Empire of Light Is Somber, Static, and ShallowStarring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, and Colin Firth, Sam Mendes’s film about mental illness and racism in early ’80s England is wan and lifeless.
The Staircase Defies ExpectationsA seminal true-crime story takes on new dimension in a scripted series that proves there’s still more to say about Michael and Kathleen Peterson.
The Mercy Is Both Moving and ConfusingIt’s got Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz in top form, and The Mercy nails the emotion, but comes up somewhat short as a narrative.