Chris Evangelista

Cronin and his team work overtime to make this movie gross, filled with goo and guts and uncomfortable squelching noises. A lifetime of horror movies has made me mostly immune to such things, but the third act of this film goes to such gruesome places that a woman at my screening who had inexplicably brought her very young child to this R-rated movie quickly scooped her kid up and hurried out of the theater.

Sometimes you want to see a fine-tuned work of precision pop art like "Jaws," and sometimes you just want to watch a CGI shark bite a guy on the ass. We, as movie-watchers, contain multitudes.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of Exit 8 will hinge on how much repetitiveness you're willing to tolerate. Liminal space horror fans will likely enjoy the film's moody aesthetic, and there are times where Exit 8 feels like a movie to be digested via spooky gifs and screenshots. Exit 8 may very well give you the creeps, but that might not be enough.

There's a lot of room for cheap, silly schlock here, but Goldhaber and Mazzei actually attempt to take this (sort of) seriously, which results in a far better movie than you might be expecting.

undertone is so effectively spooky that I found my eyes nervously darting to shadows as I walked to my car after the screening. The best horror movies don't need cheap jumpscares, they just need to make you feel like something dreadful is out there, lurking, waiting to make itself heard.

Using the framework of territory as well-worn as "Bride of Frankenstein" (which, to be fair, was pretty subversive for its time) to launch such a visually sumptuous, unapologetically bold story of love, graphic violence, and rage has to count for something. At a time when movie studios taking big risks and big swings feels more unlikely than ever, "The Bride!" is willing to charge headfirst into intentional audacity.

It's slick, solid, and filled to the brim with talented actors digging in and making the most of a not-entirely-nutritious meal.

I had oodles of fun watching Raimi go wild and give McAdams a chance to play the type of unhinged weirdo she hasn't really played before.

The Rip does give us a handful of scenes where Damon and Affleck's characters bro out, but these are brief flashes of light in a sea of darkness. I'm all for dark and gritty crime dramas, but "The Rip" never feels like much of a movie, more like a pilot for a new, particularly violent "Law & Order" spin-off. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are movie stars, why hire them for anything less?

I left 28 Years Later nervous about what might come next. After The Bone Temple, I'm thrilled at the prospect of where this story could go. That's what I call progress.

Greenland 2 still feels like a silly disaster pic at times. But it's a cut above the rest, mostly because it's less interested in grand spectacle and more focused on everyday people just trying to make it through another damn day. We can all relate to that.

This is unquestionably the best performance of Timothée Chalamet's career, and Marty Supreme is one of the best movies of the year. I can't wait to watch it again.

Some might wish the filmmaker had avoided current politics at all, but the "Knives Out" films are very much a reflection of our modern times, and Johnson clearly has an uncomfortable but important message he's trying to preach: faith and belief are good things ... until someone starts using them the wrong way.

Mescal is quite good and tender in these final moments, as Will grapples with his grief. But it is Buckley who remains the shining beacon that keeps "Hamnet" alive.

There are certain movies that grab you from the jump, and Train Dreams is one of them — as the film began its journey, I felt instantly connected to it; engrossed, near hypnotized. I didn't want it to end.

The Carpenter's Son might just be creepy enough to work for you even if you've managed to go your whole life without religion or faith. But I imagine it works even better if you've spent some time in church.

For all his skills, Wright seemingly can't pin down what he wants "The Running Man" to be. The action isn't very exciting, the satire is unoriginal, and the over-reliance on weird product placement (both Liquid Death and Monster Energy get distracting shout-outs here) make the entire picture feel manufactured. I had high hopes that Wright could get "The Running Man" across the finish line, but the film stumbles right out of the gate.

The film lives and dies with Lawrence, who's fearless performance here reminds us why she became so acclaimed to begin with. Let's hope we start seeing more of her again now that she's back.

This is ultimately a worthwhile musician biopic if only for Jeremy Allen White's thoughtful, tortured performance. He's so damn good playing Bruce Springsteen that you more or less want to forgive the movie its flaws.

This is a truly beautiful film. But these visuals wouldn't be nearly as effective if del Toro had neglected the emotional heft of the story. Thankfully, he has Elordi to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

It's sick and twisted enough to stick with you, and the closing moments are particularly delightful (in a bleak sort of way). I just wish it all added up to a little bit more.

Good Boy may not exactly reinvent the haunted house subgenre, but it proves you can still teach an old dog new tricks.

A House of Dynamite delivers on its promise of creating a gripping, well-crafted, anxiety-inducing thriller that sticks with you.

