Mae Abdulbaki

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 has no easy answers for Celestina’s questions, but her journey throughout is all the more powerful because of it.

The film certainly delivers on the action set pieces, but it also scales back to lay the groundwork for the story so that the payoff is well worth it. Monkey Man isn’t some basic action thriller; it’s an underdog story about the power of the people.

Weird lives up to its name. It's utterly ridiculous, a satire of biopics in the best way. It exaggerates anything and everything that happens (and doesn't happen) in Yankovic's life to the point of being so over-the-top one can't help but laugh at its absurdity.

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

Blichfeldt pulls out all the stops for this film, giving us a cinematic experience that is ripe with depth and concise commentary, all wrapped in a grisly fairy tale world that is as immersive as it is intense

There is a lot of love put into the making of this film and it shows in every single scene. It’s one of the best romantic comedies in a while, and not one to miss.

It’s got everything — tense chase sequences, anxious and wary phone calls, and heart-to-hearts between Sarah and Ash that underscore their characters’ need for true connection. There have been so few exceptional thrillers in recent years, but Relay is certainly one of them.

Violation is trenchant and effective, deftly handling the emotional trauma at its core.

Censor is chilling, an assured horror that blurs the line of reality for its protagonist as she delves into that which makes her most vulnerable.

While the pacing dawdles just a bit in a few places, The Outside Story is an unexpectedly warm film that asks its audience to engage with their own surroundings in the hopes that they, like Charles, might find something worthwhile.

The film is earnest and full of yearning and intimacy, elevated by the performances of its lead actors who, even in the film’s most abrupt moments, have so much chemistry to keep audiences watching.

The film is a compelling moral character study and a breathtaking thriller that steps on the gas and never lets up. It’s a perfect addition to Anvari’s already robust work as a filmmaker.

Finding ‘Ohana continues the tradition of balancing heartwarming family bonding time with genuine humor and wondrously exciting escapades.

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.

Pitch-perfect performances elevate this magnificent film that I can’t say enough good things about.

Raiff captures how relationships can blossom through connection and how affecting they can be when the two people in question are both trying to take the next steps in their lives but are not quite sure how to do it. To that end, Cha Cha Real Smooth is a triumph in its exploration of its characters, and the honesty it brings to the forefront.

Magpie turns certain tropes into narrative weapons, and it works at every turn, culminating in a finale that will leave you wanting more even as it gives us a tension-fueled conclusion.

Uplifted by an incredible central performance by Hall, The Night House twists and turns, weaving terrifying visuals and jump-scares with thought-provoking and emotional story beats. The result makes for one of the best horror-thrillers of the year.

The combination of cast and storytelling makes for an emotionally gorgeous, hilarious, and touching film that you’ll want to rewatch over and over again.

Poignant, funny, and emotionally resonant, Language Lessons organically develops a heartfelt friendship while its cast exudes warmth and charisma.

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

It might be a Formula One promotional movie at its core, but at least it’s a damn good film.

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?