logo
Critics hail Celine Song's ‘Materialists' as an ‘exquisitely made' modern love story — not a ‘glossy romantic comedy'

Critics hail Celine Song's ‘Materialists' as an ‘exquisitely made' modern love story — not a ‘glossy romantic comedy'

Yahooa day ago

Writer-director Celine Song's sophomore feature, Materialists, may not match the awards buzz of her Oscar-nominated debut, Past Lives, but critics remain impressed with the filmmaker's storytelling prowess.
In Materialists, Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, an ambitious New York City matchmaker who finds herself torn between the perfect match — the tall, handsome, and wealthy Harry (Pedro Pascal) — and her imperfect ex, John (Chris Evans). Early reviews for the film have been positive, earning it a "certified fresh" rating with an 86 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. "Generally favorable" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 73 percent.
More from GoldDerby
Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reunite, tease 'Meet the Parents 4'
'Heartwarming' yet 'bloated': Film critics are mixed on 'How to Train Your Dragon' live-action remake
'She's got tunnel vision': Wendi McLendon-Covey reveals what she loves most about her character Joyce on 'St. Denis Medical'
Billed as a romcom, Materialists defies traditional genre conventions, with critics noting that Song's filmmaking style elevates the film beyond the familiar tropes of romantic comedy. Caryn James (BBC) wrote, "Materialists is exquisitely made, character-driven and talky, with some glittering dialogue. It's the kind of idiosyncratic film a director sometimes gets to do after a great success and Song makes the most of it." James added that the romantic comedy "is hardly a romcom at all, but something far more original and captivating: a piercingly honest exploration of love and money and the inevitable connection between the two."
The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney calls it, "A refreshingly complex look at modern love, self-worth and the challenges of finding a partner in an unaffordable city, which once again treats three points of a romantic triangle with equal integrity and compassion." Variety's Owen Gleiberman wrote, "While it's all too easy to imagine the breezy '90s version of this movie, Materialists is very much not that movie. It's a sharp and serious social romantic drama full of telling observations about the way we live now."
William Babbiani of The Wrap warns not to judge the film by its trailer. "It's exceptionally intelligent and biting filmmaking," he writes. "If you go into Materialists expecting a glossy romantic comedy — as the trailer for Materialists strongly implies, cutesy 'Material Girl' cover and all — you may emerge deeply disappointed. If you go in expecting a pointed exploration of the commodification of modern romance, you may be deeply impressed."
Not all reviews for Materialists, however, are glowing. Kristen Lopez (The Film Maven) wrote, "Materialists is as shallow as its characters, but so desperately wants to think it isn't. The script is all over the place, and when it finally settles into a groove there still seems to be pieces missing." Justin Chang of The New Yorker wasn't impressed either, noting, "I don't buy it, Jane Austen wouldn't buy it, and deep down I don't think Song buys it. In attempting to merge escapist pleasures with financial realities, Materialists trips up on its own high-mindedness."
Materialists opens in theaters on June 13.
Best of GoldDerby
Stephen King movies: 14 greatest films ranked worst to best
'The Life of Chuck' cast reveal their favorite Stephen King works, including Mark Hamill's love of the 'terrifying' 'Pet Sematary'
From 'Hot Rod' to 'Eastbound' to 'Gemstones,' Danny McBride breaks down his most righteous roles: 'It's been an absolute blast'
Click here to read the full article.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Party of Five' star Scott Wolf's wife Kelley reveals separation after 21-year marriage
'Party of Five' star Scott Wolf's wife Kelley reveals separation after 21-year marriage

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

'Party of Five' star Scott Wolf's wife Kelley reveals separation after 21-year marriage