Poor conclusion aside, Him clearly indicates that Justin Tipping is a filmmaker to watch, especially if he wants to stick around in the horror genre. Best of all, though, it serves as a wonderful showcase for Marlon Wayans, who has never really been as good as he is here, turning in a performance that's both incredibly fun and undeniably unsettling. I just wish the rest of the movie could match his energy.

This film frequently feels like a powder keg ready to go off...And yet, Anderson also keeps the film consistently fun and funny. Nearly everything DiCaprio is doing here is hilarious.

Whenever the film was on the verge of losing me, O'Brien's steady, remarkable performance brought me back. He really is that good here, and honestly, that might just be enough.

Whatever the flaws of The Conjuring series as a whole, "Last Rites" feels like a worthy conclusion.

If you've stuck with the "Hell House LLC" franchise this long, you might be interested in the answers "Lineage" provides. Whatever the flaws in his design, Cognetti deserves credit for trying to expand on such a simple idea with such a modest budget. And there are some moments here — mostly involving those damn clowns — that invoke the right amount of dread.

Whatever the flaws in Lee's remake design, Highest 2 Lowest rises above its issues thanks to the filmmaker's inherent skill and Washington's unbeatable charisma.

A wonderful mixture of bad vibes and macabre fun, Weapons is one of the best horror movies of the year, and further confirmation that writer-director Zach Cregger is one of the most exciting voices in the genre right now.

Unapologetically silly, disarmingly earnest, and intentionally corny, Gunn's movie is entertaining, fast-paced, and, most important of all, fun.

The ending is a massive disappointment, but it can't undo everything that came before it. Boyle and his team have conjured up a kind of sensory overload — the blend of violence, mixed-media, and a frequently jarring soundtrack swirl together with feverish effect. "28 Years Later" is both scary and touching, and that's not easy to achieve. It's impressive, effective, and memorable. But someone should have told Boyle to nix that finale.

Sure, it's a lot of fun watching beautiful assassin Ana de Armas pick up a flamethrower and burn some dudes to a crisp, but a film featuring such an exciting concept shouldn't be this forgettable.

After the original "Fear Street" trilogy, I was itching to return to Shadyside. It was not worth the wait.

If you like your horror bleak, mean, and scary in ways you can't quite articulate, you're in for a wonderfully nasty treat.

And yet, The Final Reckoning is too messy, too awkward, too clumsy. It somehow feels overlong and inert even as it never slows down.

By the time Havoc ended, I felt as exhausted as Hardy's beaten and bruised character. I suppose Evans and company deserve some credit for making an action movie that really leans into the brutality, but there's only so much of that you can put up with before it starts to grow tedious.

There's nothing offensively bad about The Alto Knights ... but you kind of wish there was, because at least that might've made the movie more interesting.

Heart Eyes is solid enough to entertain. The jokes land, the leads are great, and the romance storyline is surprisingly sweet.

Moviegoers often cry out that they want fresh, original films instead of more endless remakes and sequels. Well, here you go. Companion is exactly what you're looking for. Don't miss it.

Den of Thieves 2 frequently feels less abrasive than the first film; almost kinder. At the same time, there's still a scuzzy, energy drink-infused atmosphere at play that only adds to the charm. This is junk food cinema, and sometimes, that's exactly what you're hungry for.

Watching The Brutalist has the feeling of reading a great, sprawling work of literature; as you near the final pages, you're both thrilled at having made it through the journey while also wishing there were just a few pages more.

For all its heartbreak, for all its pain, Nickel Boys is a staggeringly beautiful film. You don't simply watch it; you experience it. This is a major work of art, and we are lucky to have it.

A Complete Unknown doesn't break new ground, but it knows how to play the hits. 

Adams alone might make this worth a watch, just because it's always a treat to watch her worrk. Let's just hope she returns to better things after this, and soon.

The end result is stunning and scary, full of swooping, swooning, doomed romanticism and moments of pure, unblinking horror.

Gladiator II gets the job done. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and it doesn't have to. I don't for one second think Scott is setting out here trying to make an absolute masterpiece; he's content to simply make a damn entertaining action pic with an pulpy old school sensibility. Third act machinations aside, Gladiator II ends up being rather simple in its construction, and perhaps that's ultimately its greatest strength.

I came out of "Let There Be Carnage" wanting more Venom and Eddie. I came out of "The Last Dance" content to never see them again. If this really is "The Last Dance," it comes not a moment too soon.

The Shadow Strays feels more like a step back than a step forward. By the time the mid-credit coda arrived, I wanted less, not more. Still, those craving copious amounts of carnage will find plenty to dig here.

