Daniel Howat

It’s exactly the kind of solid entertainment, with the right mix of laughs and tears, that reminds us of the genius-level storytelling the good folks over there are capable of. It’s precisely what the animation studio needed at this time and fits comfortably alongside some of their upper-tier offerings.

The Tale of Silyan becomes not just a portrait of one man’s endurance but a testament to human resilience everywhere. Blending myth and realism with exquisite sensitivity, Kotevska crafts a work of rare poetic power, a film that observes, listens, and ultimately illuminates the quiet, stubborn beauty of life itself.

It’s a masterful reflection on how grief tears us apart, and the ways in which we try to put ourselves back together again. It is a film that lingers long after the credits roll, embedding its quiet power into the viewer’s mind and heart, a meditation on loss that is both intimate and universal.

The Shitheads is one hell of a ride, with nonstop laughs and absurd, shocking turns around every corner.

Rare are comedies this funny and this mature. Its rich themes hit home, especially for anyone in a long-term relationship.

It stands as a tribute to the power of storytelling, the influence of the moving image, and the enduring spirit of revolution in all its forms.

Lost in the Jungle is a gripping, deeply human tale of survival, told with precision, empathy, and artistry by two of the very best documentarian filmmakers out there.

It is a classic underdog story wrapped in bold animation, infectious energy, and real heart.

“Fiume o Morte!,” a reference to D’Annunzio’s slogan “Fiume or death!,” is a brilliant, subversive takedown of fascism, ruthless in its pushback against this embarrassing chapter.

Separating Kokuho from most stories of artists striving for greatness is Sang-il’s commitment to capturing kabuki’s physicality. The filmmaker reminds us that greatness often comes from intense dedication as much as from the people around you. It is the art form itself, not just Kikuo’s internal desire, that makes his story worthwhile.

In Your Dreams doesn’t reinvent the animated adventure, nor does it need to. It’s a whimsical, sometimes chaotic journey that effortlessly balances humor, imagination, and heartfelt emotion.

With stellar stylization and a soundtrack full of female-driven punk rock, it hilariously skewers the blatant sexism in the chess world while dramatizing gripping matches. A crowd-pleasing documentary.

Wilson manages to weave in a nearly non-stop barrage of jokes into the 100-minute runtime, while still keeping the tone lowkey. Though the film starts to lose steam toward the end, feeling as though it might have struggled to fill the feature runtime, it never stops being funny.

Volpe’s direction and the stoic pace keep Frank and Louis at arm’s length, never truly letting us engage with them on a deeper level.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is inarguably fun, built for fans of the long-running franchise. For lifelong fans of this universe and young kids experiencing it for the first or second time, this is a Mario fan’s dream. There’s enough here to leave a mass audience satisfied, even if anticipation grows for the next film to level up. For now, good enough is simply enough.

If you were hoping The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants would change the game for the franchise, you might be a little let down. That said, it’s still pretty hilarious, at least as funny as the last few films, with plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments that are best enjoyed with a crowd.