era just before Ronald Reagan entered the Oval Office.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Pina
    The result, Pina, is the most spirited and spectacular film about dance since Robert Altman's "The Company."
    • 83 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Post
    A timely docudrama about the role of the press in holding politicians accountable. But in the hands of director Steven Spielberg, the film plays more like a thriller than a history lesson.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Creed
    Often, extending a film franchise signifies a lack of imagination. But Creed is a knockout.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    The Lobster
    If you’re open to embracing a film that declines to pander to expectations, you should definitely make a date with The Lobster.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    A Quiet Place
    If you’re looking for a film that will keep you thrillingly off-balance, this is the place.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Hearts Beat Loud
    A refreshingly down-to-earth comedy-drama about family, ambition and the liberating power of music.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Steve Jobs
    As original and risk-taking as its subject, Steve Jobs will make you think differently about an American icon.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Embrace of the Serpent
    If the film is a bit too slow-paced, it’s also uniquely mesmerizing, with performances that perfectly complement the episodic narrative.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Isle of Dogs
    The film is not only hilariously entertaining, but also firmly in the tradition of such political parables as George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”
    • 82 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Certain Women
    Certain Women requires patience from the viewer and isn’t for anyone, but it’s a film of quiet and lingering beauty.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Sicario
    Far from being just another crime story, Sicario is cinema at its most ambitious.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Blade Runner 2049
    Director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”) delivers a moody, visually stunning celebration of existential angst. Not that he skimps on the kind of mayhem that’s de rigueur these days, but you have to wait for it — and wait for it. But when it does arrive, it’s awesome.
    • 44 Metascore
    • 38 Calvin Wilson
    Pacific Rim: Uprising
    Tickets to Pacific Rim Uprising should come with a package of aspirin.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Arrival
    Arrival is science fiction in the classic sense and a film of otherworldly ambition.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Top Five
    With Top Five, Rock has finally made the transition to true movie stardom.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 50 Calvin Wilson
    Admission
    Admission is one film you may not want to get into.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Bridge of Spies
    As the deeply principled Donovan, Hanks deftly balances earnestness and humor. And Rylance’s spirited performance is almost certain to yield an Oscar nomination.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    White Material
    Unhurried in its storytelling but unshakable in its impact.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Beginners
    A lovably quirky comedy-drama with a rhythm all its own.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Jackie
    Portman is simply brilliant, getting to the essence of Jackie without resorting to a mere impersonation.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    No
    The Oscar-nominated No has the gritty feel of a foreign film from the 1970s. As such, it may take a few minutes for most moviegoers to adjust to its rhythms. Ironically for a film about advertising, there’s nothing slick about it — and therein lies much of its greatness.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    The Big Short
    The Big Short is the film that “The Wolf of Wall Street” wanted to be.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    A Fantastic Woman
    In our increasingly polarized time, A Fantastic Woman bridges the gap between ignorance and understanding through the transcendent power of art.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    A War
    The story unfolds not as contrived drama, but with all the surprise and inevitability of real life.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    Good Time
    Good Time is not so much a crime drama as it is a meditation on the genre’s virtues and limitations.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 88 Calvin Wilson
    Incredibles 2
    Bursting with style and imagination, The Incredibles 2 sets a standard that few superhero flicks — animated or live-action — can match.
    • 34 Metascore
    • 50 Calvin Wilson
    Keeping Up with the Joneses
    Keeping Up With the Joneses is hardly worth the effort.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 75 Calvin Wilson
    American Honey
    In an Arnold film, plot is pretty much beside the point. Instead, she focuses on the subtleties of character — and her insights can be both enlightening and terrifying.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 100 Calvin Wilson
    Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
    Perhaps the greatest triumph of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is that it justifies the enormous hype. Working from a screenplay that he co-wrote with Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan, director J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek”) brings fresh energy to the franchise while adhering to the storytelling values that made it matter in the first place.
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