Smile 2 is relentless. It's a non-stop spookshow that just keeps increasing in madness, building towards a grand finale that pretty much absolves the film of any negative issues you might.

Eventually, Salem's Lot finds some life in its climax, gleefully unleashing monster mayhem that feels ported over from a much more enjoyable B-movie.

I suppose the best thing to say about Apartment 7A is that once it's over, you'll probably immediately want watch the much better Rosemary's Baby and wash the dull memory of this movie away.

In Coppola's mind, all that matters is the work, and the act of creating it. We are lucky he returned to make a new movie, and even in its messy, muddled state, we are lucky to have Megalopolis.

The Substance has an impossible-to-miss message about the struggles of women, especially women on constant display in an industry that thrives on rigid beauty standards. But it's also a delightfully farcical romp; an exhilarating, shocking freak show with an absurdist heart. It's the type of movie you won't forget.

None of this would be as successful without the magnificent work of Coon, Lyonne, and Olsen, who never strike a false note here. Nothing feels staged, everything feels genuine. Here are three great performances that never feel like performances, and that's pretty damn remarkable. 

You won't see anything gory in Red Rooms. Nothing is going to jump out of the dark and make you jolt in your seat. But as the film slowly and methodically burns towards its surprising conclusion, your heart will race along with your mind. Do you want to see something scary? Watch Red Rooms.

Rebel Ridge delivers the goods. Pierre is the film's true weapon, and the movie wouldn't work nearly as well as it does without his cool-as-hell performance. The actor has striking eyes, and Saulnier realizes this, using lots of close-ups of Terry's face as he silently works things out.

While horror fans might not get much out of The Deliverance, it might be worth watching for the performances alone. At the very least, several of the acting choices Glenn Close makes here will burn themselves into your brain and make you forget all about her turn in "Hillbilly Elegy."

Not everything works — for example, there are multiple moments where characters are firing up cigs with Zippo lighters that seem painfully choreographed to look "cool" — but the film is so energetic and intense that it's hard to not go along for the ride.

Those craving a well-put-together monster movie with creepy creature effects and sturdy set-pieces will probably find plenty to like here. But it shouldn't be controversial to want better results. As I said at the start of this review, there are no bad "Alien" movies. But with Alien: Romulus, there's definitely a disappointing one.

There's plenty of room for silly fluff to momentarily distract us from the nightmares of the real world. But is it really so much to ask for just a little bit more? Must we continually be served flavorless gruel and pretend it's nourishing? "Deadpool & Wolverine" will probably break box office records. The Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue onward, and "Deadpool & Wolverine" just might revitalize it in the eyes of fans. But it shouldn't be unreasonable to ask for something better.

Oddity is one of the best horror movies of the year.

If you're simply looking to see Murphy slip back into a familiar role and have a little fun, "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" might do the trick. Even though this film is lackluster, it's still fun to watch Eddie Murphy do his thing, and there are moments here where he genuinely seems to be having a good time, and that can be contagious. So maybe that's enough to satisfy. Or, when you sit down and fire up Netflix to watch this film, you can make a wiser choice and just watch "Dolemite is My Name" instead. It'll be a much better use of your time, I promise.

Against all odds, this is the best movie in the series. How wonderful it is to be surprised.

The film is so humourless that it becomes tiresome. That might be forgivable if the movie managed to be scary, but not even one or two jump scares are enough to get your heart rate up.

Inside Out 2 may not reach the emotional highs of the first film, but don't be surprised when it reduces you into a sobbing mess at the end.

Hit Man is light enough to be enjoyable, and Powell and Arjona really make things pop. However, Hit Man is also kind of forgettable, and often uninspired. The story is high concept, the execution is lacking.

This is a frequently charming documentary, but it sprints through Henson's life like we're speed-reading his Wikipedia page. I wanted more.

As a movie, Unfrosted is weak. As a delivery system for a barrage of funny, silly jokes, it's part of a nutritious breakfast.

Spaceman fails to grab our attention and, like Sandler's character, feels adrift. But as the journey towards the Chopra cloud — which Hanuš describes as "the beginning of everything" — continues, the conversations between spaceman and space spider grow warm, thoughtful, and even charming.

As a whole, Lovely, Dark, and Deep starts to feel like a short film (or story) stretched to feature length. I was on board with the movie's various chills, but I wanted something more. 

Dune: Part Two is a rare big, expensive blockbuster with a lot on its mind. Not content with just spectacle (and boy, there is a lot of that), Denis Villeneuve's sequel packs in heavy thoughts on religion, war, revenge, romance, and yes, really big worms. It's not entirely successful, but gosh, you gotta appreciate the attempt.

