Don't Bogart My Blog: Movies Update: 'Greta,' 'Apollo 11' and More

Plus, Tyler Perry writes about saying goodbye to Madea.

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Friday, March 1, 2019

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Kyle Buchanan

Pop Culture Reporter

Hey, movie fans! It's your faithful Carpetbagger. (Should I still call myself that in the off-season?)

This weekend's big movie releases are the new Tyler Perry movie "A Madea Family Funeral" as well as "Greta," where Isabelle Huppert has nefarious designs on Chloë Grace Moretz. Apparently, the conceit of the movie is that Moretz doesn't want to have her life ruined by Isabelle Huppert, though I can certainly think of worse ways to go out than by Huppert's hand.

In limited release, entries include the stunning astronaut documentary "Apollo 11," Chiwetel Ejiofor's directorial debut "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" on Netflix, "Woman at War" from Iceland, "Transit" from Germany, and my favorite movie from last year's Cannes Film Festival, Gaspar Noé's delirious "Climax." Like most of Noé's push-the-envelope films, this tale of a dance troupe's drug-spiked descent is not for everybody, but the dance sequences are among the most exhilarating movie scenes I've ever seen.

With Oscar season in my rear view mirror, I'm taking a bit of time off! I'll be away for the next two movie newsletters, but back in time to take a look at "Us," the new horror film from Jordan Peele. I suspect that after I've taken a few weeks to rest and relax, Peele will have me back in knots before I know it.

Can 'Captain Marvel' Fix Marvel's Woman Problem?

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel. The solo film is the first in the Marvel franchise to focus principally on a female superhero. Marvel Studios

By DAVE ITZKOFF

Criticized for taking so long to make a movie focused on a female superhero, the studio has made strides that parallel the evolution of the comic books.

Tyler Perry's final appearance onscreen as Madea in

Chip Bergman/Lionsgate

Madea Honored the Strong Black Women I Grew Up With, but It's Time to Move On

By TYLER PERRY

Tyler Perry recalls how he learned that agony and laughter can exist side by side, and explains why he's ending his iconic character.

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Michael Jackson Cast a Spell. 'Leaving Neverland' Breaks It.

By WESLEY MORRIS

In a new documentary on HBO, two men accuse the star of sexually abusing them as children. Our critic wrestles with their stories, and his own fandom.

Movie Reviews

'Greta': Isabelle Huppert as Sweet Surrogate Mom Turned Psycho Stalker

By A.O. SCOTT

Huppert is the spider and Chloë Grace Moretz the fly in this psychological thriller from Neil Jordan.

Critic's Pick

Franz Rogowski plays a refugee trying to leave France in Christian Petzold's existential thriller,

'Transit': An Existential Puzzler With Jackboots and Terror

By MANOHLA DARGIS

In the latest from the German director Christian Petzold, a German refugee dodges bullets as German soldiers swarm into present-day Paris.

Critic's Pick

'Apollo 11': The 1969 Moon Mission Still Has the Power to Thrill

By GLENN KENNY

A new documentary uses previously unseen archival footage to show how astronauts first walked on the moon. It's awe-inspiring.

'Climax': A Party That Assaults the Senses and Scrambles the Brain

By A.O. SCOTT

For his latest provocation, Gaspar Noé spikes the punch and clears the dance floor.

'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind': Saving a Village, Using Books and Brains

By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

Based on a true story, Chiwetel Ejiofor's well-intentioned yet flat directing debut follows a teenage boy whose ingenuity protects his village from famine.

'Mapplethorpe': A Timid Biopic of a Bold Photographer

By GLENN KENNY

Except when Robert Mapplethorpe's pictures are on the screen, this film does the seemingly impossible and makes him and Patti Smith, well, kind of boring.

'Giant Little Ones' Review: The Turmoil of Teenage Sexuality

By TEO BUGBEE

This open-minded drama features strong performances and characters who speak in refreshingly unadorned dialogue.

Anatomy of a Scene

Watch Chloë Grace Moretz and Isabelle Huppert Spar in 'Greta'

By MEKADO MURPHY

An elegant dinner turns into a modern nightmare in this scene from Neil Jordan's film.

News & Features

Gaspar Noé was crestfallen when hardly anyone walked out of his new movie,

He Lives to Provoke. What Happens When His Film Isn't Hated?

By DEVIN GORDON

Gaspar Noé has had to make his peace with the reaction to his newest film, "Climax." Then again, it's the first of his movies with a happy part.

The Carpetbagger

The Oscars Work Through an Identity Crisis — for Now

By KYLE BUCHANAN

After so many scrapped plans, the fact that the show found an appealing groove is encouraging. But the academy faces many unresolved questions.

Critics' Picks

'Woman at War'

By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

A fearless eco-activist makes a critical choice in this clever, gorgeously shot film.

The Fighting Knights, from left, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh and Nick Frost.

'Fighting With My Family'

By MANOHLA DARGIS

Dwayne Johnson helped produce this charming comedy about a family of professional wrestlers, their chops, drops and drama.

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