Karen Han

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L.A. Weekly, Polygon, Slate, Village Voice, Vox.com
For 97 reviews, this critic has graded:
  • 83% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 13% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 9.8 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)

Karen Han's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average review score: 75
Highest review score: 100 Judas and the Black Messiah
Lowest review score: 15 6 Underground
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 97
  3. Negative: 3 out of 97
97 movie reviews
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    • 97 Metascore
    • 100 Karen Han
    Parasite
    The film is a bona fide wonder, and may claim the crown for the best movie of the year.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 100 Karen Han
    Judas and the Black Messiah
    Though it’s early in the year, it doesn’t feel like a stretch to name it one of 2021’s best films.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 98 Karen Han
    Nomadland
    The journey Zhao has crafted is marvelous, exploring literal peaks and valleys as well as emotional ones.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 98 Karen Han
    David Byrne’s American Utopia
    American Utopia will last past the current moment, past the pandemic, but in the cultural context of its upcoming release, it feels both like an electric current and a balm.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 98 Karen Han
    First Cow
    If only every film could achieve the sublime tenderness of First Cow.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 97 Karen Han
    Wolfwalkers
    Every aspect of Wolfwalkers is thoughtfully, beautifully rendered, and the story is full of twists that keep things unpredictable until the finale. It’s one of the most impressive films of the year, and the best animated film of 2020 thus far.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 95 Karen Han
    Dick Johnson Is Dead
    Dick Johnson Is Dead is the best reminder possible to cherish your loved ones while they’re still living — to take that extra photo or video as something to hang onto once they’re gone.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 95 Karen Han
    Another Round
    Vinterberg’s ending offers an unlikely sense of catharsis, even though it isn’t truly happy, turning the film into something fresh and affecting. On top of all that, the film provides the opportunity to watch Mikkelsen give perhaps his best performance yet.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 95 Karen Han
    The Trip to Greece
    The pall of death automatically makes The Trip to Greece a more somber affair than its predecessors, but doesn’t make it devoid of fun.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 95 Karen Han
    Little Women
    What makes Little Women particularly refreshing is that Gerwig treats the four March sisters as equals, rather than as right or wrong for wanting different things.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 94 Karen Han
    Marriage Story
    Baumbach takes the time to make room for their opposing viewpoints and experiences, and he creates a richer film for it. Marriage Story is beautifully bittersweet. There are no winners or losers in Charlie and Nicole’s separation, and no heroes or villains, either.
    • 95 Metascore
    • 94 Karen Han
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire
    The final shot of Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire is overwhelming. It’s a culmination of the two hours that have preceded it, but it’s more than just the end of a movie. It’s an entire life cycle of a love affair.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 94 Karen Han
    The Assistant
    Green’s approach to stories — finding larger truths rather than focusing on the most sensational aspects — vaults The Assistant into extraordinary territory, as it sheds light not only on the actions of abusers in power, but on the people around them, who can’t or won’t do anything to change the status quo.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 93 Karen Han
    Emma.
    This Emma fully earns its titular period, as well as an early place on any list of 2020’s most enchanting films.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 93 Karen Han
    Night of the Kings
    Night of the Kings occasionally strays too far into fantasy (and CGI), even though the more grounded scenes are what truly make the film sing. Still, it’s a stunning work. Lacôte’s tribute to the power of stories is a powerful story in and of itself, celebrating oral traditions and the rituals we create for ourselves in order to make life just a little more bearable.
    • 92 Metascore
    • 93 Karen Han
    Never Rarely Sometimes Always
    The clarity and care with which Hittman handles a relatively straightforward story lends Never Rarely Sometimes Always an urgency greater than it would have if she tried to moralize about making proper care more easily accessible to (and less stigmatized for) women.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 92 Karen Han
    Ford v Ferrari
    Shelby and Miles’ story is compelling, but Mangold digs deeper to find the motor that propels Ford v Ferrari across the finish line.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 92 Karen Han
    Atlantics
    Diop’s film isn’t brash or loud, but it’s still stunning, capturing the migrant story and its effects in a new light.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 91 Karen Han
    What the Constitution Means to Me
    The entire 104-minute show is performed in a single “room,” so it comes down to the sheer strength of Schreck’s writing and performance to hold an audience’s attention. Schreck more than pulls it off.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 90 Karen Han
    Tesla
    The film’s experimental nature makes it tougher to swallow than a conventional biopic, but also more interesting and rewarding to engage with. Great performances help keep the whole enterprise anchored — Hawke and MacLachlan are wonderful as men caught in conflict with each other — and the anachronisms provide food for thought long after the film has ended.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 90 Karen Han
    Supernova
    Supernova is modest in every respect except its emotional impact. In the characters’ internal arcs, the title—the name for a stellar explosion—comes fully into perspective.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Karen Han
    i'm thinking of ending things
    The maze Kaufman is leading us through is a mystery, as he never pulls back far enough to show us the whole thing. But as itchy and claustrophobic as the paths are, they ultimately lead to a sense of hope.
    • 50 Metascore
    • 90 Karen Han
    Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
    Director David Dobkin doesn’t land every single beat, but he taps into that well of carefree exultation so potently that the movie’s stumbles hardly register.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Karen Han
    Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
    By focusing on specific individuals and the shared starting ground of Camp Jened, the filmmakers find a concrete thread to follow rather than getting lost in how much history there is to cover. More importantly, they bring a personal, empathetic touch to the story that makes it feel immediate, relatable, and like a call to further action.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Karen Han
    Minari
    Thoughtfully directed, vividly written, and beautifully acted, it’s a hopeful film, universally appealing despite—or perhaps because of—just how very Korean American it is.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 88 Karen Han
    The King of Staten Island
    As in his stand-up comedy and his appearances on “Weekend Update,” Davidson’s take on himself is self-deprecating without sacrificing emotional honesty. With Apatow and Sirus’ help, he’s created a self-portrait that feels genuine, and perfectly captures both his appeal and his potential as a movie star.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 87 Karen Han
    VHYes
    The strangeness of the material isn’t VHYES’ primary attraction; it’s the atypical mode of storytelling and sense of sincerity.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 87 Karen Han
    Greyhound
    Greyhound’s greatest asset is its sense of spectacle, unfortunately somewhat diminished outside a theater setting. But Schneider and Hanks keep Greyhound compelling through detail, and through the sheer power of Hanks’ furrowed, determined brow.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 86 Karen Han
    Jumanji: The Next Level
    Welcome to the Jungle didn’t need a follow-up, but The Next Level actually ups the ante, rebuking flagging reboots by addressing its material thoughtfully. It makes the return to the jungle a thrill, and, crucially, makes it easy to imagine coming back for more.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 86 Karen Han
    The Half of It
    With The Half of It, Wu has crafted a love story that tackles love in all senses, not just romantic, prioritizing not just who gets to kiss who, but what each character hopes and dreams for. They’re so well-realized that watching The Half of It feels like the beginning of a new relationship. It’s exciting, enticing, and filled with hope for what comes next — in this case, seeing what else Wu has up her directorial sleeve.
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