Illustration by Mary Jane DeCarlo

KEY

4 = Great; 3 = Good; 2 = Fair; 1 = Poor; 0 = Ooh, let’s not go there

BY NICOLAS MACOTTO 

Bohemian Rhapsody:

Will it, will it rock you? Not entirely. Rami Malek’s performance as the great Freddie Mercury is without a doubt a highlight, but who is Freddie? The problem with musical biopics is that they often drill through the portrayed star’s outward persona and expose their ambition for being famous. With “Bohemian Rhapsody,” that’s not the case. We do not understand why he does what he does, so the film leaves us with more questions rather than answers.
The film is also quite historically inaccurate. For example, they show that Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in 1985 before Live Aid when he was actually diagnosed in 1987, after the event. Another instance is the fact that music label executive Ray Foster is actually a fictional character used for the sake of this film. It may also have impressive editing montages, a strong supporting cast and probably the greatest finale in this genre of all time, but in the end, another one bites the dust. [Star Rating: 2.5/4]

Widows:

Fans of director Steve McQueen should know that he is not one to pull a punch. If he did, his latest film would not be worth watching. This time, he tackles sexism, racism and police brutality with characters that are all caught in a web of corruption. Viola Davis brings her A-game once again, as does everyone else in the cast. Michelle Rodriguez proves her authenticity through rawness, while Daniel Kaluuya is so terrifying we may never look at him the same ever again.
The first act may seem too convoluted, as there are numerous characters to introduce, but the twists and turns we would never have seen coming keep the audience on the edge of our seats.
It is an intense movie, but as it features a diverse cast of women in the lead, it ends up being the film we need to see right now. [Star Rating: 3.5/4]