‘Black Bag' is a spy story with a marital twist
That three-star rating for the new Steven Soderbergh movie 'Black Bag' is a matter of personal preference. Kick it up by half a star if your tastes run to John le Carré espionage thrillers crossed with marital cage matches like 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' Dock it the same amount if you don't like talky, complex, fiendishly intelligent head games.
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Digital Trends
4 days ago
- Digital Trends
Erin Brockovich is the movie you need to stream on Peacock this month
The year 2000 was an excellent one for director Steven Soderbergh. He directed not one, but two Best Picture nominees. Plus, Soderbergh took home the Oscar for Best Director for Traffic. The other movie he made that year is even better than Traffic. Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts at the peak of her powers, follows a single mother of three children who discovers a massive coverup being perpetuated by a major energy company. Here are three reasons you should check it out while it's on Peacock: Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. Julia Roberts has never been better People don't often win Oscars for the movie they delivered their best performance in, but that was absolutely the case here. Roberts' version of Erin Brockovich is a firecracker — a volatile woman who cares deeply about the real people affected by this cover-up and becomes determined to help them. Crucially, the movie suggests that Brockovich's kindness and her willingness to listen are central to the discoveries made in the case and to ultimately get these people the kind of settlement they deserve. Brockovich is highly competent, even if that competence is packaged a little unconventionally. The movie is a delicate tonal balance Because it's based on a true story, Erin Brockovich always feels grounded in some sort of reality. At the same time, the movie is always both funny and at least some degree, tense, in part because Brockovich and the small law firm she works for are going up against a massive conglomerate. The movie works because it's perfectly paced and because it knows exactly how to make all its characters feel interesting and alive. That's a result of great performances, but also thanks to Soderbergh's complete mastery of the moviemaking process. It's cast with people who feel real Julia Roberts is one of the most beautiful and radiant people alive. She's perfectly cast as Brockovich, who often feels larger than life. Soderbergh then chose to fill out the rest of the cast with actors like Albert Finney and Aaron Eckhart, who are plausible as people you might meet in a rural part of California. The movie's verisimilitude is key to its overall effect, and the actors that inhabit the movie's universe are key to that working. While there's a lot of pain and turmoil in this movie's plot, it doesn't hurt to have a happy ending. You can watch Erin Brockovich on Peacock.
Tom's Guide
14-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
One of the year's best spy thriller movies is finally streaming — and it's perfect for ‘Jason Bourne' fans
I feel like 2025 has been a pretty great year for spy movies. We got the seriously excellent 'Black Bag' in March, and the popcorn thrills of 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' are still delighting audiences in the theatre. But good things often come in threes, and this is no exception. 'The Amateur,' a gripping little action-thriller which arrived in cinemas back in April, perhaps didn't get the love it deserves. The critical reception was mixed, but I'm here to argue its merits now that it's finally arrived on premium video-on-demand via platforms including Apple and Amazon. Starring 'Mr. Robot' lead and Oscar-winner Rami Malek, it's an engaging spy flick very much in the mold of the 'Jason Bourne' franchise. However, don't worry: It's a cut above Bourne's most recent secret agent efforts. Plus, it includes one of my favourite action scenes of the year — though sadly, it was completely spoiled in the various trailers, so preview watcher beware! If you're looking to inject a dose of excitement into your weekend or just want to absorb yourself in a thrilling revenge mission, look to 'The Amateur." Based on the Robert Littell novel of the same name, which was previously adapted into a Canadian movie in 1981, 'The Amateur' opens as many action-thrillers do with CIA decoder Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) living a