Mae Abdulbaki

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 dialogue-driven movie is genuinely funny and heartfelt, rarely, if ever, losing its momentum from start to finish. Conners is a confident director, bringing together a story that is personal while touching upon issues women face as they age with grace and care.

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.

Suncoast is a strong feature debut from Chinn. It’s heartfelt and filled with warmth and messy emotions that are deeply felt.

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 could have spent more time specifically exploring Margaret’s life, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a thoughtful, charming, and heartwarming film that utilizes the time loop aspects to great effect.

With an exceptional performance from Ahmed and style meets substance storytelling, Hamlet is a journey worth taking.

The film and its character dynamics are intoxicating and wildly enjoyable, almost uncomfortably so due to the nature of their entanglements. If it had been less concerned with its twists, Saltburn could have been immaculate.

The Artifice Girl is engaging and compelling, bolstered by stellar performances from its cast, and exceeds where other AI-focused stories might falter.

The action sequences are fun. Paired with the film’s visual style and horror elements, it fares well enough, though the personal journeys are lacking.

It brings in new characters who stand apart and maintains the connection to the other films, all while critiquing these very aspects in the same breath. The horror commentary remains top tier, with the fifth installment proving the Scream franchise has still got it.

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.

Miller’s film is deceptively simple, but there is a tremendous amount of depth and nuance. Viewers will walk away thinking a lot about the film, and a second or third watch is needed to fully absorb the layers within its story.

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.

We Live in Time gives us what we’ve been missing from romantic dramas. It might be a tearjerker, but there’s a sense of peace watching the couple live as full a life as they can together. And really, that’s all we can ask for while we’re still here.

Leon imbues the film with an uncertain sense of dread, but he doesn’t lead the story or its protagonist anywhere worthwhile. It’s as though the narrative was designed specifically to capture the feeling of being lost in the city and what that might do to someone, but there’s very little exploration of Alina’s interiority for it to be satisfying.

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

It may not be laugh-out-loud funny at every turn, but Quiz Lady, with an irresistible cast, is entertaining with just the right amount of heart and energy.

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.