Culture | Movies

Celine Song’s follow-up to “Past Lives” is another film that focuses on the nature of love. “Materialists,” our critic observes, poses the question, What kind of life do its people deserve?

“Holding Liat” won best documentary at the Berlin film festival. Ahead of its U.S. premiere at the Tribeca Festival this week, the Monitor spoke with director Brandon Kramer.

Is this really the end for “Mission: Impossible”? Our reviewer isn’t so sure, but he says the eighth and perhaps final installment of the franchise that began in 1996 has something indispensable going for it: the fearlessness of its Hollywood star.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. An engaging new French film, “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,” invokes the great writer and revels in romance and humanity.

“The Friend” is about animals, and humans, and grief, and understanding. The Monitor’s critic says the film, based on an award-winning book, is “for dog lovers, and for people who love intelligent movies about dog lovers.”

The Monitor’s film critic offers his highest rating to “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” which pulses with humor as it explores the landscape of nostalgia – and love.

A celebration of the bravery and ingenuity of the Afghan girls robotics team contrasts with the reality of Afghanistan’s women under Taliban repression.

Our film critic loves a great performance. His top acting picks for 2024 include stars who are up for Academy Awards – and those who he argues should be.

This Oscar season, our reporter explores the quirky ecosystem of cinephiles and their efforts to save community movie theaters. Can independent cinema survive Netflix?

Community movie houses have proved surprisingly resilient and adaptive despite challenges. Avid patrons play a starring role. Anne Continelli, a Massachusetts-based filmmaker, is working on a documentary about communities saving their cinemas.