Queen of Katwe

Just try to resist the charms of Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe, a triumph-of-the-human-spirit movie that’s ultimately, well, triumphant.

3112d ago

Who knew an uplifting Disney chess movie could be so satisfying?

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David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o deliver nuanced performances in a movie which threatens to back itself into a corner but has enough zest and intelligence to carry through.

3112d ago

Disney’s Queen Of Katwe turns a game of chess into a feel-good family affair.

3112d ago

Nair and Disney shouldn’t be graded on a curve because of their willingness to bring this story to life. The picture is genuinely entertaining and moving, but the fact it even exists in the first place is something you simply cannot dismiss.

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A young girl growing up in one of the poorest areas of Uganda discovers she has a natural aptitude for chess. Her new skill puts her on a path to become a world champion, and changes her life in ways she never dreamt.

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It’s family entertainment in the freshest sense of the term, a biographical drama, based on a true story, that vibrates with more colors — emotional as well as visual — than I can name.

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True story of chess prodigy from Uganda earns every one of its uplifting moments.

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Inspiring, Disneyfied account of a Ugandan teen who went from the slums to the World Chess Olympiads.

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It seems unlikely that Phiona Mutesi ever imagined her life would one day be the subject of a Disney film. But she certainly learned that life is full of surprises. When it comes to movie surprises, “Queen of Katwe” is a truly pleasant one.

3112d ago

Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe approaches the sports movie's conventions with a light, funk-inflected touch.

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It deals in a world of pawns rather than punches, but Queen of Katwe is just as uplifting and feel-good a sports drama as any Rocky movie.

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One of those is the sullen, glowering Harriet (Nyong’o), Phiona’s mother, whose gnashing disapproval of her daughter’s hobby never reads in her dialogue as convincing or compelling. Nair would have been wiser to put the camera on Nyong’o and just let her vivid, extraordinary face speak volumes of truth.

3112d ago

Mira Nair's Queen of Katwe is a true-life tale transformed into an inspirational fable.

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Queen Of Katwe is pretty typical Disney magic, but dynamic performances add a little more oomph to Phiona Mutesi's amazing true story.

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“Queen of Katwe” doesn’t veer from the family-friendly inspirational sports movie playbook — there’s a plucky protagonist looking for a way out, a hardworking single mom concerned about false hopes, a committed coach seeking personal redemption.

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The crowning moment of Queen of Katwe comes during the film’s closing credits when the actors are seen side-by-side with their real-life counterparts, complemented by biographical updates. “Chess makes my brain sharp,” states the uneducated Phiona at one point. Indeed, all of the kids portrayed in the movie are now progressing in school and in life.

3112d ago

Subtlety isn’t the strong suit of Queen of Katwe. But beneath the hackneyed aphorisms, there’s a thrilling story worthy of our attention.

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Sometimes, it’s enough to walk out of a film with your heart warmed — even if your brain’s still craving a little something more.

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David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o star with newcomer Madina Nalwanga in Mira Nair’s biopic of a Ugandan chess prodigy.

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