Movies

Great Freedom is a new film from Austria and Germany about a gay man that takes place mostly in a prison between 1945 and 1968. KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, who teaches film at CU-Denver, says that the title is neither ironic nor optimistic.

The new movie from Japan, Drive My Car, has been honored all over the world and nominated for four Oscars, including Best Motion Picture.

The new movie Cyrano is just the latest re-telling of the famous story of a man with a long nose. It stars Peter Dinklage, has a somewhat racially mixed cast and is a musical. For KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, the movie has everything but the spark of genius.

The Worst Person in the World is about a young woman trying to figure out her life. The movie comes from Norway and is one of the five nominees for the Best International Feature Film at the upcoming Oscars. For KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, the film is raunchy — and beautiful.

“Don’t Look Up,” a scathing disaster-comedy about Earth’s looming destruction and society’s inability to confront the threat, received multiple Academy nods, including for best picture and best original screenplay. Denver-based journalist David Sirota, co-creator of the movie, along with writer-director Adam McKay, joins Colorado Edition to discuss the polarized reactions to the film and the importance of staying focused on the crises in front of us.

The 26th annual Denver Jewish Film Festival opens on Feb. 14 and runs through Feb. 22. It takes place both in-person and online, with a schedule of 34 movies. For KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, three films are of special interest.

The film France from French director Bruno Dumont looks at a fictional television star named France de Meurs as her outsized celebrity rises and falls and rises again. KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz says while the movie can be funny, it also gives a tough portrait of the world.

Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi is one of the most honored filmmakers in the world. His films have won two Oscars, and his latest is shortlisted for another. And for KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, who teaches film at CU Denver, A Hero is another fine movie.

The new film Nightmare Alley tells a story of a cheap grifter who gets too big for his britches. The film is a remake, but KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, who teaches film at CU-Denver, says this old story is told beautifully.

A new film on Showtime, The Real Charlie Chaplin, presents a portrait of Chaplin as an artist and a person. For KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, the movie is smart, engaging and also something of a wild goose chase.