Erik Nielsen

Antlers is at its best when grounded in familial trauma haunted by the mythical terrors of the beast.

Its setup is elevated, even after it goes from one close call to another, by the dream logic Filomarino instills in the minutiae of his story’s moving parts and John David Washington’s full-bodied performance.

This documentary may give some hardcore fans insight into the artifice, but the film is ultimately a begrudging, disgusting, and unnecessary story of a kid who never deserved our attention in the first place.

In telling the story of the after-school life of a young, Black, and talented creative living in Harlem attempting to find his vision, the film feels like a missed opportunity to shine a light on lives scarcely seen in cinema.

Lacking a precise balance of amiable entertainment and intense thrills, the director and producers fail to rein in violent fantasies that spoil what could’ve been a heartfelt and clever romp exploring family dysfunction.

Honing in on Andre’s uncanny ability to lure random people to participate in his absurdity is Bad Trip’s greatest strength. As every narrative beat he wishes to subvert can only happen if people buy into what he’s doing, it’s a fascinating double-edged sword to participate in as an audience member too.

While Chaos Walking has its faults, it is very much of ilk with YA novel adaptations such as Maze Runner and Divergent, while perhaps lacking the immersive depth of The Hunger Games, or at least the first couple entries of that series. Thankfully, its two charismatic leads share just enough chemistry to add the requisite stakes for a decently thrilling ride.

Some may be exhausted by the emotional weight of divorce, but Delpy carries us through each stage of grief and motherhood with a deft directorial touch.

As various ideas entertainingly bounce around from conversation to conversation, the film ultimately culminates into a moving and heartbreaking experience.