The beloved, eponymous Peruvian bear is back in Paddington 2, a sequel reported to be just as fun as the original (and it’s highly placed on Jack Moulton’s Letterboxd Top 50 of 2017). “Like a mix of Hot Fuzz, The Grand Budapest Hotel and… Paddington” writes James Dudfield.

Michael Haneke favorites Isabelle Huppert and Jean-Louis Trintignant are back in his new film Happy End, about a typically Hanekean dysfunctional family in Calais, with the European refugee crisis lurking in the background. Letterboxd writers are finding it “weird” and “darkly funny”, though you might want to skip the intro if, like Second Pencil, the filming of things in portrait mode enrages you.

Annette Bening and Jamie Bell play real-life couple Gloria Grahame, American movie star, and Peter Turner, her much younger working-class lover in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, which is getting middling-to-great Letterboxd reviews depending on which end of the cheesy/romantic spectrum you identify with. One thing reviewers agree on: the Bening-Bell chemistry is sizzling.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is weeks, nay, days away and all we can say is, we’re ready. Just don’t spoil it, please.

“Twice as many characters as an Altman, with one sixteenth the directing ability, a total lack of feeling of consequence for its characters or the world they inhabit, waste three days of Amy Adams’ time for her scenes, and you are halfway [to] completing the dreadful recipe for this film. The Amazonian scene is what warranted the one-star rating. It was the only time I felt there was actual danger and a sense of urgency all while the action was creative. Where is that movie?” —MarcoDeRobertis

“I’ll lead with I’m biased, and this is not an objective review. I didn’t see the problems people had with it. Snyder’s and Wheedon’s visions aren’t like oil and water as some people make it out to be. The action sequences were wonderful, it was so terrific to see these characters I’ve loved all my life fight on the big screen. The movie’s strength certainly is in its characters. Affleck’s Batman is tired, and I kind of like that angle. He is by no means my favorite man to don the cowl, but he performs his role admirably. Gal Gadot is as sensational and inspiring as ever. Ezra Miller steals the show hands down. His fun, quirky, awkward character is relatable and a blast to be around… Here’s to the three-hour Snyder cut I know is out there.” —JosephLoftgren

“This is the first movie I’ve ever walked out of the theater on. Frances I’m so sorry you may get your second Oscar for this repulsive trash disguised as a dark comedy about ‘issues’. This is absolutely by a white man who thinks he can get away with saying foul oppressive shit because he’s ‘exposing’ it. That’s not how it works, especially when the victims of said oppression are never given a chance to speak or inhabit the story’s world in any meaningful way. In some ways, I guess it’s the movie America deserves.” —david_bruner

“This… is maybe a perfect film… Or infinitesimally close to such. The social commentary and critique of a corrupt justice system, balanced with this incredible delicate hope that shitty people can and will change in the face of soul-shaking circumstances is a careful tightrope between faith and dismay. As a viewer, you walk away, swallowing this pill of a lesson that individuals can grow further in their humanity and compassion when faced with profound human connection, and that notion is beautiful and invigorating.” —Michelle Ewert

“I maintain now and always that this is one of the great comedies, a slow burn of greed, cowardice and arrogance that depicts an aristocratic structure that creates arbitrary divisions among European nations united in the absurdity of their power hierarchies. The film suggests that the entire aristocracy of Europe is maintained by interbred families and brazen confidence tricks perpetuated by both pretenders and genuine members of the ruling class. Watching this, it’s a wonder how WWI took as long as it did to break out. That it is one of the most rapturously photographed films ever made is almost a mere bonus.” —Jake Cole

“A haunting, mystical and gothic psychological suspense melodrama with a thick atmosphere, a wonderful lead performance and character portrayal by Joan Fontaine, and just exceptional direction from the great Hitchcock. Gets more immersive and tense by every minute. Shout out to Judith Anderson as well for her performance, she often gave me the chills.” —Dirk Diggler

“This movie is a hoot and half. It’s cleverly written, delightfully over-the-top, stylistically shot, and overflowing with satire. I was absolutely not expecting to enjoy this so much. I would have given four stars if not for that one guy in black face because that made me super uncomfy. Otherwise, I don’t even know how to describe this film, but I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different. Because it definitely is.” —Ow Stop Help No Please

“It’s safe to say that I’ve never experienced anything like this before, and I will most likely never experience anything like it ever again (though hopefully I might be wrong). There’s no point in talking about production value, cinematography, acting, sound design, etc. don’t get me wrong, the film has a lot of high qualities in several of those aspects, but it’s pointless and completely fruitless to bring it up… Wax made me realize that boundaries are meant to be pushed, and not be considered a hindrance. I thought I already knew that, but Wax put it in a whole new light.” —Lars-Arne Skogasel

There must be more movies where people try to distract themselves from the hopelessness of their situation by meaningless dancing. We all do it, right?

An oldie but a goodie: Chopperfireball’s list of films with great scenes in corridors. Always looking for new suggestions.

We have, of course, been following the awful sexual abuse bombshells in the entertainment and other industries. Rebecca Traiser’s piece in The Cut on the post-Weinstein reckoning is a strong story on the whole appalling mess, while a little bit of well-placed humor goes a long way in these troubled times. Also, just a reminder to refresh yourselves on the details of our Community Policy. We take it seriously.

Related.

If you’ve seen both Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird and gone “Hey, that’s the same guy…”, this is the list for you: a lovingly annotated introduction to the actor Timothée Chalamet. Enjoy the hip-hop statistics.

We don’t know how Anne Hathaway is coping with all this either. But we love that director/star Adrian Țofei took the time to reply to Naughty’s effusive review of Be My Cat: A Film for Anne.