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“Harry Potter” meets “Descendants” with a dash of “Romeo and Juliet” in “The School for Good and Evil.” And yes, it is as overstuffed as that sounds.

This massive, magical adventure is also way too long at 2 ½ hours, but rarely in that running time do we see any glimmers of the kind of singular filmmaking wizardry that usually makes Paul Feig ’s movies so engaging. He’s once again telling a story of female friendship, with all its highs and lows and particular complications, as he has with “ Bridesmaids ,” “ The Heat ,” and “ A Simple Favor .” And, of course, the clothes are dazzling; the famously sartorial director would never skimp in that department.

But all of these potentially effective elements—as well as a stellar cast that includes Charlize Theron , Kerry Washington , and Michelle Yeoh —get swallowed up by the overwhelming reliance on CGI-infused action sequences. They’re both empty and endless, and too often leave you wondering what’s going on and why we should bother.

Based on the best-selling children’s book series by Soman Chainani , “The School for Good and Evil” focuses on two extremely different teenage best friends looking out for each other in a harsh, fairy-tale land. The petite Sophie ( Sophia Anne Caruso ) is a blonde Cinderella figure with dreams of becoming a princess; she escapes the doldrums of daily life with a mean stepmother by talking to woodland creatures and designing flouncy gowns. The much taller, wild-haired Agatha ( Sofia Wylie ) lives with her mom in a cottage in the forest, where they concoct potions together; she has a hairless cat named Reaper and dresses in all black, so she must be a witch. These simple, early moments when the girls enjoy their warm, humorous bond—with the help of richly honeyed narration from Cate Blanchett —are the film’s strongest. The dialogue in the script from co-writers David Magee and Feig is snarky in a way that’s both anachronistic and au courant, but Caruso and Wylie make their friendship feel true.

But one day, a giant bird picks them up and swoops them away to The School for Good and Evil: side-by-side castles connected by a bridge where the next generation of magical young people learns to hone their skills. As we see in the film’s prelude, a pair of brothers established this balance long ago; neither side can win completely, and this enchanted institution ensures that. Naturally, Sophie assumes she’ll end up on the sunny side of the divide, while Agatha will go to the structure shrouded in fog. But when the bird drops Sophie on the evil side and Agatha on the good side, they figure it must have been a mistake and struggle to switch places. In no time, though, their true natures reveal themselves—the ones they’d buried beneath the hair and clothes they’d chosen and the labels society had pinned on them.

This is a potentially interesting idea, and a great opportunity for kids to learn about the insidious power of prejudice. And the production design on both sides is enjoyably over-the-top in its contrasting extremes: the School for Good essentially looks like a wedding cake you could live inside, while the School for Evil is like a goth version of Hogwarts. Costume designer Renee Ehrlich Kalfus —who also designed the clothes in Feig’s sharp and sexy “A Simple Favor”—makes the dresses these young women wear not just distinct in vivid and inspired ways, but they evolve accordingly as Agatha and Sophie tap into their authentic selves.

Again, lots of intriguing pieces here, and we haven’t even mentioned Washington as the perpetually perky head of the good school, with Theron vamping as the evil school’s leader. There’s just so much going on in this movie in terms of plot and visual effects that supporting players like Yeoh and Laurence Fishburne get frustratingly little to do. The film also squanders the talents of Rob Delaney and Patti LuPone early on in blink-and-you’ll-miss-them roles. The script consistently gets bogged down in world-building exposition and flashbacks—the mythology of how this place works is dense and not terribly compelling—and there are so many students on both sides of the bridge that there’s little opportunity for characterization. Chainani wrote a series of these books, where he had much more time and space to expand. Here, fellow students are whittled down to a single trait, and—as in the Disney “Descendants” movies—most are the offspring of famous cultural figures, like Prince Charming, King Arthur, and the Sheriff of Nottingham. A forbidden romance between Sophie and the hunky Tedros ( Jamie Flatters ) is just one more subplot in a film full of them. And a dizzying array of twists awaits as the movie hurtles toward its conclusion.

Somewhere beneath all the noise and mayhem—the hurled fireballs, swirls of blood and duels with glowing swords choreographed to Billie Eilish and Britney Spears tunes—“The School for Good and Evil” aims to upend familiar tropes and unearth some useful truths. The popular clique at the good school is packed with mean girls; the weirdoes and misfits at the bad school are actually loyal and kind. Being ambitious isn’t necessarily a negative thing, while going along to get along might not be the right path, either. But with a series of endings that drags out the film’s already significant length, it takes a while for anyone to achieve any sort of happily ever after.

On Netflix today.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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The School for Good and Evil movie poster

The School for Good and Evil (2022)

Rated PG-13 for violence and action, and some frightening images.

146 minutes

Sophia Anne Caruso as Sophie

Sofia Wylie as Agatha

Laurence Fishburne as The Schoolmaster

Michelle Yeoh as Professor Anemone

Jamie Flatters as Tedros

Kit Young as Rafal

Rachel Bloom as Honora

Peter Serafinowicz as Yuba

Kerry Washington as Professor Dovey

Charlize Theron as Lady Lesso

Earl Cave as Hort

Patti Lupone as Mrs. Deauville

Cate Blanchett as Narrator (voice)

Ali Khan as Chaddick

Writer (based on the book by)

Soman Chainani
David Magee

Cinematographer

John Schwartzman
Mischa Chaleyer-Kynaston
Theodore Shapiro

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‘The School for Good and Evil’ Review: Ever Afters and Never Afters

Two best friends have princess dreams and witchy nightmares in this adaptation of Soman Chainani’s book series.

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By Maya Phillips

Light versus dark. Hero versus villain. Good versus evil. Sound familiar? It should — it’s perhaps the most basic motif, where nearly all stories begin, from religions to myths, fairy tales to blockbusters.

So what Netflix’s “The School for Good and Evil” attempts — to draw from and pervert cookie-cutter hero and villain stories in a novel way — is a task so monumental that it can’t measure up. The film, adapted from the young adult book series by Soman Chainani and directed by Paul Feig, is a mess of contradictions: a muddle of clichés and inconsistencies with just enough charm and cleverness to keep you watching.

Two best friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), are the adolescent outcasts of a quaint Arthurian-style town named Gavaldon: Sophie dreams of a glamorous life as a princess and Agatha seems to channel Sabrina the teenage witch. When Sophie makes a desperate wish to escape her provincial surroundings, she and Agatha are transported to a school for storybook heroes and villains. The problem is that they’re sorted into opposite houses: Despite her fantasies of ball gowns and princes, Sophie is cast in the gloomy halls of the evildoers, and Agatha, with her witchy name and affinity for black clothes, is stuck in the cotton-candy-pink halls of the princesses.

Sophie aims to prove that she’s really meant to be a princess, but in the process is seduced by a greater evil; and Agatha, seeing the maniacal plots afoot, tries to save Sophie and return them home.

In many ways “The School for Good and Evil” is cringe-worthy: cheesy special effects; blatant telegraphing of plot points; crude world-building and scant character development; cloyingly oversaturated, superficially glossy cinematography and precious direction; ridiculous action (fireballs kicked like soccer balls, weaponized hot chocolate), set to a soundtrack of teenage-girl angst (Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo).

However, Wylie’s performance as Agatha is sharp and modern, and performances by other big names (Charlize Theron, Michelle Yeoh, Laurence Fishburne and a less impressive Kerry Washington) give weight to the flimsier moments in the script. And the film has immaculate style, from its ornate hair and makeup to its elaborate costumes, even its fights: The choreography during a sprawling battle sequence deftly weaves the chaotic hodgepodge of visuals into a technically impressive feat.

There’s the sense that underneath its swordplay the film is reaching toward a deeper exploration of questions like, is there such a thing as fate? Do we each have a fundamentally fixed self? How have our terms of right and wrong, good and bad, changed? To that end the film often gets meta in the cheekiest ways, whether it’s Agatha snapping to the voice-over narration (by Cate Blanchett), “You know we hear you narrating, weirdo,” to Sophie dismissing a character with the quip, “The protagonists are speaking.” But the film doesn’t have the space to expand all of its ideas and gracefully unfold its plot, which is full of so many narrative twists and reversals that “The School for Good and Evil” equates to a whole TV season untidily packed into a feature film.

That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t let this story, as flawed as it is, take me back to this Hogwarts-esque school of powerful sorcery and brave feats; if only the film could fully execute at least half of its ambitions, then that would be a story with impressive power.

The School for Good and Evil Rated PG-13 for mean-girl jeers and chocolate attacks. Running time: 2 hours 27 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

Maya Phillips is a critic at large. She is the author of the poetry collection “Erou” and “NERD: Adventures in Fandom From This Universe to the Multiverse,” forthcoming from Atria Books. More about Maya Phillips

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User reviews

The School for Good and Evil

Best friends Sophie and Agatha find themselves on opposing sides of an epic battle when they're swept away into an enchanted school where aspiring heroes and villains are trained to protect ... Read all Best friends Sophie and Agatha find themselves on opposing sides of an epic battle when they're swept away into an enchanted school where aspiring heroes and villains are trained to protect the balance between Good and Evil. Best friends Sophie and Agatha find themselves on opposing sides of an epic battle when they're swept away into an enchanted school where aspiring heroes and villains are trained to protect the balance between Good and Evil.

David Magee
Soman Chainani
Sophia Anne Caruso
Cate Blanchett
368 User reviews
73 Critic reviews
30 Metascore

The Storian

Young Sophie
Young Agatha

Mrs. Deauville

Shadow Creature …

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia Soman Chainani, the author of the book series on which the film is based, makes a cameo as one of the teachers from The School for Evil.
Goofs Yuba, the school woods survival expert, warns his students about "a field of pretty pansies", which besides having dangerous teeth are clearly peonies - that react viciously when the tall gnome inadvertently repeats this insult.
Soundtracks Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846: Well-Tempered Klavier Written by Johann Sebastian Bach , Arranged by Joseph Micallef Performed by Erica Goodman Courtesy of Digital Funding LLC

User reviews 368

Oct 19, 2022
How long is The School for Good and Evil? Powered by Alexa
Who will play Agatha in the movie?
October 19, 2022 (United States)
United States
Official Netflix
Soman Chainani's Official Site
Mount Stewart, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK (on location)
Feigco Entertainment
Jane Startz Productions
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 27 minutes
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Digital

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The School for Good and Evil Reviews

In the end, The School for Good and Evil speaks to a modern audience’s desire for complexity, even in beloved fairy tales.

Full Review | Feb 16, 2023

Two and a half hours of tedium...but Theron and Washington vamp this monstrosity up and almost never let on that they know this project didn’t really work out.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jan 11, 2023

The movie lacks a severe amount of world-building, character development, and follow-through.

Full Review | Nov 15, 2022

An overlong and over-packed uneasy mash-up of Harry Potter's Wizarding World and The Descendants which starts off threatening to be nigh on unwatchable, never finds its groove enough to be magical, and in the end just emerges as a mess.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 14, 2022

At its best, The School For Good and Evil is a decently fun young adult fantasy flick, thanks to its intriguing script and the performances that really give it life.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Nov 8, 2022

A clear case of style over substance, something you’re never supposed to encourage or admire. But what the Hell...Likely to be the most beautiful thing to hit the stream all year, [a] visually sumptuous comedy-fantasy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 30, 2022

I was much happier when the school closed.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Oct 29, 2022

The School for Good and Evil is ambitious in its themes and makes you question the fairytales and archetypes we’ve come to know. [...] Wylie brings a self-awareness that always has you on her side, while Caruso delivers an edgy bite that really works.

