Nadia Dalimonte

Directed by Zachary Wigon and starring a brilliant Maika Monroe, Victorian Psycho shines in a sea of gothic horrors for the way it depicts real fears about societal acceptance.

Powered by excellent performances from Sophie Okonedo and India Amarteifio, who convey the multitudes of a fascinating titular character, “Clarissa” shines as a unique perspective on Woolf and exemplifies the Esiri brothers’ compelling vision as filmmakers.

Above all, it’s a sensitive piece of storytelling that reaches a place of hopefulness, not in light of the tough subject matter of war, but in spite of it.

As a work of historical fiction, the film strikes a resonant chord. Bleak in its relevance today, it’s an intense watch made compelling by an extraordinary lead performance at the center.

Bitter Christmas falls into the category of Almodóvar films that feature the vibrant touchstones of his style, but lack the bite that makes you want to revisit the story and characters.

There are luminous glimmers of promise scattered throughout “Sheep in the Box,” and each speaks to a filmmaker of immense creativity and thoughtful sensibilities—unfortunately, those glimmers amount to a disappointingly disorienting feature.

Seydoux’s gut-wrenching performance at the center of Gentle Monster, combined with a sensitive approach to horrifying subject matter, makes a tough watch equally compelling.

With Drucker single-handedly carrying the film’s emotional core on her shoulders, any minor quibbles instantly melt into afterthoughts, while her exquisite work remains at the forefront.

Each and every artistic element works in lockstep to create another exquisite Pawlikowski film.

With a smart script that reclaims stigmatized narratives, they’ve made a thoughtful documentary that explores sex work through an imaginative and humanistic lens.

With a film called Fantasy Life, one might expect it to contain a romanticized version of reality, where the characters’ conflicts are magically solved, and their journeys are wrapped in a neat bow. Endearingly, Shear’s version is messier and far more grounded. While the characters live extremely privileged lifestyles and aren’t quite operating in the real world, the film simultaneously touches on the compelling subject matter of personal disillusionment and its impact on mental health struggles.

Anya Taylor-Joy brings a dynamic playfulness and personality to her character. While Miles Teller doesn’t quite match Taylor-Joy’s level of screen presence, the two manage to create fun chemistry and make the most out of an unfocused concept.

Picture This may not be the most unique story, nor does it reach the pinnacle of the rom-com genre. But the film finds enough moments of freshness and earnestness in the protagonist’s journey to stand out in a sea of generic rom-coms. Ashley’s incredibly charming performance is the most compelling highlight of the film.

While director Stephen Chbosky and writer Liz Maccie have the heart in the right place with Nonnas, honoring generations of family tradition, a formulaic approach limits how far this inspiring story can go creatively.

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life feels destined to become a quintessential Austen-adjacent classic. The film lives up to its playful title with a thoughtful blend of the author’s sense and sensibility.

Campanella’s suspenseful direction makes for an emotionally resonant (and at times very upsetting) watch about enduring love, pain, and the evasiveness of true justice.

In a heightened depiction of the hyper-privileged, “Succession” drew parallels to the real world. The balance between absurdity and glimmers of sympathy in such morally corrupt characters made the show an irresistible watch. A feature-length doom scroll from the perspective of out-of-touch, not-so-sympathetic billionaires is a little harder to digest.

KPop Demon Hunters slays as a mystical, action-packed musical full of surprises, and it deserves to be played in theaters.

While the structure can be a little too unfocused, Coixet’s subtle depiction of love and loss goes a long way, building to a memorable conclusion.

At times, the roundabout structure of “Couture” can make for a plodding watch, and leaves some character development to be desired. But there’s a spellbinding quality to Winocour’s direction; she glides from one woman’s perspective to the next somewhat obliquely. In doing so, she unearths gems of inner conflict in characters who are withholding so much about their personal lives just to do their jobs and get through the day.

Cookie Queens excels at balancing a light-hearted energy with thought-provoking musings on entrepreneurial sacrifice and ambition.

Pulling from personal and vulnerable archives, Birds of War gives voice to the people and gives us a grounded perspective on international conflict.

One of the most impactful documentaries in recent years.

Lacking focus in the writing and direction, the film ultimately falls short of crafting a satisfying journey for the viewer to follow.

What could have been an effective investigative drama and character study loses all momentum in the film’s structure.

The film struggles to find an effective core focus that ties all the narratives together in a cohesive and entertaining manner. Ultimately, Fuze lacks the precision in its writing to make the twists and turns worthwhile.

Leading with sincerity, Hikari makes a moving love letter to the people and places of Tokyo. Brendan Fraser performs with his heart on his sleeve, which lends perfectly to the film’s concept.

The Christophers may not be Soderbergh operating at his peak, nor does the film build to a satisfying or impactful conclusion. Regardless, Coel and McKellen make this creative endeavour worthwhile.