I'm not quite sure what "Leave the World Behind" is trying to say, other than the fact that as a species, we seem to be inherently doomed because we're too neurotic to help ourselves. That might leave a sour taste in the mouths of some viewers, but there's something refreshing about a film so unapologetic about its unflinching hopelessness. 

It all ends up being a touch forgettable by the time the end credits roll, but the journey to get there is never dull.

The feeling persists that something is missing here. That Scott and company are merely lightly touching on things that require deeper exploration. Which brings me back again to that 4-hour director's cut.

Perhaps The Killer doesn't need to be anything more than what it is: a showcase for Fincher to do his thing, and do it well, just like the assassin at the center of the story. This is a lesser work from the filmmaker, but even his lesser entries are better than most of what we get these days. Sometimes it's okay to let an artist play the hits.

Dark Harvest is ultimately a film of style over substance, but hell, that style sure is grand.

By the time The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial comes to its somewhat startling conclusion, I was saddened by Friedkin's passing all over again. What a loss. But at least he left us one final stunner.

If you're looking for the gothic thrills and chills that make "Pet Sematary" so special, stick to the novel, or the '89 film, or even the 2019 remake, and leave "Bloodlines" dead and buried where it belongs. 

As the narrative unfolded in lickety-split fashion, I found myself totally charmed and a little dizzy. Anderson uses almost all of Dahl's prose here, and while that could've backfired, or even resulted in bloat, the filmmaker keeps the proceedings brisk and snappy, relying on Dahl's inherent dry humor to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

While I would've liked the layout of the house to be better established, No One Will Save You makes the most of its limited locations, proving you can have big thrills and chills in restricted spaces.

Once upon a time, a movie of this ilk could be unremarkable but fun; sturdy and dependable; solid, even. Not this time, though. 

There's plenty of slow creeping dread on display here, matched with that dark humor and two fantastic leads. It all comes together to make "Birth/Rebirth" one of 2023's more interesting horror entries.

I don't know if I'd call this a memorable take on Dracula, but as a simple little monster movie with plenty of atmospherre, it does the trick.

I don't fault Meg 2: The Trench for being silly. I do fault it for being boring. 

This is a tight, snappy, simple little thriller that never overstays its welcome and doesn't skimp on the horror, with two strong performances guiding us through all the bloodshed.

You can drop Nic Cage in your dull movie all you want, but when you do, you're only getting a memorable Cage performance in an otherwise unmemorable story. I love to watch Cage work. I just wish I didn't have to watch him work under these conditions.

In what might be his magnum opus, Nolan has meticulously crafted a biopic that feels like a thriller.

Insidious: The Red Door closes the book on the Lambert family and delivers more than a few thrills and chills. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and it doesn't really add a whole lot to the series as a whole.

A fast-paced thrill ride that never lets up.

Filmmakers: give us more of this, please. Just remember to give us an actual ending while you're at it.

Reality is an immensely nerve-wracking film that grips you from the get-go and never lets up. Like Reality Winner, we're all stuck in that dirty, empty room, wondering when we'll get out, and worrying about what will happen next. 

While there's enough action (murky action, but action all the same) to keep you at least half-engaged with the material, you might want to spend Mother's Day weekend doing something else instead.

All of this is very silly, but there's nothing wrong with that! In fact, Hypnotic would be a lot better off if it learned to lean into that silliness. Instead, Rodriguez keeps everything very dour, and while he injects some life here and there via action beats (the bank robbery scene is quite well-staged, as are several chase sequences), the filmmaker can never really get "Hypnotic" working.

And that, perhaps, is the real fatal flaw of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." Gunn's first two movies felt different. They stood out from the pack and had their own unique personality. But "Vol. 3" feels like more of the same. I'm not suggesting Gunn and company are phoning it in this time around, but it certainly feels like the magic has faded. Whatever alchemy the filmmaker worked to make the first two "Guardians" movies memorable has evaporated into the ether.

The Pope's Exorcist is by no means a good movie, but there's a modicum of fun to be had from watching Crowe do his thing. And if you have a problem with him, you can take it up with his boss — the Pope!

I found myself annoyed that such a fresh new take on Dracula, and from Nic Cage no less, is wasted on such a lousy movie. Nicolas Cage's Dracula deserves a better movie, and so do we.

Beau is Afraid is big, and weird, and kind of wonderful. There will be those who simply cannot stand the fraught world Aster has created here, and there will be others who are fully on board with what the filmmaker is dishing out. No matter the reaction, this is a film that begs for conversation and analysis and plenty of pondering. And it's more accessible than you might think, despite all the lunacy.