In the film, the power of the movies is an afterthought to more romantic and socially oriented concerns.
Given the academy’s long history and resurgent embrace of technical triumphs, we’re not holding our breath for an upset here.
One of the realities of the Oscar race is that you never want to peak too early.
The most thrilling and haunting details here are actively undermined by the chief technical gimmick of the film.
A beautiful presentation of a film that merges the tropes of the 007 series with a startlingly expressive aesthetic.
There’s much to admire here, from its symbolically sickly aesthetic to its clearly shot action sequences.
I have always liked Tony Kushner, and not just the concept of Tony Kushner the public writer.
James Bond’s 23rd canon outing is burdened with the weight of 50 years of history.
Sam Mendes makes movies that feel like department store displays, which makes Away We Go something of a surprise.
The focus of the bonus features is rightfully on Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio’s titanic, emotional performances.
Natasha Richardson, certainly not a singer at the level of Liza Minnelli, was faced with numerous challenges when starting to work on this role.
Sam Mendes’s first, most crucial mistake is to buy what the Wheelers are selling.
Emblematic of this film’s success is the last scene, which follows the book exactly.
Jarhead is fundamentally unsatisfying, but it’s hard to imagine how it could be anything else.
Sam Mendes is a magnet for player haters.
The film aims for the humor and political sensitivity of Catch-22 but trips and falls on its adolescent head in the process.
Sam Mendes’s latest American yarn, Road to Perdition, is as well-told and every bit as complacent as his American Beauty.
Sam Mendes’s slick American Beauty doesn’t age well.