Mae Abdulbaki

The film is compelling and quietly thought-provoking as it peels back the layers of the relationships at the forefront, while also showcasing the discomfort that follows but isn’t always picked up on.

It’s meant to shock and disgust — and it does — but while Infinity Pool starts off interestingly enough, its take on power, corruption, and privilege only goes so far.

With personal and generational trauma at the forefront of the story, Eisenberg delivers a heartwarming film that strengthens family ties and underscores the difficulty in speaking about the pain between its members, no matter how close they used to be.

West Side Story is visually entrancing, emotional, and the choreography and staging magnetic even when certain aspects of the story don’t always work.

The film has its fair share of intoxicatingly gripping moments and watching Kaluuya as Hampton is visceral and empowering. Unfortunately, it never feels like the story gets out of its own way enough to flourish, nor does it explore the complexities needed to emphasize and humanize the characters in the way that it should.

Despite being all over the place, Antlers can be gripping and potently disconcerting, with good character development making up for its pitfalls.

While The Northman has a lot to offer and is quite beautiful and masterful in its execution, there is something missing. The film begins to meander a bit in the middle before getting back on track and the lack of additional character development — anything that would have given the film more depth — prevents The Northman from reaching its full potential.

A Man Called Otto aims to be a crowd-pleasing, heartwarming film, and, despite its many flaws and speed bumps, is a success on that front.

Despite its pitfalls, Wake Up Dead Man is still enjoyable. It has its charming moments, there’s a lot to think about in terms of the story, and the cast is good, if not great, overall. It’s just hard to watch the movie and realize the mystery and excitement have waned.

While the film isn’t overly ambitious or deep, it’s an energetic, occasionally thoughtful and honest film about the lack of honesty and its effects on relationships.

Linoleum is filled with nostalgia — brought to life by the dreamlike, vivid cinematography by Ed Wu — and the overlapping of memories, the mind losing itself, and the fulfillment of a fantasy that feels incredibly out of reach. Not everything comes together so smoothly or cohesively, but the film is a solid effort nonetheless.

Nude Tuesday is incredibly entertaining and, though the central premise starts to wane after a while, the story picks back up as it nears its end.

While A Different Man attempts to be a thought-provoking work some of the time, it’s not as deep or as profound as it aims to be.

With such a slow and empty buildup, After Yang often feels as disconnected as most everyone is in the film.

Mark Wahlberg leads a good ensemble cast while sweetly interacting with Arthur the dog, and it’s cute and heartwarming, with the film doing exactly what it aims for.

Slow and frustrating, with a finale that is unearned, Red Rocket fluctuates between trying to say something and getting lost in its own premise.

Bolstered by a solid performance by Will Smith, King Richard is a feel-good, charming sports biopic that uplifts but never reaches its full potential.

For those who may not have seen X, Pearl may be intriguing enough for them to go watch the original film. As both a prequel and standalone horror film, however, Pearl comes up short.

The concept is no doubt thought-provoking and, occasionally, even creative. But it’s hard to get behind the journey the AIs go on when it’s so detached, the film itself attempting to be a gripping narrative conveying heartfelt emotions that just don’t land.

Notturno is sometimes beautiful and Rosi makes good use of private spaces. But, the film comes off as an exploitation of the region and its people’s pain.

When its focus is on Agatha Rousselle’s Alexia and the lack of control she has over her own body, Titane digs a bit deeper. However, the film’s true weakness is in its inability to explore Alexia as a person, keeping things vague while centering the extreme body horror aspects.

Bolstered by a headstrong performance from Ramsey (who is best known as Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones), alongside a fantastic supporting cast, Catherine Called Birdy will be best enjoyed by a younger audience, though it’s still fun enough for viewers of all ages.

Ambitious, occasionally thrilling, and visually striking, Dune is mostly set up, building out a heartless world that never truly feels complete.

While Andrew Garfield gives a driven and kinetic performance as Larson, Tick, Tick… Boom! is messy, missing a distinct spark and emotional depth.

The World to Come has the ingredients to build a blossoming love story, but the script is thin and far too rigid for the romance to ever fully soar.

The Inspection has a few poignant moments, but its lack of introspection, well-developed character dynamics, and exploration of the systems in place keep the film from reaching its full potential.

If you’re looking for an overall fun time at the movies, One of Them Days delivers.

With a powerful central performance and an occasionally chaotic but nonetheless captivating and moving narrative — helped along by fantastic editing and cinematography — The Outrun is a detailed film strengthened by its connection to nature’s beauty and belonging to it.

Thought-provoking, beautifully edited and told, Sirens explores the band members’ relationship with each other, gender, and conformity in a society that isn’t always open about such things.

As hypnotic as Eileen is, the film ultimately falls short. Its final moments suggest that it could have become a completely different film than what was initially presented. Had there been enough time to flesh out the story and build up the tension, the final Rebecca twist would have worked a lot better.

It grows tedious because it feels like we’re holding our breath waiting for something more significant to happen for the lead’s character development, and yet it remains largely stagnant. Exit 8 has so much squandered potential. It might have made for a better short film than a full feature, but as a psychological horror, the film falls flat.

