Monica Castillo

We could all use a little distraction these days, and there are worse ways to spend the time than in the company of an engrossing erotic thriller. Unfortunately, “Pretty Thing” isn’t one of them. Between stilted conversations, murky cinematography, and the story’s intimate partner violence, the film is distracting in an unpleasant way.

As a whole, “What We Hide” has the feeling of an old after-school special, a melodramatic lesson about a topical issue.

The coming-of-age story in “Sweetness” is less sugar than spice and very little nice.

Andersen’s film, in its attempt to present various perspectives in this story, shifts the viewer’s attention from one character to another, diluting its emotional impact.