'Party of Five' star Scott Wolf's wife Kelley reveals separation after 21-year marriage After two decades of marriage, Scott Wolf and his wife Kelley are going their separate ways. Kelley Wolf, who wed the "Party of Five" alum in May 2004, announced the couple's separation in an emotional post on Instagram June 10. "It is with a heavy heart that Scott and I are moving forward with the dissolution of our marriage," Kelley, 48, wrote. "This has been a long, quiet journey for me — rooted in hope, patience, and care for our children," Kelley continued. "While I will not speak publicly about the details, I feel peace knowing that I've done everything I can to walk this path with integrity and compassion." Sydney Sweeney breaks silence on Jonathan Davino breakup, is 'loving' single life USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Scott Wolf for comment. The Teen Choice Awards-nominated actor, 57, shares three children with Kelley: sons Jackson Kayse, 16, and Miller William, 12, and daughter Lucy Marie, 11. "Scott Wolf is one of the best fathers I've ever known and one of the best partners a woman could have the privilege of sharing life with," Kelley wrote. "He is kind, thoughtful, funny, and beautiful in spirit." She continued: "We both look forward to an extraordinary life centered around the most extraordinary children. My priority has always been their well-being — and my own healing. That will never change." 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé While Kelley did not specify the cause of her separation from Wolf, the TV personality said she is "stepping into a chapter of peace, freedom, and protection — with grace." "Please respect our privacy during this time," Kelley concluded. "May we all remember: healing isn't loud. It's sacred. 🤍"

How to Train Your Dragon vs Lilo & Stitch: which live-action remake scored better on Rotten Tomatoes?
How to Train Your Dragon vs Lilo & Stitch: which live-action remake scored better on Rotten Tomatoes?

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

How to Train Your Dragon vs Lilo & Stitch: which live-action remake scored better on Rotten Tomatoes?

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The live-action remake of animated classics has been a trend for a while now, but it's hitting another level this blockbuster movie season, as moviegoers have the choice between two live-action remakes playing in movie theaters at the same time — How to Train Your Dragon, which releases everywhere on June 13, and Lilo & Stitch, which is playing in movie theaters right now. Lilo & Stitch is the latest in Disney's slate of live-action remakes, this one for the 2002 animated movie about a mischievous alien who is befriended by a young girl in Hawaii. Meanwhile, the live-action of 2010's How to Train Your Dragon about a young Viking who becomes the first in his village to befriend a dragon instead of hunt one, is one of the first live-action remakes of a DreamWorks Animation movie. Because of their proximity in release and the fact that they're targeting the same primary audiences (both young kids and even a number of adults who are nostalgic for the animated movies), How to Train Your Dragon and Lilo & Stitch are going to be compared to each other a lot, including with what so many movies are based on these days, their Rotten Tomatoes scores. With reviews for How to Train Your Dragon now available, we're making it easy for you to compare the two with a breakdown of how both movies are scoring on Rotten Tomatoes as of publication (we'll update this post as How to Train Your Dragon gets more reviews in). As of June 10, How to Train Your Dragon has an 83% 'Fresh' score on Rotten Tomatoes. The early takeaway from critics is that the movie is a faithful adaptation of the original animated movie, maybe too much so. Helen O'Hara of Empire Magazine wrote, 'It's clearly made with real love and care, but shows far too much deference to its progenitor. Even in a remake, we need more originality and less playing the hits.' Slant Magazine's Justin Clark adds, 'As heartwarming as this story remains at its core, it's hard to shake that you already know how it will play out.' However, a number of critics praised what the live-action remake brought to the table. Brian Truitt of USA Today called How to Train Your Dragon 'a heartwarming, meaty adventure perfect for a new generation of young film fan (sic) but doesn't forget to entertain the older movie kids, either.' The Associated Press' Lindsey Bahr wrote, 'It's the kind of immersive sensation and giddy wish fulfillment that might just have you forgetting momentarily to breathe and, maybe more importantly, that you're still in a movie theater.' At this time, there are no fan reactions or scores for the movie. For comparison, the original How to Train Your Dragon has a 99% 'Certified Fresh' score on Rotten Tomatoes. The bar that How to Train Your Dragon will have to clear with critics on Rotten Tomatoes is Lilo & Stitch's 72% 'Fresh' score. However, it's worth noting that the Disney live-action remake has a 'Verified Hot' score of 93% from general moviegoers. The original Lilo & Stitch animated movie earned an 86% 'Certified Fresh' score. The critic consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is reminiscent of How to Train Your Dragon — the remake recaptures a lot of what movie fans loved about the original, though critiques revolve it either not quite living up to the original. Still, at 72% 'Fresh,' Lilo & Stitch has one of the better scores for a Disney live-action remake (ahead of 2017's Beauty and the Beast and 2023's The Little Mermaid). While the critical consensus can sum up the general feelings about a movie, the biggest factor for whether a movie is a hit or not is how it performs at the box office. And in that regard, Lilo & Stitch is a bonafide hit. The movie has made $335.7 million as of publication in the US, and $772.5 million worldwide. Those numbers make it the second highest-grossing movie of 2025 in the US to date, and the third highest-grossing in the world. You can watch Lilo & Stitch in movie theaters right now, while How to Train Your Dragon premieres worldwide on June 13. If you want to rewatch the animated movies as well, Lilo & Stitch is streaming exclusively on Disney Plus, while How to Train Your Dragon is streaming on Peacock and Max.

