Nadir Samara

The film does a serviceable job of creating a revenge story, but leaves some meat on the bone in terms of narrative and visuals. Scenes come to a standstill and make a very short movie drag in places it shouldn’t. That being said, the final showdown makes it all worth it.

Sadly, Diablo is not a special B-movie, but it is one with great fights.

While it's a very standard documentary in terms of style, and it's not brave enough to fully delve into race and gender, Deaf President Now! is never redundant and always urgent. It'll surely make your heart explode in happiness.

Final Destination Bloodlines is a spectacle, a joyride, and easily the funniest iteration in the franchise.

Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon meets fans and newcomers right in the middle, and the resulting movie is for everyone. Overall, it's a summation of one of the best animes out right now, and if you want to prep for season 2 and are short on time, it's serviceable.

The film is jam-packed with fun tidbits and celebrity cameos that will surprise a lot of Vandross' fans — the casual and the hardcore. Considering his level of fame, it’s strange we haven’t gotten a biopic or definitive piece of fiction with Vandross at the center, but Porter seems to have made the definitive Luther Vandross documentary and it's worth every minute of our time.

A movie that means well, looks solid and is brimming with acting talent, but has neither the script nor the soul to bring home the bacon.

Skarsgård and Benjamin make for an odd pair that work well together at every turn. The vision of Mohr is clear and realized, and the resulting work of art will excite audiences around the world.

The film is funny, but the drama doesn't fully work.

Ultimately, The Kitchen is a film with its heart set on two stories and only succeeds in telling one.

The sincerity with which The Book of Clarence approaches its story, combined with its sheer boldness, will cement Samuel as a filmmaker who soars to unimaginable heights.

Concrete Utopia is one of the best thrillers of the year.

The plot of the movie works, but the dialogue definitely does not. The style is fine, but the tone is lacking. The Sacrifice Game is a film with the potential to be something cool and eerie, but the final product doesn't live up to that.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a blast overall. The performances hark back to the original, and while the sense of humor is not as edgy as it once was, it's still very effective.

The Archies is entertaining, educational and original.

Just in time for the holidays, writers Morgan Evans (Teen Titans Go!) and Jase Ricci have found the perfect balance of heart and hilarity in this cartoon caper.

The Shift is a Hallmark movie at best and will do nothing for those who are uninterested in faith-based cinema. As a work of science fiction, it does little to make the audience think.

With a single set repurposed multiple times, Share? makes the most out of a little — metaphorically and literally.

Though the script is not spectacular it has its moments and a realistic tension that cannot be ignored.

There are a few lingering plot lines in need of more attention, but overall everything put to the screen makes up for any of Divinity's shortcomings.

The Holdovers won’t blow you away in any particular category of filmmaking, but in the capable hands of Payne, every one of these categories is above average, making the overall film equally enjoyable and well-made.

It is Baig’s vision that makes We Grown Now sing in a way that is totally incomparable. Every shot, every musical choice, everything that makes a riveting movie is on display and at its very best here.

Mimang is exactly the film it sets out to be: Gentle, indirect but never apologetic.

Though there is one climactic heist the film rests on, there are a couple of mini crime sprees that come in the first act that set the tone for the finale. Combined with an absolute masterclass of an action set piece, Smugglers is a movie with a lot on its mind and expresses it in a very entertaining way.

Monster is many kinds of stories all at once and both the direction and script make sure that it is all in service of making the best film possible.

The script plays out like a mystery that keeps you guessing, but it also works against the film at points. Perpetrator has something important to say but just doesn’t know how to say it.

Vacation Friends 2 doubles down on the dirty jokes of the original and delivers.

In Aporia, drama takes center stage and bells and whistles are few and far between. The production value is simple but effective, as are the performances. By the time the credits roll, Moshe’s film makes its point and, crucially, does not overstay its welcome.

Every performance has something to offer and though the filmmaking is not very ambitious, it is well suited for the plot and tone. The Beanie Bubble isn’t fan service for lovers of the classic toy, but it is a refreshing take on the biopic.

They Cloned Tyrone is funny, well-paced, and just plain cool, and when you think that's all it is, the script digs even deeper.

Eslyn has full control of every element of the filmmaking process and the team to execute that vision. Fenton's production design fits the film perfectly and every little touch works to build out this world. Duplass and Brown are an unlikely, but deeply successful, duo.

Simulant offers little in the way of great storytelling and is ultimately a visual pleaser, but nothing else.

Kandahar won’t knock your socks off, but it offers a solid story that doesn’t try to be something it isn’t.

Somewhere in Queens is ultimately a well-made family drama with laughs sparsely placed throughout. The cast is crushing it and the script is as gritty as it is sweet. Romano’s direction works well, and every department is on the same page.

The film is far from perfect, but also does not attempt to be. Accents aside, the jokes are solid and don’t require a great plot to land. Quasi won’t blow anyone away, but it has its moments.

On a Wing and a Prayer will certainly find its audience and pays respect to a man who did the impossible, but as a viewing experience, it misses the mark at every turn.

The tale is gripping, the acting is top-notch, and Luther: Fallen Sun is just plain good to miss for long-time fans of the series.

Palm Trees and Power Lines is eerie, provocative, and thought-provoking.

The writing, direction, and acting are spectacular. The score by Robert Ouyang Rusli is stirring and never ceases to amaze. Among 2023's film entries, Bruiser stands among the year's best so far.

