Josh Spiegel

Miyazaki remains one of our greatest filmmakers because he utilizes the medium of animation to tell intensely personal stories that open up our eyes to grand new worlds, strange new characters, and unforgettable images. "The Boy and the Heron" is one of the year's best films, and hopefully not his last masterpiece.

Though Leo is perhaps not the most groundbreaking animated film of the year, its gentle tone and emotion mixed with some standard anarchic gags from the Happy Madison school of comedy work in its favor.

The quirky ensemble, anchored by a solid starring performance from LaKeith Stanfield, is aided by Justin Simien's effective direction. Though this film is perhaps not as surefooted a theme-park adaptation as the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" was, it washes away any memory of the more family-friendly take from two decades ago. This "Haunted Mansion" has a lot more bite than you might think.

No Hard Feelings is enjoyable because Jennifer Lawrence is still one of the most delightful actresses of her generation. (At one point, another character dryly dubs her "America's sweetheart," but the moniker does kind of fit in a sincere way.) She's well matched by Andrew Barth Feldman here; their performances are what make this film work.

On its own, Peter Pan & Wendy is enjoyable enough. But that too is a low bar, and considering that David Lowery has already made Disney's one truly great remake, it's perhaps logical that he wouldn't hit another home run. It's good that he tries, even if this isn't quite successful enough to clear the fence.

Here is a film that, like its source material, treats its characters with care and tenderness, establishing an instant and unbreakable bond with the audience that hits home in scene after scene.

Relative to some other Netflix Originals, as well as some other recent romantic comedies, this movie has some pretty solid laughs. But there are a number of moments in this new film where the script backs away from being more provocative or difficult. It's a shame too because the cast (Hill included) seem able and willing even if the material doesn't always want to take the same plunge.

Though Strange World has no meme-worthy songs like "Encanto," its imagery is singular and unforgettable, and its adventurous spirit is genuine and thrilling. This is the kind of thing Disney should make more often.

It's a delightful surprise that the Disney+ sequel, Disenchanted, in spite of having a thudder of a title, is a moderately charming affair bolstered, per usual, by a phenomenal lead performance from one of our best living actresses.

Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers is a proudly very daffy and strange movie.

The film adaptation of Aaron Blabey's series of kid-friendly graphic novels maintains a welcome visual flair and features a game voice cast while treading extremely familiar ground.

Jackass Forever is as bluntly, dementedly, brilliantly funny and horrific, and unforgettable as any of its predecessors or the TV series that started it all. If you are a fan of anything or anyone even tangentially related to Jackass Forever, you can rest assured that you know what you're getting.

For films like Encanto to truly stand out, instead of being content with being good enough, they need to push storytelling limits as much as they push cultural ones.

It’s an unbeatable combination of humor and heart.

It’s been far too long — or it seems like it — since we got a full-throated, ridiculous comedy in theaters. Though it’s a real shame that Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar isn’t going to play to sold-out crowds, it deserves to live on as a cult classic.

Lee Isaac Chung’s smooth ability to craft relatable drama makes him a director to pay attention to. It’s not just that Minari is captivating in the moment. Like the best films, it has images and scenes that will stay with you long after the film is over.

The originality of vision remains strong with Pete Docter and his cohorts. But beyond strange new concepts, they need to dig deeper for more truly unexpected characters.

News of the World is a perfectly solid, decent entry into the burgeoning sub-genre of Tom Hanks Doing Dad Stuff movies. It’s well-made, direct, and unfussy in its storytelling.