Full Review | Oct 29, 2022

This movie’s problems with the muddled storyline and the choppy pacing could have been resolved had this been an episodic series rather than a 2.5-hour movie.

Full Review | Oct 27, 2022

Capitalizing not just on proven source material (the book series) but also on tried-and-tested school-set, teen-starring fantasy formulas, nothing about this film feels particularly original.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 26, 2022

The movie really is star-studded, but it has almost no momentum.

Full Review | Oct 24, 2022

You’re left bored, tired, and wondering how you could have spent your precious few hours on this Earth watching this absolute dreck.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Oct 24, 2022

Simultaneously sluggish and rushed, crammed with characters that make barely an impression, extraneous episodes that just weigh the narrative down and a welter of special-effects action more tedious than awesome.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Oct 24, 2022

Somewhat overlong and skewing a bit juvenile (and probably would've been better as a series) it is as a fairly fun fairy-tale fused romp with a bevy of top tier talent and some decent newcomers. Particular kudos to Wylie's charming performance.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.3/5 | Oct 22, 2022

It’s too nakedly derivative and too crudely assembled (Feig is hardly a visual stylist). Yet the central conceit is consistently compelling...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 21, 2022

It’s got the grandeur and the looks of a compelling costume drama but when it comes to engaging with the audience, Feig’s magic falls woefully short.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Oct 21, 2022

The actors' efforts are squashed by the plot twists and the imposition of large-scale embellishments on such a simple concept. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Oct 21, 2022

The film doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it's a lot of fun and has plenty of heart thanks to its leading performances and solid character development.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 21, 2022

A sweeping symphonic score doesn’t a fantasy epic make. Nor does a CGI-fuelled climactic battle, some made-up mumbo-jumbo words, or beams of energy that shoot out of fingers.

Netflix's latest venture into the teen fantasy market is an agonizing two-and-a-half-hour experience drawn out by lackluster VFX and familiar narrative elements.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/10 | Oct 21, 2022

‘The School for Good and Evil’ on Netflix Boasts Major Names, But Is It the Next ‘Harry Potter’?

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

Netflix just dropped The School for Good and Evil , a long-awaited fantasy adventure film directed by Paul Feig ( Bridesmaids , The Heat ) and based on the first in a series of books written by Soman Chainani.

And while this already sounds like the recipe for a hit akin to Harry Potter or The Twilight Saga , the streaming service also enlisted a crew of major names for the project. Kerry Washington ( Scandal ) plays Professor Clarissa Dovey, the Dean of the School for Good, while Charlize Theron ( Monster ) portrays Lady Lesso, the Dean of the School for Evil (and we can't forget the school's headmaster, portrayed by Laurence Fishburne).

In the film, we follow two best friends—Agatha (Sofia Wylie) and Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso)—as they get transported from their small village to the School for Good and Evil (but believe themselves to be placed on the wrong sides). And while this supposed mishap provides the film with plenty of adventure, it feels as if some of the magic got lost as the story was transported from the page to the screen. Keep reading for our full review.

The School for Good and Evil seems to aim for a younger audience, as it leans heavily into fairytale tropes. Take Sophie, who dreams of being a princess and designs frilly gowns while begrudgingly working for her stepmother. Or look at Agatha, who lives in a graveyard cottage with her potion-making mother and gets accused of being a witch by the fellow townspeople.

While these two are inseparable, they have their own reasons for disliking their village, and early on in the film, Sophie decides she's had enough. She then makes a wish on a magic tree, asking to be transported to the School for Good and Evil...but, in her escape, Agatha gets dragged along with her, and things go awry when Sophie gets dropped in the dreary School for Evil, while Agatha ends up in the bubbly School for Good.

From here, this is where the action really picks up, and where we meet two of the film's biggest stars (Washington and Theron). But that is not to say that these two young actresses don't carry their weight. Wylie, who comes from Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series , provides a hilariously dry wit throughout. Meanwhile Caruso, who originated the role of Lydia Deetz on the Broadway version of Beetlejuice , embraces the deliciously wicked side that gradually erupts out of her character.

And while it's clear that Washington and Theron are having loads of fun in their roles, it is the roles themselves that actually create some of the problems with The School for Good and Evil . While Clarissa Dovey and Lady Lesso are supposed to be mentors to the students in their classes, the writing doesn't really depict them as strong leaders. Washington, whose character could be equated to Glinda the Good Witch, doesn't offer that same type of guiding light, or even a Dumbledore-like wisdom. Meanwhile, Theron's Lady Lesso could be excused because she's supposed to be more sinister, but even then, she really doesn't come across all that evil, yet she lets issues arise with her students and rarely gets involved.

It is this depiction of the faculty in the school, as well as the things that they teach, that is most strange within the film. We see the School for Good valuing beauty, while the School for Evil rewards suffering. And above all else, the students are taught to believe that humans can only be purely good or purely evil. Of course, most of this is challenged with a twist toward the end of the film (which we won't spoil here), but it's still questionable that none of the professors ever oppose these poor teaching practices.

Still, The School for Good and Evil is refreshing for its powerful depictions of women, and it's lovely to see a story that challenges the “damsel in distress” cliché of fairytales and fantasy stories. Throughout the movie, we see these young women defeat monsters, save princes and even choose friendship over romance. But, as stated before, the movie also emphasizes that certain standards of beauty are “better,” and it only challenges these ideas at the very end, after they've been pushed for the entire film, which perhaps isn’t the best for young viewers.

And while we're on the topic of young viewers, it should be noted that while The School centers its story around witches, princes and dragons, it does hold a PG-13 rating. Parents should be aware that there are certain scenes (like a moment where a castle leaks with the blood of dead victims) that younger viewers might find especially unsettling, and these moments were unexpected in an otherwise light watch.

Also, viewers of all ages might find themselves confused by certain aspects of the plot. It's clear that there was a lot of world-building involved in the writing of The School for Good and Evil series, but the transition to film meant that details got left on the cutting room floor, and so much of the movie forces viewers to guess or question why things are happening until they're explained later on.

PureWow Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

The School for Good and Evil boasts an impressive cast, an intriguing storyline and a powerful depiction of women that simultaneously borrows from classic fairytales, while challenging many of their tired stereotypes. However, it takes a while to get its messaging across and it suffers from flawed adult characters. Meanwhile, although much of the film feels like it’s aimed toward a younger audience, the PG-13 rating should be taken into account before showing it to small children.

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For a full breakdown of PureWow's entertainment rating system, click here .

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The school for good and evil, common sense media reviewers.

Book-based fairy tale fantasy has some scares, language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Actions speak louder than words. True goodness is

Sophie believes she should be a princess because o

Racial, ethnic, and accent diversity among the cas

A girl's mother dies. A drunk man threatens a woma

Young people flirt. There's one romantic kiss. Ass

"S--t," "ass," "hell," "damnit," "dang," "freak,"

The film could inspire interest in the book series

A man drinks from a flask and appears drunk.

Positive Messages

Actions speak louder than words. True goodness is seen in empathy for others. There's power in not caring how other people perceive you. True love can be felt between friends and family members, not just romantic partners. Good stories need great heroes and villains.

Positive Role Models

Sophie believes she should be a princess because of her looks and interests. Townspeople bully Sophie and Agatha for behaving differently than others; they call Agatha a witch. Agatha demonstrates both courage and generosity in helping her friends, even at risk to herself, as does Tedros.

Diverse Representations

Racial, ethnic, and accent diversity among the cast.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

A girl's mother dies. A drunk man threatens a woman, mentioning burning witches. Two young women, bullied by their peers, are dragged away from their village by a dark spirit then air-lifted in the claws of a giant bird and dropped from the sky into a new location. Fight scenes, sometimes fatal, involve swords, punches, fire, flight, magic, mean wolves, fiery dragon-like creatures, knives, bats, a cast iron pan, collapsing buildings, killer pumpkins, biting flowers, and falls from great heights. A woman is sent to a "doom room" full of torture implements. Students' fingers are pierced with a needle to infuse them with magic. Some characters who appear to be killed are brought back to life. A character infused with evil has glowing red eyes and ages quickly and hideously.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Young people flirt. There's one romantic kiss. Assumptions are made about what is considered attractive.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"S--t," "ass," "hell," "damnit," "dang," "freak," "weirdo," "prig," "pig," "goon," "lunatic," "troll," "pompous," "ugly," "lazy."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The film could inspire interest in the book series on which it's based.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The School for Good and Evil , is a fantasy film based on the popular YA book series . The plot and characters make use of fairy tale devices and play on their clichés. Two young women, bullied in their town for being different, are dragged away to a secret school by a dark spirit and a giant flying creature. There, people are trained to become either good characters or evil ones. Fighting regularly breaks out in scenes that involve swords, punches, fire, scary creatures, and other weapons. There are fatalities, and woman is sent to a "doom room" full of torture implements. Students' fingers are pierced with a needle to infuse them with magic. Some characters who appear to be killed are brought back to life. People's eyes glow, and one ages horrifically. Language includes lots of insults, plus "s--t," "ass," "hell," "dammit," and "dang." A character drinks from a flask and appears drunk. Ultimately the diverse cast of characters learns that actions speak louder than words and that true goodness is seen in empathy for others. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (13)
Kids say (42)

Based on 13 parent reviews

Adult man seduces underage teenage girl and teacher uses F word

What's the story.

Best friends Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha ( Sofia Wylie ) are outcasts in the village of Gavaldon in THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL. Neither fits in: Sophie dreams of becoming a princess, while Agatha is accused of being a witch. But they have each other. So when Sophie dreams up an escape from Gavaldon, Agatha refuses to let her go alone. Thus, both girls are whisked away to the magic place where the good and bad characters of fairy tales and legends learn their craft. To their confusion, Sophie is sent to the School for Evil, overseen by Lady Lesso ( Charlize Theron ), while Agatha lands in the princess-making School for Good, headed by Professor Dovey ( Kerry Washington ). Will they be able to right the mistake, or has a mistake indeed been made? Only the schoolmaster ( Laurence Fishburne ) seems to hold the key to figuring out how this fairy tale will end.

Is It Any Good?

Capitalizing not just on proven source material (the book series) but also on tried-and-tested school-set, teen-starring fantasy formulas, nothing about this film feels particularly original. But Netflix knows the audience it's aiming for with The School for Good and Evil . And judging by the open-ended finale of this movie and the number of books in the original series, the platform is also presumably hoping those audiences will come back for more. (This begs the question: why not a miniseries?) These are the viewers who won't be deterred by the two-and-a-half-hour run time or the film's overly-packed intro. A mishmash of characters, accents, and ideas, including an on-again/off-again narrator (voiced by Cate Blanchett ), are other potential deterrents for newcomers to this Harry Potter meets Disney Princess world.

Having said that, if you stick with it, the movie has some positive messages and a satisfying resolution. Technical aspects like wardrobe, setting, and fight choreography are all well done under Paul Feig's direction, bringing the books' atmosphere to vivid life. Some modern, female-heavy music adds to the soundtrack. What this film also has that many others don't is an A-list adult cast. They bring gravitas, and Washington is especially convincing as the head of the School for Good, but they're largely underused. This means the teen stars take the spotlight. Wylie's Agatha is the real center of the film and a character that allows for a truer and less theatrical performance than Sophie's, embodied with gusto by the petite Caruso. Here's hoping the adults, and other teen characters like Hort and Beatrix, get more screen time in the next movie.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what fairy tale characters and conventions come up in The School for Good and Evil . What traditional fairy tale cliches are poked fun at or questioned?