The film's events feel natural, so the audience doesn’t have to dig deep to understand and relate to the characters. Combined with a hilarious cast who are all on the same page, The Drop delivers an entertaining enough viewing experience.

The cast is not the problem, but the script certainly is. The actors are given too much to do and no time to do it. Golden has the right idea, but the execution fails the film's aspirations.

To say Leonor Will Never Die is making bold choices would be an understatement. One never sees the comedy coming, the film is gorgeous, and the script is easily one of the year's best.

No part of Utama feels fabricated. The costumes are a part of the environment; the camera work is as simple as it could be, but what is in front of the camera is elevated by a lovely stillness. Alvarez turns Bolivia into a series of portraits and Grisi is the perfect conduit to tell such a specific tale of love and life.

The underlying story is about dealing with grief, but I’m Totally Fine is neither nuanced nor funny enough to comment on that topic meaningfully.

Something in The Dirt is a wild ride that will take one to the limits of reality and test one's patience.

All Quiet On The Western Front does not live and die by each round of ammunition, it thrives through personal connections and incredible shots of stunned faces covered in soot.

Spirit Halloween: The Movie is a missed opportunity at best and totally unnecessary at worst.

The film's tone and performances are in lockstep, creating a familiar but effective vibe, making MK Ultra a no-frills thriller reminiscent of classic 70s paranoia.

Mona Lisa and The Blood Moon is a tightrope of horror, revenge, and feminism set to awesome music.

Moonage Daydream doesn't really concern itself with David Bowie’s effect on the world; it lives and dies inside his own mind, and the decisions he made that impacted his art.

Sadly, Dig has little to offer audiences other than its magnificent soundtrack.

By the end of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, fans will feel both nostalgia and elation for the direction the franchise is going.

The story is very high concept and the tone is completely aware of itself, leading to a truly enjoyable experience

Summering is a slow and ultimately boring mystery that does little to portray youth in a meaningful way.

Though the performances are all very enjoyable, the dialogue pulls down the script. Despite this, however, Karmalink is unique, introspective, and beautifully imperfect.

Most of all, the movie reaffirms the fact that we still don’t have the iconic, big-budget Hart movie his career has been working towards.

The film's comedy is the cherry on top of a disgusting meal one has to hear to believe.

Hustle succeeds in being exactly the movie it sets out to be: A glimpse inside what it takes to get into, and stay in, the very competitive NBA.

Deep in the Forest certainly has a point of view, but it is ultimately a meandering slog.

There is nothing flashy about Davies' style and the found footage doesn’t feel obtuse; it feels imminent. The film sets out to execute a plan and does so without missing a beat. It is rare to extract so much emotion from a mostly technical achievement, but Benediction does just that.

Explorations of sex are a dime a dozen in Hollywood but Thyberg isn’t interested in sex, she is interested in people who are interested in sex. There is no judgment and no fetishizing. (The film even has time for a boner joke.) What more could one ask for in a film such as this?

There is a very entertaining movie somewhere in The Ravine, but it seems to have been left on the editing room floor.

The Tale Of King Crab doesn’t keep one's attention at first, but if the audience can make it past the period piece there is a thought-provoking western on the other end.

Black Crab is a little long, but the movie is too cool to notice.

The script is far from perfect but if one squints, there is occasional fun to be had.

Albeit a good-looking movie with a fascinating premise, The Seed is constantly being held hostage by its poorly written script.

Gold isn't a gut-punch, but it lulls to sleep before spearing with a jagged branch.

Against the Ice is a searing portrayal of the cost to explore in the early 20th century.

The filmmaking of Lucy and Desi will not blow anyone away, but the heart will take audiences on an emotional rollercoaster fans of the couple won't soon forget.

Studio 666 is not great but it is gross, at times funny, and essential viewing for Foo Fighters fans. But it isn’t as good as the video for Long Road To Ruin.

Not dissimilar from the real world, the scariest part of Student Body is patriarchy and gaslighting, not getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer by the school's mascot.

The filmmaking is very strong, but it's Copley’s performance that sells it.

A Banquet is a beautifully made psychological thriller with nuanced performances and a gross hook.

When one thinks The Long Night is walking in circles, it breaks off from the beaten path just in time to give viewers exactly the movie that was sold.

The lead performance almost shipwrecks Last Survivors, but director Drew Mylrea (Spy Interventions) is in complete control of his vision. Silverstone and Moyer feel extremely welcome outside their normal roles and should leave audiences wanting more indie genre fare from the duo. The twist alone should keep audiences watching because Last Survivors has got one that isn't worth missing out on.

Crucially, Last Looks' groovy tone allows the viewer to simultaneously try and crack the case while never having to overly invest in the plot.

I Want You Back will definitely make viewers laugh. The film isn’t trying to make anyone cry or be overly dramatic — it simply follows funny performances through the 2022 dating world and lets the audience fill in the blanks.

The film is masterful in exploring the kinetic energy between its leads, even in the most subdued scenes. The Pact is a slow burn, but one feels the heat the whole time.

From the completely random consortium of villains and bosses to fight scenes that are at times literally shot backward, a lot is going wrong.

The film is heavy-handed in its attempt to be subtle and even Brody’s score can’t save the day, but Clean has its moments.

The Tiger Rising is too serious and abstract for kids yet too ham-fisted for adults.

All in all, The Legend of La Llorona is a kooky movie with more laughs than scares, and is best watched after midnight alongside like-minded friends.

A genuinely gritty premise paired with a 90-minute runtime is typically a recipe for success, but The Last Son never becomes the movie it's capable of being.