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.