Alan Ng

While The Last Tree is not a happy story nor a political one, it is a real account of immigration with no easy answers. Watch it because it is an honest tale, and Amoo’s masterfully handling of it puts you directly into the shoes of Femi himself.

Director Peter Segal knows what strings to pull to elevate the cuteness factor, and he pulls them hard. It’s all good, actiony fun, when you need a moment to unplug your brain. Even though you’ve seen this all before in other cop buddy movies, it works.

Miss Juneteenth’s brilliance is in its subtlety.

It’s hard to watch StarDog and TurboCat and not think that Disney and Pixar can do this better. The animation is pretty good with standard cartoon movement and character design. It only lacks the photorealistic details and textures associated with Pixar.

The King of Staten Island is big on heart, but short on laughs (in comparison to Train Wreck and 40-Year-Old Virgin), but that’s not a negative. I like that there are only a few over-the-top moments. The laughs occur as a way to break up the seriousness of the story. It balances drama and comedy perfectly.

What sets Robert Fisk apart from the rest is he’s on the ground and in the middle of the action. He is amazingly able to travel (sometimes) to both sides of a conflict and personally eyewitness the event from both perspectives. This is the heart of This is Not a Movie.

Artemis Fowl is not a horrible film, but it had the potential to succeed, yet falls flat in the end.

It’s unique and offers a fresh take on the kitchen environment.

Like a good thriller, Inheritance draws you in and takes you right into the middle of the action. Then when it’s all over, you’ll want to revisit it as soon as possible to pick up on all the little details and clues. It feels real, which adds to the intensity.

2040 is a fantastic and informative documentary.

There is a good amount of dialogue in Waterlily Jaguar, but the dialogue informs us about the character. Bob is not a chatty person, but Le Gros’ portrayal speaks volumes about Bob. Miro Sorvino continues to show she has range and can elevate any character she takes on.

The heart of the film and the source of this thriller’s tension is the interplay between the two brothers, played beautifully by Derek Phillips and Josh Crotty.

In any biography/drama, the key is to make audiences believe this is the real person from history. Capone just never gets there. That could be Al Capone, but nothing in the film makes me believe it’s him, nor emotionally connect with him. Capone wastes a lot of good talent, and it’s a shame.

If you want to hear the story of dreamers fulfilling their outlandish dreams, this is the film.

If you love musicals, teen romance, and the 80s, you’re going to have a blast watching Valley Girl.

Eating Up Easter is another documentary exploring the tension a society faces when confronted with potentially being left behind in a rapidly changing world. Documentaries such as this, always paint progress as the antagonist, and rightfully so. The struggle to hold onto one’s past is an underdog fight and, at times, an unwinnable one.

Waldo On Weed does a fantastic job following Waldo’s adventure of healing and convincing audiences on the benefits of medical marijuana. What sets this film apart from other documentaries on the same subject is the personal battles the Dwyer’s would go through.

What makes Banana Split, so astonishing is its story—written by the film’s star Hannah Marks and co-writer Joey Power. The script is fearless, and the four members of this love triangle (I know) are brilliantly created and well-developed characters.

With Come As You Are, the laughs are good and abundant, the characters are well-defined, and the story takes us on a wild trip to its heartfelt destination.

Watching The Ghost of Peter Sellers is like watching a 15-vehicle car crash in slow motion.

Aaron Fisher’s debut film is decidedly a comedy, but never draws its laughs by making light or fun of Fisher’s real struggles. He just lays his life out there, and its humorous moments bubble to the surface. Amidst the laughs come genuine and authentic moments from Fisher’s personal experiences.

Despite its touching story of family, Collisions goes a little too far in pleading its case for immigration reform and the return of DACA. If you like to engage in political debate, the film does bring up a literal myriad of issues and questions to discuss, but most likely won’t persuade many right-leaning filmgoers.

Queen of Paradis is a fun art documentary from the beautiful collection of Reine Paradis. She, at times, imperils herself for her art and has a sharp sense of humor about it.

The thriller aspect of the film acts as the payoff to audiences for having to sit through extended discussions. While it’s not the most clever or brilliant thriller, it’s exciting nonetheless and will have you on the edge of your seat to the end.

The messaging in Greed does nothing but preach to the choir and keeps us firmly divided in a time where reaching across the aisle would do a helluva lotta good.

As far as thrillers go, The Night Clerk is a little light on thrills. That said, there are more interesting things going on, which makes the film worth watching.

Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik does what he does best. His portrayal is over-the-top funny and clearly, Carrey is in his element. It reminds me a lot of Fire Marshall Bill.

In Standing Up, Falling Down, this new style of comedy is light on laughs, but big on heart, weaving together a story of hope, redemption, and second chances with a solid cast led by Ben Schwartz and Billy Crystal.