Bobby LePire

The cast is perfect in every way, and each actor brings the right amount of silly and serious to their respective role. This might not be quite as good as Kaufman’s beloved property, nor as brilliant as the stage musical, which remains the definitive distillation of Toxie’s antics. Still, it is a damned fun time at the movies with enough nods and references to please even the most diehard of Troma purists.

Peak Season is a well-written and engaging drama. The characters are likable and relatable. The three leads are perfect and play off each other wonderfully.

Thanks to the stylish direction and strong cast, the film is sure to terrify and delight everyone who dares to play along.

Max Reload And The Nether Blasters is terrific fun. The acting is great, the action is fun, the dialogue humorous, and the plot original.

The Brink Of is a darn good film. The cast is great, and the songs are even better. What more does one need from a dramatic musical romance?

You Are Not My Mother burrows underneath the nerves and stays there. It accomplishes this thanks to the amazing cast and strong visuals, which are ideally suited to the intense material.

The Night Of The 12th will emotionally exhaust audiences and get under their skin with its haunting ending.

The blending of animation and live-action is incredible, the pacing is swift, and the cast gives it their all. When combined with the strange but excellent sense of humor and strong characters, the picture becomes a lovely surprise. Overall, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is a fast-paced, humorous, action-packed ride the whole family will get a kick out of.

Even though the screenplay does not explore every character’s backstory enough to work fully, the film is still an engaging coming-of-age story with an utterly brilliant ending.

Suitable Fresh is wild and weird, but it has something to say beneath all the kinks and mind games.

Terezin is a compelling WWII tale that finds a new way to approach the evils the Nazis perpetuated upon an undeserving people. The direction is splendid, and the cast is magnificent.

Thanks to a smart screenplay, excellent, stylish direction, and an outstanding cast from top to bottom, the entire production will unnerve and shake up all watching.

The Last Autumn is a marvel to look at. The powerful imagery immerses audiences into a world most don’t know about. In fact, there are times when things feel rather otherworldly.

Shepard is smart enough to helm Unsettled as more than just an observational documentary. He wants the viewer to be stirred and inspire them to act for change. He does so by employing a fantastic score that perfectly matches the highs and lows these people experience. And instead of going for big and flashy, Shepard keeps the focus rather grounded, which makes it more intimate, thus more emotionally rewarding.

The finale of Zero Avenue is as brutal and wild as one would hope. Even though the first five minutes are a little patchy, the rest of the film easily overcomes those issues. The two leads are great, the plot is very original and exciting, and the director maintains a tense atmosphere.

Ten Tricks is a sweet, goofy little comedy about sex. If that or any of the stars appeal to potential audience members, then prepare for a sexy and silly time.

True creativity is not always found in creating something new but figuring out ingenious solutions to seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and these people are very creative.

The Last Stop In Yuma County is a stylish, great-looking noir with an excellent cast.

Spaz does not break any ground in terms of style and technique. However, the main subject is fascinating all on his own, and his story is equally as compelling. The good, the bad, and the ugly are presented here for everyone to consider and draw their own conclusions about Spaz’s work and temperament.

The story structure and characters are compelling, while their actions are intentionally offputting. Plus, the meta-angle isn’t overplayed and is used just enough to make everyone watching question where the plot will go next.

My Dead Dad could have been histrionic, filled with overacting, based on just its plot synopsis. However, thanks to carefully written characters, an excellent cast, and some jaw-droppingly inspired editing, the drama finds the truth in the small moments between people.

Porcelain War is an engaging, timely look at art, war, homeland pride, and the resilience of the human spirit. While it is not subtle, it is impactful and never dull.

Sleep No More may not be flawless, but it is a solid and entertaining watch. The pacing is mostly excellent as things move so fast audiences barely have time to breathe. The cast is phenomenal and makes even underwritten parts feel whole. [2024 re-release]

It is an anxiety-inducing production that is bolstered by the astounding performances of Patric and Krause. While the ending is weak, two-thirds of the film works so wonderfully it is still worth watching.

The Cuban does not develop everything in its screenplay to complete satisfaction. But what’s there is very good and believable. Combine that with the jaw-dropping directing and visual style, along with the pitch-perfect cast, and you are left with a compelling drama that is well worth it, flaws and all.

For its searing look at mental deterioration in solitary confinement and ingrained racism in the prison system, Caged is an absolute must-watch, minor flaws and all.

The cast is excellent, and the story structure is so unique that it is refreshing. Bareisa has taken the family drama formula and reworked it entirely into something heartfelt, heartbreaking, and utterly absorbing.

While the more dramatic side of The Planters does not totally gel, when the movie works, it is a slice of delightfully idiosyncratic comedic genius. The cast is terrific, the screenplay is amusing, and the whole affair is immensely rewatchable.