Ferdosa Abdi

There aren't any surprises, and all that we are left with is a little bit of satisfaction and underlying curiosity as to why this movie was worth investing in.

It's a visceral experience, though it doesn't reach those epic highs because the romance, while it works on paper, doesn't quite materialize as expected.

Ultimately, Inheritance is a fairly good attempt to branch out into different technical abilities within the spy thriller genre. Hopefully, this method and films like Inheritance continue to inspire such attempts.

It's not outright terrible, but it's nothing to get too excited about, either. There's even a sweet subplot about mother and daughters and familial trust. It's an overall cute family movie and anyone who adores Diaz and Foxx will find a way to enjoy it.

Despite subverting expectations and being edgy in its approach, the lack of energy and fearlessness keeps this story from reaching its full potential. Weiss's directorial debut is not a dud, but charm can only get you so far.

Elevation comes across as a mild copycat rather than a compelling project that stands on its own merits.

This particular narrative is a sound idea but for a documentary instead.

The film has two major things going for it: Goldstein and Poots' casting and their characters' chemistry. The only thing that fully captures our attention from beginning to end is Laura and Simons’ undeniable spark and charming banter.

This story isn't the flashiest werewolf tale, but it is worth seeing thanks to a fresh perspective. As flawed as the story may be, the story from a child's eyes offers a new and unique entry point for the subgenre.

The Eternal City struggles with finding the tonal balance between a child-friendly action-comedy and an adult-appropriate action-comedy.

The film manages to be a very straightforward horror, but the lackluster character work diminishes whatever good comes from its genre shift, and the shift is substantial.

The return of Axel will satisfy fans of the franchise, and it might encourage those who are just tuning in to watch the original trilogy, if only to watch one of Murphy’s most significant roles from the 80s, a true golden era for the multi-hyphenate entertainer.

Much like The Mother, Trigger Warner is all setup with little payoff. The emotional sentiments are effective but drawn out in uninteresting ways, and Alba, a capable actress, is not nearly as charismatic as the middling script requires her to be.

Krieps has such a clear vision of who Vivienne is when she isn’t the object of romance, violence or intolerance. Her quirks and quiet dominance ultimately shift the film toward the direction Mortensen thought he was headed.

Mother of the Bride's success rests on the filmmakers' abilities to not oversell anything and trust that the collective charisma of the assembled cast will do what it needs to do — and it does, though a flimsy script and one major miscast can be distracting.

It's entertaining, and there are a few chuckles to be had. One can appreciate the referential and situational humor as they are timely and apt for the characters. Lester and Gentry are a winning combo.

The lack of specificity around the situation and the underbaked character development reduces Azrael to being nothing more than a horror with an interesting premise.

The script is mind-numbingly silly and, at times, doesn't try to elevate the remake meaningfully; it's really about engaging with the wild action and nothing else.

The most glaring issue with Spaceman is that the leap from page to screen leaves quite a bit of the story behind and saddles its lead actor with much of the heavy lifting.

While Bloom and MacDowell anchor the film with their strong performances, leading an ensemble cast that is foundational to this rugged Western, the score by Mondo Boys and cinematography by Johnny Derango do a lot to embed the themes and concepts into the atmosphere of the film.

Everything in American Star hinges on McShane's intuitive performance that rejects the obvious and embraces ambiguity.

Badland Hunters may not be a worthy successor to Concrete Utopia, but it is an entertaining zombie actioner.

The ending feels way too cookie-cutter perfect. Scrambled is a worthwhile experience, though, as it is a personal tale that aims to empower through laughter.

The film is, unfortunately, just another instance of the book being better than the movie.

It's the right amount of romantic, funny, and thrilling, and it does what it needs to do to make its narrative feel less derivative and more dynamic and fun.

Best. Christmas. Ever! is not the most splendiferous Christmas movie ever, but it will satisfy those hungry for new sentimental holiday movies every year.

Despite the lack of kinetic energy and well-developed characters, the movie offers a rather humorous take on the art world and its criminal underbelly with characters that are enjoyable to watch.

Memorable? Hardly. Entertaining? Somewhat. Ultimately, the film will resonate with the people eager to devour more Stephen King-inspired projects; sadly, there is nothing genuinely inspired to enjoy.

Spy Kids: Armageddon is creatively deficient. With each new Spy Kids project, Rodriguez mines an empty cave; there is nothing but dirt and hopeless dreams.

Love at First Sight has the potential to be a go-to choice whenever one is feeling in the mood for a light cry and swoon.

Ultimately, Cassandro is a touching tale of a remarkable person who paved the path for others to find liberation and acceptance through their chosen art.

Overall, Puppy Love is very dull. The movie has all the clichés at its disposal but can't make much of it. The writing is witless and dry, and the directing — by Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid — equally so.

Retribution is comically familiar, yet that familiarity breeds a sense of comfort for the average movie watcher who wants something not too complicated or tedious.

The dynamics needed to be defined better, and despite some compelling filmmaking, the flagrant disregard for characterization reduces Fear The Night to a mildly tolerable home invasion horror.