Did you find this film scary? Do you think the violence was necessary to tell the story? Why, or why not?

Where do you think the village of Gavaldon is located and what time period is this film set in? What clues inform your answers?

How does this film compare with the books , if you've read them? What can books do better than movies? How about vice versa?

How do characters show the importance of empathy ?

Movie Details

On DVD or streaming : October 19, 2022
Cast : Sophia Anne Caruso , Sofia Wylie , Kerry Washington
Director : Paul Feig
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Asian actors, Black actors
Studio : Netflix
Genre : Fantasy
Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Book Characters , Fairy Tales , Friendship
Character Strengths : Empathy
Run time : 148 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : violence and action, and some frightening images
Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – The School for Good and Evil (2022)

October 20, 2022 by Robert Kojder

The School for Good and Evil , 2022.

Directed by Paul Feig. Starring Sophia Anne Caruso, Sofia Wylie, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Yeoh, Cate Blanchett, Jamie Flatters, Kit Young, Peter Serafinowicz, Kerry Washington, Charlize Theron, Earl Cave, Rachel Bloom, Mark Heap, Patti LuPone, Freya Parks, Demi Isaac Oviawe, Kaitlyn Akinpelumi, Joelle, Ali Khan, Oliver Watson, Myles Kamwendo, Harvey Scrimshaw, Rosie Graham, Briony Scarlett, Holly Sturton, Emma Lau, Abigail Stones, Olivia Booth-Ford, Stephanie Siadatan, and Rob Delaney.

Best friends Sophie and Agatha find themselves on opposing sides of an epic battle when they’re swept away into an enchanted school where aspiring heroes and villains are trained to protect the balance between Good and Evil.

It might be time for Paul Feig to return to basics and his comedy roots. The projects he tackles have been rising in ambition (a much-maligned reboot of Ghostbusters nowhere near as awful as the fandom screeches it is but average nonetheless, thrillers, Christmas rom-coms), with The School for Good and Evil (based on the novel by Soman Chainani, adapted for the screen by Feig and David Magee) his biggest challenge to date; a sweeping fantasy epic intending to deconstruct the good and evil of fairytale stories while putting its stamp on the meaning of friendship.

A long time ago, brothers Rafal and Rhian (both played by Kit Young in the opening flashback, with Laurence Fishburne taking over Rhian) ran the titular school, balancing good and evil in the world while educating the students on heroism and villainy across all fairytales and fictional stories. Every remarkable protagonist or antagonist has existed before, whether it be princesses like Cinderella, heroes like Robin Hood, noble warriors like King Arthur, villains like Captain Hook, or generalized creatures such as werewolves, which not only allows for endless material to teach, but the students themselves are all supposedly descendants of these classic characters.

One day, seemingly out of the blue, Rafal decided that he had enough of keeping the scales balanced, attempting to murder his brother for the sake of Evil. For whatever reason, Evil has never won a single battle since this betrayal, and the school still thrives divided up into Good and Evil (Rafal is banished, Kerry Washington’s Professor Dovey is in charge of Good, and Charlize Theron’s Lady Lesso has taken over Evil). The School has also opened its doors to Readers, individuals of no notable ancestry regarding Good and Evil but teenagers who know about the school through myth and wish to go there.

Sophie and Agatha (Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie, respectively) are best friends in the village of Gavaldon. The former has the appearance of a traditional princess but wishes for a life of adventure. She also defends and stands up for her bullied bestie, supposedly a witch. Sophie figures out the key to traversing between these worlds, but not before Agatha finds out and attempts to foil this plan for fear of being abandoned by her only friend, which nets both of them a one-way ticket to the school.

Unexpectedly, Sophie is dropped into Evil, whereas Agatha is dropped into Good. Sophie is convinced there has been a mistake. Meanwhile, Agatha wants nothing to do with this place and to return home. They each end up with a group of classmates and are placed in various courses learning about what it means to be good and evil, which is roughly the only intriguing concept the film has going for it. Take a beauty class run by Michelle Yeoh’s Professor Anemone, which points out how the role of women in the stories is frustratingly limited to looking pretty, or lovely pink flowers that are secretly disguised as something deadly.

Everything else is a long and drawn-out mess of a romantic subplot with Sophie, who detests being a part of Evil, trying to win the love of handsome Good student Tedros (Jamie Flatters), a character whose origins I won’t spoil, but of which making looks alone impossible for him to desire someone. He is surrounded by Agatha, who sees him for the brash and pompous wannabe hero he is, advising Sophie against pursuing his love while also teaching him a lesson or two on what it means to be a good person. The entire ordeal finds characters changing their attitudes and personalities, unlocking their true selves, all as Rafal looms in the distance, making the occasional supernatural appearance to get Sophie on his side for something nefarious.

No one can take away from T he School for Good and Evil that the costume designs by Renee Ehrlich Kalfus are vividly elegant, filling every frame with dazzling color and speaking to whatever mind frame the characters are currently in. The characters are always gradually shifting, meaning there are also plenty of wardrobe changes, with each one standing out. However, the rest of the film visually is a disaster, bombarded with ghastly CGI (there are so many elements here that are nightmare fuel) with busy and chaotic action that never registers on an emotional level. These bombastic sequences also try way too hard to come across as stylistic desperately (there are copious amounts of slow-motion, and the song Toxic plays in its entirety over a battle between Good and Evil).

There’s also not much compelling about The School for Good and Evil , which does very little with a few good ideas and fascinating concepts it does have. A late-story twist that could have truly turned things upside down and re-contextualized so much we know about fairytales is briefly brilliant before being tossed aside to get right back into the climactic showdown.

The School for Good and Evil is an exhausting two and a half hours that is narratively limited in scope, and the fact that no one at Netflix told Paul Feig to trim this under two hours is an act of true evil. Then again, the film is so rushed, campy, and unwilling to explore anything about this world that it often plays like a pitched TV series that was chopped up into a movie as a good gesture.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd , or email me at [email protected]

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10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Happy Gilmore, 28 Years Later

28 years later reportedly begins filming as zombie hordes are expected to descend on english island, denzel washington's new movie revives a 3-film trend that's never been great for his box office.

With such lofty themes as “ good ” and “ evil ,” it was inevitable that The School For Good And Evil would have an eventful ending. Based on the novel of the same name by Soman Chainani, the Netflix movie follows two childhood friends, Agatha and Sophie, who attend the titular school. Despite Agatha being called a witch in their hometown and Sophie’s princess-like qualities, the two are sorted into the schools of Good and Evil, respectively. Believing that they are both in the wrong schools, Agatha and Sophie attempt to prove their true natures to get sorted into the correct schools, but instead they end up uncovering the truth behind their school.

Although Agatha and Sophie initially believed they were in the wrong schools, they eventually discover that they were where they were supposed to be. They not only grow as a result of the Netflix movie’s events, but challenge the notions of good and evil altogether. The friends undergo several trials and tribulations over the course of the movie, meaning there are lots of loose ends to be tied by the movie’s ending. Here’s the ending of The School For Good And Evil explained.

Related: Why Streaming Services Have Ads Now (Doesn't That Miss The Point?!)

What Happened At The End Of The School For Good And Evil

The School For Good And Evil' s action-packed ending ending is set in motion when Sophie and Tedros begin to fall for each other, which leads to an intervention from the school. The pair insist that Sophie is actually Good, and the Headmaster ( Laurence Fishburne, known for Morpheus in The Matrix ) tells them that they must undergo a Trial By Tale to prove it. In the Trial, the two must survive dangerous monsters in a forest and find each other by dawn. Agatha sneaks into the forest to aid Sophie. Tedros forfeits the Trial By Tale when he realizes Sophie isn’t actually Good and was being helped by Agatha, despite Agatha’s insistence that she acted of her own accord. Sophie blames Agatha for everything, and she finally embraces Rafal’s evil temptations.

Using the new powers Rafal has endowed her with, Sophie (played by Sophia Anne Caruso, who was in the Broadway adaptation of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice ) crashes the Evers Ball. Tedros attempts to stop her, but since Good is not supposed to attack, only defend, Sophie declares that Good and Evil have switched sides, causing the Evers and Nevers to transform into each other. Sophie tries to confront the Headmaster, and it is revealed that the Headmaster was actually Rafal in disguise. Though Sophie initially sides with Rafal, she changes her mind when she realizes he will destroy the school and everyone in it. Agatha arrives to help Sophie fight Rafal, and Sophie sacrifices herself to save Agatha. After vanquishing Rafal, Agatha sobs over Sophie’s body, and her tears heal Sophie’s wounds. Although the school has been restored, Agatha and Sophie choose to go home, returning their lives to how they were before.

How The Trial By Tale Reveals Sophie's Truth

During the Trial By Tale, Sophie and Agatha witness Tedros being attacked by a Reaper, and he loses Excalibur. Agatha urges Sophie to grab the sword and help Tedros, but Sophie doesn’t heed her advice, leading Agatha to intervene and save Tedros. Since Sophie chooses not to defend Tedros, something fundamental to being Good, the truth that Sophie is Evil is revealed. Agatha’s choice to aid Sophie in the forest during the Trial (something against the rules) supports this, demonstrating that Agatha doesn’t truly believe Sophie is Good. Ultimately, the Trial By Tale serves its purpose, revealing that Sophie is really Evil and therefore is in the correct school.

Why Agatha Doesn’t Change During The Evers Ball

When Sophie crashes the Evers Ball, she declares that Good and Evil have switched, which causes the Evers and the Nevers to change into each other, with the Evers now dressed in black and the Nevers in white. However, when the rest of the School of Good transform, Agatha (played by Sophia Wylie of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series fame) does not change in appearance. Although this seems like some sort of mistake on the surface, there is a reason why Agatha doesn’t change into a Never. During the entirety of The School For Good And Evil , Agatha has asserted that she doesn’t believe in Good or Evil, advocating for a more gray view of the world. This is why Agatha remains the same when her other classmates switch: she is neither Good nor Evil in the first place.

Related: High School Musical Series Season 3 Is Ruining 1 Of Its Best Characters

What Agatha's Wish Really Means

Earlier in The School For Good And Evil , the School Of Good take part in a lesson with Professor Dovey ( played by Kerry Washington ) that involves them being shown their true desires by Wish Fish. During her turn with the fish, Agatha wishes “ for home...for all of us ,” which in this scene manifests as her helping several students who failed out of the School to return to their human form in the real world. Though this scene shows that Agatha is different from her classmates and belongs in the School Of Good due to her selflessness, it has a deeper meaning.

Agatha wishing for everyone to go “home” set the ending of the Netflix movie in motion. When Sophie sacrificed herself for Agatha, they restored their friendship and affirmed that they would always be there for each other. After Sophie was healed by Agatha’s tears, the two choose to return to Galvadon rather than remain at the school. Therefore, Agatha’s wish to the Wish Fish manifested the Netflix movie’s ending, helping her and Sophie find “home”: both Galvadon and each other.

Rafal's School For Good And Evil Motives Explained

When the Headmaster is revealed as Rafal, the villain's true motives during The School For Good And Evil are explained, adding context to earlier scenes in the movie. Rafal and his brother, Rhian, were entrusted to run the school, balancing Good and Evil, which in turn made them immortal. Rafal became discontent with the arrangement and decided to duel his brother. This was depicted in the opening scene of the movie, although Rafal reveals that he killed Rhian and assumed his identity. As Rhian, Rafal destroyed the balance between Good and Evil by corrupting Good's values. He informs Sophie that everything she has experienced up to this point has been a test, and she has demonstrated she is “chaos” (which he told his brother during the duel he preferred over balance). Rafal (played by Kit Young from Shadow And Bone ) reveals that he is behind everything that happened during The School For Good And Evil , as he was training Sophie, who he thought was his true love, to embrace Evil.

