Calvin Wilson

Fruitvale Station has all the impact of a thoroughly researched, well-argued documentary. But Coogler made the right choice in going with drama.

Perhaps the only reason to see it is Elliott, who’s terrific as a man who’s desperate to make amends for his shortcomings. It’s one of his finest and most memorable performances. Unfortunately, the script fails to rise to the level of Elliott’s artistry.

A stark, contemplative and hauntingly brilliant film.

Unsettling yet mesmerizing, The Witch is more of an art film than a horror flick.

In a first-rate cast, Titieni turns in a brilliant performance as a man who sacrifices long-held values to bow to the expediency of the moment.

Working from his own screenplay, director David Lowery (“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”) delivers a risky, challenging film that unfolds with a spellbinding momentum. Just what it all means is left to the viewer to contemplate.

A bit slow to get started, and it's nowhere near as funny as "The Hangover." But it'll make you smile.

The acting is first-rate. Gosling masterfully fills in Luke’s motivational blanks, and Cooper nicely handles Avery’s evolution from idealist to manipulator.

If Barbershop: The Next Cut ends on an improbably upbeat note, the franchise is to be commended for daringly stepping outside its comfort zone.

20th Century Women doesn’t have much of a plot — if it has one at all. But the film beautifully evokes the era just before Ronald Reagan entered the Oval Office.

The result, Pina, is the most spirited and spectacular film about dance since Robert Altman's "The Company."

A timely docudrama about the role of the press in holding politicians accountable. But in the hands of director Steven Spielberg, the film plays more like a thriller than a history lesson.

Often, extending a film franchise signifies a lack of imagination. But Creed is a knockout.

If you’re open to embracing a film that declines to pander to expectations, you should definitely make a date with The Lobster.

If you’re looking for a film that will keep you thrillingly off-balance, this is the place.

A refreshingly down-to-earth comedy-drama about family, ambition and the liberating power of music.

As original and risk-taking as its subject, Steve Jobs will make you think differently about an American icon.

If the film is a bit too slow-paced, it’s also uniquely mesmerizing, with performances that perfectly complement the episodic narrative.

The film is not only hilariously entertaining, but also firmly in the tradition of such political parables as George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”

Certain Women requires patience from the viewer and isn’t for anyone, but it’s a film of quiet and lingering beauty.

Far from being just another crime story, Sicario is cinema at its most ambitious.

Director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”) delivers a moody, visually stunning celebration of existential angst. Not that he skimps on the kind of mayhem that’s de rigueur these days, but you have to wait for it — and wait for it. But when it does arrive, it’s awesome.

Tickets to Pacific Rim Uprising should come with a package of aspirin.

Arrival is science fiction in the classic sense and a film of otherworldly ambition.

With Top Five, Rock has finally made the transition to true movie stardom.

Admission is one film you may not want to get into.

As the deeply principled Donovan, Hanks deftly balances earnestness and humor. And Rylance’s spirited performance is almost certain to yield an Oscar nomination.

Unhurried in its storytelling but unshakable in its impact.