seemingly perfect life with his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan). When Sarah travels to London, she is murdered in a terrorist attack. Using his own computer wizardry, Charlie identifies those responsible, but is rebuffed by his superiors, and stunned when they refuse to take immediate action. Blackmailing his bosses, he demands to be given expert training at a military base and given a license to hunt down the four assailants himself. New to the spy game, Charlie finds himself in way over his head as he travels across the globe to find the men who killed his wife. But while he's no sharpshooter, his knack for outsmarting his enemies soon becomes his greatest weapon on his revenge mission. Conceptually, 'The Amateur' isn't breaking new ground. Anybody who has seen 2017's 'American Assassin' might get a sense of deja vu about the whole 'man trains as a spy to get revenge for the murder of his girlfriend' narrative, and that's just one example of the trope. It's been used in the genre for decades. But it's a rich well for storytelling that spy media returns to so often for a reason. It's effortlessly compelling. It's very easy to immediately get onboard with Charlie's mission and want to see those responsible for the attack brought to justice. Or at least, what Charlie perceives to be rightful justice. Some critics were scornful of the movie's cold tone, but I found it fitting for both Charlie's detached headspace in the wake of his wife's death and the morally grey world in which he operates. Even his mentor figure, Henderson (Laurence Fishburne), is far from a wisecracking sidekick. It's not a movie full of levity, and it doesn't have to be either. It's very focused, much like Charlie. While the portion that sees Charlie trained up to be at least vaguely competent in the field does drag a little, once he flies off to Paris to begin his quest, the pacing quickens, and it doesn't let up from there. I said there was no levity, but there is an almost comedic element to his first attempted hit as he bumbles his way through his first stab at things. As the movie progresses, Charlie becomes more and more skilled in the role, and by the time he confronts one of his wife's killers at a rooftop pool in Madrid, he's ruthless. It's this scene, which sees him execute a well-staged plan that marks the movie's high point, and it's a shame its culmination is so thoroughly spoiled in the trailer. The focus on brains instead of brawn is probably my favorite aspect of 'The Amateur.' Charlie quickly realizes he can't outmuscle his enemies, or outgun them, but he can outmanoeuvre them. This leads to several thrilling sequences when you think Charlie has been backed into a corner, only for him to reveal he was pulling the puppet strings all along. While the overarching international conspiracy plot does require viewers to suspend their disbelief quite often, the gritty and grounded tone reminds me of the 'Jason Bourne' franchise more than the slightly cheesy suave spy escapade you might find in the 'James Bond' movies. As somebody who's always preferred the former (yes, even as a Brit), that's a win in my books. 'The Amateur' was no flop with critics, but it wasn't a darling either. It currently holds a 61% score on Rotten Tomatoes, enough for a fresh rating, but only just. The site's 'Critics Consensus' reads, 'Rami Malek is a compellingly unconventional action hero in the otherwise formulaic The Amateur, which dispenses justice with solid execution but a curious lack of emotional stakes. However, chalk this one up as another case where viewers were impressed than the critics. 'The Amateur' holds an 88% score on the RT Popcornmeter. Some of the user's recent reviews describe it as 'perfect,' 'thrilling' and 'entertaining'. I certainly wouldn't go as far as to label it flawless, but I certainly agree with the latter two statements. If you enjoy a good spy movie or just can't get enough of action-thrillers (which seem to be all the rage in the streaming world these days), consider giving 'The Amateur' a watch. With a strong leading performance from Malek and some highly suspenseful scenes, it's pretty darn gripping. Not totally sold on "The Amateur"? Here's a roundup of all the top new movies arriving on streaming this week, which offers plenty of extra choices with flicks to suit every mood and taste in cinema.
Chicago Tribune
13-06-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Amy Morton is back on stage in ‘You Will Get Sick' at Steppenwolf Theatre. What took her so long?
