Ross Bonaime

Frozen Empire attempts to evoke the past with constant callbacks, while trying to make the audience care about a more modern story with characters for a new generation, and ends up failing on both counts.

Grand Theft Hamlet shows how incredible it is to see how a new medium of storytelling can shift what we know of a beloved work and put it into an entirely new context after centuries.

Imaginary is a mess of a horror film, with poor narrative choices, obvious twists, and clichéd characters.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is a film all about deciding to not do the easy thing of remaining stagnant and comfortable, but rather, trying something new and hopefully finding the greatness in the new opportunity. Kung Fu Panda 4 similarly does this, attempting a new approach to this world and mostly finding success, while also potentially setting up the future of where this series could go.

Torres' humor might be too niche for some, but Problemista shows that it can be used to tell a compelling and heartfelt story for the masses.

Spaceman is a rocky journey, but in times like these and thanks to Sandler’s performance, it’s often worth the trip.

Drive-Away Dolls, the solo directorial debut of Ethan Coen, is an occasionally charming road trip comedy that never quite reaches the wit and brilliance of other Coen projects.

Silver's vision doesn't always work, sometimes feeling like a mishmash of ideas and tones that don't always go well together. But when the film focuses on this central relationship, Between the Temples finds a lovely sweet spot that makes it all sing.

Thelma could’ve been a one-note joke, but Margolin’s script makes being elderly a strength and not a weakness.

It's a deliberately-paced drama with some decent performances and a gorgeously dark aesthetic, but lacks the time or effort to give these stories what they need.

The Greatest Night in Pop is a worthy story in its own right, but a bit more of the director's touch could've done justice to this gigantic achievement of pop music history.

It's a delightfully smart and ambitious story that is equally powerful for children and adults alike.

The American Society of Magical Negroes is a film that needs bite for its high concept to work, and unfortunately, Libii’s film doesn’t have teeth.

The editing in Super/Man is perfectly handled, taking what could’ve been a straightforward documentary and turning a life into a collection of what makes us who we are—both the good and the bad.

The film isn’t without its flaws and weird choices, but the fact that it works at all is a testament to the Zellner brothers and this incredible cast being willing to give their all for such a deranged idea.

Schimberg’s exploration of identity and representation has the best of intentions, but the more audacious aspects of A Different Man often overwhelm the interesting themes at the center of the film.

Director Nora Fingscheidt adapts Amy Liptrop’s memoir of the same name like a master conductor, melding the past and present expertly to create a staggering look at addiction through a magnificent performance by Ronan.

My Old Ass manages to show youth from two different perspectives in an endearing and sympathetic way and shows that Park is a remarkable talent that can capture intricate, hard-to-present ideas with ease.

Love Lies Bleeding is an exhilarating experience that will make you groan, laugh, cringe, and swoon. This is a remarkable second film from Glass, showing her tremendous ability to build tension and create an entirely unpredictable thriller that won’t be easy to forget.

Told from the perspective of a “presence” in a house, Soderbergh explores this type of horror story in a way that only he can, playing with the structure of similar films, screwing with our expectations for this type of film, and once more, testing himself while showing the untapped potential in the genre.

I Saw the TV Glow is bold, unhinged, extremely unusual, and also kind of magnificent—a daring step forward for Schoenbrun as a filmmaker, and a film that will certainly divide audiences not sure what the hell to make of it.

With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, we get the best and worst of the DCEU, but also a reminder that there’s still hope for these characters, with a bit more focus, and a reminder of what works and what doesn’t with this world.

Despite its flaws, Bazawule’s strength behind the camera and an incredible cast down the line make The Color Purple a worthy adaptation.

Leave the World Behind is a smart, compelling take on the end of the world, and proves Esmail is a writer-director who deserves larger-scale projects like this after his television successes.

Wonka is a bit shaggy, with too many moving parts, but its spirit and its optimism—and a fantastic performance by Chalamet—make up for the film’s weaknesses.

Poor Things is a staggering accomplishment of a movie, a film that feels so uniquely Lanthimos, and yet, with a heart and a shocking amount of joy and enthusiasm that shows the filmmaker pushing his style and boundaries as much as possible.

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, Queen Bey wants us to know that being at one of her concerts is a communal experience.

Good Burger 2 certainly isn’t a masterpiece, but Kenan & Kel still have the special sauce that makes this film work.