Dakota Johnson has one, non-negotiable dating deal-breaker
Dakota Johnson has one, non-negotiable dating deal-breaker

Fox News

time3 hours ago

  • Fox News

Dakota Johnson has one, non-negotiable dating deal-breaker

Dakota Johnson is sharing her dating deal-breaker. On Monday, the 35-year-old actress appeared on "Today" with Chris Evans to promote their upcoming movie, "Materialists," in which Johnson plays a professional matchmaker and the Marvel star portrays her ex-boyfriend. During the episode, host Craig Melvin asked the duo, "If either of you were to engage with a real-life matchmaker, what would be one non-negotiable for you?" While Evans, 43, shared that any potential interest "must love dogs," his co-star had a more blunt reply. "Like, not an a------," Johnson said to laughter from Evans, Melvin and the audience. "That's concise," Evans quipped with a smile. "There it is. Nail on the head." Johnson might be back in the dating pool after she reportedly split from Chris Martin after eight years together. During an interview June 4 with the Los Angeles Times, Johnson sparked speculation that she and Martin had called it quits as she shared her view on relationships. "For a long time we've all been so quick to judge relationships or how they should happen, how they should exist in the world. When people should get married. Divorce is bad. All these things that actually, if you think about it, why is divorce bad?" " the "Fifty Shades of Grey" star said. "Why do people have to get married or at a certain age or only once? Why? It doesn't matter," Johnson added. Later that day, People magazine reported that Johnson and Martin had ended their on-and-off again relationship and the split appeared to be permanent. "It feels final this time," a source told the outlet. Johnson and the Coldplay frontman have been dating since 2017. Martin was previously married to Gwyneth Paltrow for 10 years. The former couple, who share children Apple, 21, and Moses, 19, announced their separation as a "conscious uncoupling" in 2014. Their divorce was finalized in 2016 but the two have remained on good terms. In December 2020, Johnson and Martin sparked engagement rumors when the "Madame Web" actress stepped out sporting a large emerald ring on her left ring finger. A source told People magazine in March 2024 Johnson and Martin "got engaged years ago but were in no rush to get married." In August 2024, a representative for Johnson denied rumors the pair had decided to part ways. "The reports are not true," Johnson's spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "They are happily together." At the time, a source told People magazine Johnson and Martin's relationship was "going strong." "They've had ups and downs, but now they're definitely back on," the insider shared. The actress previously spoke with Elle U.K. and shed some light on her low-profile relationship with the "Fix You" singer. "We've been together for quite a while, and we go out sometimes, but we both work so much that it's nice to be at home and be cozy and private," Johnson said in 2021. When asked how she and Martin manage to maintain a private relationship, Johnson added, "Most of the partying takes place inside my house."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store