Few actors in Chicago theater history command the respect afforded to Amy Morton. Her history goes back to the long-defunct Remains Theatre but is dominated by her decades of work with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, including playing Nurse Ratched in 2000 in Chicago and then on Broadway in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' opposite Gary Sinise; the lead role of Barbara in Tracy Letts' 'August: Osage County,' which played from 2007 to 2009 in Chicago, London, Sydney and on Broadway; and a stunning performances as Martha in a revival of Edward Albee's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' in Chicago and on Broadway between 2010 and 2013. But for more than a decade, Morton, 66, has mostly been found behind a desk on the long-running Dick Wolf TV show 'Chicago P.D.,' playing desk sergeant Trudy Platt. Morton spoke this week at the Steppenwolf Theatre, where she returns to the stage in 'You Will Get Sick' by Noah Diaz, a play about a young man and his caretaker, opening Sunday night in a production directed by Audrey Francis. Our conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Q: How long has it been? 'Hir' was the last one. I don't do years very well but it has been at least eight years. Q: Why has it taken so long to return? Being on the TV show, our hiatus allows only one little space of time to do a play. So it has to be something I really want to do. I read this and was very intrigued by it, and with Audrey directing, it was a no-brainer. Q: You've been on 'Chicago P.D.' for 11 years. But a lot of people reading this story, with all due respect, perhaps don't watch that show. I understand. Q: So where does that fit in the Amy Morton career arc at this point? It came along at such a fortuitous moment. I had done 'August' and 'Virginia Woolf' back to back. The whole odyssey started in 2007 and I wasn't finished until 2014. Both of the characters I was playing walked onto the stage in bad place and it just got worse. For three acts. And by the end of 'Virginia Woolf,' I said, I can't go back on stage. Living that. What it does to the psyche and the soul. I just couldn't do it anymore. So I did not know what I was going to do and then I got this job. I was, and still am, so incredibly grateful that this happened. There was no way I could have gone back on stage. It was just broken. It was just broken for a while. Q: The break came from doing two such devastating plays? Yes. Back to back. It was too much. Q: But if someone had said after that, 'Play this beautifully affirming character in this beautifully affirming play'? I couldn't do eight shows a week. It all felt too brutal. My body, my everything was just done for a while. So getting this job was the best thing that could have happened to me. I love the crew and the cast. I have had a job for this long in my home town that has allowed me not to worry about money. I feel like the luckiest person in the world and I can understand why anyone would hate me. Q: But you're a remarkable artist. I understand you needed a break. But has Sgt. Platt been able to sustain your artistic soul? Not necessarily. But I've been able to do some movies on the side and be a guest artist on 'The Bear.' But also, understand that I'm older now. I don't have the same ambition. I really don't. I remember in my younger days when actors would talk about retiring, I'd say that's insane, actors don't retire. But I don't believe that anymore. I could see myself retiring. And I really don't need to constantly be pursuing a different character all the time. And the great thing for me is that this character on the TV show from the beginning has been very interesting to play. Q: How so? For the first four years, she was such a smartass, it was so much fun. You couldn't tell if she was evil or not and then the show got more serious and she went into a more serious vein and you see a bit less of me. Which is fine. Remember I am working with people who are appearing in every episode, , running after people with a . I am hardly ever outside. I wear the same costume. It's manna from heaven. When other actors are asked which role they wished they could play, they all want to be Platt. I am loath to use the words 'mama bear,' because it is so misogynistic, but she holds the front desk together and is constantly bolstering the team and has inside info into the lead characters. Q: And you like the writing? Yes. I've never had to do anything embarrassing. A lot of people on TV have to do embarrassing things. Not me. Q: So let's get to this play. Why come back with this? Firstly, it's really funny. That was the first thing that peaked my interest. Q: Because you are known for that. I'm not going to be headed back into 'Virginia Woolf' land anytime soon. Also, it's alarmingly moving and very beautiful and I love working with Audrey. She's a really fine director and I was excited to be able to do this with her. She was once was a student of mine and I love that she now is my boss. Q: I have to go back to what you said earlier. What if someone made the argument that an actor should be able to leave those characters at the office? Is there something in you that did not permit you to do that? Your body doesn't know you are lying. So your entire body becomes a giant carpal tunnel. Yes, I could leave it the office, but you hit two in the afternoon or so and your entire being starts to prepare yourself, even without your knowing. To do this job well, in my opinion, there are places that you need to go with those characters that are not fun. It doesn't mean that I stayed in them all night. But those runs were so (expletive) long and plays have a shelf life for a reason.
