Brian Truitt

It is definitely the summer for talking animals taking over the cinema, but Kubo manages to rise above the rest of its peers with a wondrous coming-of-age tale full of ancient soul.

While at times bleak, A Ghost Story isn't devoid of hope. More essentially, the best film so far this year is a thought-provoking, singularly special masterpiece about love, mortality and how our heart keeps beating even after it stops.

It’s easy to fall for these “Widows” when themes of class, religion, grief, gender, injustice and race are married to terrific action sequences and a gang of looting ladies stealing the show.

In his previous works, Chazelle mined the flawed soul of artists in tales that were notably personal, while First Man is a story of an introvert that too often feels distant.

Soul is a jazzy and profound riff on humanity and the hereafter, an entertaining, exuberant effort about our existence with comedic shenanigans, deep thoughts and wondrous imagination.

Shi crafts a heartwarming, empowering and fun narrative about female puberty and a changing mother/daughter relationship.

Washington (son of Denzel) has an impressive Afro and winning charisma as the first black cop in town.

The combination of the adventurous Spielbergian lens and a dynamite John Williams score jazzes up the most mundane newspaper conventions, from a copy editor striking words with a red pen to trucks rolling out with first editions. If only the same heroic anthems accompanied the writing of a movie review.

Equally powerful and feel-good, Creed is an entertaining reminder that this franchise isn’t down for the count yet.

The satisfying and heart-wrenching climax is a last reminder that Caesar’s new adventure is one of this summer’s best.

A Quiet Place is essentially "Alien" on a farm: Even though there are cornfields and land for days, there's a constant state of panic and claustrophobia for a family stalked by monsters who attack anything that makes noise.

Wickedly hilarious.

While “Challengers” falls nebulously somewhere between a coming-of-age flick, dysfunctional relationship drama and snazzy sports extravaganza, Guadagnino nevertheless holds serve with yet another engaging, hot-blooded tale of flawed humans figuring out their feelings.

Sorkin's script is clever and knowing — at one point late in the proceedings, Jobs wonders aloud why “everybody gets drunk” and takes him to task five minutes before every event. It's a small moment that breaks the fourth wall in the slightest and smartest of ways.

While Holdovers is plenty funny, Payne’s film – as with his “Sideways” – skillfully balances the humor with headier themes of personal loss, family strife and mental health.

The best of Lee’s joints straddle the history that’s happened and the history being written now, and Da 5 Bloods successfully follows suit with themes of modern civil unrest and activism existing alongside images of Vietnam hero Milton L. Olive III and activist Angela Davis.

A deep and adventurous exploration of canines as man's (and one particular kid's) best friend.

Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic Blade Runner popularized the cyberpunk movement (a gritty mix of neo-noir and hardcore sci-fi) back in the day, but 2049 perfects it. Super-stylish and deeply human — even with androids and holograms around — the spectacular follow-up takes the detective story of the first film and turns it into a grand mythology of identity, memory, creation and revolution.

Eastwood, who spends much of Uprising squinting like his dad, Clint, plays buttoned-up straight man to Boyega, a dynamic that's initially grating yet finds its legs in the monster-punching stuff later.

Arrival is such a beautiful and thought-provoking film that it almost singlehandedly makes up for every bad aliens-coming-to-Earth film you’ve ever seen. Yes, even Independence Day: Resurgence.

Everything Everywhere is an action-packed club sandwich of weird, but also a splendidly human experience to cherish.

Coco is one of Pixar’s most gorgeously animated outings in some time.

While not phenomenal, especially compared to the rest of the Spielberg oeuvre, Spies still hits the spot.

The iconic first lady is given emotional complexity and rich understanding through a stirring and ambitious performance by Natalie Portman.

As much of a wry hoot as it is, with Wright as the film's enjoyably irascible lead, Jefferson also weaves in a dysfunctional family drama that gives it emotional heft to complement the hilarity.

Peele is this generation’s Hitchcock, for sure, but also a true American original with introspective themes in hand and suspense to spare.

It all comes down to men behaving badly and greed rules all, though at least you’ll laugh and seethe along the way.

The "Hamilton" creator and the island personalities of Moana make beautiful music together in this charming seafaring epic.