The film is overly long, dragging out its story unnecessarily, with Daniels haphazardly shifting focus away from Holiday constantly. The film is unbalanced, generally failing to center on the song driving the story while romanticizing an affair between Holiday and a FBN agent.

While the drama gets the wind knocked out of its sails after introducing other characters, Encounter gets in plenty of emotional, nuanced scenes between Malik and his sons that become the beating heart of this often unsettling, uneven, yet strangely mesmerizing film.

A Quiet Place Part II feels hollow where it could have brilliantly captured the nuances of the characters and their journey. The sequel provides some new information, but doesn’t do the work to deepen the story.

While Blitz may not be transformative, it isn’t all bad. McQueen is a capable director who deftly moves between different points in time, offering a glimpse into Rita and George’s life before and during the war.

Nuanced yet ambiguous, and imbued with raw emotion and care, Campbell-Hughes crafts a worthwhile story that digs into the aftermath of a near-death experience.

I walked away from the film feeling distant from Bob Dylan. That seems to be by design but it’s no less frustrating from a storytelling point of view.

Tonally inconsistent, writer-director J Blakeson takes a big swing and misses with regards to the film’s message. Rosamund Pike gives a fiery, powerhouse performance, but there is something completely missing from I Care a Lot that makes it a hard pill to swallow.

The film is a combination of great ideas that could have gone a bit further.

There's a lot to like in this engaging and unnerving drama, but the finale doesn’t come together to deliver on an intriguing and chilling first half.

While the film tells a raw, intriguing story, it isn’t always smooth sailing.

The film attempts to deliver an emotional, compelling, and entertaining story, but it struggles with balance despite some lovely, uplifting moments.

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t invest in its characters or in its world beyond the surface, so why should we?

Daniel Craig’s fifth and final outing as Bond is replete with fantastic action sequences and an emotional center despite the final act being shaky.

What the film does have is a sense of style and an ability to keep us engaged through a riotous cast that is clearly having a lot of fun.

Crimes of the Future has an intriguing enough setup, but it doesn’t know how to tie everything together, leaving the disparate pieces of the plot adrift and turning the film into a tedious watch.

The biggest disappointment is perhaps that it doesn’t do enough to focus on Natasha, opting to set up Yelena as her successor. There is just enough Black Widow, however, to make this a distinct film, one that is less of a traditional superhero outing in the MCU, with the film more interested in exploring the lengths of human cruelty, perseverance, and the ties that bind despite everything.

All told, Fresh has a lot of potential even though it doesn’t fully deliver. Cave makes a case for herself in a directorial debut that is ambitious, even when all the pieces don’t seamlessly fit together.

Annette is extravagant and ambitious, but it’s also frustrating, pompous and emotionally flat.

The Surfer is a slow-burn film that requires a lot of patience. Cage does his best with limited material, as his character doesn’t have much depth beyond wanting something and aiming to get it.

Better Nate Than Ever is full of charm, supportive friendships and familial relationships, and a passionate love of musical theater and these elements work together to create a lovely, entertaining viewing experience.

Though it has its merits, an excellent supporting cast & fun musical numbers, Wonka wobbles in its journey & storylines while remaining heartfelt.

The film is full of heart and humor, and the message of self-acceptance in a world where there is pressure to be anyone but oneself is affirming and lovely. Bolstered by a fantastic performance by Verma, Mustache makes for a sweet and wholesome viewing experience.

Buoyed by a strong, effective performance by Boyega, and even despite its pitfalls, Corbin’s film is a solid debut feature.

Its focus may have needed some more fine-tuning, but Steve proves meaningful regardless.

Appendage is a solid outing by Zlokovic, and the horror elements complement the story’s message about self-doubt, even if it doesn’t push the envelope any more than it has to.

Despite a solid performance from the film’s lead and an interesting character arc, Rounding winds up getting a bit lost in all it’s trying to accomplish.

While the first half of the film struggles, the second half deftly explores the character dynamics in a tender way that makes it well worth the watch.

It's a run-of-the-mill crime drama that doesn't stand out.

Powered by an incredible, devoted performance from Jonathan Majors, Magazine Dreams stumbles in its last act and repeats itself too often, but it is gripping and intense all the same.

There are certainly lulls throughout, and the story needed some tightening. But what it lacks is more than made up with a great cast, distressing moments, and some well-shot action.

Elvis seems perfectly content being a glitzy, bejeweled extravaganza, even when the film’s nearly three-hour runtime leaves its energy — which never fully recovers after the first half — waning by the end.

From a bizarre villain to unexpected musical numbers, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is egregiously bad, but with splashes of occasional humor.

It strips Nyad of her complexities for something a bit too formulaic.

Ash can be horrific and genuinely startling; there’s a specific scene near the end that underscores the apprehension that permeates the film. It’s chilling and memorable. And yet, had the sci-fi thriller given its characters more dimension, it would have been all the stronger.

While it's heavily nostalgic, The Matrix Resurrections does have something to say about living in the past and the difficulties of moving forward.

Winslet’s got plenty of fire as the titular photographer, but the biopic’s spark quickly fades.

