Lupita Nyong’o – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

THE ODYSSEY – Review by Susan Granger

July 16, 2026August 2, 2026 Susan Granger Anne Hathaway, charlize theron, Christopher Nolan, Homer, Hoyte Van Hoytema, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong'o, matt damon, Robert Pattinson, Ruth De Jong, The Odyssey, Tom Holland, zendaya

Characterized by mythic storytelling, extravagant production values and brawny heroes, sword-and-sandals movies (“Ben-Hur,” “Spartacus,” “Gladiator”) have enjoyed tremendous popularity. Add The Odyssey to that list. British filmmaker Christopher Nolan, collaborating with Dutch cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and production designer Ruth De Jong, envisions Homer’s nearly 3,000-year-old, nonlinear epic poem as a weary Greek warrior’s tortuous journey home. Filled with challenges and conflict, it can be viewed as an exciting, episodic adventure saga or, delving deeper, as an allegory about the consequences of temptation in a man’s spiritual quest for identity and enlightenment.

Reviews

THE ODYSSEY – Review by T.J. Callahan

July 16, 2026July 16, 2026 T. J. Callahan Anne Hathaway, charlize theron, Christopher Nolan, Homer, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong'o, matt damon, Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey, Tom Holland, zendaya

It’s safe to say that in The Odyssey writer/director Christopher Nolan and quite possibly Matt Damon, too, have killed more people than Cecil B. DeMille ever did in all of his epic films. Nolan’s adaptation of the Ancient Greek epic poem by Homer is a masterpiece for the 21st century and years to come. In his quest for the best, Nolan has outdone all the rest reaching the crest of moviemaking with The Odyssey. He not only put his actors, but himself to the absolute test of stamina, agility, and patience. It’s all done with zest and some jest, lest he’d become a pest for perfection.

Reviews

THE ODYSSEY – Review by Diane Carson

July 16, 2026July 19, 2026 Diane Carson Anne Hathaway, charlize theron, Christopher Nolan, Homer, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong'o, matt damon, Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey, Tom Holland, zendaya

Experiencing the film on its own terms transports the viewer into a multidimensional world. Its non-linear unfolding of multiple challenges and seductions remains clear and informative, as it navigates flashbacks and the trials of the Cyclops, Circe, the Sirens, and rebellion in the face of the belief that Odysseus has offended the gods, not the least of them Poseidon. The final confrontation achieves, as it should, a satisfying conclusion to Nolan’s admittedly distinctive interpretation.

Reviews

THE ODYSSEY – Review by Valerie Kalfrin

July 16, 2026July 17, 2026 Valerie Kalfrin Anne Hathaway, charlize theron, Christopher Nolan, Homer, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong'o, matt damon, Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey, Tom Holland, zendaya

Based on Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey ticks off several captivating touchstones from this enduring work, such as the Cyclops and other perils that besiege Odysseus (Matt Damon, The Rip), the king of Ithaca who struggles to return home after the decade-long Trojan War. Yet here, his journey becomes a reckoning for men who act like gods, with hubris that comes late, if at all.

Reviews

THE ODYSSEY – Review by Susan Kamyab

July 16, 2026July 16, 2026 Susan Kamyab Anne Hathaway, charlize theron, Christopher Nolan, Homer, John Leguizamo, Lupita Nyong'o, matt damon, Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey, Tom Holland, zendaya

Following the success of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan delivers an even greater cinematic achievement. He takes what could have been a familiar ancient Greek tale and transforms it into a breathtaking IMAX adventure that feels both timeless and completely fresh. His ability to capture the scale and intensity of Odysseus’ journey is remarkable, turning mythology into a full cinematic experience. Through subtle horror elements, haunting imagery, and a constant sense of danger, Nolan creates a world that feels as beautiful as it is terrifying.

Reviews

THE WILD ROBOT – Review by Susan Granger

February 10, 2025February 13, 2025 Susan Granger Bill Nighy, catherine ohara, dreamworks, DreamWorks Animation, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, Pedro Pascal, Peter Brown, Stephanie Hsu, The Wild Robot, Ving Rhames

When a storm at sea dislodges a shipping container from a cargo ship, a large box washes ashore on a faraway island inhabited only by animals. Battered and bruised but incredibly resilient, the sole occupant of the box is a Rozzum 7134 android assistant (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o) that can walk, talk, assimilate information and help around the house. She’s designed to serve. Confused about her kindly nature, the animals (beavers, possums, porcupines, deer, bears) view Roz as a monster and try to kill her – until by accident she accidentally crushes all but one goose egg in a nest.

Reviews

THE WILD ROBOT – Review by Susan Kamyab

October 25, 2024November 1, 2024 Susan Kamyab Bill Nighy, catherine ohara, dreamworks, DreamWorks Animation, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, Pedro Pascal, Peter Brown, Stephanie Hsu, The Wild Robot, Ving Rhames

While the animation is stunning, the beauty of this movie is the simplicity. Director Chris Sanders has taken Peter Brown’s story and effectively touched on the current state of humanity, the impacts of global warming, and most importantly, the significance of compassion and motherhood. It may sound like a basic or familiar plot, but through its characters, visuals, and subtly it’s a surprisingly refreshing tale. Lupita Nyong’o and Kit Connor’s mother-son relationship is breath-taking and will likely make you want to immediately hug your own mother or parental figure in your life. It also reminds us; you don’t have to give birth to a child to give them life.

Reviews

THE WILD ROBOT – Review by T.J. Callahan

September 25, 2024 T. J. Callahan Bill Nighy, catherine ohara, dreamworks, DreamWorks Animation, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, Pedro Pascal, Peter Brown, Stephanie Hsu, The Wild Robot, Ving Rhames

What would an intelligent robot do in the wilderness? Find out in DreamWorks’ computer animated sci-fi adventure, The Wild Robot, based on the New York Times bestselling children’s book series by Peter Brown. We get to know Roz (ROZZUM unit 7134) after the utilitarian android is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings while building relationships with the variety of animals living there plus taking care of an orphaned baby goose. It’s Castaway meets Wall-E meets Migration.

Reviews

THE WILD ROBOT – Review by Valerie Kalfrin

September 25, 2024September 25, 2024 Valerie Kalfrin Bill Nighy, catherine ohara, dreamworks, DreamWorks Animation, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, Pedro Pascal, Peter Brown, Stephanie Hsu, The Wild Robot, Ving Rhames

I’ve long had a weakness for robots that burst with personality, from R2-D2 to The Iron Giant to WALL-E. The Wild Robot, while not as transcendent as 2008’s WALL-E, is nevertheless a gorgeous and gratifying animated film about discovering where you fit. Through a robot that experiences empathy, it encourages an audience’s compassion, celebrating kindness as a survival skill.

Festivals Reviews

THE WILD ROBOT (TIFF 2024) – Review by Nadine Whitney

September 16, 2024September 15, 2024 Nadine Whitney animation, Bill Nighy, catherine ohara, Chris Sanders, Lupita Nyong'o, Matt Berry, Pedro Pascal, Peter Brown, The Wild Robot, TIFF 2024

Adapted from the beloved grade school illustrated novel by Peter Brown, Chris Sanders’ The Wild Robot is an enchanting fable about purpose, identity, kindness as a way to survive. The Wild Robot is an adventure story about unlikely heroes, but more than that it’s a story about motherhood and ‘instinct’ – or programming. The Wild Robot is a superb film that is richly layered rewarding viewers of all ages.

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