With an amusing ensemble cast, a sturdy script, lovely filmmaking, and the power of its leads' chemistry, Happiness For Beginners is a modest delight.

DeVine is entertaining enough, and the gag of watching Bronson and Barkin playing cool criminals can intrigue just about anyone. For all its flaws, The Out-Laws will win over those who flock to Happy Madison’s movies time after time, even if you'll promptly forget what you have watched.

Extraction 2 is weighed down by Rake’s hang-ups over his choices, but the drama of the familial unit Rake is out to rescue is enough. Hargrave's vision is clear.

Knights of the Zodiac, despite its reasonably minor flaws, is fun.

The drama feels undercooked, and the characters barely escape one-dimensionality.

The Mother is a lean, mean actioner, but one that could have benefited from better editing and a tighter script. That’s not to say that the film is terrible or unbearable by any means, it's just that it is a straightforward narrative that does not require a nearly two-hour run time to tell it right.

Ambitious ideas and stunning visuals do not make for a great film, but Millepied should consider following his instincts to fight for an all-dance musical for his next feature.

Clock showcases that Jacknow is a talent to watch in horror, though the film doesn’t stick the landing. Occasionally, the concept is stretched too thin, especially when the character work is lacking.

A Tourist's Guide to Love is not remarkable, but its simplicity and familiarity are comfortable and, most importantly, entertaining.

It is heartfelt in its embrace of silliness, and for that reason alone, it is worth a watch.

Praise This is wildly uneven but not entirely unenjoyable. There is enough here that makes the film perfectly fine. It is formulaic, but its earnestness and impactful narrative will touch many.

If one is wanting something substantive, with big laughs and surprising twists, Murder Mystery 2 should be avoided at all costs.

Unwelcome is many things — entertaining is one of them. But with little focus on what actually makes this film worthwhile, the result is disappointing.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a superficial spy mission that is joyless and charmless.

There are some good moments in Shotgun Wedding. Lopez, Coolidge, and Lenny Kravitz are game and there is a Herculean effort from the trio to do something worthwhile with the script they are given.

The Seven Faces Of Jane is an experiment that just does not deliver the right results.

Ultimately, The Pale Blue Eye feels like more of a missed opportunity than a story worth enjoying on its own. As far as historical fiction goes, the film fails to capitalize on its central historical figure, especially with Melling’s performance a beacon of light.

With a stellar leading pair who make the most of the screenplay, Darby and the Dead has enough to keep audiences moved and laughing on occasion, though it is unclear whether it can bring viewers back for a rewatch. The only certainty is that Downs and Cravalho are great together and should have the privilege of leading more projects.

At the heart of this plausible political thriller is a need for more insightful and incisive writing. The Independent often shows audiences what they already know about American politics, but it doesn’t tell one more.

Falling For Christmas was the best comeback film for Lohan; it could have been better quality, but it is better than nothing. She's in her element, and her natural charisma is illuminated, partially by how uninteresting her costar is. The script and overall production leave much to be desired, but with how low expectations usually are, this one is okay.

The story is simply a rehash of the first film, and even the jokes begin to fall flat well before the halfway point. Hocus Pocus 2 is enjoyable, but it doesn't quite live up to the lightning-in-a-bottle moment that was the 1993 film.

Confess, Fletch isn't a ringing endorsement of rebooting projects from the 80s; instead, it is an excellent showcase of Jon Hamm's comedic chops, a well-known skill that has been primarily misused until now.

One Way won’t carve a place into the crime thriller pantheon, but its most notable achievement should be setting the stage for Andrew Baird and Colson Baker’s inevitable rises in the film industry.

Orphan: First Kill is a kooky romp, way too relaxed to be considered a psychological horror.

They/Them is impactful for its reason for existing and the excellent ensemble cast that deserves to shine. The film is not unwatchable; it is merely without excitement. Satisfying as it is for the film to directly take aim at dangerous institutions, there is sadness in knowing this horror couldn't find a happy middle.

All one can hope to get is a colorful and exciting adventure that allows the characters’ personalities to shine. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie succeeds in that regard.

Wedding Season may appear to be another Hallmark-esque romantic comedy from Netflix, but it is actually a delightful endeavor that will warm the hearts of its viewers.

It is easy to see the potential in the first act, but Purple Hearts leans too much into over-sentimentality, with narrative tricks designed to trigger tears and subdue thinking.

With so many people and life going back to some semblance of normalcy, Alone Together may feel slightly too late, but Holmes' film offers something worth engaging with.

While the film is romantic and poignant in parts, the whole thing falls apart when it relies on the central couple, who lack intense chemistry and substance.

The talent is abundant on screen and behind the camera, but a flimsy screenplay fails them all.

Interceptor checks all the boxes in terms of making an action film that will grab the audience's attention, have one root for the hero, and let out a few chuckles (especially for one horribly done cameo) before promptly forgetting the movie exists.