The Real Meaning Of The School For Good And Evil’s Ending

Although the title of the Netflix movie implies a natural dichotomy between good and evil, the real meaning of The School For Good And Evil 's ending is that there is no fundamental good or evil, rather, there are only good or evil choices. Sophie’s steadfast belief that she is Good and her desire to change schools leads her to make selfish decisions with no regard for the ramifications, which is what makes her turn Evil. Agatha never believed in the idea of a fundamental dichotomy between good or evil, which allowed her to make uninfluenced, organically selfless choices to help others (including Sophie). This theme is reinforced by Sophie renouncing Evil and helping Agatha at the end of The School For Good And Evil , demonstrating that no one is locked into a specified fate and that people are not defined by their choices.

Next: Netflix's Huge Subscriber Loss Is Only The Beginning

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Review: ‘My Oni Girl’ Is Heartwarming Like A Chicken Soup On A Winter’s Day

My Oni Girl is a wonderful anime movie . From the minute it starts to its conclusion, the story and animation are heartwarming, joyful, and full of hope. The anime transfixed my focus, and my eyes did not leave the screen until the experience ended. This is what anime is about.

Let’s begin by describing a key factor of the movie: what is an Oni? Well, an Oni is a demon, which has more negative connotations if you search for the definition. In My Oni Girl , Onis are not necessarily evil but a higher being away from the real world. Humans cannot see the energy that attaches to Onis, so their existence is unknown.

In the story, young teenage boy Hiiragi leads a confusing life, bringing the essence of “coming-of-age” to the premise. He’s socially deficient, and apart from a girl pretending that he’s her boyfriend for social status, he’s never had any form of date or girlfriend. The boys at school take him for granted (they copy his homework while barely acknowledging him in the opening scenes), and his father believes he should be on a strict education path. Hiiragi is having an early life crisis.

That’s until he meets Tsumugi, an Oni desperate to find a Shrine, hoping it will lead to her missing mother. There’s a warm connection between the pair instantly, but Hiiragi’s life transforms when a Snow God attacks him out of nowhere. With this being linked to the Oni people, Hiiragi shows his human kindness and supports Tsumugi in finding the shrine.

This is a sweet anime on the surface and underneath. I loved the meaning behind the relationship between the two leading characters. Tsumugi and Hiiragi have much to learn from each other. Hiiragi must learn to defend himself and express his personality to the world. Tsumugi needs to accept love and support in her mission. Together, the characters complement each other superbly.

A fantasy element runs well through the narrative, but I have to say, I just enjoyed the characters. On their adventure, they meet people from all walks of life, signifying kindness and togetherness. There’s a great understanding of community that thrives in the story. My Oni Girl is a warm chicken soup on a cold winter day; it is satisfying and creamy, and you want it to last.

Unsurprisingly, this anime movie had an emotional reaction on me. The same director, Tomotaka Shibayama, made A Whisker Away , which had a similar charm and warm effect on the audience.

By the time you reach the end of My Oni Girl , you will adore Tsumugi and Hiiragi, and while it’s unlikely there will be a sequel (it feels like a one-off), there’s undoubtedly re-watch value. With beautiful key animation and a thoughtful and good-natured script, My Oni Girl sits on an empire of good anime movies.

My Oni Girl Ending Explained

Article by Daniel Hart

Daniel is the co-founder of Ready Steady Cut and has served as Editor-in-Chief since 2017. Since then, Dan has been at the top of his game by ensuring that we only produce and upload content of exceptional quality and that we’re up to date with the latest additions to the streaming and entertainment world.

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Kerry washington joins ‘knives out 3’.

Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc for Rian Johnson's sequel in the mystery franchise.

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Kerry Washington is joining the expanding cast for Rian Johnson ‘s sequel movie Knives Out 3 , The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The actress joins previously confirmed castmembers Daniel Craig , Andrew Scott, Josh O’Connor and Cailee Spaeny in the project that counts Johnson and Ram Bergman as producers. Last week, writer-director Johnson revealed the movie’s title as Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery .

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South Park: The End of Obesity Special Mocks Hollywood’s Ozempic Craze, Hates on Lizzo’s Music — Grade It!

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We’ve seen science do some pretty incredible things on South Park over the years, from engineering a talking towel to creating a monkey with four (no, five!) asses. But attempting to make Eric Cartman thin? Now Trey Parker and Matt Stone are just playing God.

Concerned about Cartman’s weight, his doctor suggests putting him on the “miracle drug,” but Mrs. Cartman simply can’t afford the $1,200 a month it costs for someone without diabetes, so the doctor instead prescribes watching Lizzo videos. As Cartman puts it, “rich people get Ozempic, poor people get body positivity.” Related Stories Criminal Minds Boss Talks Evolution of Voit Threat, Prentiss’ Struggle and a Season 17 F-Bomb ‘Worth the Wait’ Evil Bosses Tease the Hitch in Leland’s Diabolical Plan That ‘Never Once Crossed His Mind’

Cartman’s pals attempt to dispute the matter with his mom’s insurance company, but this involves navigating the American healthcare system, and we all know how much fun that can be. Cut to a sobering, spot-on montage of the boys booking appointments, filling out forms, copying documents, arguing with the insurance company and jumping through various other hoops to no avail.

Fed up with the broken system, Stan suggests that they order semiglutides from a factory in India to make their own weight-loss shots. After all, “who needs hospitals and insurance when we have TikTok and YouTube?” When the boys’ experiment proves (allegedly) successful, they start mass-producing the drugs for anyone in America who needs them, which soon makes them a powerful new enemy.

Enter the boardroom of Big Sugar, where sinister characters like Cap’n Crunch, Little Debbie and the Trix Rabbit conspire to shut the boys’ operation down. As Dig’em Frog asserts, “Only one drug is king in America — and that drug is sugar.”

Meanwhile, Randy accidentally gets involved with a group of Ozempic-addicted soccer moms when he mistakes them being “into drugs” for, you know, them actually being into drugs. But he enjoys partying with “hot MILFs,” so he sticks around long enough to help them rob a local pharmacy. He’s in way over his crop top at this point.

And even after the boys manage to fight off both the mascots and the moms, they discover that the company from which they ordered their shipment is insured, so it’s back into the hot mess that is the American healthcare system. (Better luck next time, boys!)

In the end, Randy and Sharon decide to screw Ozempic and stick to only doing “good drugs,” like molly, which they enjoy during a wild night at the Holiday Inn. As for the kids, Kyle arrives at an enlightened conclusion: “It isn’t fair to put the blame on anyone for their weight. Let’s all agree as a school — no, as a society — that we won’t make fun of obesity anymore.”

Essentially, this means that Cartman gets exactly what he’s always wanted. Not only can he remain overweight without being judged, but now he’s giving himself permission to pick on everyone else — for, let’s say, their race or religion — because that’s how his sick little mind works. And we wouldn’t have him any other way.

Well, that’s the skinny on South Park ‘s latest Paramount+ special. Did you enjoy chewing the fat with Cartman and the gang? Grade The End of Obesity below, then drop a comment with your full review.

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This is the most blatanty racist show but they are of a certain religion so people ignore it. Disgusting

Don’t watch it then.

Which religion would that be ? Atheism ?

Racism would suggest they think some specific group is superior to others. They don’t. They skewer everyone and everything, so the worst you could accuse them to be are misanthropes. Personally I approve of this ‘everyone sucks’ messaging as it’s entirely accurate.

You must be new lol. This has been South Park since it started. Stop being offended by everything you see, go offline, get a boy/girlfriend.

Which certain religion?

B, do you make a habit of blatantly fabricating things?

South Park did it again! The only media that dares to show the true! Body positivity is great but Obesity and overweight are huge health risk. Tons of health issues are directly related to obesity, just talk with your doctor, your doctor doesn’t care about your looks all that matters is your health and no song about body positivity can help you there.

Agreed, very refreshing to see the average persons thoughts represented on TV once in a while.

Tony the Tiger killed Kenny …. That tells you all you need to know about South Park 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

That B*ST*RD!

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'A Part of You' Review: Netflix Drama Is a Small Film With a Big Punch

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The Big Picture

A Part of You delves deeper into themes of identity and grief than traditional high school movies.
Felicia Maxime's performance shines, showcasing her range and ability to portray complex emotions.
The film offers a sophisticated, nuanced coming-of-age story with stunning cinematography and thoughtful direction.

There’s a reason coming-of-age stories are so popular , finding an audience far beyond the young characters they feature. High school is a naturally charged environment, as everyone is trying to find themselves and their place in the world while being stuck in that awkward limbo stage between childhood and adulthood. It’s a time in our lives that’s ripe for drama and big emotions , with the setting smaller and the stakes higher than ever. No matter your age, the struggles at the forefront of these films are universally relatable.

Netflix 's A Part of You is no exception. Though it has some classic high school movie tropes — from partying to trying out for the school play — it also digs deeper than many of its counterparts into themes of identity and grief . While many films in the genre rely on melodrama or slapstick humor, A Part of You takes a more tender, nuanced approach , making for a more mature and elevated experience.

A Part of You

What is 'a part of you' about.

Though shy and introverted, teenager Agnes ( Young Royals ’ Felicia Maxime ) has dreams of being on stage, and the film opens with her reciting her audition for the school play to her older sister, Julia ( Zara Larsson ). The two may look alike, but that’s where their similarities end. Loud, confident, and extroverted, Julia is the polar opposite of Agnes , with the kind of magnetic personality that naturally attracts people to her and lights up every room — and the kind whose absence is felt by entire communities.

When a tragedy happens that leaves Agnes without Julia to ground and guide her — and her mother ( Ida Engvoll ) MIA, too checked out from her grief to help Agnes process hers — she is forced to find her own way forward. Some of these ways are relatively healthy, like channeling her feelings into her acting and reminiscing with Julia’s boyfriend, Noel ( Edvin Ryding, also a Young Royals star ). But others are much more toxic, including partying hard to numb the pain, following in Julia’s self-destructive footsteps to frightening degrees.

'A Part of You' Is a Worthy Acting Debut for Zara Larsson

There’s a lot of buzz around A Part of You for being Zara Larsson’s first acting role, and I’m pleased to report that those coming to the film solely for her are not going to be disappointed — her acting chops are just as impressive as her singing ones. The role of Julia requires a natural charisma and screen presence that’s rare to find. Fortunately, Larsson has it in spades.

Larsson’s role is deceptively simple. On the surface, she’s popular, carefree, and stubborn. Underneath the flashy going-out wardrobe and glittery makeup, however, there’s darkness — someone much more depressed and disturbed than her cool, bubbly persona would ever let on. In some ways, the entire film revolves around her performance and being sold on the idea that, while she may appear effortless, there’s a danger simmering just below the sparkly surface . Larsson finds this balance well, giving us hints that everything might not be quite as it seems while still having us — and Agnes — convinced that she’s an easygoing girl with a perfect life.

'A Part of You' Proves That Felicia Maxime Is a Star In the Making

Larsson is excellent, there’s no doubt about that, but Maxime’s performance is by far the highlight of A Part of You . It’s far from her first role, but it does have the potential to be a breakout for her beyond the crowd that’s already familiar with her work. Throughout watching her fearless, layered performance, I was reminded of Mia McKenna-Bruce in How to Have Sex . This role requires so much of Maxime, and she makes it all look effortless.

