- Social:
co-hosts the podcasts Canceled Too Soon and Critically Acclaimed.
PROFILE
William Bibbiani
Guest
FROM William Bibbiani
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'I Am Not a Witch' is funny, terrifying, and potent Our critics review “Peppermint,” starring Jennifer Garner as a woman who wakes up from a coma after her husband and daughter are killed in a drive-by shooting; “I Am Not a Witch,” about a young girl who’s taken to a witch camp for tourists in Zambia; “City of Joy,” a documentary on Netflix about women living in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and “The Nun,” about an investigation into the death of a nun in Romania.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
This week's movies Tom Cruise is back for another installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. This one is called Fallout. Our critics offer their reviews, as well as reviews of Teen Titans Go!, and a Netflix documentary called The Bleeding Edge.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Noteworthy that 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' gives equal billing to a male and female superhero? Our critics review “Ant-man and the Wasp,” another Marvel Studios movie, starting Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly; “The First Purge,” in which a spinoff of the GOP party rises, and there are no laws for 12 hours on Staten Island; “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter,” a father-son bonding film on Netflix; and “Sorry to Bother You,” starring Lakeith Stanton as a telemarketer in Oakland.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What does new film reveal about Andre Leon Talley besides that he's a big personality? Our critics review “American Animals,” a mostly true crime thriller involving four Kentucky university students who plan to steal a valuable book from their school library; “Upgrade,” about a man with an implanted computer chip that will enhance his body; “Adrift,” about surviving a catastrophic hurricane; and “The Gospel According to Andre,” which explores the life and career of Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'Life of the Party' and women's empowerment Our critics review “Breaking In,” starring Gabrielle Union as a mother fighting to protect her children during a home invasion; “Life of the Party,” a comedy about a mom (Melissa McCarthy) who goes to college with her daughter; “The Seagull,” a new take on the classic play; “Lu Over The Wall,” an animated adventure about a middle school kid from a fishing town that was once home to merfolk.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is 'Blockers' really about women's empowerment? Our critics review “Blockers,” a comedy about three girls who make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night and three parents who want to block them from doing so; “Chappaquiddick,” a drama about Senator Ted Kennedy’s involvement in an accident that killed young campaign strategist Mary Jo Kopechne; “You Were Never Really Here,” starring Joaquin Phoenix as a traumatized veteran who chases down missing girls for a living.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is 'Annihilation' sci-fi adventure too heady? Our critics review “Game Night,” directed by the team who co-wrote “Horrible Bosses;” “Every Day,” about a teenage girl who falls in love with someone who transforms into a different person every day; the sci-fi adventure “Annihilation” starring Natalie Portman and Gina Rodriguez.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Do you miss Obama? 'The Final Year' will make you miss him even more Our critics review “The Final Year,” which follows Obama’s foreign policy team in their last year in office; “12 Strong,” based on real-life events that happened during the Bush administration immediately after 9/11; and “Forever My Girl,” a love story about a country superstar reuniting with his first love.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why you should see 'Phantom Thread' over 'Downsizing' Our critics review “Downsizing,” in which a couple lives in a community of people who’ve shrunk to 5 inches; “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” a comedy starring The Rock and Kevin Hart; “The Post,” which follows newspaper publisher Katharine Graham and editor Ben Bradlee as they expose government secrets; and “Phantom Thread,” which Daniel Day Lewis says will be his last film.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'Thor: Ragnarok' and the importance of movie stars Our critics review “A Bad Moms Christmas,” starring Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Kathryn Hahn; “Thor: Ragnarok,” with Chris Hemsworth back as Thor, and directed by Taika Waititi of “Flight of the Conchords;” and “Lady Bird,” about the relationship between a mother and her strong-willed teenage daughter.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Will 'It' pull Hollywood out of its box office funk? Our critics review a reboot of Stephen King’s “It,” now set in the ‘80s with kids disappearing from a small town, and a makeover for Pennywise the clown; and “Home Again,” a romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon. Also, this summer has been officially the worst at the box office in more than a decade. Is Rotten Tomatoes to blame?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is 'Atomic Blonde' too violent or just violent enough? Our film critics review “Atomic Blonde,” starring Charlize Theron as an undercover M16 agent who looks into the death of her fellow agent during the Cold War era; “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” the follow-up to Al Gore’s 2006 Oscar-winning climate change documentary; and “The Emoji Movie,” in which Gene has multiple facial expressions, unlike his fellow emojis who only have one.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'The Mummy' with Tom Cruise: Should it have stayed buried? Our critics review “The Mummy,” starring Tom Cruise; “Beatriz at Dinner,” with Salma Hayek playing an earthy therapist and healer, opposite John Lithgow’s conservative wealthy man; and “My Cousin Rachel,” based on a novel by Daphne du Maurier.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
21 years later, the 'Trainspotting' guys are back Our critics review the live-action reboot of “Beauty and the Beast,” starring Emma Watson; “T2 Trainspotting,” with Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller; and the new Terrence Malick film “Song to Song.”
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is 'Monster Trucks' so bad it's good? Our critics review Ben Affleck’s “Live by Night;” “Monster Trucks,” about trucks that are literally monsters; the horror film “The Bye Bye Man;” and the documentary “Saving Banksy.”
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Film: 'Suicide Squad' falls flat, 'Little Prince' impresses It’s been a disappointing summer so far for potential blockbusters. Will DC Comic’s Suicide Squad or a film that features Kevin Spacey trapped inside the body of a cat break the curse of the underwhelming box office before the kids head back to school? As we do every Friday, we’ll talk about this weekend’s new film releases and find out which films fell flat for our critics, and which films they suggest you check out. Link to What the Flick?! Link to CraveOnline
Recommended
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.
Bookworm
Claudio Magris: Blameless In Claudio Magris' Blameless, a museum of the implements of war and destruction is created to inspire peace. But this conversation is not just about war and peace.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Accusations of lying fly between James Comey and White House During his testimony Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey accused President Trump and other White House officials of lying when they said the FBI was in disarray and its staff had lost confidence in him. President Trump’s lawyer said Comey was wrong -- that the president never asked for his loyalty, and never asked him to back off the investigation into former NSA director Michael Flynn.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Trump says goodbye Paris Accord: What does it mean for U.S. and the planet? President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, the landmark international agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Trump was to renegotiate a new deal, but will that happen?