Jason Delgado

There’s a lot of heavy stuff to deal with in Avenue of the Giants, but it still provides a majestic and hopeful feeling by the end. It feels as if one’s walking through the redwoods in Marin County that the title references — daunting but impressive.

This is an important historical documentary that needs to be seen.

Homegrown is not a film that takes a stance one way or the other on the extreme political divide Donald Trump has created in the nation. It instead gives you a glimpse into the mind of men who fought for and ultimately went to prison for him.

The story of Happy Holidays starts out fragmented, so it’s a bit disorienting. But when the puzzle comes together, it clicks in a satisfying way.

This is an archival footage documentary that is essential viewing for anyone who is curious about the Phillips’s legacy, the Houston Oilers, and Houston culture in general of the 1970s.

There really needs to be more stories told like Bob Trevino Likes It, about the good that people can do in the world for strangers. It’s heartwarming and eventually heartbreaking with where the story goes, but the purity that Leguizamo gives off is so strong that it’s a career-defining role (in a lifetime of memorable performances). Kudos to Tracie Laymon for bringing it all together to make a modern classic.

All in all, it’s an effective meditation on the show and the aftermath of it.

We’ve seen coming-of-age dramas many times over, so Pools is not revolutionary in that sense, but the blending of genres and the top-of-the-line young cast are what make this film special.

We all know about this war, but until you actually see it, it’s difficult to grasp. That’s why 2000 Meters to Andriivka is so important, people need to know what is going on.

Good old-fashioned slashers never get old for horror fans as long as they’re done right, and Clown in the Cornfield is like a fresh splatter to the head, with a smile.

If you’re intrigued by watching Jack Quaid and Jeffrey Dean Morgan come together to solve a mystery, then Neighborhood Watch will not disappoint. When you get a comedic pair together like Laurel and Hardy, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, or Jack Quaid and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, it’s timeless.

I enjoyed the buildup of trying to figure out how Larsen was winning the game, as well as this incredible cast shining in moments such as Goggins being flustered by unexpected drama unfolding on TV.

To be able to understand these universal experiences on a deeper level because of this film is a true gift. Even if you don’t have a Zoe, just know that you’re never truly alone.

Amy Adams delivers the knockout punch that will leave you floored by just how close it hits to home.

Even though McAvoy is the brightly shining star, it takes a large, cohesive team to make it all come together, and when it works like Speak No Evil does, pure nail-biting magic happens.

I enjoyed Subservience for what it is: a Megan Fox vehicle with a dash of sci-fi. Casablanca it is not, but that’s okay.

This one takes you on a fulfilling and haunting ride that will last long after in your nightmares.

The media and society, in general, love to label groups of people as “the others.” But throughout the world, we have more in common than we realize. It takes films like Alam to see that we’re all in this together.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this film shows us that we could all use a look through the lens that both Hirayama and Wim Wenders use to appreciate the overlooked jewels in this life better.

A Disturbance in the Force covers everything about the Star Wars Holiday Special in such a hilarious and entertaining way that it would make even Darth Vader chuckle. The Force is strong with this one.

The director lets us take an intimate look at the San Quentin 1000 Mile Club and some of these prisoners’ stories while they run 26.2-mile marathons around the dirt and gravel-filled prison yard.

Barber may not be a mind-bending mystery, but Aiden Gillen’s performance and the cinematography elevate it to something worth seeing.

Everyone loves a good underdog story, and Bank of Dave fits that mold, despite needing to be tighter.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem has something for fans of all ages.

Olivia Côte and Laure Calamy make the film worth watching if you are in the mood for a story about an awkward but enduring friendship.

I love the chemistry between Lawrence and Feldman. The comedy is funny and unafraid, and importantly, it has a heart and emotion that works. We need more movies like No Hard Feelings.

Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story entertainingly gives you everything you need to know about the actor and his life. Ironically, his story has ended up as an almost fairytale-like dream despite the nightmare that Freddy gives so many others.

BlackBerry is another movie where we all know the ending, but the fun is in finding out how we got there.

If we’re going to save this planet, we need more love. Space Oddity shows us the blueprint for the mission.

Radio Silence needed to make Scream their own, and they did it in a blaze of blood and guts glory.

The Year Between culminates with a beautifully emotional scene, but the journey to get there is a challenge, much like for those who are suffering from a number of mental health issues. But the performances and the overall message of empathy made it worth it all for me.

Daughter is not scary, but I don’t think it was intended to be. I wanted to see what was going to happen next while enjoying the slow-paced ride all the way to the finish line.

If you’re in the mood for a dark revenge thriller with terrific acting, then Line of Fire has got you covered.

Watching how it was a struggle to get people into the seats even before the pandemic and all the stress that Greg and Tish Laemmle endure is a little tough to watch at times, but Only in Theaters is essential viewing for every filmgoer.

Detective Knight: Independence is a must-see for fans of Bruce Willis. Those who are into the action genre as well should check it out because of the added character depth and cast.

The shame-filled vagabond and lonely nature of flesh-eating portrayed in Bones and All is a thinly veiled allegory for addiction. Lee and Maren are the new Sid and Nancy, with another complicated love story for the ages.

Fans of A Christmas Story, and those simply in the mood for a holiday flick, will enjoy A Christmas Story Christmas for the light, nicely touching tale that it is in its own right, without the pressure of having to be as perfect as something as legendary as the leg lamp.

Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down is powerful, inspirational, and emotional, a must-watch.

Fingers in the Wind is not an easy viewing experience because of the slow pacing and ambiguity. But the cast and Murdoch’s originality in both technique and narrative make it a worthwhile journey for me. I look forward to seeing where the director’s filmmaking career goes from here.

Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend needs to be seen by basketball fans everywhere because the man’s name deserves to be in the history books for his talent/determination, as well as for being a cautionary tale.

The opening sequence is an amazing horror scene and sets a tone that the rest of the movie doesn’t even try to follow until the climactic finale.

Despite the greatness of Lloyd, the acting overall comes across as a bit stiff. There are a lot of fresh faces here, so it’s to be expected. Your level of enjoyment of Spirit Halloween: The Movie will probably vary based on your expectations coming in. I kept mine low and had some fun with the spooky cheesiness of it all.

The only thing lacking, in this case, is the pay-off in actual scares. Surrogate is a worthwhile journey that held my attention throughout, with top-notch performances from a mostly female cast.

I was enthralled with Bardem’s performance, even in the subtle moments. This is important because The Good Boss focuses on him for almost the entirety of its one-hour and fifty-six-minute runtime. The rest of the cast is excellent as well.

I adore Plaza as a unique and magnetic actor, but she wasn’t given enough to work with here. Likewise, for the usual affable yet conflicted characters that Brie is so good at portraying, there’s not enough meat on the bones of the role here for her to sink her teeth into. Spin Me Round is like going out to dinner and expecting an authentic Italian restaurant but instead ending up at the Olive Garden.

It’s a showcase for what great independent filmmaking is all about, taking an interesting concept and applying excellent acting and directing on a limited budget. I will say that the ending felt a little weak to me, but the film is akin to life in general in that the most important aspect is the journey.

Official Competition is a bit long and could have used some more of the offbeat humor that it excels at. But overall, it’s a worthwhile journey into pulling back the curtain satirically on movie magic.

The oddball, fun factor potential is present in Nude Tuesday. But as it stands, it’s just another slightly strange, will they or won’t they get back together, love story.

Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection does an excellent job of examining all aspects of his life in order to get a full picture. Fans of his work, as well as the uninitiated, should find Stevens’ eccentric ways fascinating.

Cage is the glue that holds it all together, with a determined obsession in everything he does here.