Maxime shows a tremendous amount of range in this film while still coming off as one consistent character. She starts off rather meek and insecure and, over 100 minutes, transforms into someone bold and out of control. Sigge Eklund ’s thoughtful direction certainly brings out the best in her , with the details making Agnes a fully fleshed-out character — from eating leftover candy a group of popular kids left behind so she can feel like she fits in to anxiously fidgeting with a plastic cup. Maxime’s micro-expressions in one scene during a fight with her friend Esther ( Alva Bratt ) are a masterclass in acting without dialogue. She’s simply extraordinary, expertly commanding this demanding character study.

Maxime is great at showing Agnes’ restraint, allowing us to sense the emotion threatening to burst from her. But the film is at its most rewarding when we are allowed to see those emotions break free — even when they can be ugly. Agnes says some truly awful things to her theater teacher, to her mother, and to her friends, but Maxime never lets us forget her hurt and fragile state. Even when she lashes out, we never stop sympathizing with and rooting for her , and that’s a testament to Maxime’s skill and Michaela Hamilton ’s script, which humanizes its young characters to a degree similar projects often can’t meet.

'A Part of You' Is a Sophisticated, Sensitive Coming-of-Age Story

Fredrik Lehmann ’s casting is ridiculously good, as Larsson and Maxime aren’t just talented but have some strikingly similar physical features and mannerisms as well — something that extends to their mother, Carina. The female trio feels like the heart and core of this film , with scenes focusing on the three of them among the most emotional and memorable. Carina is refreshingly a multi-dimensional character — a rarity for adult characters in teen-driven films — though it would have been nice to see her a tad more than we get to.

In fact, all of the characters in A Part of You are rich and grounded in reality. The only issue is that there might be a few too many of them . Agnes’ integration into Julia’s friend group is interesting — and has some genuinely beautiful moments, like the scream scene at play rehearsal — but the pacing at which the relationship and tension alike builds can feel jarring. The relationship between Agnes and Noel is interesting in theory, and again, they play off each other well, but the implications of complexities of their budding dynamic don’t hit as hard as they could, all things considered.

It sounds a bit crass to say considering the subject matter, but A Part of You can get a bit boring at times — especially during the first half an hour. It’s somewhat necessary to set up what’s to come, but the beginning drags and feels much longer than it is. The middle of the film has similar issues but on the over-sensationalized end. It’s clear that Agnes is partying to escape from her sadness, but the focus occasionally shifts from that to overindulging in the aesthetics of the scene. Don’t get me wrong, the aesthetics are gorgeous — reminiscent of Euphoria at its best — but it can start to seem a bit redundant. (The scenes exploring how acting and art are tools for Agnes are far more compelling but are unfortunately pushed to the side.) Still, the cinematography is stunning throughout, making for a feast for the eyes, even when the plot can feel a little slow .

A Part of You is touching and effective without ever veering into emotionally manipulative or exploitative territory, which is not an easy feat when you’re dealing with this subject matter, especially in this genre. Eklund does something revolutionary — he trusts his younger demographic with nuance and authenticity. Like Julia, A Part of You looks beautiful and straightforward at first glance, but in truth, it has a lot more substance, messiness, and things to say than you initially expect . Eklund’s direction, combined with Maxime’s breathtaking performance, makes this a small film that packs a big punch.

Felicia Maxime’s performance elevates this tender coming-of-age story about grief and identity to new heights.

The acting is magnificent across the board, particularly from Felicia Maxime and Zara Larsson.
The cinematography is gorgeous and immersive.
Sigge Eklund's thoughtful and subtle direction makes for a more sensitive, nuanced, and mature kind of teen movie.
The pacing can be slow, hitting repetitive and cliche story beats.
The large ensemble doesn't allow some of the relationships to develop as deeply as one might like.

A Part of You is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S. starting May 31.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Movie Reviews

‘Megalopolis’ Review: Francis Ford Coppola’s Wild and Delirious Fever Dream Inspires New Hope for the Future of Movies

David ehrlich.

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After more than 40 years of idly fantasizing about the project (and more than 20 years of actively trying to finance it), Coppola is bringing “ Megalopolis ” to screens at a moment when his chosen medium is struggling to find a way forward, and the world around it seems teetering on the brink of collapse. Just as in 63 B.C., when an evil patrician named Catiline appealed to a coalition of malcontents in a bid to overthrow the Republic, we are choked by the grip of delusional aristocrats and vertically integrated conglomerates whose lust for power and profit is only matched by their lack of foresight. Even with the past as our guide, we are at imminent risk of allowing the now to destroy the forever. Related Stories Every Palme d’Or Winner from the Cannes Film Festival, Ranked How MoviePass Went from ‘MovieCrash’ to Profitability: ‘All the Kinks Have Been Worked Out’

Coppola has always believed in America, but his faith is eroding by the second, and “Megalopolis” is nothing if not the boldest and most open-hearted of his many bids to stop time before it’s too late (an effort that has informed so much of his career, from “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” to “Youth After Youth” and “Jack”). As ever, he recognizes the futility in the attempt, even if his characters are sometimes a bit slow on the uptake.

With “Megalopolis,” he crams 85 years worth of artistic reverence and romantic love into a clunky, garish, and transcendently sincere manifesto about the role of an artist at the end of an empire. It doesn’t just speak to Coppola’s philosophy, it embodies it to its bones. To quote one of the sharper non-sequiturs from a script that’s swimming in them: “When we leap into the unknown, we prove that we are free.”

Like Cesar, it might be for the best if we take a step back. Let’s start with New Rome, which is pretty much just downtown Atlanta cosplaying as a modern-day Manhattan that’s been artificially saturated with a vanilla skyline and set-dressed to resemble a Joel Schumacher Batman movie (complete with the same faux-debauched energy, and a host of glaring digital flourishes that also locate “Megalopolis” somewhere in the vicinity of Vera Drew’s “The People’s Joker,” the only other movie so far this year that can match the go-for-broke visual exuberance on display here).

Cesar’s great hope for the future of this hodgepodge city is a new element he invented called Megalon, which glows yellow, does whatever is most convenient for the scene at hand, and may or may not have played a role in the tragic death of his wife. “Megalopolis” is of course dedicated to Coppola’s late wife Eleanor, who died after the completion of the film , but whose loving memory nevertheless casts a long shadow over this story about a self-involved iconoclast whose mind is always obsessively preoccupied with his work.

The DA who prosecuted the city’s failed homicide case against Cesar is now the mayor of New Rome, and our hero’s rival in the bid to control the megalopolis’ levers of power; his name is Franklyn Cicero (natch), he’s played by a game and jowly Giancarlo Esposito, and his beautiful daughter Julia will soon become Cesar’s closest advisor and most intimate muse (credit to Nathalie Emmanuel, doing her best with a wooden character in a film that reduces all of its women to cartoons in the face of male genius). Cesar envisions a New Rome that “people can dream about,” while Cicero hopes to build “a fun casino” with more practical dividends.

That sort of creatively unbound approach may not have resulted in a surplus of dramatically coherent scenes, but it undergirds the entire movie with a looseness that makes it almost impossible to look away. You never know when Grace VanderWaal might split into five identical clones of herself while singing an original pop anthem about her virginity, or when Laurence Fishburne — back for more of the fun he had with Coppola on the set of “Apocalypse Now” — might invoke some more wisdom via his voiceover narration, or when Aubrey Plaza’s gold-digging seductress/news anchor might shift her overt sexual attention to a different member of New Rome’s ruling class. Her character’s name is Wow Platinum, because every generation gets the “Southland Tales” it deserves. First she’s hot for Cesar, then for his gazillionaire banker uncle Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight), and finally for Crassus’ sociopathic court jester of a son, Clodio Pulcher (a palpably malevolent Shia LaBeouf).

The story is sustained by the sheer force of Coppola’s enthusiasm for it, and it hardly seems to matter that each scene feeds into the next with the grace of a wave crashing into a jetty — not when it’s so exciting to see what might happen next, and stray moments of transcendent surprise can be found hiding in even the flattest stretches. Two people connected by an invisible rope as they run through a hallway. A fallen rose suspended in mid-air. A rain-slicked noir chase sequence melting into a vision of eternal devotion.

So while it might be tempting to see this kooky, nepotistically cloistered, and unconscionably expensive magnum opus as the self-involved work of a fading artist who’s lost whatever was left of his ability to tell good ideas from bad, “Megalopolis” does everything in its power to remind the audience that we share in the outcome of its demented fever dream. Which isn’t to say that we’re obligated to make this particular movie a success, only that we’d do well to examine the source of whatever hostility it might reflexively produce within us. Why does change scare us so much that we’d sooner forfeit our freedom to imagine a better world than reckon with the possibilities such freedom allows? Quoth Marcus Aurelius again: “The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make of it.”

“I will not let time have dominion over my thoughts,” Cesar repeats to himself as a compulsive mantra. “Artists can never lose their control of time,” Julia tells him. “Painters freeze it, poets sing of it, musicians rhythmatize it…,” she trails off. What do filmmakers do? They stop it to remind us that we can’t. With the profoundly moving final shot of “Megalopolis,” Coppola insists that’s all the more reason to fight for the future.

“Megalopolis” premiered in Competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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'Atlas': Jennifer Lopez takes on the evil AI bots in overwrought sci-fi thriller

Netflix movie borrows its plot from better movies, and its murky vision of the future just looks phony..

The counter-terrorism expert played by Jennifer Lopez operates a huge mech suit in pursuit of an AI rebel leader in “Atlas.”

At the outset of the derivative and overwrought artificial intelligence thriller “Atlas,” we hear snippets of desperate 911 calls and see newscast-style footage of mass destruction, as exposition-spouting anchors explain the premise of the movie: “For years, we have been assured that they would never harm us, but tonight all of that has changed, as across the globe, artificial intelligence bots ... have all bypassed their security protocols,” and, “Authorities have estimated that over 500,000 have died from AI-controlled drone strikes in Bangalore.”

So what you’re telling us is that humans created AI bots and installed security protocols to ensure the bots would always remain peaceful and subservient — and yet those same machines that somehow became self-aware and independent, to the point where they rebelled against the humans and are hell-bent on taking over the world? Why, that’s almost unheard of, and yet why do I keep hearing the theme from “The Terminator” playing in my head?

With Jennifer Lopez doing underwhelming work in a role that requires emotional heavy lifting, a fine supporting cast lost in the weeds of too much techno-talk, and a warmed-over plot with echoes of far better movies, including the “Terminator” franchise, “ 2001: A Space Odyssey ,” “ Ex Machina ,” “I, Robot,” “Blade Runner,” “Real Steel,” “A.I.” and “Interstellar,” this is a murky-looking, CGI-heavy dud. Nearly everything is heavy-handed, including the name of Lopez’ title character: She’s Atlas Shepherd, and she feels the weight of the world on her shoulders as she acts as the guide for a flock of soldiers on a mission to save humanity. At least they didn’t call her Savior McDanger!

As we also learned in that very helpful opening sequence, all the lands in the world united to form the International Coalition of Nations (ICN) and were able to turn the tide in the war against the bots, with Simu Liu’s Harlan, “the first AI terrorist” and the humanoid leader of the rebellion, eventually fleeing our world for a distant planet, but only after vowing, “I’m coming back to finish what I started. This is the only way.” Big talk, bot man!

