Rob Rector

It’s as emotionally honest as it is engaging.

The documentary is a deeply meditative look at what it means to truly live with purpose and meaning.

It signals a strong new voice in the genre with the Philippous that is equally confident, commanding, and committed to slinking under your skin.

You People chooses to bounce along from one awkward situation to the next, with little time to let the characters feel like actual people.

House Party puts out quite the spread and has put effort into its lights and music. But nothing that happens will give us any inspiration to accept an invite to future festivities.

Fascinating as it is to see the sheer drive and determination of a man who builds his persona with unwavering dedication, Loudmouth can appear somewhat hagiographical in its approach. Sharpton is too fearless for such a style and has never shied away from confronting those who are angered by his words, for, as Dr. King once said, “In order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self.”

For those who have read any of the McDonald adventures with the reporter (there are nine, not including the “Son of Fletch” novels), Confess, Fletch feels much more authentic. Hamm is given one of the biggest sandboxes yet for his talent and he pulls it off. Here’s hoping for future chapters.

Despite budgetary limitations, Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes perpetually surprises with its ability to keep all its plates spinning throughout its kaleidoscopic journey.

The main actors infuse A Love Song with a sanguine authenticity that keeps things simple narratively. However, it speaks volumes about love, loss, and the desire for connection, however fleeting, and whatever stage of life one is in.

Abandoned delivers tension with a more nuanced approach to a particularly emotionally vulnerable stage of life.

At a crisp 90 minutes, Cordelia is as enigmatic as its title character for the majority of its runtime. But with its lush cinematography, archaically creepy set design, and outstanding balancing acts from both Campbell-Hughes and Flynn, it’s never muddied to the point of being opaque and remains enthralling throughout.

Settings aside, Infinite Storm is Watt’s show, and she is thoroughly invested.

By taking its time setting the stakes for all involved, when the action strikes, its impact is witnessed more through the cast rather than a cadre of CGI explosions.

Despite its narrative shortcomings, Soumaya presents a modulated perspective on the aftermath of reactionary politics and procedures.

Death on the Nile is more solid and engaging than Murder on the Orient Express, and despite the questionable presence of Hammer, it makes for a great latter-day career tentpole for Branagh. He will hopefully continue the adventures of Poirot for years to come.

Like Lucy, herself, Am I OK? does not really discover itself until much later, but once it does, it confidently strides to its conclusion.

Gillan is always a powerhouse, and the set-up of her in a Battle Royale rumble is enticing. Still, the actor is required to maintain a monotone delivery from which only the slightest emotions escape.

The finale of Emily the Criminal does not match the pulse-pounding scenes of her earlier assignments. However, it still manages to work toward a satisfying, logical conclusion while offering a solid critique of the gig economy many Americans face in which fortune is merely a credit card swipe away.

Diallo’s dramatic horror film is rich with atmosphere and subtext and deserves recognition, despite its narrative shortcomings.

Hatching is the very essence of a midnight movie and one that will undoubtedly find a sizeable cult following. Sure, its metaphor isn’t as deep as it thinks it is, but this is certainly a solid start for director Bergolm and lead Solalinna.

Boyega once again proves he’s one of today’s strongest young talents, giving us a glimpse of his mental afflictions without leaning into them as a dramatic crutch.

Dosa gives shape to the Kraffts’ relationship, not through traditional talking-head interviews, but rather by allowing audiences in on the couple’s subtle interactions with one another in their footage, allowing the story of their life together to be told predominantly by them.

Superhost could have strengthened its narrative by not revealing its cards as early as it does.

Despite its plot-thick propensities, The Kindred remains a superior British thriller that unfolds with a deliberate, measured pace leading its audience through an engaging mystery with a deeply human core.

Those who seek their sci-fi with a more cerebral slant will find quite a bit to admire here. The film certainly demonstrates a cast and crew who are dedicated to their craft and provide anticipation for future endeavors in which they continue to polish it.

It’s nowhere near the intimacy of Homecoming and Far from Home. Still, considering the heavy lifting it’s required to perform, it makes for a fitting grand finale for one of Marvel’s (and Sony’s) most enduring heroes.

By its conclusion, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin accomplishes its task of delivering a suitable level of scares in time for the witching season.

Despite periodic bursts of action, The Last Duel has a long wick that burns slowly toward its violent conclusion. It’s a wisely protracted take from writers Affleck, Damon, and Nicole Holofcener that allows the audience to consume its narrative details as well as its performances and Scott’s stirring visuals.

For a film that asks its audience to erase so much of the series’ lore, it certainly enjoys feeding them “memberberries” throughout its runtime.

Like all memorable road trips, Threshold understands that the joys are found in the journey as much as the destination.

At times as gaudy as Flynt’s gold-plated wheelchair, it also depicts the dream of a country that refuses to sit down and remain silent.

To both the filmmaker and subject’s credit, neither feel that the transition to Zoey should excuse past behavior, and the director lets her sit with her thoughts. She processes her actions in front of the camera as she surveys the wreckage of her life. This is what makes Whirlybird such a wholly unique story, ultimately resonating as a portrait of a deeply flawed person.

If you bought into the messy magic of the first film, you will undoubtedly find much in which to revel with its successor.

It’s unfortunate that Knocking is so muddled as Milocco is thoroughly engaging. Plus, Kempff demonstrates a visual strength and confidence that will serve her well when she gets ahold of a script that is a bit more grounded than the one here.

Farha, writer/director Darin Sallam’s debut, is so effective because it views the conflict through the eyes of a child, one with hopes and dreams and has no role to play in the ensuing battle. It asks viewers to remove their preconceived opinions of the struggle and approach it solely on the human toll that results from living through such tumult.

Tippett himself said he did not intend Mad God to adhere to any strict narrative structure, so it’s best to merely soak in the sumptuous, detailed visuals and extract your own meaning from the journey. It’s a ferociously engaging, if slightly flawed, viewing experience.

Throughout, the film is an idiosyncratic mediation on a pesky emotion that can simultaneously bond us and tear us apart. And with Pink and his exquisite cast behind The Wheel, the audience is in great hands.

Despite its slight story and tiny budget, the music that pulses through the heart of the film buoys it above its limitations.

Like all of its predecessors, its overtly political message can’t decide whether its violence is justified or glorified. This means it sits right at average.

A Quiet Place: Part II offers another round of impressively staged set pieces, a few cheap (but damn effective) “gotcha” jumpscares, and a heavier dose of those spindly, flower-headed aliens.

As we all creep back into the theaters from our COVID cocoons, it serves up just the right amount of cinematic comfort food to keep us coming back for another serving.

make|SHIFT serves as a lively look into the ad landscape. It also is an inspirational account for young artists looking to enter the marketing/advertising industry.

The whole movie feels like an overlong Kickstarter set up for a The Disaster Artist-like treatment. Honestly, that would provide a far more fascinating story than the pureed plot provided here.

Both Glass and Clark provide enough ambiguity throughout (are we witnessing supernatural influence or the active imagination of an unreliable narrator?) to keep us engaged and marking the debut of a powerful new cinematic voice.