Patrice Witherspoon

Riddled with uncomfortable dialogue, audacious sequences, and a piercing score, Club Zero has all the ingredients to become a future cult classic. It’s for a great reason, too. The film contains a terrifying yet wonderful performance from Wasikowska, it includes brilliant commentary on the dangers of following blindly, and it provides great entertainment.

The incomparable Daniel Giménez Cacho stars as Silverio Gama, giving an unforgettable performance that captures the intensity of the film’s concepts. While everything doesn’t always work in Bardo, Iñárritu takes his time painting a visually scrumptious tale even though it’s overly saturated with style over substance.

It doesn’t always capitalize on its strengths, but Don’t Make Me Go is a journey worth taking thanks to fantastic performances from its two leads.

Sure, the script takes wild liberties that bear no resemblance to historical accuracies, but with Vikander and Law leading this wonderful ensemble, it’s a rather welcomed addition that will keep your eyes glued to the screen from start to finish.

Ungar’s Bandit entertains because of genre alone, but the ambiguous messaging leaves much to be desired.

Cocaine Bear is exactly what one would imagine from its title, yet the carnage and shocking scenes yield an experience that soars beyond expectations.

It isn’t the best in its genre, of course, but the commitment from Keaton, as actor and director, is more than enough for me to rally behind this film for another watch.

For a story centered on childhood trauma, domestic violence, and the cycle of abuse, these themes feel like afterthoughts when they could have been its strength. It’s certainly lacking, but hearts were in the right place.

While Emancipation contains beautiful cinematography amidst brutalities of oppression, it conveys very little about the man who should easily inspire the world.

This is merely an example of misalignment when it comes to direction and script. Because while Kane’s vision is mostly clear, the execution of this particular script stumbles.

Sharp Stick is charming thanks to great performances, but the lopsided script doesn’t reach its full potential.

Rodriguez as a filmmaker has a history of implementing creativity and inspiration in his works. But with Hypnotic, the end result is a dull feature that doesn’t come close to its potential.

Not everything works and the humor tends to run its course, but Gates puts a solid effort together given the limitations.

Despite being flawed, though, Trap is thrilling at times and a ridiculous display of human behavior at others.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter fails to deliver on its early promise of being a compelling horror experience. The focus on jump scares and a skeptic character detracts from the potential scares and fails to bring authenticity to the storytelling.

Thanks to the special cast chemistry, 80 For Brady’s charm shines through despite being good for only a single watch.

It leans into unrealistic territory, and we’re unfortunately left with a trashy story that very few will like. Not even the ever-charming Gina Rodriguez and confident Damon Wayans Jr. could save this film.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody celebrates the star that captured the hearts of many fans around the world. And through a great performance by Ackie, this film has the ability to do the same, even if it sticks to genre rules.

This story and these women deserve better.

With stuntman J.J. Perry behind the camera, Day Shift is a killer upgrade to vampire lore and a damn good time.

Lou is a quiet thriller that takes a deep dive into the consequences of one’s actions. The film enables Janney and Jurnee Smollett to command every scrap of attention through physical and emotionally compelling performances.

Love in the Villa may be a silly rom-com at heart, but with Graham and Hopper’s compelling chemistry, leaning into the ridiculousness and unrealistic moments is worth it for these two alone.

It’s quite familiar, yet impressively sweet. Kilris clearly understands the appeal of Cyprus, her home, and offers us the chance to witness flawed humans go through the intricacies of everyday life.

Whatever the intent, the execution isn’t all the way there, and that’s the biggest disappointment of all.

The themes in The Miracle Club may be as old as time, but it beautifully celebrates the idea that friendship and compassion can be healing.

Costner and company know the importance of visual and sonic storytelling. In this film, the score, landscapes, and set pieces guide the stories along when the dialogue is limited, helping us to connect to the overall experience emotionally.

With certainty, Cumberbatch put his all into this role. So, if for nothing else, it’s worth it to see him.

A fun film for all ages, Haunted Mansion may be the remake you never knew you needed. The feature is full of great laughs and some age-appropriate scares that will keep viewers of all types glued to the screen. While heavy on cheese and silliness, screenwriter Katie Dippold is never afraid to discuss an important topic like grief through her characters. It brings a realistic element to the film and balances out some of the fantastical elements. Haunted Mansion may not break any barriers when it comes to storytelling, but thanks to a dedicated cast and their commitment to their characters’ vivid personalities, you can’t help but smile throughout.