Cue the title card reading “28 YEARS LATER,” and we’re in a futuristic Los Angeles (dig that giant neon “Hollywood” sign) that is rocked by an assault led by Casca (Abraham Popoola), an AI henchman who is part of a terrorist cell that apparently stayed behind when Harlan fled. When Casca is captured, — his AI head trapped in a cool briefcase-type device, and maybe that’s what was in the “Pulp Fiction” briefcase — the ICN calls on Lopez’ Atlas, the coalition’s top counter-terrorism analyst, to interrogate. The brilliant Atlas (you should see how good she is at chess) eventually tricks Casca into revealing Harlan’s whereabouts: he’s been hiding out on a distant planet known as GR39, no doubt plotting and scheming his return to Earth.

AI terrorist Harlan (Simu Liu) plots his return to Earth to finish the anti-human revolution he started.

The ICN, led by Mark Strong’s Gen. Boothe, decides to launch a mission to GR39 to capture Harlan and bring him back for study or some such thing. (As Boothe puts it, “SAPTECH wants Harlan’s CPU. They want to back trace his code.” Ah, OK, got it.) Atlas argues this is a really bad idea, even after Col. Banks (Sterling K. Brown), the commanding officer of the mission to GR39, shows Atlas the ICN’s latest technology, which enables neural links between humans and mech suits resembling giant Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.

‘This Is Me ... Now': Jennifer Lopez looks back at her tempestuous love life in strange, often stunning film

Atlas argues that they should kill Harlan and be done with him, because he’s the WORST. She’s not wrong, plus she has extra skin in the game because her genius scientist mother (Lana Parrilla) is the creator of Harlan, who became a kind of creepy robot big brother to Atlas, and that let’s say we hope Atlas has a good therapist on speed dial.

Though Atlas refuses to sync up with the AI creation called Smith (Gregory James Cohan) who “lives” in her mech suit, she does join the mission, and let’s just say things don’t go as planned, and unless Atlas learns to trust Smith and fully bond with him, everyone is doomed. Ah, but even as Smith becomes ever more human-like, displaying a sense of humor and mimicking Atlas’ rough language and saying he cares about her, how can Atlas trust a bot when she’s ... that’s right ... never learned to fully trust any HUMAN?

Nothing about “Atlas” feels like an authentic representation, whether it’s the CGI version of future L.A. or the scenes on GR39, which has a very soundstage-y, green screen-y feel to it. Superb actors such as Sterling K. Brown and Mark Strong do what they can with their underwritten characters, while Lopez comes across as trying too hard and Acting with a capital “A” in the numerous scenes that require Atlas to experience heavy emotions. This film isn’t so terrible as to merit camp value, nor is it close to being strong enough to merit two hours of your viewing time. Atlas? Shrug.

A collage of various images from movies coming out this summer, including Ultraman, a dog and a robot who are friends, and a masked ax murderer.

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The most anticipated movies of summer 2024

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Share All sharing options for: The most anticipated movies of summer 2024

They say it’s a strange summer for movies. Studios are putting all their chips on 2025 being the year that movie theaters come back , and are stacking the calendar accordingly . The big superhero movie houses are almost all on pause. Massive franchises are staying out of the summer window, with Dune: Part Two a spring fling and Joker: Folie à Deux biding its time until fall.

But that just means there’s actually room for the little guys to breathe. There are inventive geri-action comedies, summer horror flicks, literary romance adaptations, and even an Oscar-nominated animated feature finally getting wide release. Some of your favorite franchises are back with new installments, like Inside Out, Alien, Bad Boys, and The Crow. And, of course, there’s still one remaining big-budget superhero crossover blowout. Here’s what Polygon is looking forward to most.

In a Violent Nature

A hooded figure standing in front of a dirty white four-door van raises an axe to swing. They’ve got chains draped around their shoulders and appear to be in the middle of the woods. (In a Violent Nature)

Release date: May 31

If you have found yourself looking at the last few years in horror movies and thinking that the monsters are getting a raw deal lately, then In a Violent Nature is for you. Billed as a slasher movie from the killer’s point of view, it follows a vengeful spirit that returns from the dead to take vengeance on some unsuspecting hikers. The movie is a clever mix of beautiful pastoral images, as we watch the killer wander through fields and forests in search of his victims, and some of the most brutal kills you’ll find in any horror movie this year. — Austen Goslin

Robot Dreams

Dog and Robot at the beach — amusement park rides and boardwalk restaurants are visible behind them. They watch as three pigs in bathing suits dash towards the water in Robot Dreams.

The mysterious fifth entry in the 2024 Oscars’ Best Animated Feature category finally gets a wide release this summer. Robot Dreams follows a lonely dog in a world of anthropomorphic animals who decides to buy a robot to be his best friend. It’s a touching and poignant tale of friendship, told entirely without dialogue. You’ll never listen to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire the same way again. — Petrana Radulovic

Three men stand over disturbed earth. Two look horrified, but the one in the middle looks stoic in Exhuma.

Release date: June 4 (digital)

This blockbuster horror movie is the highest-grossing film in Korea this year, beating out even the latest installment of Ma Dong-seok’s box office heavy hitter series The Roundup . Exhuma stars Choi Min-sik ( Oldboy ) as a feng shui master recruited by a shaman (Kim Go-eun, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God ) to help relocate a haunted grave.

Director Jang Jae-hyun, whose specialty is supernatural movies that focus on the occult, has said he emphasized real props and locations for filming , avoiding not just CG, but building sets whenever possible.

A box office sensation in Korea, it could be the next big crossover horror hit for American audiences. While it had a limited theatrical run in March, its digital arrival means a whole lot more people will be able to see one of the year’s biggest horror movies this summer. — Pete Volk

The Watchers

Release date: June 7

The first feature film directed by M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter Ishana, The Watchers follows a young girl who ventures deep into the woods and ends up trapped in a strange house that’s supposedly observed by mysterious creatures. Every day, the occupants of the house must line up to be inspected by the creatures, leading to some truly terrifying scenes, if the trailer is to be believed. The movie stars Dakota Fanning and is based on a novel by A.M. Shine. — AG

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

You’d be forgiven for being skeptical of the fourth entry of an action franchise that started in the mid-’90s, but that just tells me you didn’t watch Bad Boys for Life . Directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (now also known for their shelved Batgirl movie ) took the mantle of Michael Bay’s buddy cop franchise and ran with it, delivering one of the best legacy sequels in an era filled with them, and making the prospect of a fourth movie a very exciting one.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return as detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. This time, the supporting cast includes Tiffany Haddish, Eric Dane, Joe Pantoliano, Rhea Seehorn, and, ominously, “DJ Khaled as Manny the Butcher.” Adil and Bilall won me over with Bad Boys for Life (and I’ve heard great things about their independent drama Rebel ), and I couldn’t be more excited for them to get another run at this ridiculous franchise. — PV

Glen Powell as Gary in Hit Man. He’s sneering badassfully while wearing a ridiculous wig.

Release date: June 7 (limited release on May 24)

Glen Powell is one of our finest movie stars, and there’s no better proof of it than his new Netflix movie Hit Man . Directed by Richard Linklater, Hit Man tells the story of Gary (Powell), a mild-mannered nerd who participates in police sting operations to arrest people who are trying to hire contract killers. Gary does his part by mimicking whatever he thinks his latest target’s ideal assassin might look like — which results in Powell donning some hilarious disguises, wigs, and accents. Everything goes swimmingly until he ends up getting too close to someone he’s supposed to help set up, leading to fantastic comedy and some genuine danger. — AG

Descendants: The Rise of Red

The blue-garbed Chloe, daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, and the red-garbed Red, daughter of the Queen of Hearts, crouch hidden and concerned in the woods.

Release date: July 12 on Disney Plus

If you only know Disney for theatrical blockbusters, you could easily overlook one of its biggest franchises: The Descendants. This July, the “what if Disney villains’ kids went to high school together?” series graduates to the Disney Plus big leagues with a tentpole event film that finds Red (Kylie Cantrall) averting a coup staged by her mother, the Queen of Hearts, by time-traveling back to before her villainous turn. Yes, it’s the Disney Channel version of Terminator, and Brandy is back as Cinderella . Major. — Matt Patches

Inside Out 2

Riley, a blonde white girl in a teal hockey uniform, enthusiastically meets with two of her friends, an Asian girl and a Black girl, in the stands

Release date: June 14

Pixar takes on... Anxiety! Also Embarrassment, Ennui, and Envy — the big, self-conscious emotions that come with being a teenager. Joy and the rest of the gang from the original movie confront these new feelings on the morning that Riley goes to a hockey camp that could determine her social status in high school forever (or so Anxiety would have them think). How do these new emotions fit in with what we know of the Inside Out world? Guess we’ll find out on a zany new ride into Riley’s inner mind. — PR

Ultraman: Rising

Ultraman, a giant, streamlined, humanoid figure, streaks through city streats, running with traffic.

Release date: June 14 on Netflix

Ultraman returns with a new movie this summer, and from what we’ve seen so far, it’s shaping up to be one of the most visually astounding entries in the franchise yet. Directed by Shannon Tindle ( Lost Ollie ), Ultraman: Rising follows the story of Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), a brash and hotheaded baseball player who returns to his hometown of Tokyo to assume the mantle of Ultraman from his elderly father. Reluctant to fully embrace his responsibilities as a defender of humanity, Ken is faced with his greatest challenge yet in the unlikeliest of forms: a baby kaiju who mistakenly takes him for its mother.

Featuring an original cast of characters and a stunning animation style that conjures obvious comparisons to Sony’s Spider-Verse films, Ultraman : Rising might be the franchise’s best chance yet at breaking through into the Western mainstream. —Toussaint Egan

June Squibb and Richard Round Tree as Thelma and Ben, look to their right as they motor down the sidewalk on a two-seater mobility scooter in Thelma.

Release date: June 21

Thelma is basically The Beekeeper if Jason Statham’s character were played by your grandmother, and it’s just as much fun as that sounds. The movie stars 94-year-old June Squibb as Thelma, an older woman who gets scammed and wants revenge. To get it, she hops on her motorized scooter, rounds up an accomplice (the late Richard Roundtree), and gets to work. Thelma is absolutely hilarious, and makes great use of action movie staples like slow motion to add both tension and comedy to Thelma’s quest for revenge. — AG

Kinds of Kindness

Just a few months after scoring a slew of Oscars, including Best Actress, Poor Things pair Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos are back with a new one, a “triptych fable” that smashes together ruminations on love and faith. The stacked cast, which includes Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hunter Schafer, and Hong Chau, all play different roles in what looks like one of Lanthimos’ more grounded efforts; unlike with The Favourite or The Lobster , he shot the movie in various parts of New Orleans. But fans shouldn’t fear that Stone and the director are going soft; the words “surreal” and “aggressive” are all over the early Cannes reviews. — MP

The Bikeriders

If your major objection to Dune: Part Two was that Denis Villeneuve had Austin Butler shave his head to play Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen , and you didn’t get to see Butler’s glorious hair (and really, what possible objection could people have to Villeneuve’s film otherwise?), have we got a movie for you. Based on a nonfiction book about exploring and photographing motorcycle clubs in Chicago in the 1960s, the latest film from indie darling Jeff Nichols ( Midnight Special , Mud , Take Shelter ) seems to have been built entirely around Austin Butler’s hair and his effortless sense of cool. Co-starring Tom Hardy in a rare nonmasked role , this one is a swoony love letter to the glory days of motorcycle clubs, and watching it feels a lot like looking into modern fandoms, just with more mechanics and less internet squabbling. — Tasha Robinson

Lakshya as Amrit in Kill. His face is bloodied and another person behind him is holding a knife to his neck.