Sure, the film may feel somewhat tepid in places, and it meanders, but the overwhelming wholesomeness of the picture will make one embrace its simplicity.

A Perfect Pairing may not stand out to most, but its wholesome aura, charming leads, and beautiful cinematography is enough to warrant an enthusiastic watch. If the goal for any romantic comedy is to fill one with that particular, indescribable warm and fuzzy feeling, then A Perfect Pairing accomplishes that.

Sadly, this adaptation fails to stand out from all the other sci-fi horrors about people being used for experiments. It doesn't even compare to the original 1984 film nor does it stand tall alongside great recent Stephen King adaptations like 2017's IT and 2019's Doctor Sleep. Firestarter is more like Pet Sematary and Carrie, a dull, exhausting remake that doesn't do anything new.

Ricci’s assured and robust lead performance helps build upon some exciting ideas in the script and is ultimately the reason to watch. She is thoroughly captivating and, while the film never reaches her level of excellence, it is still a relatively fun, wonky ride.

In the end, Escape the Field is tolerable at best. It doesn't shatter any expectations, but it won’t be utterly hated if one decides to give it a go. There are more charming and innovative horror-thrillers about escaping a maze, but Escape the Field tries. For a first feature, it is serviceable for a small-budget venture.

It does not reinvent the wheel, but it engages viewers on a visual and cerebral level. There is a precarious balance between the heavy themes of the script and the upbeat nature of this Bad Boys-esque action film, but somehow it sticks the landing.

The convergence of the story of a bereaved mother with a cult-like presence in the new country she calls home does not blend as effortlessly as one would like. The third act proves it cannot. Despite this, however, The Twin makes for a fairly constructive horror that is worth a watch.

Despite its flaws, it encourages a re-examination of Apartheid South Africa and a closer look at the tiny sparks that lit the flame known as the Free Nelson Mandela campaign and the overall cultural shift against Apartheid.

The synopsis sounds straightforward, but there is a lack of balance from the start, and the film has an ill-mannered approach to telling a sensitive or impactful story about sex trafficking.

The result is a baffling and confounding mess that is either intended to make audiences laugh or is dead-serious in its pursuit. Whatever the intention, it is up to viewers to decipher what is most true to them.

The film is at its best, visually and narratively, when it is deeply entrenched in metal. There is a visceral impact to the third act which truly hones in on what this film has been lacking from the beginning.

As the film marches to its conclusion, one will have some appreciation for the rotoscoping animation, the score, and the voice work from some of the actors. However, the murky narrative structure and the lack of a central protagonist only works against all the gory goodwill the film possessed.

A stumble in the third act derails the whole adventure, bringing the enjoyment to a screeching halt. However, with some foresight, Windfall could have been a sure-fire hit.

It is great that this blended family is so diverse, but if there is no thoughtful integration of their stories, they remain merely set dressing.

As a film birthed from the pandemic, the presentation already feels outdated. There is an attempt to revitalize the format, but it falls flat. All in all, the family dramedy has all the right pieces, but, like any dysfunctional family, they don’t come together in the most cohesive of ways.

Conventional choices are thrown out the window and the audience is left with a delightful adventure worth revisiting time and time again.

Ultimately, The Cursed is merely a slow trek through horrific gore, lackluster and confusing werewolf lore, and a muddled understanding of the legacy of the Roma.

The best action sequence comes at the end, which bolsters the film's best use of camera movement and editing to highlight the fight choreography.

All in all, Creation Stories is by no means a loss, it's just missing that special ingredient that would transform it into a film worth being excited about. Instead, it could have simply been a spirited documentary narrated by Bremner.

Ultimately, Michel Franco’s Sundown feels hollow and too nihilistic for its own good.

For what it is, and for who it is for, Redeeming Love is in its own way an effective showing of the power of love. Undoubtedly, however, a more compelling romantic drama about a woman finding peace with herself could have been told.

The Royal Treatment is ultimately benign fun. It is sweet, simple, and boring.

Sex Appeal has good intentions and good instincts, but a lack of nuance torpedoes the whole endeavor.

See For Me is an exciting home invasion thriller that dares to challenge viewers with a complicated lead, even if it somewhat fumbles the execution.

Achoura is by no means a bad film — quite the opposite in fact. There is potential for Selhami’s career as a horror writer-director as his vision and ambition shine bright through his film.

The film is very pleasant and manages to succeed in what many romantic comedies often fail to do — be entertaining and worth revisiting.

There needs to be a vision, an ambition to make something good and memorable. Ida Red, unfortunately, seems to fall into the trap of emulating better crime dramas instead of trying to stand out on the merits of its own story.

Cummings and McCabe don’t quite balance the purple envelope mystery with the character study of a self-involved man, and the ending takes a sharp left towards confusion, but it is surely something worth watching.

While it has entertaining moments, Black as Night isn't very balanced and the overall lack of levity ultimately makes the film a slog to get through.

Without offering anything particularly interesting or nuanced, The Guilty still has enough to keep audiences engaged and on the edge of their seats.