The film is ultimately underwhelming and lacking the urgency needed to drive the story and lend realistic consequences to their endeavor.

Totally Killer has its flaws, but it also has a distinct flair and charm. The film’s comedy is self-aware and witty, even if not all the comedic elements work, and there’s a love of the 80s that isn’t overshadowed by attempts to emulate it without question.

There are inklings of something more interesting and rich beneath the surface, but Dual never brings the pieces together.

The Assessment, directed by Fleur Fortuné, is conceptually sound and looks incredible, but while it’s psychologically involved and provoking, it doesn’t go beyond the surface of its ideas.

Marks’ sophomore outing can be quite charismatic and fun, but it’s a misfire when it comes to exploring the couple and their attempts at polyamory.

Flora & Ulysses has all of the right ingredients, but falls short of bringing them all together, leaving the film an uncharismatic and empty shell.

It’s still a serviceable film, and you’re in for a wild and weird ride. Even its message, while nihilistic, has merit. I only wish The Monkey had a more balanced story to counteract its weaker elements.

A Million Miles Away is genuine in the way it presents its story, and the struggle Hernández endures, but it’s also so laser-focused on his space goals that it forgets to explore his inner life.

In Land, actress Robin Wright’s directorial debut, the sad, isolated feelings that come with bereavement saturate the story, but the film has surprisingly very little to say about grief.

The gorgeous cinematography and costumes can’t make up for its emptiness — both in what it’s trying to say and in the way it’s trying to say it.

The feature doesn’t dig any deeper than it has to, leaving us drifting along with Jacqueline without anything to latch onto to keep us afloat.

While the film is determined to live in the pain felt and lobbed at its main character, there are moments of gentle vulnerability and contemplation in its exploration of guilt, redemption, grief, and trauma.

While the film has its moments of genuine humor, it never lives up to the energy or intrigue of the opening scene. The rest of the film is an empty, exhausting watch that never truly builds towards anything.

A couple more action set pieces would have also helped the pacing from growing too stagnant as, like its predecessor, Den of Thieves 2 is far too long at nearly two and a half hours. It’s bloated and, with nothing too exciting going on, the wait for the heist itself starts to drag. Despite some tension, there’s no real sense of urgency at any point. The film sets up yet another sequel, but Pantera lacks the passion and consistency needed to dredge up any genuine excitement for yet another film in a struggling franchise.

House of Gucci boasts strong performances and is hammy enough to be occasionally enjoyable, but falls flat in the overall effectiveness of its story.

It’s unfortunate that Being the Ricardos never becomes as interesting as the people it’s centered on. The film offers enough interpersonal drama to keep audiences watching and intrigued, but while Sorkin’s script moves steadily towards the ending, the story wanes and never builds enough momentum to truly impress.

While the human characters are there for exposition and could’ve used additional development, Godzilla vs. Kong is engaging and visually stunning.

While the film does take its time stepping out on its own and out of the shadows of Aladdin and its "tale as old as time" story (Long's own words), Wish Dragon is a heartwarming, charming film with a great message and lovely characters.

Nobody 2's themes could’ve been better explored, but it’s easy to overlook that and enjoy the fun, action-packed ride.

Is it a well-made film? Absolutely, and Morosini has a strong vision for how to shape a story and characters right out of the gate. Unfortunately, that doesn’t turn I Love My Dad into a must-watch.

The characters, in their fight to live another day, and the thrilling, suspenseful sequences are what make the film worth watching. However, Those Who Wish Me Dead could have more thoroughly explored the very details that drove the plot, which would have elevated it beyond a basic action-thriller.

Elfman’s directorial feature debut has enough to hold it together, including a tremendous cast and character dynamics that are thoughtful, interesting, and complicated.

While its performances are lovely and tender, with the execution somewhat messy in its handling of themes, All My Puny Sorrows doesn’t dig past the surface enough to make a strong enough case for itself.

Late Bloomers offers a nice take on the coming-of-age story that is endearing and gives its characters the attention they deserve.

As it stands, however, Spin Me Round is all over the place and even its best moments can’t be saved due to a muddled storyline and lack of character development.

Flamin’ Hot is not only entertaining, but feels like a warm hug. It’s sentimental enough, but doesn’t overstay its welcome. Longoria has ultimately crafted a sweet, funny, and bright movie that will surely have viewers looking up Montañez on Google after the film ends.

Eternity isn’t a bad rom-com; it’s charming and wildly entertaining for the most part, but by skirting a conventional narrative to be more creative, the story loses some of its effectiveness in the process.

The animation is still strong and the character beats are affecting, but the villain and his motivations stand in the film's way of true greatness.

Without Cena and Elba’s committed and charming performances, as well as great supporting turns from Considine and Carla Gugino as Vice President Elizabeth Kirk, Heads of State wouldn’t be worth discussing

While Small Engine Repair’s message is clear, it doesn’t completely take off and is fragmented in its pacing, with a twisted turn that doesn't land.

India Sweets and Spices has a lot of overall great ideas and themes, even if it doesn’t always rise up to the potential of its setup and story.