Release date: July 4

This is one of those movies I’ve been waiting for all year after hearing the buzz from the festival circuit. Kill promises to rewrite American expectations of popular Bollywood cinema, bringing a darkly violent action thriller to the screens.

Set on a train to Delhi, the movie follows a commando (Lakshya) and his friend as they try to reunite with the man’s lover after her family takes her away ahead of an arranged marriage. As the two men make their way through the train, bandits attack and violence ensues. The action is absolutely brutal and the movie has plenty of surprises in store — not the least of which is the absence of the markers of “ masala films ” (like musical numbers) typical of many big Bollywood offerings that make it stateside. It’s more like The Raid and Project Wolf Hunting , and is a thrill ride from start to finish. — PV

Two women in short dresses, walk down a Hollywood street together in MaXXine.

Release date: July 5

The third movie in Ti West’s trilogy of Mia Goth-led slashers, MaXXXine takes the horror franchise to Hollywood. This sequel to X and Pearl takes place in the 1980s, and follows Maxine in the aftermath of the events of X , when she goes to Los Angeles to break out of porn and into real movies. Of course, there’s a mysterious murderer on the loose in the City of Angels, and he might be after Maxine herself. If the previous movies in the series are anything to go on, it seems that this one will feature plenty of gruesome murders and enough twists to constantly keep audiences on their toes. — AG

A woman wearing an FBI ID lanyard stands in what seems to be a dim, blood-splattered room in Longlegs.

Release date: July 12

If you know anything about this movie at all, it’s likely from its incredibly creepy promotional campaign that seems to be purposefully keeping details vague. What we know for sure is that Longlegs is about a mysterious serial killer played by Nicolas Cage, and involves some kind of cryptic Zodiac killer-like code that keeps cropping up in each new poster and teaser trailer. The movie is directed by Osgood Perkins ( The Blackcoat’s Daughter ), and looks horrifying and absolutely gruesome. As for what’s at the end of the codes in the teasers and pictures, we’ll likely just have to wait for the movie to find out. — AG

People and debris fly through the air in Twisters.

Release date: July 19

It’s more than fair to be skeptical about a sequel to Twister that’s coming out nearly 20 years after the original movie was released — especially when it looks so much like a remake. But when faced with the sheer F5-force of Glen Powell’s charisma, it’s awfully hard not to get on board. Powell seems to be playing a tornado-chasing internet personality whose whole gimmick is driving his truck straight into the path of oncoming tornados, anchoring the vehicle to the ground, then filming the inside of one of nature’s most terrifying weather phenomena. With a premise like that and a star like Powell, how can you help but be excited for Twisters ? — AG

Skywalkers: A Love Story

Being in love often comes with fears of “falling too hard.” Rarely is that concern so literalized as it is in Skywalkers: A Love Story , where a (you guessed it) love story is set against two daredevils attempting to climb the highest structures in the world. Unfortunately for the two “rooftopping” influencers, their rough patch has hit right as they’re about to attempt their most ambitious and risky climb ever.

Skywalkers goes down easy thanks to the same slick narrativizing that influencers employ in their work. But it succeeds as a documentary because the story, told across grand heights and spires above cityscapes, feels neat and specific: time-tested love story tropes, with hair-raising stakes. — Zosha Millman

Deadpool & Wolverine

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan Deadpool and Wolverine. Deadpool has his hands pressed over his mouth humorously, while Wolverine looks tired.

Release date: July 26

Ryan Reynolds returns as Wade Wilson for a third Deadpool flick, and he’s dragging Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine along with him for the only big blockbuster superhero movie of the summer.

Deadpool & Wolverine seems to serve both as a farewell tribute to the franchise that put Reynolds back on the map after Green Lantern , and as a coming-out party for the Merc with a Mouth. Not in the sense that he’s pansexual, of course, but in the sense that, thanks to corporate acquisitions, he can now reckon with the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time. Specifically, reckoning with the Time Variance Authority, which needs him on a mission to... do something, with a washed-up alternate timeline Wolverine, to combat Professor Xavier’s evil twin sister. Folks, it’s a hot Cassandra Nova summer . — Susana Polo

Josh Hartnett wearing a brown jacket and unassuming smile in a closeup from the movie Trap

Release date: Aug. 9

M. Night Shyamalan’s next movie has one of the best trailers of all time, and the trailer itself even includes a twist worthy of his reputation. The movie follows a man, played by Josh Hartnett, who takes his daughter to a pop star’s show at a massive arena. But when police and armed guards start congregating by all the exits, he discovers that this whole concert is a setup to capture a notorious serial killer who the police know is in attendance. We’ll save the real twist for the trailer to reveal, but suffice it to say we’re pretty excited for this one. — AG

Hunter Schafer hides behind a shelf as a scary figure looms in Cuckoo

Cuckoo is a horror movie that follows Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) as she settles into a new home in the German Alps with her dad and his new family. Her dad moved there for a job, but it seems his employer, Mr. König (Dan Stevens), has some kind of ulterior motive for having the family move. Few things sound more terrifying than being isolated in the mountains with someone you can’t trust, which is exactly why Cuckoo looks so fascinating and terrifying, and why we can’t wait to see it. — AG

Borderlands

Kevin Hart as Roland, Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, and Cate Blanchett as Lilith in Borderlands. They are all dressed outlandishly, peering around a rusted metal structure looking apprehensive.

Though the film is embroiled in public reshoot drama and attribution mysteries , trailers for Borderlands make the upcoming video game movie look like an unexpectedly fizzy, flamboyant good time. With the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy behind us, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, ex-boxer Florian Munteanu, Barbie ’s Ariana Greenblatt, and Jack Black — voicing the franchise’s sarcastic robot pal Claptrap — have stepped up to fill the void of the goofy found family that bounds across alien worlds while shooting laser guns. Somehow this is Blanchett, Black, and director Eli Roth’s second collab (maybe you missed The House with a Clock in Its Walls ), which is an odd vote of confidence as they attempt to go big and weird with an adaptation that needs to be big and weird. — MP

It Ends With Us

If you’ve followed the BookTok phenomenon at all, you’re probably already familiar with Colleen Hoover’s name — even if you haven’t read any of her books, her name has been all over the media for years, as TikTok reviews turned her into a massive bestseller . The first movie based on one of her novels is set to be released in August (after being bumped from February, then June, so we’ll see...), with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni as recent college graduate Lily and abusive boyfriend Ryle, whose romance-novel relationship has launched endless online arguments since It Ends With Us was first published in 2016. Look for the film adaptation to revive all that debate. — TR

Alien: Romulus

Release date: Aug. 16

It’s not like recent Alien films haven’t been interested in horror — 2012’s Prometheus has one of the franchise’s most frightening sequences, and the misanthropy of its 2017 sequel Alien: Covenant is downright chilling. It’s just that Alien films haven’t been so thoroughly committed to scaring audiences since, well, Ridley Scott’s original film. Alien: Romulus is billed as a return to form, and the early teases are tantalizing. The film is directed by Uruguayan horror phenom Fede Alvarez, who co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues. Details on Romulus are scant, with a story set between Alien and Aliens centering on young scavengers finding the Xenomorphs on an abandoned space station. What is clear, however, is that this movie is meant to be very scary — something Alvarez has proven to be extremely good at, given his breakout Don’t Breathe and his very mean remake of Evil Dead . — Joshua Rivera

Bill Skarsagård as Eric/the Crow in The Crow, walking down a street at night lookin pretty goth.

Release date: Aug. 23

After spending an eternity in development, Lionsgate’s The Crow reimagining is finally upon us, with Bill Skarsgård ( IT , John Wick: Chapter 4 ) stepping into the gothic shoes of the gone-way-too-soon original star Brandon Lee. The new version, directed by Rupert Sanders ( Ghost in the Shell ), sounds a lot like the old version, kicking off with the vicious murder of two “soulmates,” Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA Twigs). As in the 1994 film, Eric finds himself resurrected and ready for revenge — but, you know, in a more 2024 way. The Crow knows gun fu now. — MP

The 2024 summer entertainment preview

The most anticipated TV shows of summer 2024
Tom Bombadil, cut from Lord of the Rings movies, to step out in Rings of Power
The must-watch anime to look out for in summer 2024
The 5 best Korean dramas to watch on Netflix this summer
Thelma is a geri-action movie that doesn’t miss a step
Emma Roberts’ NASA rom-com is the Legally Blonde of astronaut movies
Robot Dreams’ director founded an animation studio just to adapt a graphic novel he loved
Kill is the brutal thriller that action die-hards can’t miss this summer
The Expanse’s James S.A. Corey returns with The Mercy of Gods — and you can read the first chapter
This summer Batman: Year One, the best Batman comic, gets even better
Can Lev Grossman do for King Arthur what he did for Harry Potter?
The Nice House by the Sea is a dream vacation at the end of the world with the worst people you know

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Theater | Theater top 10 for summer 2024: From ‘Midnight’…

Things To Do

Theater | theater top 10 for summer 2024: from ‘midnight’ and ‘lord of the rings’ to laurie metcalf.

"The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale" is getting its U.S. premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater this summer. Pictured is cast member Louis Maskell in a previous 2023 U.K. production. (Pamela Raith)

All are on tap for this summer in the big city.

Here’s our annual summer top 10 list of the most-anticipated theatrical attractions this season. There are many more options in both city and suburban locations, not to mention the outdoor theaters located within a reasonable drive, such as American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin. You’ll find performances in Chicago-area parks, too, from the likes of Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the venerable Oak Park Festival Theatre.

But if you go with this 10, a blend of large and small shows in no particular order, I think you’ll have a rich few weeks.

“The Lord of the Rings”: This theatrical telling of the J.R.R. Tolkien masterpiece, as distilled by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus (book and lyrics) , was an epic affair when it was first staged in Toronto in 2006: Four hours, lots of music, two intermissions, hobbits all over the place and less than positive reviews. But the work was rehabbed at the U.K.’s Watermill Theatre and rendered in a more intimate fashion by director Paul Hart. Needless to say, this is a great title and Chicago Shakespeare Theater hopes that its U.S. premiere will prove to be a strong summer attraction for local and visiting families coming to Navy Pier. July 19 to Sept.1 in the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave.; www.chicagoshakes.com

“Six”: Lots of shows call themselves global sensations but you have to hand it to “Six,” a simple musical that has struck gold from one brilliant idea: reimagining the six wives of Henry VIII as assertive pop divas. And it all started Stateside at Chicago Shakespeare. At this point, attending “Six” is like going to a singalong, as most of its typically youthful fans like to return for multiple experiences with sessions listening to the original cast recordings filling the gaps. It’s an ideal-for-summer phenomenon and this first national tour is likely to do boffo, multi-week business for Broadway in Chicago. June 4 to July 14 at the Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.; www.broadwayinchicago.com

“A Case for the Existence of God”: Chicago’s justly beloved Steep Theatre has been all too quiet since the pandemic (the company has been preoccupied with renovating its new Edgewater home). But it returns this summer with the first Chicago production of this highly regarded 2022 play by Samuel D. Hunter (“The Whale”), set, like many of his works, in Idaho and exploring the relationship of two very different but similarly resilient men. Robin Witt directs; she’s been at the helm of many of Steep’s most powerful past productions. July 19 to Aug. 25 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N Broadway; steeptheatre.com

