Director Peyton Reed plays to the fun and comedic strengths of his first film while delving much deeper on the characters and history of Ant-Man’s (small) corner of the MCU — At one point in Ant-Man and the Wasp, there’s a ridiculous car chase through San Francisco, complete with plenty of the requisite size-changing action promised by an Ant-Man film, crosscut with a fairly psychedelic journey through a sub-atomic dimension called the quantum realm. To flip back and forth between these…

Over six seasons, the FX series has artfully captured how complicated and fragile the Jennings’ undercover life can be, and the finale delivers a fitting end as that life quietly shatters — Spoilers ahead After six seasons, the finale of The Americans had the inevitable responsibility of answering a question — how will all this end? Going out with a bang wouldn’t exactly be true to series form, being that The Americans has always been a show as understated as its protagonists — Philip…

The Russo Brothers gamely juggle and unite the cast of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with fresh character dynamics and a surprisingly compelling villain in Thanos — Spoilers are a bit inevitable… With over 20 key characters, a 150-minute runtime, and 10 years of buildup across 18 Marvel movies, Avengers: Infinity War is tasked with an incredibly difficult juggling act, one that directors Joe and Anthony Russo pull off quite masterfully. In a way, the Russo Brothers have been building towards this…

Alex Garland’s latest film meditates on how perspective shapes self-destruction and evolution — Annihilation plays out like a dream that devolves into a nightmare. Five explorers set off on an expedition into a strange phenomenon referred to as “The Shimmer” — a mysterious pocket of evolution where animals and vegetation have transformed in horrifically beautiful ways. …

A surprise Netflix release can’t save this disappointing entry in the ‘Clover’-verse from feeling a bit forced — An international team of astronauts on a space station trying to solve Earth’s energy crisis — what could go wrong? Well, the name of their space station is “Cloverfield Station” and they’re running tests with a giant particle accelerator, so…lots. Lots can go wrong. More than one might think though…

Ryan Coogler grounds big-budget sci-fi action with a sense of heart and reality in a film that earnestly recognizes its value — Black Panther earned over $240 million at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend, and that isn’t terribly surprising. The character’s solo film has been one of Marvel’s most anticipated projects, particularly since the character was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War…

Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks lead a dynamic cast in a film that thoughtfully considers the value of journalistic integrity — On the surface, The Post appears to be this year’s most conventional awards season film. A historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg, stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, and bears a certain level of relevance to our current news cycle — it was a clear Oscar favorite before it even…

Coates’ series gets personal with its title character while exploring the complex and fragile politics of a nation — “Men who wish to be kings have almost never considered their request. Who, in full knowledge, would wish to hold a country on their shoulders? Who, in full sanity, would try to hold a nation under their feet?” It’s been nearly two years since author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates teamed…

Anderson’s latest exhibits his mastery of the craft, and his ability to weave eerily hilarious characters into a carefully constructed and tense film — “If you want to have a staring contest with me, you will lose,” says Alma to Reynolds Woodcock in Phantom Thread, perfectly summarizing the type of scene that writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson has mastered. Steadily framed close-ups of two characters, dimly lit, facing off in measured tones, talking about one…