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Released just in time for the Christmas season, Netflix’s Mary purports to be an epic biblical narrative about the story of Mary (Noa Cohen) and the birth of Jesus Christ. The film begins with Mary’s parents praying for a child after years of failed attempts. After both are visited by Archangel Gabriel (Dudley O'Shaughnessy), they are blessed with a daughter who they are told will need to live in the service of God when called upon. As soon as she becomes a teenager, she’s sent away to a temple in order to fulfill that service. After some time, she encounters a young man named Joseph (Ido Tako) who is guided towards her by Gabriel. Subsequently, Mary is betrothed to him by her father. After committing to their engagement, but before their actual marriage, Mary is visited by the same angel and told she is pregnant with God’s child.

When Netflix's new film Mary was released, it was met with low reviews from audiences and critics alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rotten critics' score of 27% and an audience score of 43%. Although the film's tone was a main concern for many viewers, the inaccuracies were an even larger flaw for most.

With more than 40 producers credited in the film, including megachurch pastor Joel Osteen, it's a surprise that inaccuracies would be allowed to slip through the cracks. Catholic director D. J. Caruso told Entertainment Weekly that he wanted the film "to ensure authenticity" when defending the decision to cast Israeli actors in the film despite controversy. However, the final product doesn't seem like the team behind Mary actually wanted the film to be that authentic.

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2/5 Mary

Release Date  December 6, 2024Runtime  110 MinutesMain Genre  DramaCast  Anthony Hopkins,...

Vin Diesel is (fast and) furiously moving through a bevy of new creative projects. There’s Fast X: Part 2, the second installment of Fast X, which arrives in 2026. Meanwhile, Mary director D.J. Caruso, who worked with Diesel on xXx: Return of Xander Cage, is reportedly taking on another Diesel franchise offering, xXx 4, which has yet to head into production. Recently, Caruso and Diesel haven't hidden their immense appreciation for each other.

In early 2024, Diesel captured attention after posting an Instagram comment about Caruso, mentioning how his daughter, Hania Riley Sinclair, was moved to tears when she read a script Caruso gave him to consider. “My oldest daughter read the script that D.J. sent to me, thinking that it would fall into The Pacifier bracket,” the star wrote. “She cried… I asked her why she cried, and she said because the story of a brother and sister rang true for her,...

A tough-as-nails mother ready to risk it all for humanity? No, it’s not the latest Charlize Theron action thriller; it’s Mary, the ambitious and lavish Netflix production directed by DJ Caruso. Think of this as a coming-of-age biblical epic that tracks the Blessed Mother’s ordeals, as chronicled in the Bible — from being shunned following a miraculous conception to running into hiding. And it wouldn’t be a biblical tale without King Herod (a steely Anthony Hopkins), of course, meaning a devilish pursuit of the newborn baby Jesus, who Mary and Joseph (Noa Cohen and Ido Tako) try to hide. Faith, courage, and determination are big themes. The takeaway is how fierce and faithful a mother can be.

Viewers may not feel that devoted, though. Mary suffers from wanting to cram in too much and, at times, not enough. There’s no mention of the Roman Empire, for instance,...

"Enter town, then get out of it." Netflix has launched the first official trailer for Mosul, an intense action-thriller directed by Matthew Michael Carnahan, an acclaimed screenwriter making his feature directorial debut. This film premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year, and also stopped by TIFF, and is produced by the Russo Brothers - Joe & Anthony. One of their first big non-Marvel projects following all the Avengers movies. An extraordinary true story of heroism in the face of overwhelming odds, a police unit from Mosul fights to liberate the Iraqi city from thousands of Isis militants. Shot entirely in Arabic - the movie stars Suhail Dabbach (Major Jasem), Adam Bessa (Kawa), Is'haq Elias (Waleed), plus Hayat Kamille, Waleed Elgadi, Thaer Al-Shayei, Ben Affan, and Mohimen Mahbuba. This looks like one hell of a rough & tumble action movie, and I'm so glad they made it without ...

We present our interviews from the Tiff premiere of Iraq war drama Mosul, telling the harrowing story of the occupation of the city of Mosul from 2014 to 2017. The film was written and directed by Matthew Michael Carnahan., and produced by Avengers directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The film stars Waleed Elgadi, Hayat Kamille, Suhail Dabbach, Adam Bessa, Mohimen Mahbuba, Ben Affan and Isaac Elias.

The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, and these are the interviews from the red carpet.

Synopsis:

Between 2014 and 2017, Isis occupied the Iraqi city of Mosul. During those years, the only group to fight the occupiers continuously was Nineveh province’s Swat unit, made up of local men who had either been injured or had a family member killed by Isis. Carnahan’s Mosul is a gripping tribute to these fighters for whom the incentives were intensely personal. Kawa (Adam Bessa), a 21-year-old police officer,...

We’re still waiting for the role that will prove that Jon Hamm has a future after Mad Men. This middling hostage negotiation drama doesn’t insult our intelligence yet is still not that much more impressive than an average ‘let’s go to a war zone!’ episode of NCIS. Rosamund Pike plays an intrepid diplomat/agent who chooses to go rogue with Hamm’s character because (surprise) the system is so corrupt.

Beirut

Blu-ray + DVD + Digital

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment/Bleeker Street

2018 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 110 min. / Street Date July 3, 2018 / 34.98

Starring: Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike, Mark Pellegrino, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, Douglas Hodge, Leila Bekhti, Kate Fleetwood.

Cinematography: Björn Charpentier

Film Editor: Andrew Hafitz

Original Music: John Debney

Written by Tony Gilroy

Produced by Ted Field, Tony Gilroy, Monica Levinson, Shivani Rawat, Mike Weber

Directed by Brad Anderson

Back in 1981 United Artists briefly distributed an amazing French- produced movie by...