“Ain’t Misbehavin'”: The famed Chicago music-theater star E. Faye Butler steps into the role of director for this classic and justly beloved trip through the music of Fats Waller and the Harlem Renaissance, as conceived by Richard Maltby Jr. and Murray Horwitz. MzFlo Walker-Harris, an experienced hand, choreographs for the first time in Oakbrook Terrace and the accomplished ensemble cast includes Alexis J. Roston, Lorenzo Rush Jr., Sharriese Hamilton, James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Austin Nelson Jr. and Micah Mixon. June 26 to Aug. 18 at the Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace; www.drurylane.com

“The Last Wide Open”: The summer attraction at American Blues Theater’s intimate new home on the North Side features the talented husband-and-wife team of Michael Mahler and Dara Cameron in the Chicago premiere of this relatively new small musical from Audrey Cefaly and Matt M. Nielson. Mahler and Cameron, long stars of musical theater in Chicago, play a hard-working waitress and a Polish immigrant dishwasher who find themselves as unlikely protagonists in a cosmic kind of love story. July 5 to Aug. 18 at American Blues Theater, 5627 N. Lincoln Ave.; americanbluestheater.com

“Little Bear Ridge Road”: Another Samuel D. Hunter play, but this one is brand new. It’s being directed at Steppenwolf Theatre by Joe Mantello and stars no less than Laurie Metcalf, making her much anticipated return to the Chicago theater that made her famous. A Broadway transfer may well be on the map, given who is involved. Hunter’s new drama, about which little is known and much is wondered, is billed as a piece set in rural Idaho (where else?) and dealing with an estranged aunt and nephew who reunite in the wake of the death of a difficult father. June 13 to July 21 on the Steppenwolf Theatre mainstage, 1650 N. Halsted St.; www.steppenwolf.org

The touring musical "Six" (the Boleyn Company) is coming to Chicago's Nederlander Theatre for several weeks. (Joan Marcus)

J. Harrison Ghee, Tom Hewitt and Sierra Boggess star in this summer's new musical "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" at the Goodman Theatre. (Provided by Goodman Theatre)

Wandachristine in a rehearsal for "Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution" by playwright Nambi E. Kelley at Court Theatre in Hyde Park. (Joe Mazza)

Laurie Metcalf will star in the Samuel D. Hunter play "Little Bear Ridge Road" at Steppenwolf Theatre, directed by Joe Mantello. (Saverio Truglia)

E. Faye Butler at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in 2020. Butler is directing this summer's production of "Ain't Misbehavin'" at the Drury Lane in west suburban Oakbrook Terrace. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune)

"The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale" is getting its U.S. premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater this summer. Pictured is cast member Louis Maskell in a previous 2023 U.K. production. (Pamela Raith)

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”: Chicago’s Goodman Theatre scored a huge hit last summer with its revival of “Tommy,” the Pete Townshend rock musical that moved directly to Broadway. “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” this summer’s attraction based on the so-called “non-fiction novel” by John Berendt and the 1997 movie that transformed the tourist industry in Savannah, Georgia. Some A-list Broadway talent is bringing the show to life for this world premiere, including writer Taylor Mac, composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown and the director Rob Ashford. J. Harrison Ghee, Tom Hewitt, and Sierra Boggess are the high-profile stars in the summer’s marquee Midwestern theatrical event. The cast is already here: I saw Boggess walking down Dearborn Street this week. June 25 to Aug. 4 at the Goodman’s Albert Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.; www.goodmantheatre.org

“Obliteration”: The terrific writer Andrew Hinderaker (“Suicide, Incorporated”) returns to work with his home base at Gift Theatre with a new play under his own direction. Michael Patrick Thornton, the Gift ensemble member who went on to a significant TV and Broadway career, is in the cast, as is Gift’s Cyd Bakewell. “Obliteration” is billed as a blend of stand-up comedy and theater that follows two comedians, Lee and Neal, telling jokes about big stuff even as their own lives disintegrate. Fascinating! Note the very short run. July 25 to Aug. 3, presented by Gift Theatre in Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St.; www.steppenwolf.org

“Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution”: The longtime Chicago actress-playwright Nambi E. Kelley turns her attention to civil rights activist Kwame Ture, born Stokely Carmichael, in this biographical drama making its world premiere in Hyde Park under the direction of Tasia A. Jones in her Court directorial debut. Anthony Irons and Wandachristine star. As one of the 1961 Freedom Riders, Ture took over the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee chairmanship from John Lewis in 1966 and remained at the center of the Black Power movement for years thereafter. Now in previews, running through June 16 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.; www.courttheatre.org

“2 Pianos 4 Hands”: This show originated in Toronto in the mid-1990s and has become one of the most successful small musicals ever to emerge from Up North. Written and originally performed by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, it’s about two friends who aspire to become famous classical pianists. The play with music follows the boys’ trajectory on their challenging career choice as both play live piano. Rob Lindley directs Adam LaSalle and Matthew McGloin as Ted and Richard. July 5 to Aug 4 at Northlight Theatre, North Shore Center for the Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; northlight.org

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

[email protected]

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IMAGES

The School for Good and Evil (2022)
The School for Good & Evil Review: Netflix’s Magic YA Saga Flunks Out
The School for Good and Evil (2022) • Movie
The School for Good and Evil review
Watch The School for Good and Evil
The School for Good and Evil Movie Review: Right out of a Fairytale

COMMENTS

My review of "The School for Good and Evil"
3 out of 5 stars for me. The School for Good and Evil was a fun time and exceeded my expectations. Just could have been better at establishing an understandable storyline and the dialogue and acting overall was meh. Please let the sequel come out in the late 2020's like 2029 or something. I can't wait for more of the story to unfold.
The School for Good and Evil movie review (2022)
And a dizzying array of twists awaits as the movie hurtles toward its conclusion. Somewhere beneath all the noise and mayhem—the hurled fireballs, swirls of blood and duels with glowing swords choreographed to Billie Eilish and Britney Spears tunes—"The School for Good and Evil" aims to upend familiar tropes and unearth some useful ...
The School for Good & Evil Review: Netflix's Magic YA Saga ...
The film's only consistent narrative arc concerns Sophie's herky jerky transition from princess-in-training to bonafide witch, as the aspiring Cinderella is gradually seduced by the dark side ...
The School For Good & Evil Review: A Delightful & Heartfelt Twist On
This isn't a brain-dead film, but a stylish, engaging, and often quite fun movie that, while certainly meant for a younger audience, is enjoyable for all ages. The dialogue isn't always great, but it's still delivered with enough believability that offsets any potential cringe. What perhaps drags Feig's film down is its lengthy runtime.
School for Good and Evil review: Netflix does Harry Potter for fairy
Photo: Helen Sloan/Netflix. In The School for Good and Evil, Feig plays up exactly what is so compelling about the magical-school setting. For starters, the movie is visually delightful and over ...
The School for Good and Evil
Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/26/24 Full Review Grace I left a review (under grace h) when the movie first came out, but after rewatching half (I couldn't stop cringing the ...
'The School for Good and Evil' Review: Paul Feig Directs YA Fantasy
Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie play new students in Paul Feig's YA fantasy 'The School for Good and Evil,' also starring Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Michelle Yeoh and Laurence Fishburne.
'The School for Good and Evil' Review: Ever Afters and Never Afters
In many ways "The School for Good and Evil" is cringe-worthy: cheesy special effects; blatant telegraphing of plot points; crude world-building and scant character development; cloyingly ...
The School for Good and Evil (2022)
The School for Good and Evil: Directed by Paul Feig. With Kit Young, Sophia Anne Caruso, Cate Blanchett, Liam Woon. Best friends Sophie and Agatha find themselves on opposing sides of an epic battle when they're swept away into an enchanted school where aspiring heroes and villains are trained to protect the balance between Good and Evil.
The School for Good and Evil
At its best, The School For Good and Evil is a decently fun young adult fantasy flick, thanks to its intriguing script and the performances that really give it life. Full Review | Original Score ...
The School for Good and Evil
Summary Best friends Sophie and Agatha find themselves on opposing sides of a modern fairy tale when they're swept away into an enchanted school where young heroes and villains are trained to protect the balance of good and evil. Action. Comedy. Drama.
'The School for Good and Evil' Review
Still, The School for Good and Evil is refreshing for its powerful depictions of women, and it's lovely to see a story that challenges the "damsel in distress" cliché of fairytales and fantasy stories.Throughout the movie, we see these young women defeat monsters, save princes and even choose friendship over romance. But, as stated before, the movie also emphasizes that certain standards ...
The School for Good and Evil Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 13 ): Kids say ( 42 ): Capitalizing not just on proven source material (the book series) but also on tried-and-tested school-set, teen-starring fantasy formulas, nothing about this film feels particularly original. But Netflix knows the audience it's aiming for with The School for Good and Evil.
The School for Good and Evil (2022)
The School for Good and Evil, 2022. Directed by Paul Feig. Starring Sophia Anne Caruso, Sofia Wylie, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Yeoh, Cate Blanchett, Jamie Flatters, Kit Young, Peter ...
'School for Good and Evil' review: Minds wander during movie's lessons
'The School for Good and Evil': Minds wander during movie's lessons for aspiring heroes and villains Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington ham it up in the good-looking but overlong fantasy film.
The School for Good and Evil review
The School for Good and Evil will land on Netflix on Wednesday 19th October. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month . Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream .
The School For Good And Evil Ending Explained (In Detail)
When the Headmaster is revealed as Rafal, the villain's true motives during The School For Good And Evil are explained, adding context to earlier scenes in the movie. Rafal and his brother, Rhian, were entrusted to run the school, balancing Good and Evil, which in turn made them immortal. Rafal became discontent with the arrangement and decided ...
My Oni Girl Review; An Endearing, Heartwarming Anime Movie
Unsurprisingly, this anime movie had an emotional reaction on me. The same director, Tomotaka Shibayama, made A Whisker Away, which had a similar charm and warm effect on the audience.. By the time you reach the end of My Oni Girl, you will adore Tsumugi and Hiiragi, and while it's unlikely there will be a sequel (it feels like a one-off), there's undoubtedly re-watch value.
Kerry Washington Joins 'Knives Out 3'
Netflix's 'Knives Out 3' movie sequel from director Rian Johnson adds Kerry Washington to the cast that also includes Daniel Craig and Andrew Scott.
'South Park The End Of Obesity' Review
'South Park: The End of Obesity' special tackles Hollywood's Ozempic craze, skewers Lizzo and kills a beloved character. Again.
'A Part of You' Review
A Part of You delves deeper into themes of identity and grief than traditional high school movies.; Felicia Maxime's performance shines, showcasing her range and ability to portray complex emotions
Megalopolis Review: Coppola Inspires New Hope for the Future of Movies
Cannes: More than 40 years in the making, Coppola's epic is as personal and egoless as you could ever hope to expect from an $120 million self-portrait that doubles as a fable about the fall of ...
'Atlas' review: In Netflix's overwrought sci-fi thriller, Jennifer
'Atlas': Jennifer Lopez takes on the evil AI bots in overwrought sci-fi thriller Netflix movie borrows its plot from better movies, and its murky vision of the future just looks phony.
The best new movies coming in summer 2024
Release date: June 4 (digital) This blockbuster horror movie is the highest-grossing film in Korea this year, beating out even the latest installment of Ma Dong-seok's box office heavy hitter ...
Theater top 10 for summer 2024: 'Lord of the Rings' to Laurie Metcalf
Hot tickets, indeed. There's much to choose from this summer, including a return for Steep Theatre and a musical "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" at the Goodman.