Bradley Gibson

Novelist Cormac McCarthy explored the idea that violence can be regenerative and redemptive. In Sisu: Road to Revenge, Helander has painted that concept on the movie screen 20 feet tall, near death, and dripping with gore. By becoming inhumane, Aatami seeks to recover his humanity. Never before will you have felt so cleansed by such brutality.

Normally film is considered a director’s medium, but this one belongs to cinematographer Paolo Carnera. The footage of Felice rediscovering Naples is nothing short of stunning. Martone wisely understands that he has three resources in Nostalgia that other filmmakers do not: Carnera’s eye, Favino’s acting ability to quietly emote with no wasted motion, and a city that is heartbreakingly beautiful to behold.

Usually, films of plays are dull things. Limited access to camera angles, bad sound, lighting that doesn’t work for the movie camera. Theater and film are (appropriately) distinct media. Enter Spike Lee. He’s a master craftsman and his skills are as relevant as ever. Lee made use of all those potential disadvantages to inform his cinematic vision and encapsulate the stage performance into a striking moving picture.

Friedkin gives us a master class on the creative process of film and a set of expertly told war stories that thrill and inform. It just doesn’t get better than this.

Send Help is a brilliant, startlingly gory dark comedy. Sam Raimi still has that old magic.

The Belcher family’s adventures are heartwarmingly engaging as they pull together while annoying the crap out of each other. The music is catchy, and the characters are beautifully drawn, both figuratively and literally. The Bob’s Burgers Movie is the best family-musical-murder-mystery for the Adventure Time generation you’ll see this summer.

The appeal of M.C. Escher: Journey into Infinity is near-universal. It’s hard to imagine not falling under its mesmerizing spell with the same wonder that one would gaze on an Escher print and feel their mind slowly becoming part of the pattern depicted.

Chasing Chasing Amy is Sav Rodgers’ heartfelt, transparent, and articulate look at what it is to grow up gay and transgender in a world of heteronormative hostility. This is, hands-down, one of the best film experiences you will ever have.

Highest 2 Lowest is brilliant filmmaking done as only Spike Lee can.

Superb acting by all the leads and supporting players populate the desolate landscape with human dramas large and small in a place where people scrape a living out of harsh conditions.

The film is described as “docufiction,” meant to present an authentic sketch of working-class Australian life. While we are not always seeing the real events, we are getting the concentrated essence.

Hanging by a Wire emphasizes the self-reliance of the people of Battagram, who are accustomed to solving problems on their own. Naqvi brings us along to witness their strength and determination on display.

Haynes carefully navigates the risky terrain of presenting real people (who are still among us) and facts in a scripted feature film, artfully blurring the lines between documentary and drama.

This film is not going to be for everyone, but for those who love horror served with a mean little edge of snarky humor, it’s quite a ride.

Scheinert adroitly conveys both the pathos and the humor of the situation. As dumb as the main characters are, the film itself is very clever.

For fans of Breaking Bad, it’s a satisfying return to and continuation of the story.

Watchmen: Chapter 1 is a delight for fans, and great follow up for those who enjoyed the comics and want to see more. Future chapters promise to be just as amazing.

To be authentic to the book, Nichols tells a story grounded in reality to paint an indelible, searing image of a moment fixed in time.

LaBruce dresses up kink in priestly robes and biker leather and raw skin and sets it out on a runway walk in open daylight.

Her responses and her journey, set alongside her own art, give a unique perspective on that meditation as well as to the crucial importance of art to document our time, to share experiences, and to enhance the quality of life.

The level of craft in Poe’s feature debut exceeds that of directors with more experience and portends a long career with more wonderful art to come. In Selah and the Spades, she has created a new classic tale of power, love, hate, loyalty, and betrayal featuring a stunningly talented cast.

Crime 101 will get your pulse pounding on a wild ride.

Soucy’s documentary joyfully fulfills the mission of educating and entertaining, infused with the tremendous delight and loyalty of all those who worked with this seemingly magical production group.

Not enough can be said about Cage’s performance. He truly has shaken off all pretense of self-consciousness and can just go “full send” on playing frustrated hysteria and sheer unabashed lunacy. He is simply unmatched and fearless in this type of role. He has elevated shrieking madness to pure art.

Lough has attempted impartiality by showing both sides without overtly stating a position. Either side could interpret the film as presenting evidence supporting their ideology. This both works and does not.

Director May El-Toukhy paints an engaging, uncompromising film in bold strokes, never looking away or shrinking from Anne’s boldness to act on her desires, or her willingness to remorselessly do whatever she must to restore the status quo of her life.

The characters are compelling, but I would like to have known more about how Peter came to this place in his life.

Wonka is fluffy, loud, colorful, and goofy. King is not looking to expand on the literary legacy of Roald Dahl; it’s not that serious.