" Sequels suck "
— Jamie Kennedy, Scream 2

MRQE Top Critic

The Fifth Estate

One of the year's most exciting movies. —Matt Anderson (review...)

Cumberbatch assumes he's the Fifth Estate

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Recent Reviews

These are our latest reviews of movies at theaters, at the art house, or at festivals.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

***1/22023

It is quite often a heady cinematic experience.

Across the Spider-Verse is a monumental work of art.

The Little Mermaid (2023)

***1/22023, Rob Marshall

There’s a good amount of attention put into making all of the characters more interesting.

It’s not perfect, but Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid offers plenty of magical moments.

Fast X

*1/22023, Louis Leterrier

Fast X is remarkably lazy.

Even though it’s one of the most expensive movies ever made, Fast X belongs in the scrap heap.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

**1/22023, James Gunn

It’s a disturbing, jarring start without a primer.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an exhausting journey through some mighty dark skies.

Polite Society

**1/22023, Nida Manzoor

Much as the movie is a tale of two sisters, it’s also a tale of two reactions.

Polite Society runs in a number of different directions, which is both advantageous and deleterious to its effectiveness as a popular entertainment.

Sisu

***1/2Jalmari Helander

Sisu is not for the squeamish, but it most certainly provides a cathartic experience.

Sisu goes for the jugular in a stunningly well-crafted tale of one man who refuses to die when confronted with a caravan of Nazis during World War II.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant

***2023, Guy Ritchie

The material might very well have benefited from more of that classic Ritchie style.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant keeps the action subdued while sending a message loud and clear: even in war, there is still honor.

Renfield

***2023, Chris McKay

Nicolas Cage is a force to be reckoned with and he savors his role.

Renfield serves as a catharsis of over-the-top gore and somewhat jaundiced social commentary, all bundled into a bonkers therapy session.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

***2023

Mario’s movie is dazzling, breezy entertainment that feels more and more like a Nintendo video game.

The wit’s not as sharp as the Minions, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie is still a winning video game adaptation that’ll keep the younger kids entertained.

Air

***1/22023, Ben Affleck

A movie is only a movie until an audience leaves feeling inspired.

Air is a captivating, fleet-of-foot account of a pivotal moment in sport and marketing history.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

***2023, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan Goldstein

Ultimately, it’s not about the material acquisition but rather the personal growth.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves rolls the dice and winds up winning with its spells of wit and charms of visual splendor.

John Wick: Chapter 4

****2023, Chad Stahelski

In so many respects, John Wick: Chapter 4 is glorious filmmaking.

With its stylish, jaw-dropping third act set in Paris, John Wick: Chapter 4 might very well qualify as the first ratatouille western.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

***2023, David F. Sandberg

It’s fresh in a world full of comic book movies that are starting to go stale.

As Fury of the Gods plays off its humor and charms, it becomes a throwback to good ol’ fashioned comic book movies unencumbered by multiverses and interconnected narratives.

Return to Seoul

***2023, Davy Chou

In this post-pandemic world, the theme of searching and identity is even more relevant.

While conveying the detached life of an adopted daughter, Return to Seoul itself becomes a detached movie experience. But patience and retrospection bring rewards.

Champions

**2023, Bobby Farrelly

Most of the layups miss the net.

Every once in a while, a movie with an artificial heart of gold and the best of intentions falls flat on its face. That’s Champions.